Hello everybody, let’s twist with kkwabaegi! Cooking is fun fun fun!
Today I’m going to introduce you to one of my favorite after-school treats when I was a kid, something you can still find in many Korean bakeries and being sold on Korean streets today. It’s called kkwabaegi (꽈배기), or twisted dougnuts.
I’m very happy to see that the bread rolls (roll-ppang 롤빵) on my website were such a big hit for many of you. I learned this kkwabaegi recipe from the same friend who taught me roll-ppang! The dough is similar, but kkwabaegi are firmer.
You can buy kkwabaegi, but when you make them at home you can make sure the oil is fresh, and make them with care so they taste better and are cleaner and cheaper than what you can get on the street or a bakery. They are a nice treat once in a while when you or your children want some sweet stuff.
They are best right after making them, spongy on the inside when you tear them open with the steam pouring out. Tasty and fluffy!
The key to making beautiful kkwabaegi is to make sure that when you roll them, the center is just a bit thinner than the edges. That way, when you twist them, the end is nice and tight and not lumpy.
When I make these, I make a lot at once. That way I have hot fresh kkwabaegi to share right away, and then I keep the rest in the freezer to eat later. If I want one as a snack or dessert later, I take it out and let it thaw out at room temperature for a bit before eating it.
They go great with milk, and if you want to make yours sweeter than I make mine, add a little more sugar in the dough.
Try these out, and let me know how it goes!
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour for doughnuts, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 packet of dry yeast (about 2¼ teaspoons: 7 grams)
- 5 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- corn oil for frying
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
Directions
Make the coating
- Add 3 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon powder to a brown paper bag. Shake to mix well. Set aside.
Make the dough
- Fully melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add milk, the rest of 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt. Mix well until everything is well dissolved. Crack an egg into the saucepan and mix well. Add the yeast and stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a large bowl. Add 3 cups flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. When everything is well mixed, use your hand to knead the dough for a few minutes, and shape it into a big lump. Cover with plastic wrap.
- Let the dough rise until it doubles in size, usually about 1 hour to 1½ hours.
- Deflate the gas with your hand and knead the dough for a few minutes until it’s soft and smooth. Cover with plastic wrap again and let it sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour until it doubles in size again.
Roll out the doughnuts
- Uncover the dough and knead it for a few minutes. Put 2 tablespoons of flour on the corner of your cutting board to use for dusting. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces.
- Take a piece of dough and roll it out on your cutting board so it forms a rope 10 inches long and ½ inch in diameter. If it’s sticky, sprinkle some flour on the area you’re working in. When you roll out the dough, move one hand upward and the other downward so that the rope is twisted in between your hands as you roll it.
- Take the dough off the board, hold it aloft, and bring the ends together. The tension in the dough will twist it as it hangs. You can add as much tension as you like, but I think the best looking kkwabaegi has 3 to 4 twists in it.
- Place the twisted dough on a floured cutting board or tray. Repeat with the rest of the pieces of dough.
- Let the doughnuts expand for about 30 minutes. 15 minutes in, gently flip each doughnut over with your hands so the bottoms don’t get flat and all sides expand nice and round.
Fry the doughnuts
- Heat up 4 inches of oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat, until the temperature reaches 350° F. Lower the heat to medium heat, then gently set each doughnut into the hot oil by hand. Be careful not to get your hands too close to the oil. Add as many pieces to the oil as your skillet will allow, enough so the doughnuts can sit in the oil without pushing against each other.
- Cook for about 5 minutes, occasionally gently flipping them over with tongs, until they get crunchy outside and are evenly golden brown.
- Strain the cooked doughnuts. Put them in the brown paper bag with the sugar cinnamon mixture. Shake a few times until they are evenly coated. This is best done when the doughnuts are still warm. Repeat this with all the doughnuts until they are all cooked and coated.
Serve
- Serve hot.
- You can freeze any leftovers for up to a month. To rejuvenate them, take them out of the freezer and thaw at room temperature for 5 or 10 minutes before serving.
