Best Korean Cheese Hotteok Ever
Enjoy warm, chewy Korean pancakes filled with a molten blend of savory and stretchy cheese. This recipe allows you to recreate this popular Korean street food in your own kitchen, delivering a delightful balance of sweet and savory flavors.
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Small bowl
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Lightly floured surface
- Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel
- Non-stick skillet or griddle
- Spatula or hotteok press (optional)
- Airtight container
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for greasing
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese optional
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- A pinch of black pepper optional
- Vegetable oil, for greasing the pan
Instructions
- Activate the Yeast: In a large bowl, combine the lukewarm water, sugar, and active dry yeast. Give it a gentle stir and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes, until it becomes foamy.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, sweet rice flour, and salt.
- Mix it All Together: Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead, Knead, Knead: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5-7 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. The dough will be a bit sticky.
- Rise and Shine: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Cheese Assembly: In a medium bowl, combine all the cheese filling ingredients: mozzarella, cheddar (if using), Parmesan (if using), sugar, salt, and pepper (if using). Mix well.
- Deflate and Divide: Once the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down to release the air. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 6-8 equal portions.
- Stuff with Cheese: Take one portion of dough and flatten it into a circle about 3-4 inches in diameter. Place a generous spoonful of the cheese filling in the center of the circle. Carefully bring the edges of the dough up and pinch them together to seal the filling inside, forming a little pouch. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
- Cook 'Em Up: Heat a lightly oiled non-stick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Place the filled dough pouches, seam-side down, in the hot skillet. Gently flatten each pouch with a spatula or a hotteok press (if you have one) to about 1/2 inch thickness.
- Golden Brown Goodness: Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and the cheese is melted and gooey. Keep an eye on the heat; you want the pancakes to cook through without burning. If they're browning too quickly, reduce the heat.
- Serve and Enjoy: Remove the cooked hotteok from the skillet and let them cool slightly before serving. Be careful, the cheese will be hot! These are best enjoyed warm.
Notes
For a chewier hotteok, use more sweet rice flour. For a crispier hotteok, use more all-purpose flour. You can add a sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon, gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), finely chopped vegetables, or chopped nuts to the cheese filling for variation. Leftover Korean Cheese Hotteok can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave for a few seconds until warmed through.