Oh hey. Calling all the sweet-tooth-havers. whole world raises hand. Today’s topic is Korean desserts, and they are sweet, colorful, and fun!
From shaved ice to pastry to donuts, you can make these treats right in your own kitchen. I mean, what can I say? It’s just what my mouth wants to eat every day all day.
1. Korean Sweet Pancakes
These sweet pancakes are just packed with chewy, sugary, and toasty warm flavors.
They have a fantastic crispy outer shell and when you break right in, you get this amazing filling of cinnamon, brown sugar, and some chopped walnuts.
The best way to have these is definitely when they are hot. All that syrupy goodness is just so memorable, you’ll be craving it for dessert (or breakfast!) the next day.
2. Korean Sponge Candy
This is that totally iconic candy you see from street vendors in Korea. And guess what? It uses just two ingredients – only sugar and baking soda! You get this amazing toffee-like lollipop.
The steps are so, so easy, too. It’s really just some mixing, heating, and pressing. This is such a fun thing to try with the kids!
3. Korean Shaved Ice
People also call this bingsu, and it is the perfect dessert to cool you right down on a hot summer day! Its most popular version is patbingsu, which just means you get ice shavings with red beans.
Along with that red bean paste, patbingsu can have other sweet toppings, like chopped fruits, fruit syrup, or condensed milk. You can also play around with other variations, like Oreo bingsu.
For a simple and fun twist, top it with ice cream or even breakfast cereals.
4. Korean Donuts
Oh my goodness… donuts! The smell of these twisted treats will fill your kitchen with such a comforting aroma. When you take a bite, you get a perfectly sweet snack!
These beautiful fried donuts just need a dusting of powdered sugar and maybe a little cinnamon to taste. You have to serve them with a glass of milk – it’s the ultimate pairing!
5. Korean Coffee
This is also known as dalgona coffee! It’s a chilled coffee made extra special with a velvety smooth and sweet foam right on top.
This recipe might be the easiest one on the list, with only three ingredients and just five minutes of prep time.
Of course, making the coffee can take longer if you do the whipping by hand. But trust me, once you get that frothy coffee concoction, it is so worth it!
6. Sweet Red Bean Porridge
Red beans are just so versatile. This time, you can use them to make a sweet porridge! When it’s chilly out and you want something sugary and warm, this is the recipe you have to try.
Using glutinous rice flour, sugar, and salt, you can make this velvety smooth porridge. It’s lightly sweetened, but you can add more sugar or honey if that’s what you like.
7. Korean Half-Moon Rice Cakes
These rice cakes are the star during Chuseok, which is one of the major holidays in Korea. They’re lightly sweet and chewy, and have a subtle pine tree flavor.
The fillings for these can vary, but the most common ones are sweetened sesame seeds and mung beans. The really fun part is coloring the dough.
You can use your own food coloring, or go natural with things like kabocha, mugwort, and dried fruit powders.
8. Korean Sweet Rice Drink
Who ever thought that rice could make a great punch? This Korean sweet drink only needs a handful of ingredients: barley powder, rice, sugar, and water.
The result is a slightly sweet drink with a barley flavor that you will gulp down in seconds.
The best part? This recipe needs only five minutes of prep. You can just leave the rest to your rice cooker!
9. Walnuts Wrapped in Persimmon
Dried persimmons with halved walnuts are a snack you can take on the go that pairs so well with green tea or cinnamon tea.
Drying the persimmons in direct sunlight can take up to 3 days, but all the other cooking steps are quick and easy.
To speed things up, you can totally use a food dehydrator or just grab some store-bought dried persimmons.
10. Korean Honey Pastry
This honey pastry, also called yakgwa, is traditionally served during festive days in Korea. It’s a deep-fried cookie that gets soaked in honey syrup, which gives it a moist texture and sweet taste.
Ginger is also in the honey syrup for a bigger flavor impact. If you’re wanting a bit of crunch, just sprinkle some chopped nuts on top of the cookies.