Maangchi's Amazon picks for this recipe
It's always best to buy Korean items at your local Korean grocery store, but I know that's not always possible so I chose these products on Amazon that are good quality. See more about how these items were chosen.
Thank you for posting such an amazing recipe! It turned out so good even though I’ve never deep fried anything before and only had 3/4 an inch of oil in the pan! I wasn’t very good at shaping them so they don’t look as pretty as yours, but still delicious and fluffy. :)
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I made the kkwabaegi and my family finished them in half an hour. I got only 1. I sent you a pic of what I made but it’s a little dark in the kitchen so the picture isn’t that good. I also made these with no process sugars.
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hello hello :))
how will this turn out in the oven ?
wow wow wow
this is sooo yummy yummy
my husband and kids loved it
thank you so much
ur videos are great !!! love youuuu
Hi Maangchi. Thank you for sharing your Kkwabaegi / twisted doughnuts…. I tried and yey! I made it :)
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Your kkwabaegi looks so good! Let’s dance the twist! Twist twist, just like your kkwabaegi! : )
Hello :)
I’ve seen your recipes years back but never worked up the courage to actually try it, but I happened to have all the ingredients to this recipe and decided to try it out!
And it came out amazing!! I am so happy because Ive never used yeast before, and I was so sure I would fail.
They taste amazing. Next time I might try switching out a cup of flour for glutinous rice flour just to get a more chewy texture.
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Congratulations, they look so cute and fluffy. See? Now you can cook!
Hello, Maangchi..
I am currently making this … but the dough is so sticky that I couldnt roll into a big lamp… i am still setting it for an hour…
I just made this just now. and IT’S SO AMAZING. so crunchy on the outside and it’s really really soft inside. so yummy!
the only thing i was struggling when i tried to roll the dough to make it twisted.
sometimes it get too thin and break easily and sometimes it get to thick. so i just changed the shape and make it simpler.
i’ll try to make them again and work on my mistake.
“i just changed the shape”
I’m so curious to see how you simplified it! : )
I want to make this how do I make with half of the recipe?
Hi Maangchi. I am making these now and was wondering, can one freeze the dough overnight and re use?
Adnaan
Hi! I adore this recipe. However, I am making them for some family members and one is allergic to egg. I can’t get an egg substitute stuff or tofu so I was wondering if I have anything in my kitchen already that I could use as an egg substitute. Does anybody have any recommendations? I saw that baking powder, oil and water can work – has anybody tried this? I want them to be as good as they are with egg if at all possible because they really are phenomenal. Even my boyfriend ate them!
Hai maangchi…i really really love to see all of your videos. Today i make kkwabaegi…but, my dough is so sticky and i have a difficult time twisting them..but the taste is great and my children love it..maybe i put too much butter or something i dont know…btw thanks for the recipe..my children and i see a tv program named food king on one of korean tv where we first saw this twisted doughnut.and im really sure i can find it on your videos.so that what happen today we make our first kkwabaegi… Love you maangchi…
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These were awesome!!! So delicious and easy to make. They impressed my family! Everyone thought they looked and tasted amazing
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I’m making them now for a snack before I take the children out to play. They are so excited me & my daughter watch your channel all the time. I’m making some of your recipes for dinner tonight as well. I Lover trying new dishes for my family & I’m great at substituting ingredients. I’m making your noodle dish but using upon noodles instead of the clear sweet potato starch noodles. The child love thicker noodles. But, Thanks for sharing your culture & food with the world!!!
Please do more noodle recipes!!!
Hi Maangchi, I made this today and this is how it looked! this is soooooo yummmmy!!! and my husband enjoyed so much! he asked ” why did you not find this recipe yrs ago??!!!” we’ve been married 9yrs now. uh! the fluffiness! it’s like a pillow! You know I only made 8 out of 16 coz there are only 2 of us, so I made dinner rolls for the other 8 and they came out wonderful! That will be for my breakfast and lunch at work tomorrow. Thank you soooooo much!! next will be your Crispy Chicken Wings. Cant wait!
