Hotteok (Korean Sweet Pancakes) is a popular Korean street food made from a simple yeast dough with a sweet syrupy filling made with brown sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. It makes a tasty snack or dessert, and could even be enjoyed at breakfast!
This Hotteok Recipe is a tasty snack, dessert, or even breakfast!
One of these days I'm going to make it to Korea, where hotteok (pronounced 'ho-tok') is sold from carts on the street. But even though I can't be in Korea for the winter games, I'm happy to enjoy this delicious treat in my own home!
What is Hotteok?
The chewy hotteok dough is fried in a little oil in a hot pan to make a golden crispy outer shell surrounding a cinnamony, hot, syrupy center laced with chopped walnuts.
Hotteok actually reminds me a lot of what we call Utah scones or Indian fry bread since it's basically a simple yeast dough made from flour, water, yeast and a little sugar, salt, and oil, then divided into individual portions and fried in hot oil until crispy and chewy.
The main difference with these Korean sweet pancakes is that they are filled inside with a sweet filling, typically consisting of brown sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. I've read that you can find other varieties of hotteok though, filled with things like honey, peanuts, and even chocolate chips, although I'm doubting the authenticity of a chocolate filling in a Korean hotteok.
Hotteok pronunciation
The word "hotteok" (호떡) is pronounced as "ho-teok” where "ho" is pronounced like the English word "ho" but with a short "o" sound, similar to the "o" in "hot” and "teok" is pronounced like "tuhk," where the "eo" is pronounced like a combination of the short "e" and "o" sounds.
Hotteok Recipe ingredients
- Water
- Sugar
- Active Dry Yeast
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
- Flour
- Brown sugar
- Chopped walnuts
- Cinnamon
How to make Hotteok (Korean Sweet Pancake)
The dough is really simple to make and is traditionally made by hand, although I just used my stand mixer.
After proofing the yeast in some lukewarm water with a little sugar, salt and oil, you will mix in the flour and knead for a few minutes until a smooth dough ball forms.
After letting the dough rise for an hour, punching it down, and letting it rise another 20 minutes, the dough gets divided into 8 balls to make 8 individual hotteok.
You will want to make sure you are working on a well floured surface, with extra flour for your hands because the dough is very sticky.
Working with just one ball of dough at a time, you first flatten it out using your hands, then spoon about a tablespoon of the filling into the center of the disc.
Then pinch the sides up all around the filling, enclosing it and sealing the filling into the center of the dough ball.
Once all of the balls are filled, heat a large pan over medium heat and add a little oil so that it can get hot. It doesn't need a lot of oil - just a couple of tablespoons is enough to fry the hotteok.
Working in batches of 2 or 3 at a time, place each ball seam side down into the hot pan and let it cook for just 30 seconds or so, until the bottom is just getting lightly golden brown, thenflip it over and press down using a large, flat spatula to create a wide circle.
Cook for about a minute on the second side, then flip the pancakes over again and immediately cover with a lid and turn the heat down to low.
Cook the hotteok for 1 more minute until golden brown on the bottom and the brown sugar is melted inside, then remove from the pan and serve hot!
How to serve this Korean Pancake Sweet Recipe
Hotteok is a delicious Korean street food that is typically served hot and sweet and eaten by hand. It’s best when it's fresh and hot, right out of the pan. The filling inside will be molten and sweet, making for a delightful treat.
You can customize your hotteok with different fillings or toppings to suit your taste. Some people like to add honey, chocolate, or even cheese to their hotteok. It's a versatile snack, so feel free to get creative with your favorite flavors.
How to store a Korean Hotteok
Hotteok is best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers you can let them cool completely before storing them. This helps prevent excess moisture, which can make them soggy. Then consider individually wrapping them in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to help prevent them from sticking together and maintain freshness.
You can store hotteok in the refrigerator for 3-4 days to help keep them fresh. Make sure the container is airtight to prevent moisture from getting in.
