These gochujang caramel cookies start with a soft, chewy sugar cookie and add a swirl of gochujang, butter, and brown sugar. When my friends first told me about Eric Kim’s NYT cookies, I knew I had to make them, and they’ve been one of my favorite cookies ever since.
I changed a few things so that they’re easier and quicker to make. I also double the recipe because they never last long at my house.
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How My Gochujang Caramel Cookies Differ From the NYT Recipe
The ingredients are close to Eric Kim’s original NYT gochujang caramel cookies, but I make them a little differently. This recipe yields more cookies, uses more cinnamon because I like the warmth, and uses a slightly different method.
I also use a #40 cookie scoop instead of a quarter-cup scoop. You get about 39 regular-size cookies instead of the big bakery-style ones in the original.
What to Know About Gochujang Paste
Gochujang is a Korean red chili paste made from chili peppers, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. It’s sweet, spicy, and full of umami, and that mix tastes great against a buttery sugar cookie.
Most tubs list a heat level from one to five. I like level two (slightly hot) or level three (medium hot) for these cookies, so pick whichever level you’d enjoy.
You can find it in the international aisle of some grocery stores and at any Korean market. Once you open it, keep it in the fridge, where it lasts for months. It darkens as it ages, but it’s still fine to use.
You can also use gochujang paste to make sauces, marinades, and dressings. It’s relatively thick, like miso, so you generally need to thin it with some liquid. This recipe, of course, is the exception.
This is the gochujang I use at home for sweet and savory dishes. Check the heat level on the tub and pick the one you’d enjoy most.
Gochujang Caramel Isn’t Traditional Cooked Caramel
Don’t let the word caramel scare you off. You don’t need a stove or a candy thermometer.
For this recipe, just stir softened butter, brown sugar, and gochujang with a fork until smooth. It bakes into sticky, caramel-like ribbons with the cookies, and that’s where the name comes from.
How to Make Gochujang Caramel Cookies
Take your butter and eggs out about 45 minutes ahead of time so they’re at room temperature. If you forget, put the eggs in a bowl of warm water for five to 10 minutes, and use my tips for softening butter quickly if you need them.
In a small bowl, stir two tablespoons of butter with the brown sugar and gochujang until smooth, then set aside. That’s your caramel.
In a large bowl, beat the remaining butter with the granulated sugar until light in color and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then mix in the salt, cinnamon, and baking soda.
Add the flour and stir by hand or on low speed until no dry flour remains. Chill the bowl in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
You want the dough less sticky but still soft. If you leave it in the fridge for hours, you won’t be able to stir in the caramel.
Line your half sheet pans with silicone baking mats. I’ve never had the caramel scorch on them, and they really do make a difference, so use parchment paper only as a backup if you don’t own silicone baking mats, and consider doing a double layer.
These mats are high quality and last for years. They’re easy to clean, and the two-pack means you can line the next pan while the first one bakes.
Don’t use a stand or hand mixer for the rest of the recipe, as it blends the caramel in completely and you lose the swirl. Spoon the caramel over the dough in about six dollops, then run a stiff spatula through the dough in a C shape, turn the bowl, and repeat a few times.
Stop sooner than you think you should. You want wide ribbons of caramel, and they’ll spread out more as you scoop.
Use a #40 cookie scoop (the standard cookie size) to portion the dough, putting eight cookies on each pan in four rows of two, offset from each other. These cookies spread a lot, so they need room.
This cookie scoop set has the three sizes you need, plus the non-slip rubber grip means that this is comfortable to use no matter how many scoops you have to make. And yes, it’s dishwasher safe.
Bake one pan at a time for 11 to 13 minutes, until you see cracks across the tops. Scoop the next pan while the first one bakes.
Let the cookies sit on the hot pan for five minutes before you move them to a cooling rack. They’re very soft when they come out of the oven and fall apart if you move them too soon.
These stainless steel half sheet pans come with cooling racks that fit right inside. The rim keeps cookies and everything else from sliding off, and they clean up easily.
Gochujang Caramel Cookie Troubleshooting
If your caramel disappeared into the dough, you mixed too much or used the mixer for the swirl. The cookies still taste the same, but next time switch to a spatula and stop while the streaks are still wide.
If your dough is too stiff to swirl, it chilled too long. Let the bowl sit on the counter until a spatula moves through the dough easily. Check it every 10 to 15 minutes.
Are Gochujang Caramel Cookies Spicy?
They’re more warm than spicy. The heat comes through at the end of each bite and cuts the sweetness, and many people don’t notice the gochujang until you tell them it’s there.
Do Gochujang Cookies Taste Like Snickerdoodles?
They’re a lot like a snickerdoodle, since both are soft, chewy sugar cookies with cinnamon. The gochujang caramel adds a salty, savory sweetness and a little heat, and these aren’t rolled in cinnamon sugar.
