- Prep
- 110 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 130 min
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 300 g
- 50 g
- 7 g
- 1 tbsp
- ½ tsp
- 240 ml
- 2 tbsp
- 100 g
- 1 tsp
- 50 g
- 1 tbsp
Process
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In a large bowl whisk the 300 g all-purpose flour, 50 g glutinous rice flour, 7 g instant dry yeast, 1 tbsp granulated sugar and 0.5 tsp fine salt until evenly combined.
Pour in the 240 ml lukewarm whole milk and 2 tbsp neutral oil. Mix with a spoon, then knead in the bowl for 3–4 minutes until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough.
Cover the bowl and leave the dough to rise at room temperature for 1 to 1.5 hours, until roughly doubled in size and bubbly.
Meanwhile make the filling: stir together the 100 g brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 50 g chopped walnuts and 1 tbsp all-purpose flour in a small bowl. Set aside.
Punch the dough down and knead it for 30 seconds. Oil your hands and divide the dough into 8 equal balls, about 75 g each.
Flatten one ball in your oiled palm into a 10 cm round. Place 1 heaped tbsp of the brown sugar filling in the centre, then pull the edges up and pinch them firmly to seal into a smooth ball. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat with 1 tbsp neutral oil. Place one or two dough balls seam-side down in the pan and cook for 30 seconds.
Flip the balls, then press each one flat with a greased spatula into a 10–12 cm disc. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the base is deep golden.
Flip again and cook for 2 minutes more, pressing lightly, until both sides are crisp and the pancake puffs slightly. The sugar inside should be fully melted.
Transfer to a plate and brush with the 1 tbsp honey if using. Repeat with the remaining dough, adding a little oil to the pan as needed. Serve hot.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is under-sealing the dough ball: any gap lets the molten sugar leak out and burn on the pan. Pinch the seam firmly and place the ball seam-side down first so it seals shut.
- Do not press the pancake too thin (keep it about 1 cm thick) or the filling breaks through. Press only until it is a 10-12 cm disc.
- The filling must contain the 1 tbsp flour; without it the brown sugar turns into thin liquid that escapes easily. The flour thickens it into a syrupy centre.
- Cook over medium heat, not high: high heat browns the outside before the inside filling melts, leaving gritty sugar in the middle.
- The dough is deliberately sticky. Oil your hands and the spatula rather than adding lots of flour, which would make the pancakes tough.
Substitutions
- whole milk→oat milk or soy milk for a dairy-free version
- walnuts→chopped pecans, sunflower seeds, or omit for a nut-free version
- honey→maple syrup or omit entirely
- glutinous rice flour→the same weight of all-purpose flour, though the texture will be less chewy
Storage & reheating
Cool leftover hotteok completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month with parchment between layers. Reheat in a dry non-stick pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side, or in a 160C oven for 6-8 minutes, until the centre is soft again. Do not microwave, or the pancakes turn rubbery.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my hotteok filling leak out and burn?
The dough ball was not sealed tightly enough or the pancake was pressed too thin. Pinch the gathered edges firmly to close the seam, place the ball seam-side down in the pan first, and press only to a 1 cm thickness. Also make sure the filling includes the 1 tbsp flour, which thickens the sugar so it stays inside.
Can I make hotteok dough ahead of time?
Yes. After the first rise, punch the dough down, cover it and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping, since cold dough is stiff and hard to seal. You can also shape and fill the balls, then refrigerate them for up to 8 hours before frying.
Why is my hotteok chewy instead of crisp on the outside?
The pan was not hot enough or the pancakes were not cooked long enough on each side. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side until deep golden, and do not crowd the pan, which lowers the temperature. The glutinous rice flour keeps the inside chewy, but the outside should still crisp up.
Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?
Yes. Use the same 7 g, but dissolve it in the lukewarm milk with the 1 tbsp sugar first and let it stand for 5-10 minutes until foamy before mixing into the flours. The rise may take 10-15 minutes longer.
How do I know when the hotteok is cooked through?
The pancake puffs up slightly, both sides are deep golden brown, and pressing the centre feels soft and springy rather than doughy. If you are unsure, cut one open: the filling should be a smooth molten syrup with no gritty sugar crystals.
Can I freeze hotteok and reheat them later?
Yes. Freeze cooled pancakes in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen in a dry pan over medium heat for 4-5 minutes per side, or in a 160C oven for 10 minutes. Avoid the microwave, which makes them tough.
Can I make hotteok without walnuts?
Yes, simply omit them or replace with chopped pecans or sunflower seeds. The walnuts add crunch but are not essential to the filling, which is mainly brown sugar, cinnamon and flour. For a nut-free version, check that your other ingredients are not cross-contaminated.
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