World Flavors Cookbook

Hotteok (Sweet Cinnamon Pancakes)

A popular winter street food — sweet, chewy dough filled with a molten mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped nuts, then pan-fried until golden and crispy.

Cuisine: South Korea

Ingredients

• Dough: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp instant yeast, 3/4 cup warm water
• Filling: 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon powder, 1 tbsp chopped walnuts or peanuts

Instructions

1. Mix dough ingredients and knead until smooth. Cover and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
2. Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal balls.
3. Mix the filling ingredients in a small bowl.
4. Flatten each dough ball, place a spoonful of filling in the center, and pinch the edges to seal tightly.
5. Heat a skillet with a generous amount of oil over medium-low heat.
6. Place a dough ball in the pan, seam-side down. After 30 seconds, press it down with a spatula to flatten into a disk.
7. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and the sugar inside has melted into a syrup.
8. Serve hot, being careful with the molten filling!