Desserts Recipes
379 recipes. Page 2 of 16
Desserts are the sweet finish to a meal or a enjoyable snack any time of day. This collection spans Korean traditional sweets - yakgwa (honey cookies), hotteok (sweet pancakes), injeolmi (rice cakes) - as well as puddings, parfaits, and frozen treats.
Angel Food Cake
Angel food cake appeared in the United States in the late 19th century, most likely as a way to use the egg whites left over after making yolk-rich custards. The formula is unusually restrained: no butter, no oil, no yolks. Structure comes entirely from whipped egg whites stabilized with cream of tartar, folded into a mixture of cake flour and sugar. Baking produces a tall white ring with a snow-white crumb and a slightly chewy top crust that behaves like the skin of a marshmallow. After baking, the pan must be inverted and allowed to cool upside-down; leaving it right-side up allows the delicate foam structure to collapse under its own weight. The flavor is clean and vanilla-forward, without any of the richness that butter introduces into a conventional layer cake. Traditionally served with fresh berries and whipped cream, it has long been a fixture at American church socials and summer gatherings.
Hasune-mochi (Steamed Lotus Root Stuffed with Rice)
Hasune-mochi is a celebratory dish from Kadoma in Osaka. White glutinous rice and pale pink rice are packed separately into the holes of two thick lotus-root sections, the cut ends are sealed, and the roots steam for about 2 hours before being sliced into red-and-white rounds. Lotus root is considered auspicious because its open channels suggest a clear view of the future, and the two colors suit festive occasions. The clay soil of Kawachi and Kadoma helped make lotus root a local crop from the Edo period onward. Served in 8mm slices with kinako and sweet azuki paste, it combines chewy rice with the sweet, lightly crisp texture of steamed lotus root.
Korean Dalgona Candy (Caramel Honeycomb Baking Soda Sugar Candy)
Dalgona is a Korean street candy made by melting sugar slowly over low heat until it reaches a light amber caramel, then removing the pan from heat and adding salt and milk powder before stirring in baking soda. The baking soda must be incorporated within five seconds of adding it -- any longer and the carbon dioxide escapes unevenly, producing large irregular bubbles instead of the fine, honeycomb-like structure the candy needs. Once the mixture is dropped onto lightly oiled parchment and pressed flat with a mold or spatula, it cools into a thin, brittle disc that shatters cleanly with a sharp bite. The flavor sits in the range of gentle caramel sweetness layered with the milky richness of the powder, and the salt added before the baking soda gives the sweetness a grounded quality that keeps the taste from going flat. Timing the removal from heat before the caramel darkens too far is the single most critical step -- over-cooked sugar turns bitter, and no amount of adjustment recovers the flavor after that point.
Anmitsu (Japanese Agar Jelly Red Bean Fruit Dessert)
Anmitsu is a Japanese dessert with roots in the Meiji era, developed from mitsumame - a simpler preparation of agar cubes and boiled peas - when sweet azuki bean paste was added to create a more fully composed treat. The structural foundation is kanten jelly: agar-agar dissolved in water, set into a firm translucent block, and cut into cubes that have a clean, rigid snap distinct from the soft wobble of gelatin. Around the jelly, the bowl holds seasonal fruits - mandarin segments, peach slices, cherries - alongside a mound of tsubuan, which is coarsely mashed sweet red beans that retain some grain and texture, and small balls of shiratama mochi whose sticky, glutinous chew contrasts with everything else in the bowl. A small ceramic pitcher of kuromitsu - dark sugar syrup made from Okinawan black sugar - arrives separately and is poured over at the table, its molasses-deep sweetness acting as a unifying sauce across the disparate elements. No single spoonful of this dessert tastes the same as the last: the ratio of crisp jelly, soft fruit, sticky mochi, and grainy bean paste shifts with every bite.
