Yakgwa (Korean Honey Ginger Cookies)
Soft, layered honey and ginger cookies fried gently and soaked in a spiced syrup until sticky and chewy.
- Time1 hr 15
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.32 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. Rub in the sesame oil with your fingertips until the mix looks like damp sand.
- 2
Stir the dough honey, mirin, grated ginger and water together. Tip into the flour and fold with a spatula until it just comes together. Do not knead, or the cookies turn tough.
- 3
Put the dough on a board, cut it in half and stack one half on the other. Press down and repeat 3 times, then roll it to 1.5 cm thick. This makes the layers.
- 4
Cut into 5 cm squares and prick the tops all over with a fork. Pop them on a tray.
- 5
Put the syrup honey, water, ginger slices and cinnamon in a pan. Simmer for 5 minutes, then take it off the heat.
5 min - 6
Heat the sunflower oil in a deep pan over a low to medium heat. It is ready when a scrap of dough sinks, then rises slowly with small bubbles. Fry in batches for 8 minutes, turning, until deep golden.
8 min - 7
Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain for 30 seconds, then drop straight into the warm syrup. Soak for 20 minutes, turning once, and lift out onto a rack. Leave to cool and set.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
