Korean Hotteok

Hotteok is a Korean filled pancake consisting of a wheat flour dough stuffed with a mixture of brown sugar, honey, chopped nuts, and cinnamon. When pan-fried, the filling melts into a thick, sweet syrup-like center.

While available year-round, these crispy pancakes are a highly popular street food traditionally eaten during the winter months. The hot, gooey center is particularly comforting in cold weather.

The most traditional recipes call for finely chopped peanuts or walnuts to add a crunchy texture to the melted sugar filling. Some modern variations also use sunflower seeds or pecans.

Yes, though the sweet brown sugar version is the most famous, savory variations filled with vegetables, glass noodles (dangmyeon), and meat have become popular in South Korea. These savory pancakes are often referred to as "salty hotteok" or "jjin-hotteok" and are usually steamed rather than pan-fried.