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i made it, thank for recipe Maangchi..love you from Indonesia
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Thank you soo much Maangchi! I just made some Kkwabaegi and they were delicious i used instant rise yeast instead of active dry because that was the one they had in my local grocery store. My husband thought it was going to end up like an I love Lucy episode : )
Everyone in my home loved them and i cant wait to keep making them as my kids grow.
Thank you so much for your beautiful recipes and your lovely stories. You are an amazing woman and i am sure glad i found your channel on YouTube!
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Omg I am in love with this recipe❤
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Mouthwatering!
Thank you for the recipe..I made them today for after school snack for my children. They were delicious. We couldn’t stop eating. Hahaha.
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ow ow! They look fluffy, sweet, and gorgeous! You twisted them well. Congratulations!
Here’s a pic of my try at kkwabaegi. Thanks, Maangchi!
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Thank you much Maangchi! I had so much fun making kkwabaegi and decorating them. They came out tasting great. My family, friends, and co-workers couldn’t get enough. You’re a great inspiration.
I saw with your hotteok video that you can make the dough ahead and keep it in the refrigerator. Can you do the same with this doughnut recipe?
Tried making these today and was very very satisfied with the result ^_^ I love that they aren’t very sweet and the smell of yeast dough, cinnamon and sugar wafting in the kitchen is heavenly :D
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Hiiii Maangchi, thankyou for ur recipe. I just made Twisted Doughnuts. Here is that doughnuts…
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do u use instant dry yeast or just normal dry yeast? does it even matter? if u can use both which one would be better?
Finally made some donuts today must say never buying them from the shops anymoreHad to take photos before kids ate it allThanks for the recipe. Love it.
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안녕하세요, Maangchi! :)
I have a question about the doughnuts. How do I double the amount? I want to make fifty in one batch, like you did. I make them every week, but they run out so quickly. How can I make a bigger batch?
By the way, I love your hair. So cute. :)
~Happy Bunny
I’m glad to hear that you have been making kkwabaegi very often. Yes, double or triple the recipe if you like make a bigger batch. I used to make about 50-60 kkwabaegi and kept them in the freezer. Happy cooking!
Maangchi I did it its wooow my mum is surprised by it its so fluffy like a balloon thaaank you
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Hi Maangchi,
Thanks for your recipe. I try to do Twisted doughnuts today, may I know why my doughnuts not as fluffy as yours? I’m using 1 pack of instant yeast 11g. But my 1st & 2nd round resting, not like yours have many bubbles, that’s because too many flour ?
Please help me to find out the problems.
Thanks
Lydia
You have to use active dry yeast. It’s alive. It gives the best rise. The instant yeast isn’t best for doughs that have to rise over time or rise multiple times.
maangchi, why i can’t twist my doughnut, it seem like can’t stick together like u when i try to twist it
The receipt was so easy to follow she explained very well in the video me and my daughter made it today and it was super hit
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Your kkwabaegi looks so fluffy and well twisted! : ) Yum!
My whole family loved it. My mom loved it my dad loved it my sis loved it even my grandpa loved it!! Thank you Maangchi, everyone was enjoying the doughnuts so much. My sister couldn’t stop eating actually haha she ate like 5 or 6 pieces at once. I made another variation w salted caramel chocolate coating also. Just please keep on with more amazing recipes!!! <3
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You must be great at cooking! I’d love to taste the one drizzled caramel chocolate! You made all your family happy with your kkwabaegi! : )
Hiii maangchi, i found out your recipe is just so delicious.. i want it more and more everyday.. but it would be nice if i can make 1 batch of dough and freeze it just like you said.. i want to ask you, how you freeze your dough? Just keep the dough into final step before fried and freeze them or i just can put in before i shape the dough? I hope you can give me an answer
I did this today and turned out to be super…thank you so much for sharing the recipe
Congratulations! : )
Hi Maangchi, I love your recipe! It turn out to be fluffy and crispy. But i think my fire is slightly high, the doughnut turn out bit dark : /
Definitely a worth of trying! Thanks.
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