If you’d rather skip the heat, try my classic version of Sugar Cookies.
Can You Make Gochujang Cookie Dough Ahead?
You can make it up to a day ahead. Make the dough through the swirling step, cover the bowl tightly, and refrigerate it, since it starts to dry out after a day.
Let it sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes before you scoop, depending on how warm your kitchen is.
How Long Do Gochujang Caramel Cookies Last?
They keep for two to three days in an airtight container on the counter. Put parchment paper between the layers so they don’t stick together.
Can You Freeze Gochujang Caramel Cookies?
Yes, and they freeze well. Layer the baked cookies in a freezer container the same way you do to store them on the counter.
To thaw them, take them out of the container and set them on a plate on the counter. That way, any extra moisture in the container doesn’t soften the cookies.
Can You Make Gochujang Cookies Gluten-Free or Vegan?
I haven’t tested either version, so I can’t promise how they’ll turn out. For gluten-free cookies, check your gochujang label too, because many brands contain wheat.
For vegan cookies, I’d start with coconut oil instead of butter and one of my egg substitutes for baking.
Gochujang Caramel Cookies
Ingredients
For the Gochujang Caramel
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
For the cookie dough
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir the caramel butter, brown sugar, and gochujang together with a fork until smooth. Set aside.1/4 cup light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons gochujang, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- In a large bowl, beat the remaining butter and granulated sugar with a mixer until lighter in color and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until fully combined.2 cups granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add the kosher salt, cinnamon, and baking soda and mix well.1 teaspoon kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Add the flour and mix by hand or on low speed just until no dry flour remains.3 cups all-purpose flour
- Refrigerate the dough for 10 to 15 minutes, until it's less sticky but still soft.
- While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line half sheet pans with silicone baking mats, or use parchment paper as a backup.
- Spoon the gochujang caramel over the dough in about six dollops. Swirl it in with a stiff spatula using a C-shaped stir, turn the bowl, and repeat. Don't use a mixer for this step and don't overmix, since you want wide ribbons of caramel.
- Use a #40 cookie scoop to portion eight cookies per pan in four rows of two, offset from each other.
- Bake one pan at a time for 11 to 13 minutes, until cracks appear on the tops. Scoop the next pan while the first one bakes.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for five minutes, then move them to a cooling rack.
Video
Notes
- Gochujang comes in heat levels from one to five. I like level two (slightly hot) or level three (medium hot).
- You can make the dough through the swirling step up to a day ahead. Cover it, refrigerate it, and let it sit out for 20 to 30 minutes before scooping.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container on the counter for two to three days, with parchment paper between layers. They also freeze well.
- For more tips, read the full post above.
Nutrition
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Spicy and sweet, these cookies are so addictive! Absolutely love the texture – we will be making these again.
This is a very delicious cookie. It is like snicker doodles but even better. I didn’t notice the gochujang. Definitely a keeper.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s a keeper at my house, too!
These tastes heavenly; thanks for the recipe. I had some trouble with the caramel wanting to scorch, and I never saw cracks forming on the top, so I chilled the batter again and dropped the oven temperature to 335 F. Then again, this might have been because I had to replace the eggs with tricks like aquafaba, vegetable oil, and extra baking soda. Anyway, they were great once I adjusted the temp.
Yes, when you start changing up ingredients like swapping eggs etc, that will definitely change how cookies bake. I’m glad you were able to find a way to bake the cookies with your egg replacements!
These might be my favorite cookies ever. Thank you so much for posting this recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoy these! They’re definitely one of my favorites, too!
Is it possible to make these gluten free and/or vegan?
You can definitely try, but I have not tested this recipe as vegan before – and I don’t do much gluten free baking, though it *should* work. You can try swapping out coconut oil for the butter (which is always my favorite swap in baked goods) in a one to one ratio. I would suggest aquafaba or ground flax seeds for the eggs (you can read more about the egg substitutes I use and why here: https://honestandtruly.com/11-simple-egg-substitutes-for-baking/ ). For gluten free, if you have a favorite flour you use with baking, I would try that and it will give you an approximation of these cookies. They won’t be exactly the same, but hopefully you can get close with the flavor and texture. Good luck!
Have you tried freezing these cookies?
I have – they worked well to freeze and thaw again!
I was recently given Gochujang paste and wasn’t sure what to do with it. After searching for recipes, I came across your cookie recipe and decided to give it a try. My Gochujang caramel cookies turned out perfect thanks to your step by step recipe. I will be making this again!!
Thanks for this! I’m so excited to hear that it worked out so well for you. They are hands down one of my favorite cookies, and they’re a great way to use gochujang.
Made these the other day and they are amazing! I took them to work and got a fantastic response from everyone who tried them. Will be making them again. Fantastic and different.
Oh I’m so glad to hear this. Thank you for your kind words. We love these cookies here, too!