Umami GuruRecipes

Hotteok (호떡)

Korea

Hotteok

Traditional Korean street dessert — fluffy pancakes with a fragrant filling of roasted seeds and nuts, sweetened with light brown sugar and cinnamon. The batter is slightly sticky, and the filling is sweet and spicy.

Ingredients

Steps

  1. Hotteok step 1

    If using dry yeast, dissolve in warm water ¼ cup (≈60 ml) warm water, 1 tsp sugar (for yeast) and a packet of active dry yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy.

  2. Hotteok step 2

    In a separate bowl, sift wheat flour, rice flour, 1 tbsp sugar (for the dough) and 1 tsp salt. Add the yeast liquid mixture, 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 cup (≈240 ml) milk (or water). Knead the dough until smooth and elastic.

  3. Hotteok step 3

    Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic. The dough should be sticky and stretch when pulled.

  4. Hotteok step 4

    Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume (about 1 hour).

  5. Hotteok step 5

    Prepare the filling: finely chop the nuts and mix them with light brown sugar and ground cinnamon.

  6. Hotteok step 6

    Punch down the risen dough, shape it into balls about 2.5 inches (≈6 cm) in diameter. Let them rest for another 20‑30 minutes until they swell again.

  7. Hotteok step 7

    Heat a skillet over medium heat, add 2‑3 tbsp vegetable oil. Oil your hands, roll each ball into a thick disc, make a small indentation in the center and place 1.5 tbsp of filling. Cover the filling with dough, pinch the edges to form a sealed pancake.

  8. Hotteok step 8

    Place the pancake seam side down in the skillet, gently press with a spatula. Fry for about 1 minute, then flip and fry a few more seconds until golden‑brown on both sides.

  9. Hotteok step 9

    Repeat the process with the remaining dough. The finished hotteok can be frozen; reheat in a toaster or air‑grill before serving.