Yakgwa (Honey Cookies)

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Make the cookie dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 grinds pepper. Add the sesame oil and whisk to distribute. Switching to a spoon, stir in the honey and soju until there’s no more loose flour and the mixture starts to form a craggy dough. If needed, you can add more soju, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the dough is hydrated. Press the dough together with your hands, cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to rest for at least 1 hour and up to 2, during which it will continue to hydrate and cohere even more.

2. Step 2

   Meanwhile, make the syrup: In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the brown rice syrup, honey, ginger and 2 tablespoons water to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and set aside, covered, to infuse and cool slightly.

3. Step 3

   Roll out the cookies: Using a rolling pin or empty wine bottle, roll the dough into a rectangle that is roughly ¼-inch-thick, then fold it in half, pressing the sides to create even edges and roll it out again. Fold and roll the dough out like this 4 more times.

4. Step 4

   Use a round, 2-inch cookie cutter (or the lip of a champagne flute) to cut out rounds. You will need to roll out the scraps a few more times to use up all of the dough, resulting in about 20 cookies. Using a fork, dock the top of each cookie twice, piercing all the way through.

5. Step 5

   Fry the cookies: Set a wire rack on a sheet pan. In a wide pot, heat about 1 inch of oil to 225 degrees over medium, then reduce the heat to low. Working in batches, add the cookies in a single layer and fry until deeply golden brown and slightly puffed, 25 to 30 minutes per batch. (Flip cookies occasionally for even browning and adjust the heat as needed so the oil bubbles gently and stays 225 degrees.) Transfer the cookies to the rack and cool fully, at least 30 minutes.

6. Step 6

   Soak the cookies: Remove the ginger from the syrup. Transfer the cookies to a wide resealable container, drizzle evenly with the syrup and toss to coat. Cover tightly and soak at room temperature overnight (or up to 24 hours), flipping occasionally to evenly soak.

7. Step 7

   Before serving, remove the cookies from the syrup, then garnish with crystallized ginger, sesame seeds or pine nuts, if desired. In a tightly sealed container, fresh yakgwa keep for up to 3 days at room temperature.