Watermelon Punch
Subak hwachae is a Korean summer punch that uses half its watermelon blended and strained into a smooth juice base, with the other half scooped into balls as garnish. Mixing the watermelon juice with milk creates a pink, creamy foundation, and lemon-lime soda is stirred in just before serving to preserve its fizz. Adding strawberries and blueberries introduces an acidic brightness and color contrast that watermelon alone lacks, and generous ice keeps the drink cold enough for the fruit aromas to stay sharp. Chilling the watermelon juice thoroughly before combining it with milk is essential to prevent the two liquids from separating. The layered colors of red watermelon, deep blueberries, and vivid strawberries in a single bowl make it as visually striking as it is refreshing, turning a straightforward summer drink into something worth presenting at the table.
Anpan (Japanese Sweet Red Bean Filled Soft Milk Bun)
Anpan was created in 1874 at Kimuraya bakery in Tokyo's Ginza district, making it one of Japan's first truly successful fusion foods - a meeting of Western bread technique and the Japanese tradition of sweet bean-paste confection. Kimuraya's founders solved the challenge of making bread palatable to Japanese tastes by replacing commercial yeast with sakadane, a fermented starter made from Japanese sake lees, which gave the dough a subtle rice-fermentation fragrance that yeast-risen bread cannot replicate. The enriched dough - made with milk, butter, and egg - produces a crumb that is cottony soft and tears apart in loose, pillowy layers. Inside, a generous portion of anko provides concentrated sweetness backed by the earthy, slightly mineral depth that azuki beans carry even after long cooking. Anko itself comes in two forms: koshian, strained to a smooth paste with the skins removed, and tsubuan, which retains the whole beans for a more textured bite; Kimuraya's original style uses the finer koshian. A single salted cherry blossom petal pressed into the top before baking is the bakery's signature touch, contributing a faint floral saltiness that sits against the sweetness without overpowering it. The bun was presented to Emperor Meiji in 1875, which established its reputation as a national snack almost overnight. More than 150 years later, it remains essentially unchanged in concept and is found in every Japanese convenience store and artisan bakery alike.
Yan-gome (Roasted Rice Cooked with Sweet Azuki)
Yan-gome is a Boso Peninsula dish from Chiba. Regular rice is soaked overnight in water initially around 40°C, drained, soaked again in fresh water for 3 to 4 hours, dried thoroughly, roasted in an oiled pan, cooled, and then cooked for about 20 minutes over low heat in sweetened azuki and its abundant broth. It resembles sekihan but is mildly sweet, loose-grained, and fragrant from roasting. Yan-gome is offered at Obon welcoming and farewell fires, harvest prayers, and celebrations after rice planting, and regional names include yaki-gome, ya-gome, and ei-gome. For modern safety, both long soaking stages take place under refrigeration.
Korean Street Waffle (Crispy Folded Waffle with Jam and Cream)
Gilgeori waffle is a Korean street stall dessert made from a thin batter of cake flour, egg, milk, and melted butter, cooked in a waffle iron and folded around a filling of strawberry jam and whipped cream. Using cake flour and mixing the batter only until just combined keeps gluten development minimal, which is what produces the characteristic contrast between a crisply patterned exterior and a soft, airy interior. Overmixing develops gluten strands that result in a tough, chewy texture after baking. The waffle iron must be fully preheated before the batter is poured to ensure sharp grid definition and even browning, and a generous coating of oil or butter on the plates prevents sticking. Immediately after cooking, the waffle holds trapped steam inside its pockets, so a brief rest on a cooling rack is important -- skipping this step causes condensation to collect underneath, making the bottom layer soggy before the filling even goes in. Because the batter itself carries only a light butter fragrance rather than heavy richness, the gentle dairy sweetness of the cream and the tangy brightness of the strawberry jam come through with clarity. Folded in half and held in one hand, the waffle is designed for eating while walking -- a functional form that is central to its identity as street food.
