Hotteok (Sweet Korean Pancake with Brown Sugar Filling)

Combine the flour, sweet rice flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Pour in the warm milk and stir with a spatula into a sticky dough.

~5 min

Why: It should be much wetter than bread dough — that stickiness is what makes hotteok chewy.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, until doubled in size.

~0 min

Watch out: Milk hotter than 43°C (110°F) kills the yeast and the dough will not rise — it should feel just lukewarm on your wrist.

Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts for the filling.

~3 min

Press the risen dough down with a spatula to release the gas, then divide into 4 pieces.

~3 min

With oiled hands, flatten one piece of dough, add 1.5 Tbsp of filling, and pinch it shut tightly like a dumpling.

~8 min

Watch out: A loose seal lets the sugar syrup leak and burn in the pan — twist the ends to close it firmly.

Place seam-side down in an oiled pan over medium-low heat for 1 minute, then flip and press flat with a spatula.

~5 min

Why: Press only after flipping and the filling will not burst — no special hotteok press needed, a spatula works fine.

Cook each side 2 to 3 more minutes until deep golden brown. The melted sugar inside can be lava-hot, so let them cool a bit before serving.

~8 min