KCook
Sign in
← All recipes
Desserts

Honey Cookies

Cook mode
yakgwa

Traditional fried wheat cookies soaked in ginger honey syrup.

Hard1 hr 30 min8 servings★ 59VegetarianContains glutenContains sesame
Honey Cookies

History & culture

Honey-glazed yakgwa were Joseon-era wheat pastries deep-fried and soaked in rice syrup or honey, served at rituals and for guests. Buddhist temple foodways and royal confectionery may have influenced their shape and use of oil and grain. The crisp, aromatic cookies remain festival gifts and café treats, with renewed interest in traditional sweets.

Servings
8

KCook

Ingredients & steps

Cook mode

Ingredients

  • Neutral cooking oil
    for deep frying
  • Water
    ¼ cup
  • All-purpose flour
    2 cups
  • Fresh ginger
    1 tbsp, grated

Seasonings

  • Toasted sesame oil

    Substitutea small amount of olive oil (flavor differs)

    3 tbsp
  • Sugar
    3 tbsp
  • Salt
    pinch
  • Rice wine (mirim / cooking wine)

    Substitutedry sherry or water + pinch of sugar

    2 tbsp
  • Honey

    Substitutemaple syrup

    ½ cup

Steps

  1. 130 min

    Mix flour, sesame oil, rice wine and water into a firm dough. Rest 30 minutes.

    • All-purpose flour
    • Toasted sesame oil
    • Rice wine (mirim / cooking wine)
    • Water
  2. 2Medium heat10 min

    Roll dough thin, cut into flower shapes and fry slowly at 150–160°C, keeping the oil steady, until evenly golden.

    • Neutral cooking oil
  3. 3Low heat5 min

    Simmer honey, sugar, ginger and a splash of water into a syrup. Coat fried cookies while warm.

    • Honey
    • Sugar
    • Fresh ginger
    • Water

Storage & reheating

Store airtight at room temperature up to 1 week.

Troubleshooting

  • ⚠️ Cookies are hard

    → Coat in warm syrup immediately after frying.

  • ⚠️ Syrup is grainy

    → Dissolve sugar fully over low heat before adding honey.