Korean Twisted Donuts (Kkwabaegi)

Korean twisted donuts, or kkwabaegi, are classic Korean donuts found at Korean bakeries and at Korean street food venders. They are soft and fluffy on the inside with a beautiful chew and perfectly golden brown on the outside, covered in cinnamon sugar. They're amazing desserts and snacks for anytime of the day!

We are suckers for donuts. And these Korean twisted donuts, also known as kkwabaegi (꽈배기) are one of our absolute favorites!

You can often find them in Korean bakeries with pastries like Korean sausage bread and Korean mochi breads. In Korean, they are one of the most popular street food, next to hotteokk (Korean sweet pancake), Korean corn dogs, and Korean cream cheese garlic bread.

What we love the most about kkwabaegi is that you can make a large amount of these Korean donuts and freeze them for later! And, they'll still taste just as good!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Recommended Equipments
• How to make Korean twisted donuts
• Recipe tips
• Storage
• Reheating
• What to do with leftover oil
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Feedback

Ingredients

Please scroll down to the recipe card for the ingredient quantities!

• All-purpose flour - We need some gluten in our kkwabaegi to give it that chewy but soft texture. All-purpose (A/P) flour has just enough gluten for that.
• Milk - The main liquid for our dough. It'll give the twisted donuts richness and flavor. We recommend whole milk, but 2 percents and low fat milks are fine too.
• Active dry yeast - Donuts require yeast to give them that fluffy, light texture. Active dry yeast is great for donuts and breads and lasts a long time. We always have it on hand. If you're using fresh yeast, please substitute accordingly.
• Sugar - For sweetening the dough, which gives it flavor. Some sugar will also be needed for the cinnamon sugar coating.
• Salt - Most desserts and sweets recipes will call for a little salt to help enhance the sweetness. This way you won't have to use as much sugar to get the desire sweetness and salt will help round out the flavor.
• Egg - This is the secondary "liquid" for the dough. It also adds richness, making the donuts tastier.
• Butter - Just layering up the richness! This will also keep the kkwabaegi moist inside.
• Ground cinnamon - For the cinnamon sugar mix. If you don't like cinnamon or is allergic, you can omit it.

Recommended Equipments

Here are some equipments we recommend. They are not all necessary, but help will make the process easier and more fun!

• Scale - A digital scale is great for baking and any recipes that require a bit more accuracy. Plus, it'll ensure that the doughs are evenly divided so the kkwabaegi will be even sizes.
• Fryer or heavy bottom pot - A fryer or a heavy bottom pot works the best for maintaining the oil temperature.
• Thermometer - We love that infrared thermometers give us instant readings of oil temperature. But candy thermometers can keep your hands free and keep you constantly updated.
• Silicon pastry mat - This is my absolutely favorite for making breads and pastries! I can transport my work surface anywhere and just wash the silicon mat instead of worrying about dough getting stuck onto my kitchen counter or table.
• Bowl scraper - It's great for scraping mixing bowls to get every last bit of your hardwork. We also love to use our bowl scraper as a dough cutter when we're just portioning. No need for a super sharp edge nor extra dishes!
• Sheet pan - It's very handy to have sheet pans. It's great for proofing the kkwabaegi after shaping so that you can easily move the donuts around.
• Parchment paper - We highly recommend placing the shaped kkwabaegi on parchments so that they don't stick onto sheet pans or plates. When frying, the parchment will naturally release from the donuts.

How to make Korean twisted donuts

Make the dough:

1. Warm the milk to about 95 to 105°F and sprinkle the active dry yeast over the milk. Give it a mix and set aside to let the yeast dissolve and activate, about 3 to 5 minutes.

2. In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt.

3. Once the yeast has dissolved, add the milk mixture and the egg into the flour. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Then, knead the dough until no more dry ingredients are visible. Cover and let the dough rest in a warm area for about 20 to 30 minutes.