Steamed White Rice Cake (Soft Crumbly Korean Traditional Rice Dessert)
Baekseolgi is a white steamed rice cake made entirely from non-glutinous rice flour, with modest sugar and salt added. The ingredient list is short, which means technique determines the result. Sifting the flour two to three times builds air into the fine particles; that incorporated air produces the characteristic crumbly, soft texture after steaming. Skip the sifting and the cake steams dense and coarse. Moisture level is checked by hand: the flour should clump when squeezed but fall apart with a light touch. Too dry and the inside comes out powdery even after steaming; too wet and the surface turns sticky. The steamer must be fully boiling before the flour goes in, and strong steam maintained continuously for twenty to twenty-five minutes without lifting the lid. A cotton cloth laid under the lid catches condensation before it can drip onto the surface - those drops create wet patches that spoil the even white finish. Sugar is kept low, letting the clean, neutral sweetness of the rice come through. The cake firms up as it cools, so it is best eaten warm. Dried jujube slices or pumpkin seeds pressed into the surface before steaming add color to the otherwise plain white top.
Apple Cinnamon Rolls (Soft Yeast Dough with Apple Cinnamon Filling)
Apple cinnamon rolls build on the Scandinavian kanelbulle tradition of enriched yeast dough rolled with spiced brown sugar, adding a layer of fresh apple that transforms the filling from dry to fruity and moist. The dough is softened with butter and milk, then rolled flat, spread with a paste of brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter, and scattered with diced apple that has been tossed in lemon juice to prevent browning during baking. Rolling, slicing, and proofing the cut spirals in a buttered pan lets them expand until they press together, creating soft sides where the rolls meet and a slightly caramelized bottom where they contact the pan. During baking, apple pieces release juice that seeps into the surrounding dough layers, forming pockets of moist, cinnamon-scented fruit that a plain cinnamon roll cannot replicate. A cream cheese glaze drizzled while the rolls are hot melts into the crevices between spirals, coating the interior as well as the surface. The quantity of apple matters - too much makes the dough soggy, so a measured amount ensures the fruit contributes moisture without destabilizing the structure. The aroma of butter, cinnamon, and baked apple that fills the kitchen during baking is half the appeal of making these rolls.
Korean Milk Rice Porridge
Tarakjuk is a traditional Korean milk rice porridge made by coarsely grinding soaked rice, simmering it in water first to initiate gelatinization, then gradually incorporating milk over sustained stirring. Grinding the rice coarsely rather than to a fine paste preserves some texture in the finished porridge, preventing it from becoming uniformly smooth. Once the rice has been simmered in plain water and the starch begins to thicken the base, milk is added in two or three separate additions over ten minutes of constant stirring. Pouring all the milk in at once risks splitting due to the temperature differential between the cold dairy and the hot starch base. Each addition is stirred in fully before the next portion goes in, allowing the proteins and fats in the milk to incorporate evenly without curdling. A small pinch of salt and a measured amount of sugar are added to tie together the toasty, nutty character of the grain and the mild sweetness of the dairy -- neither should dominate. A final three minutes of simmering brings the porridge to a consistency that flows slowly off the back of a spoon. Pine nuts on top contribute a richly oily nuttiness, and a pinch of ground cinnamon adds a warm, aromatic finish. Historical records from the Joseon period note tarakjuk as a medicinal restorative prepared in the royal court.
Korean Chrysanthemum Bean Cakes
Gukhwa-ppang is a Korean winter street pastry baked in a chrysanthemum flower-shaped cast-iron mold, filled with sweet red bean paste at the center. The batter of flour, baking powder, sugar, milk, egg, and melted butter is stirred together with minimal mixing to keep gluten development low, then poured to fill only one-third of the mold before a spoonful of bean paste is placed in the middle and covered with more batter, ensuring the filling sits centered in the finished pastry. Cooking over medium-low heat for three to four minutes on each side produces a golden crust with sharply defined flower-petal ridges pressed into the surface, while the bean paste inside stays soft and flows when the pastry is broken apart. It is often grouped with bungeoppang as a sibling street food, but the dough ratio is heavier and the shell is noticeably thicker, giving it a stronger bread-forward flavor and a slightly smaller proportion of filling to outer crust. The pastry is best eaten immediately after cooking, while the exterior is still crisp and the paste still hot. In recent years vendors have begun filling gukhwa-ppang with cream, chocolate, and sweet potato paste as alternatives to the traditional red bean filling.
