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Home » Recipes » Desserts

Kinako Nejiri (Japanese Twisted Soybean Flour Snack)

Published: Jun 28, 2024 | Modified: Jun 22, 2025 By Ryo Hikita | Leave a Comment

Would you like to try making Japanese sweets easily? Kinako Nejiri is a traditional Japanese confection that is incredibly easy to make with just a few ingredients. It is perfect for tea time.

↓ Step-by-Step Recipe  

Kinako Nejiri (Japanese twisted soybean flour snack)
Jump to:
  • What is Kinako Nejiri?
  • Exploring kinako
  • Why is it twisted?
  • Various flavors
  • 📋Step-by-step recipe
  • Recipe card

What is Kinako Nejiri?

Kinako Nejiri is a traditional Japanese confection made by mixing starch syrup with kinako, then twisting it into a stick-like shape. "Kinako" refers to roasted soybean flour, and "Nejiri" means twist. Due to its stick-like shape, it is also known as "Kinako Bou" (kinako stick).

It has a long history, dating back to the 17th century when a confectioner in Kyoto created it as a celebratory treat. Because of its long shelf life and portability, it gradually spread throughout Japan. As a result, it remains popular today as a traditional snack enjoyed across the country.

Kinako Nejiri (Japanese twisted soybean flour snack)

Exploring kinako

Some people might not be familiar with kinako in the first place.

It is a fine flour produced by grinding roasted soybeans into a powder. It is typically made from yellow soybeans, which are heated to remove their distinctive smell and give them a savory aroma. While in English it is translated as 'roasted soybean flour' or 'roasted soybean powder,' in Japanese, the literal translation would be 'yellow-colored (kina) flour/powder (ko).'

Powdered kinako is easily digested and absorbed, allowing you to gain the nutritional benefits of soybeans directly. This is why it is a popular ingredient in Japan, and some people actively incorporate it into their diets for health reasons.

Kinako Nejiri (Japanese twisted soybean flour snack)

Why is it twisted?

There is a reason why this traditional confection has a twisted shape. This twisted form is modeled after 'shimenawa.'

Shimenawa is a rope found in Japanese shrines that separates the realm of the gods from the world we inhabit, considered to bring good luck in Japan. Originally, this confection was born from an attempt to express the pattern of shimenawa using soybean flour confectionery. Later on, this shape was accepted by the common people as auspicious and spread as a snack enjoyed casually at home.

Therefore, when making this snack, it is common to twist it. Nevertheless, if you want to make it simpler, it is not necessary to twist it. Feel free to enjoy it in your preferred style.

Kinako Nejiri (Japanese twisted soybean flour snack)

Various flavors

This traditional Japanese confection is typically enjoyed for its distinct soybean flour flavor, but you can also alter the taste by changing or adding ingredients.

In Japan, you can find variations like kinako nejiri made with uguisuko (green soybean flour), or incorporating grated sesame seeds or matcha powder. Start by trying the recipe as instructed, then experiment with various ingredients to find your preferred flavor.

Kinako Nejiri (Japanese twisted soybean flour snack)

📋Step-by-step recipe

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Recipe Card

Ingredients

Servings: 2

US Customary - Metric
  • 1.8 oz kinako (roasted soybean flour)
  • 2.3 oz starch syrup (such as corn syrup) or honey

For coating:

  • 1 Tbsp kinako
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

🕒 Total: 10 mins mins
kinako-nejiri_instruction-1

Step 1
Add starch syrup to a bowl and heat it in a double boiler or briefly in the microwave (about 30 seconds on medium power/500W) until it softens. Mix in kinako using a spoon or spatula until they are well combined and form a cohesive lump without any powdery texture.


kinako-nejiri_instruction-2

Step 2
Shape the dough into a rectangle with a thickness of ⅖ inch (1 cm) and a length of 2.5 inches (6.5 cm) on one side. Sprinkle kinako evenly over the entire surface.


kinako-nejiri_instruction-3

Step 3
Cut the dough into pieces measuring ⅖ inch (1 cm) by 2.5 inches (6.5 cm). Then, hold both ends of each cut piece and twist them slightly in opposite directions.


To store

You can store it in the refrigerator for up to a month.

If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Please consider leaving a review and star rating in the comments below. If you enjoyed it, I’d really appreciate it if you shared it with your friends.

Recipe card

Kinako Nejiri (Japanese twisted soybean flour snack)

Kinako Nejiri (Japanese Twisted Soybean Flour Snack)

Would you like to try making Japanese sweets easily? Kinako Nejiri is a traditional Japanese confection that is incredibly easy to make with just a few ingredients. It is perfect for tea time.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 9 minutes mins
Cook Time: 1 minute min
Total Time: 10 minutes mins
Servings: 2

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1.8 oz kinako (roasted soybean flour)
  • 2.3 oz starch syrup (such as corn syrup) or honey

For coating:

  • 1 Tbsp kinako
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions
 

  • Add starch syrup to a bowl and heat it in a double boiler or briefly in the microwave (about 30 seconds on medium power/500W) until it softens. Mix in kinako using a spoon or spatula until they are well combined and form a cohesive lump without any powdery texture.
    kinako-nejiri_instruction-1
  • Shape the dough into a rectangle with a thickness of ⅖ inch (1 cm) and a length of 2.5 inches (6.5 cm) on one side. Sprinkle kinako evenly over the entire surface.
    kinako-nejiri_instruction-2
  • Cut the dough into pieces measuring ⅖ inch (1 cm) by 2.5 inches (6.5 cm). Then, hold both ends of each cut piece and twist them slightly in opposite directions.
    kinako-nejiri_instruction-3

Notes

  • You can store it in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Nutrition

Calories: 236kcal
Author: Ryo Hikita (Umami Pot)
Cuisine: Japanese
Category: Desserts, Plant-Based, Quick, Traditional
Keyword: kinako powder
Enjoyed this recipe?I’d really appreciate it if you shared it with your friends.

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Ryo-Hikita_UmamiPot

Welcome to Umami Pot!

I'm Ryo, a Japanese culinary expert living in Osaka, Japan. Here, I would like to share with you how to make Japanese dishes actually enjoyed in Japan, from traditional to modern, as clearly, concisely, and deliciously as possible.

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