Sweet and spicy gochujang cookies are made with a cinnamon-spiced brown sugar-based cookie with a gochujang caramel swirl. These Korean fusion cookies are similar to snickerdoodles but with a spicy kick.
Sweet and spicy gochujang cookies are made with a cinnamon-spiced brown sugar-based cookie with a gochujang caramel swirl. These Korean fusion cookies are similar to snickerdoodles but with a spicy kick.
Sweet and spicy gochujang cookies feature a cinnamon-spiced sugar cookie dough swirled with a brown sugar gochujang caramel for a spicy twist. The sweetness in the sugar cookie balances out the heat, which creates a more nuanced flavor experience.
When I saw Eric Kim make his NYT gochujang caramel cookies last year, I knew that I had to make it. Gochujang naturally has a sweet, savory, spicy flavor that pairs beautifully with brown sugar in Korean cooking, so it is no surprise it works so well in this cookie recipe. I tweaked his original gochujang cookie recipe for more rise and a more balanced flavor profile.
Gochujang is a staple ingredient in Korean cuisine, made from fermented red chili powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. The fermentation process takes several years, giving gochujang its gentle sweetness, spiciness, saltiness, and funk. Gochujang is used in a variety of Korean dishes, including bibimbap, tteokbokki, bulgogi, and more.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Sweet and spicy perfection. The brown sugar and granulated sugar temper the heat in the gochujang and it creates a sweet, savory, and slightly spicy flavor experience.
Easy to make. These gochujang caramel cookies are effortless to make with this foolproof cookie recipe.
Unique and trendy. These gochujang cookies have a unique, unexpected flavor profile that may appeal to foodie friends looking to try something new!
Kitchen Equipment
For these gochujang cookie recipes, you will need the following kitchen equipment. I’ve linked everything I used below.
Kitchen Scale: A kitchen scale is NECESSARY if you want foolproof baked goods. This ensures you have exact measurements for each ingredient.
Mixing Bowls:mixing bowls are one of my main kitchen essentials for almost all of my recipes. They help me keep my kitchen organized.
Round cookie cutter: For perfectly round cookies, I recommend using a large round cookie cutter and swirling the freshly baked gochujang caramel cookies on the baking tray to create perfect circles.
Ingredients
You can find all the ingredients for these gochujang caramel cookies at your local grocery store in the baking aisle. I’ve linked everything that I used below.
Gochujang:gochujang adds a spicy, sweet, and savory flavor. You can find gochujang at any Korean grocery store or online.
Brown sugar:Brown sugar paired with gochujang creates a sweet, spicy “caramel” flavor.
Unsalted butter: Use unsalted butter to control the salt content in your cookies, and make sure it’s room temperature so it mixes easily with the sugar.
All-Purpose Flour:all-purpose flour creates a tender yet hearty crumb for these Korean cookies. Make sure to measure your flour with a scale! If you don’t have a scale, make sure to fluff up the flour before spooning it into your measuring cup and lightly leveling it off with a knife. Do not pack the flour into the cup!
Baking Powder:baking powder aids in the rise of the gochujang cookies so the final texture is not too dense.
Salt:salt balances and enhances the other ingredients.
Cinnamon Powder:cinnamon adds another warm spice flavor profile.
Granulated sugar: this gochujang caramel cookies recipe uses white granulated sugar to sweeten the cookie and create a white sugar cookie color contrast with the gochujang swirl.
Large Eggs: the egg binds the cookie together and gives the cookie its soft, chewy yet not cakey texture. The extra egg yolk will make the cookie denser, richer, and chewier.
Vanilla Extract:vanilla extract adds another level of warm sweetness to this gochujang recipe.
Substitutions and Additions
You can adjust the level of spiciness or sugar content for your Korean cookies based on your preferences. For different flavor profiles, I’ve listed some suggestions for you below.
Substitutions
Salted butter: if you use salted butter instead of unsalted, remove the salt from your ingredient list.
Almond extract: for a different flavor profile, you can use almond extract instead of vanilla extract.
Baking soda: instead of baking powder, you can substitute it for baking soda to create a more chewy cookie that spreads a little bit more. Or you can experiment with half baking powder and half baking soda.
Additions
Nuts: for added flavor and texture, mix in chopped nuts of choice like pecans or walnuts.
Sesame seeds: for a more nutty flavor, you can also roll your gochujang caramel cookies in sesame seeds.
Coarse sugar: you can roll the cookie dough in coarse sugar for more texture.
Sprinkles: for a more decorative cookie, add sprinkles!
How to Make Gochujang Cookies
Once you’ve got all your ingredients measured out for this gochujang cookies recipe, here are the step-by-step instructions on how to make these cookies.
Mix the unsalted butter, brown sugar, and gochujang until combined.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Use an electric mixer with a paddle or beater attachment and beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy.
Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
Slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Place dollops of the gochujang paste into the cookie dough and swirl with a rubber spatula; don’t fully mix!
Scoop the cookies onto your lined baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between them.
Bake cookies for 11-13 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Then remove the baking tray from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
What I Learned Testing This Recipe
Measure your flour with a scale! Too much flour in the cookie dough will make it taste like flour. The best way to measure flour is by using a scale. The second best is to fluff the flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into a measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
Cream your butter and sugar for at least 3 minutes. Cream the butter until very pale, light, and airy. This ensures the sugars blend evenly into the butter and create air pockets so the dough puffs up in the oven.
Use room-temperature butter and eggs. Room-temperature eggs blend more easily into the gochujang cookie dough and won’t shock the soft butter when added.
Use an oven thermometer! Not all ovens are created equal. The best way to get an accurate temperature is to place an oven thermometer in your oven and adjust your oven accordingly.
Chill for at least 30 minutes. Chilling the cookies lets the butter solidify and the flour hydrate, improving taste and texture and preventing the cookies from spreading too quickly.
Don’t fully mix in the gochujang caramel. For the beautiful red gochujang ribbons, spoon dollops of the gochujang caramel around the dough and gently mix with a rubber spatula. Do not mix the gochujang caramel in completely.
Use a cookie cutter for round cookies. For perfectly round cookies, use a large cookie cutter and swirl the warm gochujang caramel cookies on the baking tray to create perfect circles.
Storage Instructions
Store these gochujang cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freeze: You can freeze the baked gochujang caramel cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
To freeze the dough, scoop the dough balls onto a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Then freeze for 2 hours, or until solid. Then remove the balls and store them in a freezer-safe container. To bake, bake them at 330 degrees F for 3-5 minutes longer directly from the freezer.
FAQ
What are gochujang cookies?
Gochujang cookies were created by NYT food columnist Eric Kim and feature gochujang, a Korean chili paste. The cookie combines a traditional sugar cookie with a sweetened gochujang caramel swirl.
Are gochujang caramel cookies spicy?
Yes, because gochujang has a certain level of heat, it makes the cookie slightly spicy. The sugar content tempers the spice level to mild to moderate heat, depending on how much gochujang swirl is in the cookie.
Where can I buy gochujang?
Gochujang is readily available at most grocery stores, Asian grocery stores, and Korean grocery stores such as HMart. You can also find gochujang online.
Can I make gochujang cookies in advance?
Yes! You can easily bake and freeze this Korean cookie recipe for up to 3 months. Alternatively, you can mix the batter with the gochujang swirl and freeze the batter for up to 3 months. To serve, defrost overnight in the refrigerator, scoop, and bake.
Sweet and spicy gochujang cookies are made with a cinnamon spiced brown sugar based cookie with a gochujang caramel swirl. These Korean fusion cookies are similar to snickerdoodles but with a spicy kick.
Ingredients
Servings: 16Cookies
Gochujang Caramel Swirl
2tablespoons(28 g) unsalted butterroom temperature
Gochujang caramel. In a small bowl, mix the unsalted butter, brown sugar, and gochujang until combined. Set aside.
Whisk dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Beat butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer with a paddle or beater attachment and beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy about 2-3 minutes.
Add eggs and vanilla. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Scrape the edges of the bowl and mix to combine.
Combine dry ingredients. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until combined. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Prepare oven. While dough chills, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Create gochujang swirl. Place dollops of the gochujang paste into the cookie dough and gently swirl the paste in the dough with a rubber spatula. Do not mix in completely.
Assemble. Scoop the cookies onto your lined baking sheets leaving spacing them at least 2 inches apart.
Bake. Bake the cookies one tray at a time for 11-13 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Then remove the baking tray from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before cooling them completely on a wire rack. For perfectly round cookies, take a round cookie cutter and swirl them around each gochujang cookie immediately when you take them out of the oven. Enjoy!
Notes
See the What I Learned Testing This Recipe section for more guidance.
Just perfect! I tried Eric Kim’s recipe and they were delicious but I wanted a little more volume to the cookie. This was exactly what I was looking for–structure but still the perfect blend of spice and sweet!
Absolutely divine!! The batch didn’t last, it was immediately devoured by all my friends. Instant addition to the recipe book, so easy, delicious, and spicy-sweet! I will be trying the brown butter miso chocolate chip next. Thank you for sharing!
Just perfect! I tried Eric Kim’s recipe and they were delicious but I wanted a little more volume to the cookie. This was exactly what I was looking for–structure but still the perfect blend of spice and sweet!
Absolutely divine!! The batch didn’t last, it was immediately devoured by all my friends. Instant addition to the recipe book, so easy, delicious, and spicy-sweet! I will be trying the brown butter miso chocolate chip next. Thank you for sharing!