4. After resting, add the softened butter and knead the dough until all of the butter has been absorbed and the dough looks kind of smooth. Round up the dough and cover. Let the dough proof in a warm area until doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

💡If using a stand mixer: Use the hook attachment and mix the flour mixture, milk mixture, and egg until the dough comes together. Then, add the butter and knead on medium high to high speed until the butter is absorbed and the dough is kind of smooth. Skip the resting period and go straight into the 1 hour proofing.

Shape the dough:

1. Prepare a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

2. Once the dough has doubled, transfer it onto a clean work surface. Briefly knead the dough to deflate it. Then, divide the dough into 6 equal pieces.

3. Roll the dough into a thin rope, about ½ in thick and 12 inches long. With your hands at each end of the rope, roll the dough in opposite directions to create a twisted effect. Pick up the dough by the ends and let it twist onto itself. Pinch the ends together and fix the twists if needed. Place the dough onto the prepared sheet pan and repeat with remaining dough. Try to keep the shaped dough at least 1 inch from each other.

🌟 Pro tip: This is a tacky dough, so use a small amount of flour if needed to prevent your dough from sticking to your work surface and tearing.

4. Once all of the dough has been shaped, let the dough rest in a warm area until doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

💡 Proofing tip: We like to proof our dough in our oven with the oven light on. During the winter and cold weathers, we will preheat the oven slightly, just enough to make the oven kind of warm, and keep the lights on.

Make the cinnamon sugar:

In a bowl wide enough to hold a Korean twisted donut, mix together the sugar and ground cinnamon. Set aside until needed.

Fry the twisted donuts:

1. When the donuts are about doubled, heat the fryer to 325°F. You can also use a pot filled with about 1 to 2 inches of oil, heated to 325°F. Maintain the oil between 300°F to 325°F.

2. While the oil is heating up, use a pair of scissors to cut the parchment paper around the twisted donuts. Try to keep some parchments on the ends of the kkwabaegi for easy handling.

3. Once the oil is hot, gently place the donuts into the oil. Use the parchment paper to pick up the donuts without affecting their shapes and gently place them into the oil. Fry in batches if necessary.

4. Let the donuts fry for a few seconds, then remove the parchment from the oil. The parchments should release with ease. If not, wait a few mores seconds and make sure the oil is in contact with the bottom of the kkwabaegi.

5. Continue to fry the donuts for about 3 to 4 minutes, until both sides are golden brown and cooked. Remove them from the oil and let them drain on a rack or paper towels.

6. While the donuts are still hot, rolled them in the cinnamon sugar mix. Let the kkwabaegi cool for a little before enjoying!

Recipe tips

• Don't add extra flour into the dough. The dough is suppose to be quite tacky because it's a high hydration dough. So as long the measurements are followed, don't add additional flour. It will make the donuts dense and tough instead of light and fluffy.
• If you're not a fan of cinnamon or is allergic, feel free to omit it and use only sugar.
• Use fresh oil if possible. Korean twisted donuts and donuts in general, tastes the best when fried in fresh oil. It'll taste less greasy as well.
• Keep the oil temperature between 300 and 325°F! If the temperature is too low, the donuts will become soggy and greasy. However, if the temperature is too high, the Korean donuts may become too dark before the inside is cooked.

Storage

Leftover kkwabaegi can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Just make sure they are completely cooled before storing.

These Korean twisted donuts also freeze really well. So if you can't finish eating them within 3 days, store them in an airtight container or freezer bags for up to 2 months.

Reheating

These Korean donuts are best enjoyed warm or a few hours after making. To reheat, you can zap them in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds for room temperature ones and 20 to 25 seconds for frozen ones. They don't have to be hot, just until warmed through.

You can also bake at 350°F or air fry them at 325°F, about 2 to 3 minutes for room temperature or about 5 minutes for frozen.

FAQ

If you’ve made this recipe or any recipes from our blog, please tag us on Instagram using #twoplaidaprons! You can also tag us in your Instagram stories using @two_plaid_aprons. We would love to see your creations! It absolutely makes our day! 🥰

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