This isn’t a new cookie recipe, it was published by the NYT Cooking site late last Christmas.  I saw it and immediately wanted to try it but it was published after I had my Christmas Treat recipes picked out.  I made it this year and truly delighted to present it to you.  This is another 2024 Christmas Treat, Gochujang Caramel Cookies. 

Gochujang is a spicy Korean chili paste that is sweet and hot at the same time. I use a ton of it in cooking (well there is a chili pepper in my logo), but not for the heat as I don’t think it is that hot, but using it gives me a umami filled base from which to build upon.  If you follow the NYT Cooking site you will find some really good recipes using this paste.  So try some if you haven’t already – sweet heat!  Nearly all the recipes on their site have been rated with comments from readers – everything from “what a waste” to “omg, so good”. Ratings will vary from one star to 5 stars, with the majority settling at four. This particular one by Eric Kim and is one of the few 5 star recipes I’ve ever seen on the site, and there is good reason for it -it is absolutely delicious!  It’s also easy to do as no mixer is required.  What a bonus right!!

A lot of my fellow foodies who know my taste for the unusual recipe (not to mention my love for all things spicy), sent me the heads up for this recipe last year, including my daughter. Unfortunately it came too late in the Christmas Season to fit into my blog schedule. But boy am I glad I tried it this year. This will truly be a hit on your cookie table. I did use a small scoop (1 tablespoon size) but the cookies still spread and I got about 25 x 3” cookies. Eric recommends making 8 (1/4 cup of dough) thicker cookies, which I might just do another time. These are flat cookies with a crunchy outside and a chewy inside. When fully baked, the surface should blister – mine took 15 minutes at 350f.

Surprise your family and friends with this recipe. It is truly outstanding and is now on repeat in my repertoire of cookie bakes. I’m sure many of you have gochujang in your refrigerator. If not, it’s sold in almost any grocery store but most definitely in Korean or Asian stores and of course the internet. The recipe is written as presented on the NYT site, only the steps have my commentary. As always – enjoy!

Ingredients:
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, very soft – divided
2 packed tbsp dark brown sugar
1 heaping tbsp gochujang
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
½ tsp coarse kosher salt or ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp baking soda
1½ cups (185 g) all-purpose flour

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon butter, the brown sugar and gochujang paste until smooth – this will be easier to do if you warm up the ingredients in the microwave for 30 seconds or so – set aside
2. In a large bowl, using a large whisk, beat the remaining 7 tablespoons butter, the granulated sugar, egg, salt, cinnamon and vanilla until smooth – it will take about 1 minute
3. Switch to a flexible spatula and stir in the baking soda – make sure it is properly mixed in
4. Add the flour and gently stir to combine
5. Place the bowl in the refrigerator – about 10 minutes, not to get firm but just to settle the dough
6. In the meantime, heat your oven to 350f and line two baking sheets with parchment
7. Remove the dough bowl from the fridge and drop blobs of the gochujang mixture on top of the dough
8. Using your flexible spatula or a spoon, cut these blobs into the dough – don’t mix it in completely, as you want to see streaks form when it bakes – ensure you get to the bottom of the bowl as well
9. Scoop the dough onto the cookie sheets – leave about 3” of space in between each ball, tap/slightly flatten the top with a greased spoon or slightly damp finger
10. Bake until lightly golden at the edges and dry and set in the center, 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, the cookie surface should look blistered
11. Let cool completely on the sheet pan before storing

Notes, Tips and/or Recommendations:
You can increase the amount of gochujang in the cookie, up to 2 tbsp or to taste – it’s a flavoring ingredient
Having the ingredients at room temperature or softer, is ideal i.e. butter, eggs, gochujang – a quick 30 second blitz will do the same job (but not the egg please)
Add a pinch of flaky sea salt to the top of each cookie just as it is out of the oven