Bam Tiramisu (Chestnut Tiramisu)
Chestnut tiramisu is a variation of the traditional Italian dessert that incorporates chestnut puree into the mascarpone cheese filling. This modification transforms a standard cafe dessert into a preparation specifically associated with the autumn season in Korea. The fundamental elements of the recipe remain consistent with the classic version. It utilizes ladyfinger biscuits that have been soaked in espresso, a filling made of whipped mascarpone and cream, and a final layer of cocoa powder. However, the introduction of chestnut puree alters the profile of the cream. Instead of a simple dairy richness, the mixture takes on an earthy quality. Using a puree made from chestnuts boiled at home, rather than a store-bought paste, helps maintain the natural grain of the nut. This provides the cream with a specific texture that is noticeable in every spoonful. When preparing the ladyfingers, the espresso soak requires a high level of precision. Each biscuit should be dipped for approximately one to two seconds. If the ladyfingers are submerged for a longer duration, they absorb an excessive amount of liquid. This leads to a waterlogged consistency which can cause the structural layers of the dessert to collapse while it sits in the refrigerator. The assembly process follows a predictable sequence. A layer of soaked ladyfingers is placed at the bottom, followed by a layer of the chestnut cream. This pattern is repeated once more before the entire dish is placed in the refrigerator to rest for at least four hours. This period of refrigeration is essential to the final outcome. During these hours, the ladyfingers absorb moisture from both the espresso and the cream layer above them. This process changes the biscuits from a crunchy state to a soft texture similar to cake, which allows for clean slices. Just before the dessert is served, a thin layer of cocoa powder is applied to the top. This adds a bitter element that balances the sweetness of the chestnuts. Preparing the tiramisu in individual glass containers or cups ensures that the portions are easy to manage and allows the different layers of the dessert to be clearly visible from the side.
Apple Crumble
Apple crumble was born from wartime constraint: during World War II, butter and sugar rationing in Britain made traditional double-crust pastry impractical, and bakers found that rubbing a far smaller amount of fat into flour and oats produced a topping that required none of the skill or rolling that pastry demanded. Sliced apples are tossed with sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon, then spread into a baking dish and covered with the rough, breadcrumb-like mixture. In the oven, the fruit collapses into a thick, bubbling sauce while the topping bakes unevenly: the peaks turn deeply crisp and golden, while the underside where the topping meets the fruit juices becomes slightly sticky and chewy. Tart apple varieties such as Granny Smith hold up better under oven heat than sweet ones, turning into a fragrant sauce that contrasts with the sandy crumble overhead. The tension between the hot, yielding apple beneath and the crunchy, butter-scented rubble on top is the structural logic of the dish. Served with cold vanilla ice cream or warm pouring custard, the contrast multiplies further as cold cream melts into the steaming fruit. It remains the default British home dessert precisely because it needs nothing beyond what a reasonably stocked cupboard can supply and comes together in under an hour.
Korean Sweet Glutinous Rice
Yakbap is made by steaming soaked glutinous rice, folding a warm soy and honey syrup through the hot grains, adding jujubes, chestnuts, and pine nuts, and steaming the seasoned rice a second time. Rinse 2 cups glutinous rice until the water runs mostly clear, soak it for 2 hours, and drain it well. Wait until the steamer is producing full steam, keep the heat at medium, and steam the rice for 25 minutes. Remove the pits from 8 jujubes and slice the fruit thinly. Cut 100 g chestnuts into bite-size pieces and reserve a small pinch from 2 tbsp pine nuts for the garnish. In a small pot, combine 2 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp sesame oil, and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon. Warm the mixture over low heat only until the honey loosens, without bringing it to a hard boil. Pour this syrup over the hot steamed rice before adding the solid ingredients. Fold with a rice paddle in cutting motions until the grains look evenly glossy and amber, then add the jujubes, chestnuts, and remaining pine nuts. Transfer the mixture to a mold or heatproof bowl and level the top with light pressure instead of compacting it. When steam returns, set the heat to medium and give the seasoned rice a 12-minute second steaming. Let the yakbap cool for about 10 minutes to firm, lightly coat the knife with a trace of sesame oil, cut clean portions, and add the reserved pine nuts.
