Chewy Homemade Walnut Hotteok (Korean Sweet Pancake)
Craft Your Own Delicious Walnut Hotteok at Home
Discover the secret to making incredibly chewy and delicious Korean sweet pancakes, known as Hotteok, right in your own kitchen – no store-bought mix needed! This recipe yields a generous batch and is wonderfully versatile. You can customize it to your heart’s content, creating classic original Hotteok, flavorful nutty seed Hotteok, or even decadent cream cheese Hotteok. And for a truly divine treat, try topping your warm Hotteok with a scoop of ice cream! Let me share my ultimate tips for perfect homemade Hotteok!
Dough Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups Sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour)
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- Vegetable oil, for greasing and frying
- 7g Instant dry yeast (approx. 2 tsp)
- Approx. 200-230ml Warm water (around 40°C or 105°F)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Gather all the essential ingredients for the basic dough: all-purpose flour, sweet rice flour, instant dry yeast, sugar, salt, vegetable oil, and warm water. Accurate measurement is key for a perfect texture.
Step 2
In a clean mixing bowl, add 1 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour. If you have measuring cups, use them for precision. If not, a standard paper cup can serve as a guide; fill it 1 and a half times.
Step 3
Next, add 1 and 1/2 cups of sweet rice flour to the bowl. This flour is crucial for achieving that wonderfully chewy texture in your Hotteok.
Step 4
Incorporate 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt into the dry ingredients. (Note: a teaspoon is a smaller measuring spoon, not a regular tablespoon). Also, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil for a smoother dough.
Step 5
In a separate small bowl, pour about half a paper cup (approx. 100ml) of warm water (around 105°F or 40°C). Sprinkle the 7g (about 2 tsp) of instant dry yeast over the water. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast is fully dissolved and starts to become frothy, indicating it’s activated.
Step 6
Pour the activated yeast mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Begin mixing and kneading. The dough might still be quite stiff, so gradually add more warm water from the paper cup – about 2/3 full (approximately 130-150ml) – until a soft, pliable dough forms. It’s better to start with less water and add more as needed, rather than making the dough too wet from the beginning. The total water amount should be around 200-230ml.
Step 7
Knead the dough thoroughly. The more you knead, the chewier your Hotteok will be! Once kneaded, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. The yeast will activate and cause the dough to puff up.
Step 8
While the dough is rising, prepare the delicious filling. In a small bag or bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon powder, and your chosen chopped nuts or seeds. Mixing these ingredients well creates the sweet and fragrant center of your Hotteok.
Step 9
After the 1-hour fermentation period, check the dough. It should have increased in size, roughly 1.5 to 2 times its original volume. Once fermented, you can either use the dough immediately or store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Step 10
To handle the dough without sticking, lightly grease your hands with vegetable oil or wear disposable gloves. Take a golf ball-sized portion of the dough, roll it into a ball, then flatten it gently in your palm. Spoon a generous amount of the prepared filling into the center. Carefully gather the edges of the dough around the filling, pinching them together to seal completely.
Step 11
Ensure the filling is securely enclosed by folding the dough edges inward towards the center, like pleating a pouch. This technique prevents the sweet filling from leaking out during cooking and maintains a beautiful round shape.
Step 12
Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Place the sealed Hotteok onto the hot pan. As it cooks, flip it occasionally. Once you place the Hotteok on the pan, gently press it down with your spatula to flatten it slightly, which helps it cook evenly and become crispier. Cook until both sides are a beautiful golden brown.
Step 13
You don’t need a special Hotteok press! A regular spatula or a flat kitchen tool works perfectly well for pressing the Hotteok as it cooks. Cooking over medium-low heat is essential to ensure the inside is cooked through without burning the exterior.
Step 14
Enjoy a delightful moment with homemade Walnut Hotteok during your snack time! They’re perfect for a sweet mood booster. Serve them warm, perhaps with a side of ice cream or a glass of milk for an extra treat!