If you want to store hotteok for an extended period, you can freeze them. Wrap each hotteok individually, then place them in an airtight container or a freezer bag. Label the container or bag with the date for reference. Hotteok can be frozen for several weeks.
Reheating:To reheat refrigerated or frozen hotteok, you can use an oven or a microwave. For frozen hotteok, you may need to let them thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Hotteok FAQs
How are Korean pancakes different from typical American pancakes?
Korean pancakes and American pancakes are actually quite different. The way they are made and the ingredients used vary slightly. The main difference with these Korean sweet pancakes though is that they are filled inside with a sweet filling, typically consisting of brown sugar, cinnamon and walnuts.
Why are my Korean pancakes soggy?
The main reasons for soggy hotteok are crowding the pan with too many, which can create steam, or not letting them cool completely before storing.
More Korean Recipes You Might Enjoy!
- Korean Beef Tacos (Bulgogi)
- Oven Baked Korean BBQ Chicken Wings
- Korean Pancakes with Scallions (Pajeon or Pa Jun)
- Slow Cooker Korean Beef Short Ribs (Kalbi)
If you love these Korean sweet pancakes, you might also want to try our Aebleskiver | Danish Pancakes, Liège Waffles, or German Pancakes!
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
PrintPinRate
Korean Hotteok Recipe
4.94 from 47 votes
Amy Nash
Prep Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Asian
Servings 8 servings
Hotteok (Korean Sweet Pancakes) is a popular Korean street food made from a simple yeast dough with a sweet syrupy filling made with brown sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. It makes a tasty snack or dessert, and could even be enjoyed at breakfast!
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 Tablespoons chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the lukewarm water, sugar, yeast, oil and salt. Let the yeast proof for about 5 minutes until it starts to get foamy.
Add the flour to the yeast mixture and knead with the mixer until smooth. This could also be done by hand or just using a rubber spatula, but I just thought it was easier to let the dough hook do the work.
Cover dough tightly with plastic wrap and allow it to rise for 1 hour at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size. Coat your hand lightly in cooking spray and punch down the dough to remove gas bubbles, then cover again and let the dough rise another 20 minutes.
During the last rise, mix together the filling ingredients in a small bowl.
When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured surface and coat your hands with flour (it's a very sticky dough to work with). Divide into 8 equal-sized pieces and shape into balls.
Working with one dough ball at a time, flatten it out and mound about a tablespoon of the filling in the center. Then pinch the edges of the disc together up around the filling, enclosing it completely in the center of the ball of dough as seen in the pictures. Repeat with the remaining balls of dougha and filling. You may need to re-flour your hands between dough balls if the dough starts sticking too much.
Heat a large pan over medium heat. When hot, add a little oil (about 2 tablespoons) to the pan and let that heat up as well. When the oil is hot, place a dough ball in it, with the sealed area down and cook until lightly golden brown on the bottom (just about 30 seconds), then flip. Using a large, flat spatula, press down on the hotteok to flatten it into a wide disc and cook until the bottom is golden brown.
Flip the hotteok one last time and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for another minute or so, just until the bottom is completely golden brown and the filling inside is melted and syrupy.
You can cook more than one hotteok at a time if your pan is large enough. Just make sure to leave enough space between each dough ball so that it can be pressed flat into a disc. I can do three at a time in my largest cast-iron pan.
Serve hot!
Notes
Hotteok freezes well and can be reheated in the oven. I've even popped it in the toaster. Adapted from Maangchi by way of Messy Witchen.
Nutrition
Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 153mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g
Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @HouseOfNashEats or tag #houseofnasheats!
Be sure to check out all of the other incredible foods representing many different countries that have been shared by my foodie friends who are also participating in our Food Blogger Winter Games!
- Argentina - Authentic Chimichurri Sauce over Pork Chops
- Greece - Mediterranean 7 layer dip
- Mexico - Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa
- Sweden -Swedish Beet and Apple Salad
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About the author
Hi, I'm Amy
I enjoy exploring the world through food, culture, and travel and sharing the adventure with mostly from-scratch, family friendly recipes that I think of as modern comfort cooking.
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