gochujang caramel cookies
I love gochujang — it’s probably one of my favourite ingredients. But I’d never even thought of using it in a sweet dish until I came across a recipe on NYT Cooking that had over 8000 5-star reviews. One bake later, I was hooked.
There’s something magical about these cookies: the slow build of gentle heat, the slight tang the gochujang brings to an otherwise rich, buttery cookie. It’s chewy, caramelised, sweet, salty and just a little bit spicy — everything I love in a single bite.
I’ve tweaked the recipe to suit my own taste — just a little less gochujang to soften the kick, and a little more salt to tie it all together.
This cookie isn’t for everyone, but if you’re ever craving something that feels just a bit different, this is definitely the cookie to make.
for the cookies
110 g unsalted butter, softened
150 g light brown sugar
50 g granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tbsp gochujang
1 tsp vanilla extract
185 g plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp fine sea salt
Flaky sea salt, for finishing
method
Make the gochujang caramel
In a small bowl, mix together 15 g of the butter, the brown sugar and the gochujang until smooth and combined. Set aside at room temperature — you'll swirl this through later.
Prepare the dough
In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 110 g butter with the granulated sugar, egg, salt, cinnamon and vanilla until smooth — about a minute by hand. Switch to a spatula, stir in the bicarbonate of soda, then gently fold in the flour until just combined.
Chill the dough slightly
Pop the bowl into the fridge for 15–20 minutes, just until the dough firms up a little but is still soft and easy to work with.
Preheat the oven
While the dough chills, heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line two large baking trays with parchment paper.
Swirl in the caramel
Take the dough out of the fridge. Dollop the gochujang mixture across the dough in 3–4 separate blobs. Using a spatula or knife, gently swirl it through the dough with big sweeping motions, creating bold ripples of caramel. Be careful not to overmix — you want thick, distinct streaks.
Scoop and bake
Using an ice cream scoop or ¼-cup measure, scoop out large rounds of dough, spacing them at least 8 cm apart on the trays (you’ll fit about 4–5 per tray). Bake for 11–13 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through, until the edges are lightly golden and the centres look just set.
Cool and finish
Leave the cookies to cool completely on the trays — they’ll settle and firm up as they cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days (if they last that long).
