Korean Honey Bread Balls (Fried Yeast Dough Balls Glazed with Honey and Peanut)
Quick answer
Kkul-ppang is a regional street snack from Tongyeong made by deep-frying yeast-leavened dough balls at 170 degrees Celsius until the outside firms into a thin, crisp shell.
What makes this special
- Kkul-ppang coats deep-fried dough balls in a sticky honey peanut glaze over an airy interior.
- Yeast fermentation bubbles keep the inside airy not dense
- Brushing honey while hot lets it seep deep into the dough
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Warm 180 ml milk until it feels just warm to the touch, then stir in 1 tsp dry yeast and 1 tbsp sugar.
- 2 In a bowl, mix 2 cups flour, the remaining 2 tbsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt evenly.
- 3 If the dough sticks heavily to your hands, add flour only 1 tbsp at a time so it does not become dry.
Kkul-ppang is a regional street snack from Tongyeong made by deep-frying yeast-leavened dough balls at 170 degrees Celsius until the outside firms into a thin, crisp shell. The fermentation process fills the interior with air pockets, producing a soft, bread-like crumb rather than the dense texture of unbaked dough. Whole dough is fried without any batter coating, which is what keeps the shell thin and crackly rather than puffy or thick. Immediately after frying, while still hot, the balls are brushed generously with warm honey so it soaks into the crust, then rolled in finely chopped peanuts for a layer of roasted nuttiness. Using rice syrup instead of honey softens the sweetness and brings the flavor closer to traditional Korean confectionery. Once cooled the shell stiffens and loses some of its snap, so these are best eaten fresh from the oil.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Warm 180 ml milk until it feels just warm to the touch, then stir in 1 tsp dry yeast and 1 tbsp sugar.
Let it stand for 5 minutes, and use it when small bubbles appear on the surface.
- 2Season
In a bowl, mix 2 cups flour, the remaining 2 tbsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt evenly.
Pour in the yeast milk and knead until no dry flour is visible and the dough gathers together.
- 3Control
If the dough sticks heavily to your hands, add flour only 1 tbsp at a time so it does not become dry.
When the surface looks smoother, cover it and proof in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- 4Heat
Press the proofed dough gently to release large air pockets, then divide it into 16 pieces.
Shape each piece into a round ball with the seam tucked underneath so it does not open while frying.
- 5Heat
Heat 700 ml cooking oil to 170C, and do not add too many dough balls at once.
Keep the heat at medium, turn them as they fry, and cook for 4-5 minutes until a thin, firm golden brown shell forms.
- 6Finish
Drain the fried balls briefly, then brush them evenly with 4 tbsp warmed honey while they are still hot so it can soak into the crust. Roll them in 40 g chopped peanuts and serve right away.
After the steps
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