If you’ve been on the hunt for a cookie that’s both familiar and exciting, look no further than this Gochujang Caramel Cookies Recipe. These cookies combine the rich buttery softness of classic caramel treats with a surprising yet irresistible punch from gochujang, a Korean chili paste, creating a warm-spiced sweetness that dances on your tongue. The interplay of sweet, salty, and subtly spicy flavors makes these cookies a unique delight that you’ll find yourself baking again and again.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Gochujang Caramel Cookies Recipe calls for a handful of simple ingredients, each playing a vital role in building its distinctive flavor and texture. From soft butter to fragrant cinnamon, every element enhances the cookie’s luscious chew and spicy-sweet depth.
- Unsalted butter (1/2 cup/115 grams): Using very soft butter helps create that perfect tender crumb.
- Dark brown sugar (2 packed tablespoons): Adds moisture and a rich caramel note that complements the gochujang beautifully.
- Gochujang (1 heaping tablespoon): The star of the recipe, this Korean chili paste imparts a complex heat balanced with umami.
- Granulated sugar (1 cup/200 grams): Provides sweetness and helps with the crisp edge on the cookies.
- Egg (1 large, room temperature): Binds the dough and contributes to the soft structure.
- Coarse kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon or 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal): Enhances all the flavors and contrasts with the sweet.
- Ground cinnamon (1/4 teaspoon): Brings warmth and a subtle spice that pairs wonderfully with gochujang.
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Adds depth and a mellow sweetness.
- Baking soda (1/2 teaspoon): Helps the cookies rise and achieve a lovely lightness.
- All-purpose flour (1 1/2 cups/185 grams): Forms the cookie’s base, ensuring just the right chewiness.
How to Make Gochujang Caramel Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the Gochujang Caramel Mixture
Start by stirring together 1 tablespoon of the softened butter with the dark brown sugar and the gochujang in a small bowl. Mix until you have a smooth, vibrant paste. This mixture will add those signature swirls of spicy caramel glaze to your cookies, so set it aside at room temperature to keep it perfectly spreadable.
Step 2: Make the Cookie Dough
Next, grab a large bowl and whisk by hand the remaining softened butter with the granulated sugar, egg, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. You want the mixture to be smooth and creamy, which takes about a minute. Then, switch to a flexible spatula to gently fold in the baking soda and flour, just until everything comes together. Be careful not to overmix the flour to keep your cookies tender.
Step 3: Chill the Dough and Prep the Oven
Place the dough in the refrigerator for about 15 to 20 minutes. This chilling step makes the dough easier to handle and helps prevent spreading during baking. While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup and perfect baking.
Step 4: Swirl in the Gochujang Caramel
Take the dough out of the fridge and spoon the gochujang mixture over it in 3 to 4 blobs spaced out. Using long, graceful circular strokes, swirl the gochujang into the dough to get beautiful streaks of that signature reddish-orange caramel running through the beige dough. The trick is to swirl just enough to create wide streaks without fully blending it in.
Step 5: Bake the Cookies
Use a ¼-cup ice cream scoop to drop generous mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 3 inches apart. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges turn lightly golden and the centers are set but still soft. Remember to rotate the pans halfway through baking for even cooking. Once out of the oven, let the cookies cool completely on the sheet because they will set and firm up as they cool, giving you that perfect chewy yet crisp texture.
How to Serve Gochujang Caramel Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
These cookies are gorgeous on their own, but you can elevate them with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt right out of the oven to highlight the sweet-spicy flavors. For a little extra indulgence, a light drizzle of melted white chocolate contrasts wonderfully with the gochujang’s heat and caramel notes.
Side Dishes
Pair these cookies with a cozy cup of milky chai tea or strong black coffee. The warm spices in the drinks complement the cinnamon and gochujang beautifully. If you want to play up the Asian-inspired kick, a lightly sweetened matcha latte also makes an intriguing sidekick to the spicy caramel goodness.
Creative Ways to Present
For a fun twist, pile the cookies on a wooden board layered with parchment paper and garnish the arrangement with fresh citrus slices or edible flowers to brighten the presentation. Alternatively, sandwich softened salted caramel ice cream between two cookies for a show-stopping dessert that’s both spicy and sweet.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
You can keep your Gochujang Caramel Cookies Recipe fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two days. The cookies maintain their chewy texture best if enjoyed within this timeframe.