Korean Roasted Sweet Potato
Gun-goguma is a Korean winter snack made by roasting whole sweet potatoes in their skins at 200 degrees Celsius for 35 to 40 minutes. The slow heat converts the starches inside the potato into maltose, concentrating the sweetness and producing a sticky, honey-like layer just beneath the skin. Lower-temperature roasting is preferred over high heat because it extends the window of enzyme activity, allowing sugars to accumulate gradually rather than burning off at the surface. Korean pumpkin sweet potatoes, called hobak-goguma, have a higher moisture content and more pronounced natural sweetness, so they turn creamy and almost runny when fully roasted. Resting the potatoes at room temperature for a day or two before roasting further boosts sugar levels, since starch conversion continues during storage. The potato is satisfying on its own, but adding a pat of butter or a dusting of cinnamon layers in a rich, aromatic contrast. Eating the skin along with the flesh adds fiber and a slightly earthy counterpoint to the pure sweetness of the interior.
Chestnut Sweet Jelly (Korean Agar-Set Chestnut White Bean Confection)
Bam yanggaeng is built from three components: chestnut puree, white bean paste, and agar powder. Boiled chestnuts are mashed fine and combined with the bean paste, then dissolved agar, sugar, and honey are stirred into the mixture before it is brought to a brief boil. Poured into a mold and left to cool at room temperature, the agar sets the block into firm, clean-slicing slabs - a texture that comes from agar's sharp recrystallization as it cools, which produces a harder and more abrupt snap than gelatin-based confections. The starchy density of chestnuts gives the cross-section a smooth, fine-grained quality that plain bean paste lacks. A small amount of salt is critical: it draws the sweetness into focus rather than muting it. Skimming air bubbles before pouring ensures a flat, even surface. Prepared as a holiday gift in Korean households for generations, the finished block keeps in the refrigerator for about a week without losing texture.
Classic Apple Pie
Apple pie has been baked in America since the colonial era, though its origins lie in 14th-century English and Dutch recipes where apples were enclosed in pastry as a way to cook fruit without a proper oven. The filling is built from tart baking apples - Granny Smith or Braeburn - tossed with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, a squeeze of lemon, and a spoonful of flour or cornstarch to thicken the juices as they cook. The double crust is made from cold butter cut into flour until the dough resembles wet sand, producing flaky, shattering layers when baked. As the pie bakes, the apples soften and release their juice, which the starch captures into a syrupy glaze that holds the filling together when sliced. The top crust turns deep golden and pulls away slightly from the filling, creating a hollow where steam escapes. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream - a la mode - or a slice of sharp cheddar in the New England tradition, apple pie is as much a cultural symbol as it is a dessert.
Sweet Rice Honey Muffins
Yakbap muffins bake soaked glutinous rice that has been marinated for 20 minutes in a seasoning of soy sauce, dark brown sugar, honey, and sesame oil, then portioned into muffin cups with sliced jujubes and diced chestnuts before going into a 180-degree oven. The soy sauce provides a savory depth that folds into the brown sugar and honey to produce the dark, caramel-like sweetness that distinguishes traditional yakbap, while sesame oil amplifies the grain aroma throughout. Jujubes are sliced thin so their juices seep between the rice grains during baking, and the chestnut cubes provide a starchy, crumbly resistance against the sticky glutinous rice. Pine nuts placed on top release their oils as they roast, filling the oven with a nutty fragrance that deepens as the muffins brown. A 10-minute rest after removing them from the oven allows the residual heat to distribute evenly, so the glutinous rice firms into a clean shape that separates easily from the mold. The recipe reinterprets traditional yakshik as individual servings suited to a modern table.
