Yakgwa (Korean Honey Ginger Cookies)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cookies bars Medium

Layered, sesame-scented dough is cut into flower shapes or squares, fried slowly at low heat and soaked in ginger-cinnamon syrup. They are sticky, tender and rich. Makes 18 cookies in about 9 hr 30 min.

Prep 45 min

Cook 45 min

Cooling 8 hr

Total 9 hr 30 min

Yield 18 cookies

Diet Dairy free

Ingredients

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1 ⅔ cups (210 g)all-purpose flour
⅔ cup (80 g)glutinous rice flour
¼ cup (60 ml)toasted sesame oil
½ cup (120 ml)hot water
¼ cup (60 ml)honey, for the dough
¼ cup (50 g)granulated sugar
¾ tsp (2 g)ground cinnamon, for the dough
¼ tsp (2 g)fine salt
4 ¼ cups (1000 ml)neutral oil
1 cup (250 ml)rice syrup or corn syrup
7 tbsp (100 ml)honey, for the syrup
7 tbsp (100 ml)water
3 ½ tbsp (20 g)fresh ginger, thinly sliced
¾ tsp (2 g)ground cinnamon, for the syrup
1 ½ tbsp (10 g)toasted pine nuts

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Instructions

Whisk both flours, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Rub in the sesame oil with your fingers until the mixture is like wet sand.
Stir the hot water and honey together, then add to the flour. Mix gently just until a dough forms; do not knead.
Fold and press the dough into a block; roll to 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) thick, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) squares and prick the tops with a fork.
Simmer the syrup ingredients (except the pine nuts) 8 to 10 minutes, until slightly thick. Cool completely and strain out the ginger.
Heat the frying oil to 265 F (130 C). Fry the cookies in small batches 5 to 6 minutes per side over low heat until deep golden and cooked through; they will puff.
Raise the heat slightly for the last minute for color if needed. Drain on a rack for 2 minutes.
Place the warm cookies in a dish and pour the cooled syrup over them. Soak at least 4 hours, turning once, or overnight.
Lift out and drain briefly. Top with pine nuts to serve.

Tips

Do not overwork the dough or the cookies will be tough instead of flaky.
Fry low and slow so they cook inside without burning.
Keep the syrup for another batch or for drizzling on yogurt.
Fry in oil at 265 F (130 C) with a thermometer and never leave hot oil unattended.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make yakgwa (korean honey ginger cookies)?

Plan on 45 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of cooking, plus 8 hours to chill. The recipe makes 18 cookies.

How should I store yakgwa (korean honey ginger cookies)?

Store airtight at room temperature up to 5 days or freeze up to 1 month.

Can I make yakgwa (korean honey ginger cookies) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Yakgwa is a traditional Korean honey cookie, made with flour, sesame oil and honey, deep-fried and then soaked in a ginger-honey syrup. Serve it with green tea or barley tea.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 18 servings this recipe makes.

282 Calories / serving

11.8g Fat

41.6g Carbs

3.0g Protein

13.2g Sugar

Whole recipe (18 servings): ~5076 cal · 212g fat · 749g carbs · 54g protein · 238g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.