Freezing
If you want to make these cookies ahead, you can freeze the dough balls individually on a tray, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. When ready to bake, just pop them into the oven directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time. Alternatively, fully baked cookies freeze well wrapped tightly for up to a month.
Reheating
To bring back that just-baked warmth, reheat cookies for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave or for a few minutes in a low-temperature oven. This revives the gooey, chewy center and intensifies the caramel and gochujang flavor notes.
FAQs
What does gochujang taste like in these cookies?
In this Gochujang Caramel Cookies Recipe, gochujang brings a subtle heat combined with a sweet umami flavor. It’s not overpowering but instead offers a lovely depth that balances beautifully with the caramel and spices.
Can I substitute gochujang with something else?
While gochujang is a unique ingredient here, if you don’t have it on hand, you might try a mixture of mild chili paste with a touch of miso or honey for sweetness. However, the specific flavor profile of this recipe comes from genuine gochujang’s sweet-spicy kick.
Are these cookies spicy? Will kids like them?
The spice from the gochujang is very mild and mostly balanced by the caramel and brown sugar, resulting in a pleasantly warm flavor rather than a hot one. Many kids who enjoy a little adventure in their sweets might surprisingly enjoy these cookies!
Can I make the dough ahead and bake later?
Absolutely! The dough chills well in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours before you swirl in the gochujang mixture and bake. This can actually help with the development of flavor and texture.
How big are the cookies and how many does the recipe make?
This recipe makes about eight large cookies, each scooped with approximately ¼ cup of dough. They’re generously sized to enjoy as a snack or dessert with plenty of chewy centers and crispy edges.
Final Thoughts
I truly hope you fall in love with this Gochujang Caramel Cookies Recipe as much as I have. It’s one of those rare treats that surprises your palate at every bite—combining sweet, salty, spicy, and buttery notes in perfect harmony. Whether you’re baking for friends, family, or just to treat yourself, these cookies are a delicious reminder that sometimes the most unexpected ingredients create the most memorable desserts. Happy baking!
Print
Gochujang Caramel Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: About 8 large cookies
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Fusion (Korean-American)
Description
Gochujang Caramel Cookies combine the deep, spicy umami of Korean chili paste with sweet brown sugar caramel swirls for a unique, flavorful twist on classic buttery cookies. These large, soft-baked cookies feature rippling streaks of gochujang-infused caramel throughout the dough, offering a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and mildly spicy notes. Easy to prepare and baked to golden perfection, they are a delightful treat for adventurous cookie lovers.
Ingredients
Gochujang Caramel Mixture
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, very soft
- 2 packed tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 heaping tablespoon gochujang
Cookie Dough
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt or 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups (185 grams) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Prepare the Gochujang Caramel: In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of very soft butter, the dark brown sugar, and gochujang. Stir thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and set it aside at room temperature.
- Mix the Cookie Dough: In a large bowl, whisk by hand the remaining 7 tablespoons of very soft butter with granulated sugar, egg, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth, about one minute. Then, using a flexible spatula, stir in the baking soda. Add the all-purpose flour and gently fold until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the dough tender.
- Chill the Dough: Refrigerate the dough in the large bowl for 15 to 20 minutes until it is less sticky but still soft and pliable. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Incorporate the Gochujang Caramel: Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Place 3 to 4 spaced-out spoonfuls of the prepared gochujang caramel over the dough blobs. Using long circular strokes, gently swirl the caramel into the dough to create wide, distinct orange-red streaks. Be careful not to overmix, as the visual marbling is key.
- Scoop and Bake: Using an ice cream scoop, form ¼-cup rounds of dough on the lined sheet pans, spacing each cookie at least 3 inches apart to allow spreading. Bake the cookies for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are dry and set. Rotate the pans halfway through baking to ensure even cooking.
- Cool and Store: Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets. They will slightly flatten and continue cooking as they cool. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is very soft to facilitate smooth mixing and proper texture.
- Do not overmix the gochujang caramel into the dough to maintain the distinct streaks and marbling effect.
- If you prefer less heat, reduce the gochujang amount slightly to suit your taste.
- Spacing cookies well apart helps prevent them from merging as they bake and spread.
- Cookie dough can be chilled longer if desired, but 15-20 minutes balances ease of handling with softness.
- Use parchment paper on baking sheets to prevent sticking and promote even browning.