Korean Roasted Chestnuts
Gunbam is Korean roasted chestnuts, a seasonal street food sold from carts across Korea from late autumn through early spring. An X-shaped cut is scored through the shell of each chestnut before roasting. This cut serves a structural purpose: it creates a vent for steam to escape during cooking, preventing the shell from cracking unpredictably. Roasting at 210 degrees Celsius for 20 to 25 minutes converts the starches inside to sugars, deepening the sweetness and building a toasty, nutty flavor that plain raw chestnut does not have. Soaking the chestnuts in salted water for 20 to 30 minutes before roasting cleans any debris from the surface and imparts a faint background seasoning. Wrapping the freshly roasted batch in a dry cloth for five minutes while they rest lets residual steam work between the outer shell and the thin inner skin, making the inner skin easier to peel. The chestnuts should be eaten hot, while the flesh is still floury and crumbles gently against the tooth. Tossed with a little butter and sugar while warm, they take on a sheen and extra sweetness that amplifies their fragrance.
Banana Pudding
Banana pudding is an American Southern dessert built from repeating layers of vanilla custard, sliced banana, and vanilla wafer cookies. The custard cooks on the stovetop by whisking milk, sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks until the mixture thickens enough to coat a spoon. Layering begins while the custard is still warm, alternating banana rounds and wafers before topping with whipped cream. Refrigeration transforms the wafers as they absorb moisture from the custard, turning from crisp cookies into something resembling soft sponge cake. Fully ripe bananas are essential since underripe ones carry an astringent edge that stands out against the sweet custard. The entire dessert is stovetop-only, no oven required, making it approachable for most kitchens. Overnight refrigeration stabilizes the layers and deepens the overall flavor considerably.
Apple Turnover
Apple turnovers trace back to the medieval European practice of encasing fruit in pastry - a portable format that became a fixture at French and English market stalls by the 17th century. Puff pastry is rolled thin and cut into squares, then topped with apples briefly cooked down with cinnamon, sugar, and lemon juice to concentrate their flavor and reduce excess moisture. Folding the square into a half-moon and crimping the edges seals in steam during baking, which forces apart the laminated layers into a shatteringly crisp, deep-golden shell. Inside, the apples have collapsed into a jammy, soft mass. Cinnamon amplifies the fruit's sweetness, while lemon juice maintains enough acidity to prevent the filling from turning cloying. An egg wash brushed on before baking produces the lacquered, caramelized surface. The contrast between the brittle, flaking crust and the hot, syrupy interior is at its most vivid in the first few minutes out of the oven, before the pastry begins to soften.
Yaksik (Korean Royal Sweet Glutinous Rice with Jujube)
Yaksik is a traditional Korean sweet rice dish with roots in royal court cuisine. Glutinous rice is mixed with soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil, then steamed with jujubes and chestnuts until each grain absorbs a deep caramel-brown color and a sweet-salty seasoning. The soy sauce provides savory depth while the honey glazes the rice with a gentle sheen and lingering sweetness. Jujubes burst with natural fruity sweetness when bitten, and chestnuts contribute a crumbly, starchy contrast to the chewy rice. A pinch of cinnamon adds warm spice that ties the elements together. Yaksik holds its texture well at room temperature, making it equally suited for packed lunches or make-ahead desserts.
Korean Street Egg Bread (Sweet Batter Muffin with Whole Egg)
Winter streets in Seoul feature this warm handheld snack prepared by baking a whole egg atop a sweet batter. The base consists of cake flour, baking powder, milk, and melted butter poured into muffin molds. Adding a layer of finely diced ham beneath the egg creates a salty contrast against the sweetness of the dough. When baked at 180 degrees Celsius, sixteen minutes results in a soft and runny yolk, while eighteen minutes produces a firm center. Vanilla extract mixed into the batter helps neutralize the natural scent of the egg for a clean finish. A light dusting of dried parsley on the domed surface adds a subtle herbal scent as the bread turns golden in the oven. Small amounts of shredded cheese can be added to the batter to balance the sweetness. Serving the bread while it remains warm ensures the interior stays moist. This egg bread functions well as a quick breakfast option and can be made in paper muffin cups if metal molds are unavailable.
About Desserts
Sweet treats brighten the day and add a little joy to the routine. From no-oven quick desserts to traditional confections that take patience and care, find the right recipe for any occasion.