Hotteok: Sweet Filled Pancake Snack

Enjoying hotteok in Insa-dong in Seoul
The cup is used to keep the filling from running out

Hotteok is a popular and sweet filled snack that resembles a pancake. It is typically found on the streets of Seoul during the cold winter months. It is believed to have been brought to Korea by Chinese merchants in the 1800s. Unlike similar Chinese snacks, this dish features a sweet filling instead of a meat filling. Koreans favor the sweet taste over the savory taste.

The dough is made mixing flour, yeast, and sugar with milk or water. Inside, the dough is stuffed with nuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Hotteok being cooked in oil on a hot girdle
Hotteok being cooked in oil on a hot girdle

After mixing all the ingredients together to make a dough, it is then cooked on a hot griddle in oil until it is hot and golden brown. It is then served hot, usually inside a paper cup, to keep the sweet filling from running out.

If made fresh, try to get a close up view and watch the process of how its made. Its quite interesting to watch the process if it is your first time. One of the best places to watch hotteok being made is on Insadong-gil Street in Insadong.

The cost is usually around 1,000 won from street vendors.

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Last Updated on Dec 28, 2021