Yakgwa (Korean honey cookies) | Vegan

Yakgwa is a wheat-based Korean confection (hangwa) made with honey, sesame oil & ginger juice. Traditionally it’s deep fried, but here is a baked version. Ingredients for 15 cookies: cookie dough: - flour (200g | 7oz) - baking powder (1/4 tsp) - sesame oil (30ml | 1/8 cup) (+ 1 tsp) - vegan honey (30ml | 1/8 cup) - cinnamon (optinal) (1/4 tsp) - water (30ml30ml | 1/8 cup) syrup: - rice syrup (60ml | 1/4 cup) - vegan honey (60ml | 1/4 cup) - ginger, peeled & grated (1 tsp) or some ginger juice (1/2 tbsp) - water (125ml | 1/2 cup) - pine nuts or sesame seeds for topping 1. For the dough mix all dry ingredients in a bowl (flour, baking powder, cinnamon). 2. Add sesame oil & mix by hand, rubbing the flour between hands & fingers to combine. 3. Add the honey & water, after some kneading add 1 tbsp sesame oil (& if necessary 1 tsp water) and gather pastry into a ball. 4. Roll out the dough & cut it into squares, then pierce holes in the center. 5. Bake in the preheated oven at 150C/300F for 15 mins. Then raise the heat to 175C/350F & bake for about 5-8 mins. 6. Make the syrup by mixing the rice syrup, vegan honey & water in a sauce pan, stirring occasionally on medium heat. Once it boils, remove from the heat & mix in the ginger. 7. When Yakwa is nicely browned, take out of the oven & immediately add it to the syrup. 8. Let it sit in syrup for at least an hour or more. The longer they sit in syrup, the more it will absorb and will get softer. 9. Take Yakwa out from the syrup when it is to your liking & sprinkle with chopped pine nuts or sesame seeds if you like. #vegan #veganrecipes #veganbaking #bakingrecipes #koreanfood #korea #seoul #koreanconfection #hangwa #Yakgwa #vegancookies #cookies