Yakgwa

Yakgwa (Korean Honey-Fried Cookies)

Yakgwa are deep-fried Korean honey cookies made from a wheat-flour dough that is soaked in a spiced honey syrup after frying. They are traditionally served during festive occasions such as Lunar New Year and weddings.

Prep

40 min

Cook

30 min

Total

70 min

Serves

20 pieces

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz) wheat flour, all-purpose/plain flour
• •60 g (¼ cup) sesame oil, untoasted, for the dough
• •30 g (2 tbsp) soju or rice wine, substitute dry sake or vodka if soju unavailable
• •10 g (2 tsp) baking powder
• •5 g (1 tsp) salt
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) water, warm
• •1000 ml (4 cups) neutral frying oil, rice bran, canola, or soybean oil
• •300 g (10½ oz) honey, the traditional sweetener; chestnut or acacia honey preferred
• •120 g (⅔ cup) granulated sugar
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) water, for the syrup
• •1 whole cinnamon stick, or ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• •3 whole cloves
• •2 whole black peppercorns
• •15 g (1 tbsp) toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Steps

1. 1 Make the dough: In a mixing bowl, whisk together 300 g wheat flour, 10 g baking powder, and 5 g salt. Pour in 60 g sesame oil, 30 g soju, and 200 ml warm water, then mix with chopsticks or a spatula just until a soft dough forms. Do not knead — overworking makes the cookies tough. Cover and rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
2. 2 Prepare the syrup while the dough rests: Combine 300 g honey, 120 g sugar, 200 ml water, the cinnamon stick, cloves, and peppercorns in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened and syrupy. Remove the spices and keep the syrup warm (do not let it cool completely — warm syrup absorbs best).
3. 3 Roll and shape: On a lightly floured surface, roll the rested dough to about 8 mm (⅓ inch) thick. Cut into roughly 5 × 5 cm (2 × 2 inch) squares, then score a small crisscross or floral pattern on top with a knife. Traditional yakgwa shapes include a four-petal plum blossom; a simple cross or diagonal lines is acceptable for home cooks.
4. 4 Heat the oil: Pour 1000 ml of neutral oil into a deep pot or wok and heat to 140 °C / 285 °F (a piece of dough should rise slowly to the surface in about 8 seconds). Maintain this low temperature — frying too hot will burn the outside before the inside cooks and will prevent the syrup from soaking in later.
5. 5 First fry: Fry the cookies in small batches (4–5 at a time) for 5–6 minutes, turning occasionally, until pale golden and cooked through. They should feel soft, not yet crisp, and register an internal temperature of at least 95 °C / 200 °F on an instant-read thermometer.
6. 6 Second fry: Increase the oil temperature to 160 °C / 320 °F. Return all the first-fried cookies to the oil and fry 3–4 minutes more, until deep amber and crisp on the outside. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on a wire rack.
7. 7 Soak in syrup: While still very hot, transfer the fried cookies directly into the warm honey syrup. Let them soak for at least 1 hour, turning once or twice so they absorb the syrup evenly on both sides. They will plump up and become translucent-edged.
8. 8 Finish and serve: Lift the cookies out of the syrup and arrange on a plate. Sprinkle with 15 g toasted sesame seeds and a tiny extra pinch of ground cinnamon if desired. Serve at room temperature. Properly soaked yakgwa keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 5–7 days; the texture softens further as they rest.