Top 12 Must Try Korean Desserts

Korean cuisine offers a delightful array of desserts, each with unique flavors and textures. Here are the top 12 must-try Korean desserts:

Bingsu (Shaved Ice) – A popular summer dessert, bingsu consists of finely shaved ice topped with various ingredients like sweet red beans, chopped fruit, condensed milk, and ice cream.

Hotteok (Sweet Pancakes) – These are sweet, syrup-filled pancakes, often filled with brown sugar, honey, chopped peanuts, and cinnamon.

Tteok (Rice Cakes) – Tteok is a traditional Korean rice cake made from steamed rice flour. It comes in various forms and flavors, often layered or filled with sweetened red bean paste or covered in powdered soybean flour.

Yakgwa (Honey Cookies) – A traditional Korean dessert, yakgwa is a deep-fried, honey-soaked cookie made of wheat flour, sesame oil, and ginger juice, resulting in a soft, chewy texture.

Patbingsu (Red Bean Shaved Ice) – A variation of bingsu, patbingsu is specifically topped with sweetened red beans and often includes rice cakes, fruit, and ice cream.

Hwajeon (Flower Rice Cakes) – These small, sweet rice cakes are pan-fried and adorned with edible flowers, making them as beautiful as they are delicious.

Sujeonggwa (Cinnamon Punch) – A traditional Korean drink, sujeonggwa is a sweet and spicy cinnamon punch often served as a dessert. It is made with cinnamon, ginger, and persimmon, and is often garnished with pine nuts.

Gyeranppang (Egg Bread) – A popular street food, gyeranppang is a warm, sweet, and savory bread with a whole egg baked into the top.

Chapssaltteok (Sweet Red Bean Mochi) – Similar to Japanese mochi, chapssaltteok is a Korean version made with sweet red bean paste wrapped in a chewy rice cake.

Hodugwaja (Walnut Pastries) – These are small pastries filled with red bean paste and a whole walnut, resembling walnuts in shape.

Songpyeon (Half-Moon Shaped Rice Cakes) – Traditionally eaten during the Korean harvest festival, Chuseok, these rice cakes are shaped like half-moons and filled with ingredients like sweetened sesame seeds or red bean paste.

Bungeoppang (Fish-Shaped Bread) – This is a fish-shaped pastry filled with sweet red bean paste, often found in street markets, especially in winter.

Each of these desserts offers a unique taste of Korean culinary tradition and is worth trying for anyone interested in exploring diverse and flavorful sweets.