I have wandered through Seoul in every season, but I love it best in the cold months, when the markets glow against the early dark and the air smells of sesame and hot sugar. On one such evening, with no gifts to deliver and nowhere in particular to be, I let my nose lead me down a narrow lane of food stalls.
At one of them a woman was working a coil of ginger-scented dough, cutting it into little rectangles, slitting each one down the middle, and threading an end back through so it opened into a shape like a sparrow perched on a plum branch. Into the hot oil they went, coming out gold and blistered and crisp, then a quick bath of honey syrup and a scatter of pine nuts. Maejakgwa, she called them, and she pressed a warm one into my hand before I could reach for a coin.
Now, I should be honest with you. Koreans do not call this a cookie at all. It belongs to a treasured family of fried confections called hangwa, enjoyed all through the year and set out proudly at holidays and for the Lunar New Year. But I have met every sweet in the wide world, and when something is this golden and this joyful, I smile and call it a cookie anyway. Consider it a bit of Santa’s privilege.
I stood there in the steam and the lantern light and ate three before I said another word.
Maejakgwa (Korean Honey Cookies)
Equipment
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tsp fresh ginger grated
- 5 TBS water
- 1 cup flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 TBS ginger water as per above ingredients
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 TBS honey
- Oil for frying
- ½ cup chopped nuts
Instructions
- First, make the ginger water by combining the grated ginger and 4 TBS water in a bowl. Pass it through a sieve or muslin cloth so that just the liquid remains.
- Next, combine the flour, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
- Toast the almonds in a dry pan until golden. Set them aside.
- Add in 4 TBS of the ginger water and mix in to form a dough.
- Knead the dough until no more flour is left. The quickest way to do this is in a mixer but it can also be done by hand. Wrap the dough in plastic (or cover it with a towel) and set is aside for 30 minutes (at room temperature).
- While the dough is resting, make the syrup. Do this by combing the water, honey and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir everything together until the sugar has dissolved. Allow the syrup to cook for about 5 minutes or until it is a little thick.
- Once the dough has rested, roll it out to make a thin rectangle. You might want to halve the dough and make two.
- Cut the dough into even rectangles and fold each rectangle in half, lengthways. Cut three slits in the folded edge. The central slit should be the longest.
- Unfold the rectangles and open up the center. Flip the one edge through the central slit and then straighten the cookie up so that it settles into its shape.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan or frying pan. Once the oil is hot (around 350°F or 175°C), carefully place the cookies into the oil, a few at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
- Fry the cookies for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they turn golden brown and crisp. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a consistent temperature.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried cookies from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- While the cookies are still warm, douse them with the warm syrup.
- Top the cookies with the nuts while they are still warm.
Notes
Substitutions & Variations
These traditional Korean cookies are traditionally enjoyed during Korean holidays and special occasions.Substitutions
Variations
Tips
The filling can be customized with different nuts or seeds according to your preference. Adjust the sweetness by adding more or less honey and sugar according to your taste.Storage
Proper storage is essential to preserve the texture and flavor of Korean cookies over time. Follow these guidelines to ensure they remain delicious: Place the deep-fried layered cookie in an airtight container or resealable bag, separating layers with parchment or wax paper to prevent sticking. You can also pop them into a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Store the container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and humidity. Moisture can cause the cookies to become soft and a little mushy. Maejakwa cookies can maintain quality for a reasonable time when stored properly. When stored at room temperature, Maejakwa Korean cookies can remain fresh and enjoyable for about 1 to 2 weeks. For the best texture and crispiness, eat these Korean treats within the first week after they are made. Over time, they may become slightly softer but still delicious.Nutrition
How to Make this Korean Cookie Recipe (step by step)
Serve these traditional Korean cookies as a delightful dessert or snack. Note that these are made with ginger water, not ginger syrup. This is a really fun weekend baking project and can be served as a sticky sweet cookie or a Korean-style dessert.
Make the ginger water
Firstly, make the ginger water by combining the grated ginger and 4 TBS water in a bowl. Pass it through a sieve or muslin cloth so the liquid remains.
Prepare the dry ingredients
2. Combine the wheat flour, cinnamon powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Add 4 TBS of the ginger juice water to the flour mixture and combine to form a dough.
4. Toast the almonds in a dry pan until golden. Set them aside.
Make the dough and syrup
5. Knead the white dough until no more flour is left. The quickest way to do this is in a mixer, but it can also be done by hand. Wrap the dough in plastic (or cover it with a towel) and set is aside for 30 minutes (at room temperature).
6. While the dough is resting, make the honey and sugar syrup. Combine the water, honey, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir everything together until the sugar dissolves. Allow the syrup to cook for about 5 minutes or until thick.
Roll out the dough
7. Once the dough has rested, use a rolling pin to roll it out to make a thin shape. You might want to halve the dough and make two.
Cut and shape the cookie dough
8. Cut the rolled dough into even rectangles on a cutting board and fold each rectangle in half lengthways. Once cut in half lengthways, cut three slits in the folded edge. The middle slit should be the longest.
9. Unfold the rectangles and open up the center. Flip the one edge through the center slit and straighten the cookie up so it settles into its ribbon shape.
Fry the cookies
10. Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan or frying pan. Once the oil is hot (around 350°F or 175°C), carefully place the cookies into the preheated oil, a few at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Keep an eye on the cookies while they are deep frying.
11. Fry the cookies for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they turn golden brown and crisp. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a consistent temperature.
Remove and drain the traditional Korean cookies from the oil
12. Once they have deep fried, use a slotted spoon to remove the fried cookies from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
Cover the Korean cookies with syrup
13. While the cookies are still warm, douse them with the warm syrup.
14. Top the cookies with the nuts while they are still warm.
Wrapping It Up
For more Christmas Cookie ideas from around the world, check out these recipes for Singaporean Florentine Cookies.