11. Sweet Rice Cake
Are you looking for a dessert that’s healthy and so delectable? Yaksik is it! Yaksik, or sweet rice cake, is made with glutinous rice, nuts, dried fruits, and honey.
And of course, anything with honey is good for you, because it has so many health benefits. This recipe gives you a rice cake that’s sticky and chewy.
You’ll know you made it right when the rice grains are still intact. You can serve yaksik for breakfast with a cup of coffee to get a healthy start to your morning.
12. Fish-Shaped Pastry
This Korean fish-shaped pastry is just bursting with sweetness from the red bean filling. Its texture will also get your senses excited with those crunchy edges and chewy insides.
Having a fish-shaped taiyaki pan is pretty important to make these cute pastries. Serve them as is on a rainy day or with a glass of milk for a delightful afternoon snack.
13. Korean Cinnamon Punch
Cinnamon punch is a traditional dessert drink in Korea and is often served during New Year’s Day and Chuseok. While some people love to drink this punch hot, I love it when it’s icy cold!
Just take it out of the fridge, drink it, and you’ll still get those warming flavors of cinnamon and ginger.
14. Red Bean Mochi
The winter months in Korea mean it’s time for some red bean mochi! And yes, you guessed it. It’s another dessert that uses sweet red beans as a paste.
But honestly, I don’t mind at all because it’s such a delicious treat. Cooking the mochi in a microwave will make things super easy.
Using a store-bought red bean paste is also a great shortcut if you just don’t have the time to make one.
15. Korean Watermelon Punch
This Korean summery drink uses that amazing, thirst-quenching watermelon as its main ingredient. If you’re looking for the perfect drink for an outdoor summer party, this is it.
To make the traditional version, use honey or sugar dissolved in water for the base. For a lighter version, you can use a soft drink instead. Just so you know, adding milk can make your drink a little heavy.
Feel free to mix in other fruits like melon, pineapples, and blueberries for an even tastier punch.
16. Korean Red Bean and Mochi Cake
Are you craving even more sweet red beans? This mochi cake will satisfy you right away! This chewy cake is filled with red bean paste and gets topped with roasted chestnuts and walnuts.
The best part? It’s super easy to make. Just dump everything into the mixing bowl and whisk away. Bake it for 45 minutes, and you are done!
17. Korean Poached Pears
A poached pear, or baesuk, is both a dessert and a remedy for coughs and sore throats. It’s infused with flavors from peppercorn, ginger, and honey.
This poached pear is one of the most delectable and nutritious desserts you’ll ever have. While this recipe asks you to poach the pears, you can also try another cooking technique, like steaming.
18. Pepero Cake
Pepero is a super popular South Korean snack. A box of Pepero is filled with cookie sticks that are dipped in chocolate.
This snack is so famous that Koreans dedicated a special day for it: Pepero Day. It’s held every November 11th, and people give Pepero sticks to each other as a sign of love.
You can show some extra love by turning these thin sticks into a cake! With a chocolate-covered swiss roll as its filling, this Pepero cake will capture the hearts of chocolate lovers.
Top it off with chopped pistachio nuts for more flavor and texture.
19. Red Bean Popsicles
Again, the great red bean is the star of this recipe. But for this dessert, you’ll have to blend the beans until they become a paste and then blend them again with condensed milk.
This mixture goes right into the popsicle molds, creating a yummy and creamy red bean popsicle! You can add a chewy texture to this dessert by mixing a small cup of whole beans into the red bean paste.
20. Sweet Rice Mini Bundt Cakes
These mini bundt cakes have a texture that’s similar to cornbread. They’re crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside.
This recipe requires common ingredients like butter, egg, milk, and vanilla extract.
Brown and sweet rice are also on the ingredient list, as they give a nice texture to the cake. Plus, combining them makes a healthy dessert that’s rich in fiber and nutrients.
21. Dasik
These are cookies fit for royalty! Dasik were served with traditional tea way back in the Silla and Goryeo Dynasty. Now, you can make these elegant, special cookies at home with this super simple recipe.
Just a heads-up, making the perfect dough takes some practice and patience. You will also need dasik molds if you want to get that authentic, signature look.
