Korean

Serving

Yakgwa (Honey Pastry)

Name: Yakgwa (Honey Pastry)
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: Dough: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 3 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 3 tbsp honey; 2 tbsp rice wine (cheongju); 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp white pepper. Syrup: 1 cup honey; 1 cup rice syrup; 1 cup water; 1 tbsp grated ginger

A traditional Korean sweet pastry shaped like a flower, deep-fried and soaked in a honey-ginger syrup.

120 minutes

Serves 8

Dessert

42 min prep

66 min cook

Contains common allergens

Sesame Wheat

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Instructions

6 steps

1
Prepare the syrup by boiling the honey, rice syrup, water, and grated ginger for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool slightly.
2
Sift the flour, salt, and white pepper. Vigorously rub the sesame oil into the flour by hand until it resembles fine crumbs.
3
Gently mix in the honey and rice wine, folding the dough just until it comes together (do not over-knead, or it will be tough).
4
Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thickness. Press into traditional wooden Yakgwa flower molds, or cut into 1.5-inch squares and poke a few holes in each with a fork.
5
Heat oil to a very low 210°F (100°C). Fry the dough slowly for 10-12 minutes so the insides cook and expand. Then increase the heat to 300°F (150°C) and fry until deep golden brown.
6
Immediately transfer the hot, fried pastries directly into the warm ginger-honey syrup. Let them soak for at least 2 hours (or overnight) to become sweet, moist, and slightly chewy.

Yakgwa (Honey Pastry) — plated and served — Serving moment. How Yakgwa (Honey Pastry) looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

70/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 80

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 54

Budget-friendly 86

Great leftovers 87

Pantry-friendly 66

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

160

Calories

2 g

Protein

25 g

Carbs

5 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Yakgwa is a deep-fried honey pastry, a refined Korean confection once reserved for royal courts and ceremonies. Wheat dough enriched with sesame oil and honey is fried, then steeped in a honey-ginger syrup until rich and chewy. The name means medicine sweet, a nod to honey's prized status.

Listahan note

This version keeps the dough tender with sesame oil and honey, then soaks the fried pastries in a ginger-honey syrup so they turn moist and deeply sweet.

Technique cues

Do not overwork the dough; gentle handling keeps the pastry tender.
Fry slowly at a moderate temperature so the inside cooks before the outside darkens.
Soak the hot pastries in syrup so they absorb it fully.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Make the syrup while the dough rests, so it is ready when the pastries fry.
Make-ahead: Yakgwa keeps for days and even improves as the syrup sets in.
Leftover move: Serve leftover yakgwa with tea as a make-ahead sweet.
Cleanup rhythm: Strain the frying oil; soak the sticky syrup pot in hot water.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

All-purpose flour

Dough base

Purpose: Forms the structure of the pastry.

Handling: Mix gently with the wet ingredients; do not knead hard.

Adaptation: A little cake flour makes it more tender.

Sesame oil and honey

Dough enrichment

Purpose: Give the dough its signature nutty, sweet richness.

Handling: Rub the sesame oil into the flour and add honey.

Adaptation: Use a neutral oil plus more honey if needed.

Honey-ginger syrup

Soaking syrup

Purpose: Steeping makes the pastries moist, chewy, and deeply flavored.

Handling: Simmer honey, syrup, water, and ginger, then soak the fried pastries.

Adaptation: Rice syrup balances the honey for less cloying sweetness.

Rice wine (cheongju)

Dough liquid

Purpose: Adds tenderness and a subtle aroma to the dough.

Handling: Mix into the dough.

Adaptation: A splash of water with a little vinegar works.

Technique notes

Fry at a moderate temperature so the centers cook through.
Soak the pastries while hot so they drink in the syrup.
Let them drain and set so they are chewy, not greasy.

Ingredient swaps

Less-sweet direction: Use more rice syrup and less honey in the soak.
Sesame-allergy note: Sesame oil is central here; for a sesame allergy this dish is not suitable as written.
Ginger-forward direction: Add extra grated ginger to the syrup for more warmth.

Serve alongside

Fresh fruit
Sujeonggwa (cinnamon punch)
Roasted nuts
Tea cookies
Hot tea
Barley tea
Coffee

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Store airtight at room temperature for up to a week.
No reheating needed; serve at room temperature.
Freeze up to 1 month; thaw at room temperature.

Equipment

Deep heavy pot for frying
Saucepan for syrup
Slotted spoon
Cutting board

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