Bua loy dessert recipe with sticky rice balls in coconut milk, so creamy and so irresistibly sweet. Hands down, THE BEST authentic Thai dessert you’ll ever make! Trust me, it’s so good, the kids well be begging for seconds and even thirds.

This is the best weekend dessert to turn into a fun family thing. Whip up a big batch and enjoy it warm, then chill the leftovers for the next day. If you’re not feeding a family, feel free to halve the recipe for a smaller serving.

What is bua loy

Bua loy or bua loi is a popular Thai dessert featuring soft glutinous rice flour dumplings or balls in sweet coconut milk. The name translates to ‘floating lotus’, referring to the colorful rice balls floating in a bowl of milk.

Rice balls in coconut milk recipe

Coconut lovers, LISTEN UP! This Thai dessert with coconut milk is simply irresistible, and you’re about to have the time of your life making it. Grab the kids and get them in on this – it’s not just a dessert recipe, it’s a whole mood!

Ready for the chewiest, stretchiest rice balls you’ve ever had? With a mix of glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour, these are just so satisfyingly good.

When it comes to color and flavor, the more, the better! Today we’re rolling bua loy taro, purple potatoes, sweet potatoes, and pandan. Each tiny, colorful ball has its own delicious flavor.

If you’re ever at the street food markets in Thailand, you cannot – I repeat, CANNOT – skip on bua loy kai wan (bua loy sweet egg). The sweet poached egg is like the cherry on top.

5 Reasons to try this coconut milk dessert

• Authentic Thai cuisine: Craving authentic Thai flavors? No need to book a flight, just gather the family and get this party started.
• Sweet and addictive: The coconut milk – super addictive. It’s so sweet and so good, I’m guilty of over-eating!
• Rich in flavors: We’ve got taro, sweet potatoes, purple potatoes, and pandan leaves all bringing their unique flavors. Each colorful ball differs in flavor.
• Warm or cold: Dig into this dessert straight from the pot or let it chill, either way, it’ll be delicious.
• Customizable: Go ahead and your own twist to this recipe: add a splash of juice, a new flavor, or even some food coloring.

Can’t get enough? Check out my other Thai dessert recipes.

Ingredients

For the exact measurements, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Glutinous rice dough

• Purple sweet potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Pandan
• Taro
• Glutinous rice flour – For each sticky rice dough, you will need glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour to give the dough a chewy and stretchy texture. Both flours are gluten-free.
• Tapioca flour
• Cold water – Cold water is crucial for achieving the ideal consistency.

Note: You can totally keep it simple by picking one flavor, like sweet potatoes, and roll with it. No need to use four flavors for the dough if you don’t want to!

Sweet coconut milk

• Coconut milk – Use a high quality full-fat coconut milk for a rich, creamy texture. Coconut milk is dairy-free.
• Pandan leaves – These are added to the coconut milk for aroma and flavor.
• Water – Water is added to the coconut milk to adjust the consistency.
• Sugar – For sweetening the coconut milk dessert. Taste-test and make more or less sweet to your taste.
• Salt
• Egg (optional) – This bua loy kai wan recipe adds an egg to the coconut milk, poaching it in the milk.

Feel free to halve the recipe for a smaller serving.

How to make bua loy

Cooking tips and tricks

• Using other ingredients: You might need to adjust the water quantity for your dough when using other ingredients in the mix. For example, pumpkin is a water-packed vegetable, so you might need less cold water or maybe no water at all.
• Roll the balls small: While cooking, the balls will expand a little.
• Taste as you go: Customize the sugar in the coconut milk based on your preference. Taste-test until it’s perfect for you.
• Stir gently: When cooking the rice balls, stir gently to ensure they stay intact.

Kitchen tools

• Cutting board and chef’s knife
• Measuring spoons and cups
• Large mixing bowls
• Cooking pot x2
• Blender: For extracting pandan water.
• Sieve

How to serve

Bua loy dessert can be served warm during colder months, or chilled for a refreshing summer dessert.

Optional garnishes

• Toasted coconut flakes
• Sesame seeds

How to store and reheat

I recommend keeping leftovers no longer than a day. The rice balls lose their chewiness as time goes on, soaking up all that delicious coconut sauce. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy chilled or reheat.

If you make this dessert ahead of time or whip up a large batch with leftovers, keep the sweet coconut milk and the sticky rice balls separate until ready to serve.

Reheating instructions: Reheat on the stove over low heat, stirring gently.

Did you know?

• Some variations of Thai bua loy may include pumpkin bua loy or other fillings like black sesame, juices, or food coloring.
• The Thai name for these glutinous rice balls cooked in sweet coconut milk is บัวลอย or bua loy. “Bua” means “lotus” and “loy” means “to float”, which refers to the tiny colorful rice flour balls floating in a sea of coconut milk.
• For many Thai people (including me) this is a true childhood dessert. It’s loved by both children and adults and is commonly served at street food stalls or special occasions.
• In Asian cuisines, there are many more desserts with glutinous rice balls. For example: China (tang yuan), Indonesia (wedang ronde), Japan (mochigome)
• This Thai dessert is often enjoyed during festivities, historically it originated in the royal palace kitchen and was a treat reserved for special occasions.

