Honey Ginger Ribbon Cookies
Quick answer
Maejakgwa are traditional Korean ribbon cookies made from a firm dough of wheat flour, sesame oil, and ginger juice, rolled to 2 mm thickness, slit lengthwise through the...
What makes this special
- Maejakgwa honey ginger ribbon cookies are rubbed with sesame oil for a flaky, brittle, knot-shaped snap.
- Sesame oil rubbed into flour creates the signature flaky-crisp break
- 160C low-heat frying crisps all the way through without browning too fast
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Combine 250g flour, 2g salt, 15ml sesame oil, 20ml ginger juice, and 80ml wa...
- 2 Roll the dough to a 2mm thickness with a rolling pin, cut into 3x7cm rectang...
- 3 Push one end of each rectangle through the center slit and pull gently to fo...
Maejakgwa are traditional Korean ribbon cookies made from a firm dough of wheat flour, sesame oil, and ginger juice, rolled to 2 mm thickness, slit lengthwise through the center, and twisted through the opening into a knot shape before frying. Slow-frying at 160 degrees Celsius turns them light golden and crisp all the way through without darkening the surface unevenly. A warm coating of honey blended with rice syrup is applied while the cookies are still hot, adding a glossy, sweet shell that sets as it cools. The ginger lends a subtle warm bite that sits behind the nuttiness of sesame oil rather than announcing itself upfront, and a final dusting of pine nut powder contributes a soft, buttery fragrance that completes the layering of flavor. Each piece shatters lightly when bitten, yet the syrup-soaked sections at the twisted edges carry a slight chewiness that gives the cookie a layered texture unusual for a fried dough confection. Maejakgwa appear regularly on ritual food tables at memorial ceremonies and are commonly prepared for Lunar New Year and Chuseok.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Combine 250g flour, 2g salt, 15ml sesame oil, 20ml ginger juice, and 80ml water in a bowl, bring together into a firm dough, wrap in cling film, and rest for 20 minutes.
- 2Prep
Roll the dough to a 2mm thickness with a rolling pin, cut into 3x7cm rectangles, then make a 2cm lengthwise slit in the center of each piece.
- 3Step
Push one end of each rectangle through the center slit and pull gently to form the characteristic butterfly or ribbon shape of maejakgwa.
- 4Heat
Fry slowly in 160C oil for 3 to 4 minutes until a pale golden color forms, then lift out and drain on a wire rack.
- 5Control
In a small pan warm 90g honey and 50g corn syrup over low heat until loosened, add the fried cookies, and toss until every surface is evenly coated with the glossy syrup.
- 6Step
Sprinkle 8g pine nut powder over the top, transfer to a cooling rack, and cool until the syrup hardens completely, then store in an airtight container.
After the steps
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