Bake soft-centered, crisp-edged Gochujang sugar cookies made with melted butter, oil, black sesame, and precise gram measurements for flawless results every time. A recipe that’s fast, simple, and irresistibly unique.
There’s something irresistible about a sugar cookie that surprises you — and these Gochujang Sugar Cookies with Black Sesame Seeds do exactly that. They’re soft and tender inside, lightly crisp at the edges, and filled with warm caramel-like depth from gochujang, the traditional Korean red chili paste. The black sesame seeds add a nutty crackle that elevates the flavor into something elegant and unforgettable.
These cookies are made from our master cookie recipe, so it’s easy, accurate, and foolproof. We created a recipe that is not just easy, but also the best tasting sugar cookies ever, and uses sustainable ingredients that help stop climate change. This cookie recipe also includes a tested gluten-free variation, with no special techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.
True to the Master Pantry philosophy, this recipe uses ingredients that are both high quality and responsibly sourced. Organic butter, sustainably grown flour, and thoughtfully harvested sugar form the base.
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Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Table of contents
What is Gochujang?
Gochujang is a traditional Korean fermented red chili paste known for its unique balance of heat, sweetness, and umami flavors. Made from a blend of gochugaru (Korean red chili powder), glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt, it has a thick, sticky texture and a deep red color. Gochujang is a versatile ingredient used in a variety of Korean dishes, including bibimbap, and various marinades and sauces, adding depth and richness to meals. Its origins date back to ancient Korea, and it remains a staple in Korean cuisine, celebrated for its ability to enhance both flavor and complexity in dishes. Gochujang has gained international popularity, finding its way into fusion recipes and global menus. This recipe adds it to a sugar cookie recipe to make an unusual, incredible tasting cookie.
Variations
- Swap the filling — Try sweet bean or tamarind for different types of Asian flavors.
- Add spice to the dough — five spice or pepper
- Use for ice cream sandwiches — Pair with a vanilla ice cream made with our Master Ice Cream Recipe to make ice cream sandwiches.
- Gluten-Free Version – I’ve tested a gluten-free version of this recipe using King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour, and the method stays almost exactly the same. The finished cookies have the same appearance, flavor, and structure as the original, with only a slightly more tender crumb. Gluten-free cookies may benefit from an extra 1–2 minutes for structure. Use certified gluten-free gochujang. Many traditional and commercial brands contain wheat or barley malt powder, so you must check the label carefully.
Ingredients
Making the best gochujang cookie recipe requires the best ingredients. We have listed the brands for some of the ingredients because ingredients are everything. We have found that these brands give superior results. After decades of working in agriculture and inspecting food production, I’m especially picky about ingredients — these cookies rely on small choices that create big flavor.
- Gochujang the Korean fermented red chili paste
- Black Sesame Seeds
- All-Purpose Flour – King Arthur Organic All-Purpose flour King Arthur responsibly sources the wheat for their flours, and it pays off in the taste and quality. They have a “never bleached” guarantee, which means their flours don’t have an off taste or unpredictable results that can be caused by bleaching. They also carefully calibrate the protein content, so the flour gives you the same results everytime.
- Sugar – Wholesome regenerative organic sugar produced from organic sugar cane fields that are green cut and are not burned or treated with herbicides or synthetic fertilizers. Burning sugar cane fields contributes to air pollution, climate change, and is also a major cause of the destruction of the rain forest.
- Milk, Cream, Butter – Horizon Organics – Milk, Cream and Butter that are produced organically, sustainably, and responsibly. You can taste the difference.
- Sunflower Oil – La Tourangelle Organic Regenerative Sunflower Oil is a great substitute for butter. The flavor works well in cookies, and the oil gives the cookies a fudgy center and crisp edges.
- Salt – Diamond Kosher tastes cleaner and measures differently.
- Sorghum Syrup – We make our own brown sugar substitute by adding Golden Barrel Sorghum Syrup. More convenient than brown sugar and not made from sugar cane. It creates a taste like brown sugar but more like caramel than the molasses in brown sugar.
- Vanilla – Baker’s Imitation Vanilla Flavoring The flavor or real vanilla and imitation is indistinguishable when high heat is used. Double the usual amount of vanilla called for to improve the flavor.
No Affiliates Statement
We call this our “no affiliates” statement because we accept no advertising, have no affiliates and accept no payment. We are not paid to mention brands – we just love buying the best, sharing that information and saving the planet at the same time. The effort put into writing and photographing the blog is solely based on our dedication to the cause.
Sustainability
Choosing sustainable products makes every cookie a small but meaningful act of sustainability. Sustainability is at the heart of this recipe: choosing high-quality pantry staples, supporting responsible growers and brands. High quality products don’t just taste better, they are usually produced sustainably as well.
Method for making Cookies
This recipe uses an easy, foolproof method that requires only a few minutes of active time. Check out our Master Cookie Recipe for a more detailed explanation on how this works.
- Measure the dry ingredients by weight
- Measure the wet ingredients by weight
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir together without overmixing.
- Chill the mixture
- Weigh out cookies
- Bake
This recipe uses our Master Cookie Recipe. An easy, foolproof, updated way of making cookies.
Why this Works
Like all recipes built from The Master Cookie Recipe, these cookies are quick, precise, and sustainable. The dough comes together in minutes using melted butter (no creaming!) and a splash of oil, which gives the cookies their signature crisp-outside / moist-inside texture. And because every ingredient is measured in grams on a scale, zeroing after each step, the cookies come out perfect every time — no guesswork, no stress.
RECIPE
Equipment
- Vollrath cookie sheet 17” x 14” cookie sheet
- Silpat silicone baking mat 11⅝” x 16½”; Fits a 17” x 14” cookie sheet
- cooling rack 11¾” x 17”; Fits a 17” x 14” cookie sheet
CHOOSING BRANDS:
For certain products, the choice of brand will make a big difference in the outcome of the recipe and in your carbon footprint. So, for those products, we have listed the brand. We are not paid to mention a brand and have no affiliates.
Ingredients
- 300 grams King Arthur all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 300 grams Wholesome regenerative organic sugar
- 1 Tablespoon sorghum syrup
- 85 grams Horizon butter browned and cooled
- 85 grams La Tourangelle regenerative sunflower oil
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons Baker’s imitation vanilla flavoring
- 80 grams gochujang
- 130 grams black sesame seeds
Instructions
MEASURE THE INGREDIENTS – place a mixing bowl on the scale and zero the scale before adding each ingredient. Measuring by weight is the secret to perfect cookies every time.
- Gather all the ingredients and equipment together to make sure you have everything you need. No need to let the ingredients come to room temperature or measure ahead of time, since each ingredient is measured directly into the bowls.
- Place a medium sized bowl on the kitchen scale. Zero the scale and measure in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, Set the bowl aside.
- Place a large mixing bowl on the kitchen scale. Zero the scale and measure in the sugar, sorghum syrup, melted butter and the oil. Remove the bowl from the scale. Stir with a large spoon until completely mixed.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Stir until completely mixed.
- Add the flour mixture and stir to combine just until the flour is incorporated. Do not overwork the batter.
- Add the gochujang and stir a little to create streaks of gochujang in the dough.
- Using a kitchen scale, measure out 80 grams of cookie dough for each cookie and roll into a ball. Put the sesame seeds in a bowl and roll each ball in the seeds. The cookies can be baked immediately, but they will have better flavor and texture and will spread less if they are refrigerated for at least four hours or overnight.
BAKE THE COOKIES
- Preheat the oven to 350° F for at least 20 minutes. Use an oven thermometer to check the temperature.
- Put the baking mat on the cookie sheet. Place the cookies on the mat, leaving a two inch space between each ball.
- Bake one sheet of cookies at a time, in the center of the oven. If your oven bakes unevenly, rotate the cookie sheet halfway through baking. Bake until cookies are just starting to brown, but still puffy, and the centers are still soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Test for doneness by lifting a cookie with the thin metal spatula half way under the cookie to see if it is browned on the bottom and stays flat instead of bending or liquid in the middle. When they are done, remove the cookie sheet from the oven.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet. Shape the cookies while they are cooling on the cookie sheet by using a round cookie cutter that is a little bigger than the cookies to make them perfectly round. Place the cookie cutter over each cookie and use a slow, careful swirling motion to push the edges into a round shape. Be careful not to cause the cookies to crack.
- Use the thin metal spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Allow the cookie sheet to cool before putting another batch of cookies on it.
Notes
Nutrition
WHY THIS RECIPE IS A GAME CHANGER:
This recipe is a total game-changer — crafted with the finest [brand name] ingredients, simplified using a master recipe with pro-tested techniques from top chefs and bakers, and designed for deliciously sustainable cooking made easy.”
More Easy Cookies from our Master Cookie Recipe
These recipes use our Master Cookie Recipe. An easy, foolproof, and updated way of making cookies.
True to The Master Pantry philosophy, this recipe combines the best seasonal ingredients and quality brands with homemade methods to maximize both flavor and sustainability. It was inspired by our travels and works well as a holiday recipe.
Photos by Tony Fitzgerald Photography
Recipes created by Lisa LeCoump — Food Photographer, Agricultural Expert, and Home Baker. Sharing master recipes, chef secrets, and sustainable baking for every kitchen. Featured on various publications.