Frequently asked questions

More Thai desserts you’ll love

• Agar agar jelly recipe with fruits – A delicious, colorful fruit cake with a creamy coconut milk layer.
• Authentic Thai roti dessert – Sweet and salty pan-fried crispy pancakes, drizzled with sweetened condensed milk.
• Bananas in coconut milk – Whipped up in 20 minutes, these banana slices are drenched in rich coconut milk.
• Pandan coconut jelly – This 2-layered jelly is made of coconut milk and fresh pandan.
• Top tip: For an extra touch of authentic Thai sweetness, pair this dish with my authentic Thai mango sticky rice recipe.

If you love this Thai bua loy dessert recipe, please leave a star rating and/or a comment below!

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Bua Loy Dessert Recipe (Rice Balls in Coconut Milk)

Author: Praew Cooking Method: Cooking Cuisine: Asian cuisines Courses: Dessert Recipe Keys: Low Carb Nut Free

Difficulty: Beginner

Servings: 6

Description

This delicious Thai dessert features chewy sticky rice balls and sweet coconut milk.

Ingredients

Servings

Taro dough

• 1.76 ounce glutinous rice flour
• 0.35 ounces tapioca flour
• 2.82 ounces taro
• 3 tablespoons cold water

Purple potatoes dough

• 1.76 ounce glutinous rice flour
• 0.35 ounces tapioca flour
• 2.82 ounces purple potatoes
• 3 tablespoons cold water

Sweet potatoes dough

• 1.76 ounce glutinous rice flour
• 0.35 ounces tapioca flour
• 2.82 ounces sweet potatoes
• 3 tablespoons cold water

Pandan dough

• 3.52 ounces glutinous rice flour
• 1.05 ounce tapioca flour
• 1.23 ounce pandan leaves
• 3.38 fluid ounces water

Sweet coconut milk

• 16.9 fluid ounces coconut milk
• 4.2 ounces white sugar
• 6.76 fluid ounces water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 pandan leaves
• egg (optional, to taste)

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients

1. Cut taro & potatoes

   Wash potatoes and taro, slice into small, even-sized pieces. Transfer to a steamer and steam until a fork can prick into it.

2. Make pandan water

   Wash pandan leaves and blend with water (see pandan dough ingredients). Afterward, pour the mixture through a sieve and catch the pandan water.

Make the dough

1. Taro dough

   1. In a large mixing bowl, mash the steamed taro.

   2. Add glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour.

   3. Mix into a fine substance using your hand.

   4. Gradually add cold water while kneading into a dough (has a texture similar to clay) that doesn’t stick to your fingers.

2. Sweet potato dough

   1. In a large mixing bowl, mash the steamed sweet potato.

   2. Add glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour.

   3. Mix into a fine substance using your hand.

   4. Gradually add cold water while kneading into a dough (has a texture similar to clay) that doesn’t stick to your fingers.

3. Purple potato dough

   1. In a large mixing bowl, mash the steamed purple sweet potato.

   2. Add glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour.

   3. Mix into a fine substance using your hand.

   4. Gradually add cold water while kneading into a dough (has a texture similar to clay) that doesn’t stick to your fingers.

4. Pandan dough

   1. Mix glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour in a large mixing bowl.

   2. Gradually add pandan water (from step 1) and knead into a dough.

Roll into small balls

1. 1. Prepare a large flat dish with glutinous rice flour.

   2. Roll each dough into small balls and place them on the flat dish.

   3. Then, fill a cooking pot with water and place over high heat. Spoon the sticky rice balls onto a sieve and shake it several times to remove excess flour, then add them to the pot. The balls will float to the top when ready, but I like to let it simmer for 2-3 more minutes to ensure they’re done. Remove them with a sieve and transfer to a large bowl filled with room temperature water to stop the cooking process. Work in small batches, not overcrowding the pot.

Make sweet coconut milk

1. 1. Place a pot over medium heat and add coconut milk, water, white sugar, pandan leaves, and salt.

   2. Bring to a boil and then crack the eggs, cook for 3–4 minutes or until the egg is done. Don’t stir, this will break the egg.

   3. Serve: If serving immediately, add the colorful sticky rice balls to the pot and remove from heat. If making ahead of time or making a large batch with leftovers, keep the sweet coconut milk and the sticky rice balls separate until ready to serve.

Note

• Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
• This recipe is made with taro, sweet potatoes, purple potatoes, and pandan. Feel free to experiment with different flavors or even food coloring.
• I recommend keeping leftovers no longer than a day in the refrigerator.
• Feel free to halve the recipe for a smaller serving.
• Note: You can totally keep it simple by picking one flavor, like sweet potatoes, and roll with it. No need to use four flavors for the dough if you don't want to!

Keywords: bua loy, bua loy dessert, bua loi, rice balls in coconut milk

Rate this recipe: