Hotteok Recipe: The Secret to Chewy Korean Sweet Pancakes
Today we are going to be making Hotteok (Korean Sweet Pancakes)! Hotteok is one of the most popular winter street food snacks in South Korea. It features a crispy, chewy dough filled with a sticky cinnamon-brown sugar syrup that oozes out with every bite. It’s warm, sweet, and absolutely perfect for cold winter days.
For today’s Hotteok recipe, I’ve prepared two flavors. One is the classic cinnamon brown sugar Hotteok, and the other is a Nutella-filled chocolate Hotteok that’s absolutely out of this world. You must try both!
What Is Hotteok?
It is a traditional Korean street food often eaten in winter. It’s made from a chewy dough of glutinous rice and wheat flour, flattened into a pancake and typically filled with a mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts. The heat caramelizes the sugar into a jam-like filling, creating a deliciously sweet treat.
It is a traditional Korean street food often eaten in winter. It’s made from a chewy dough of glutinous rice and wheat flour, flattened into a pancake and typically filled with a mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts. The heat caramelizes the sugar into a jam-like filling, creating a deliciously sweet treat.
The “Chewy” Secret: Why This Hotteok Recipe is Different
Most recipes online use plain All-Purpose flour. But to get that real Korean street texture, you need the Golden Ratio. My recipe uses Bread Flour (150g) for structure and Glutinous Rice Flour (30g) for chewiness. This combination creates the authentic texture that store-bought mixes or plain flour recipes just can’t match.
Varieties Of Hotteok (Korean Sweet Pancakes)
In Korea, there are countless variations of hotteok. For example, the most iconic versions include seed-filled hotteok (Ssiat Hotteok) with pumpkin or sunflower seeds, and honey hotteok. More recently, trendy flavors such as mozzarella cheese hotteok and Nutella hotteok have emerged. The possibilities are endless, and each is delicious in its own way!
Lazy Day Tip
Too lazy to make your own dough? Try making a quick and tasty Hotteok with tortillas instead! Check out my Tortilla Hotteok recipe for a 5-minute hack.
Korean Honey Hotteok
The Disappearance of Hotteok Trucks
When I was younger, you could find hotteok food trucks everywhere in the winter. But these days, they are harder to find in Korea. Rising costs make it difficult to sell hotteok at the low prices most people remember.
In addition, many people now prefer to buy a Korean hotteok mix and make it at home. Nevertheless, the joy of buying freshly made hotteok on a cold winter day is an irreplaceable experience, and the taste remains unforgettable.
Hotteok Around The World
Hotteok has also gained international popularity. Beyond the classic cinnamon-brown sugar filling, fusion flavors such as bulgogi hotteok and cheese hotteok have captured the hearts of people around the world.
While it’s rare to find hotteok in Europe, it’s surprisingly easy to make at home, and its sweetness appeals to foreign palates. My European friends often say that the cinnamon aroma reminds them of the Christmas season. Hotteok is a winter snack that brings back warm, sweet memories for everyone. Shall we make some hotteok together and create new memories?
FAQ about this Hotteok Recipe
Hotteok Recipe (Korean Sweet Pancakes)
Equipment
Ingredients
Hotteok Dough
- 100 ml Warm water
- 25 ml Milk
- 2.5 g Yeast
- 15 g Sugar
- 2,5 g Salt
- 2 g Baking powder
- 10 g Cooking oil
- 8 g Melted butter
- 30 g Glutinous rice flour This is the secret to the chew!
- 150 g Bread flour All-purpose works, but Bread Flour holds the shape better
Brown Sugar Filling
- 25 g Brown sugar
- 15 g Walnuts or peanuts
- 2 g Cinnamon powder
- 4 g Flour
Nutella Filling
- 3 tsp Nutella 1.5 tsp Nutella per hotteok
Instructions
Make The Dough
- In a mixing bowl, combine 100ml warm water and 25ml milk. Add 2.5g yeast, 15g sugar, 2.5g salt, and 2g baking powder. Mix well until dissolved.
- Stir in 10g cooking oil and 8g melted butter. Then, add the 30g glutinous rice flour and 150g bread flour.
- Knead the dough for about 5 minutes. The dough will be sticky! That is normal. Don't add extra flour, or it will become tough.
Ferment The Dough
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a warm towel. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour until it doubles in size. (If your kitchen is cold, put it in the oven with just the light turned on).
Make The Brown Sugar Filling
- While the dough rises, mix 25g brown sugar, 2g cinnamon, 4g flour, and 15g chopped nuts in a small bowl. Mix well.
Shape The Hotteok
- Rub cooking oil generously on your hands (this is essential!). Divide the fermented dough into 4-5 equal portions. Flatten each portion into round discs.
- Add the filling (either brown sugar filling or 1.5 tsp Nutella)
- Seal the edges.
Cook The Hotteok
- Heat a generous amount of oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat.
- Add the hotteok to the pan and gently press down with a spatula.
- Cook until golden brown and crisp, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking.
- Remove the hotteok from the pan when they are golden brown.
- Enjoy while its warm! Jal meokgetseumnida! (Bon appetit!)
Made these today, and they were both super tasty and so easy to make! The Nutella-filled one was a game-changer. 감사합니다 for the recipe! 😊