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    Home » Desserts/Sweets

    Kkae Gangjeong (Sesame Crunch)

    Published 12/12/2020. Updated 01/23/2021

    Jump to Recipe

    This nutty, crunchy and healthy sesame crunch is so easy to make with sesame seeds, honey, and sugar! You can also add your favorite nuts and/or seeds.
    DSC5772 1 - Kkae Gangjeong (Sesame Crunch)
     
    All around the world, there are many variations of sesame crunch or brittle. Here’s the Korean version! Called kkae gangjeong (깨강정), it’s a variety of Korean traditional sweet treats and often served during holidays such as New Year’s Day and Chuseok (Korean harvest festival).

    To me, sesame crunch is an easy snack I can whip up with no effort! It’s also great as an edible gift to your wonderful friends and neighbors for Christmas. It’s nutty, crunchy and much healthier than most holiday cookies!
     
    I hope this recipe will become a family favorite during the holiday season and all year round.
     
    DSC 2144 e1542520621745 - Kkae Gangjeong (Sesame Crunch)
     

    The sesame seeds

    Sesame seeds are a staple in Korean cooking, so I always have a plenty of them around.

    It’s much more economical to buy raw sesame seeds than the ones already toasted. Plus, they taste better when you toast them yourself before using them. Store the portion you are not going to use anytime soon in the freezer. The low temperature prevents the natural oils in the seeds from spoiling, keeping them fresh for a long time.

    In Korea, sesame crunch is also commonly made with black sesame seeds or a combination of black and white. Try it if you want something different for a change.

    You can toast raw sesame seeds in a pan over medium to medium low heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly golden brown and fragrant.

    Other additions

    You can make these only with sesame seeds, but the addition of some nuts and/or seeds makes it more interesting and tastier. I like to add pumpkin seeds and pine nuts. Peanuts, almonds, pistachios, and sunflower seeds are all great options.

    DSC5776 - Kkae Gangjeong (Sesame Crunch)

    How to make sesame crunch

    To turn the sesame seeds into candy, all you need are sugar and honey with a little bit of salt. Add the honey, sugar, salt and water to a pan. Stir to mix over medium low heat. Let it bubble up. Continue to cook, without stirring, until it turns light golden brown, about 3 minutes or a little longer depending on your heat. This cooking time is necessary for the sugar mixture to harden when cooled.

    I use honey but you can use any sort of syrup such as maple syrup, corn syrup, oligo syrup (oligodang, 올리고당), rice syrup (jocheong, 조청) etc. These are less sweet than honey, so use a little more sugar if using one of these.

    The sugar mixture hardens quickly as it cools, so work quickly once the mixed sesame seeds are off the heat. With parchment paper and a rolling pin, you can roll it out as thick or thin as you want. Finally, cut into any size and shape you want.

    Wishing you and your family happy holidays!!

    DSC 2081 e1542520687925 - Kkae Gangjeong (Sesame Crunch)

    For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    DSC5776 350x350 - Kkae Gangjeong (Sesame Crunch)

    Kkagangjeong (Sesame crunch)

    4.18 from 17 votes
    Dessert
    Prep Time: 6 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoons honey or corn syrup, oligo syrup, rice syrup, etc.
    • 3 tablespoons sugar
    • pinch salt
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • 1 cup roasted sesame seeds
    • 1/4 cup any roasted nuts and seeds (pine nuts, almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.)
    • Parchment paper

    Instructions

    • Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium low heat for 5 to 6 minutes. Keep your eye on it not to burn them.
      DSC5718 640x427 - Kkae Gangjeong (Sesame Crunch)
    • Add the honey, sugar, salt and water to a pan. Stir to mix over medium low heat. Let it bubble up. Continue to cook, without stirring, until it turns light golden brown, about 3 minutes or a little longer depending on your heat.
      DSC5726 640x427 - Kkae Gangjeong (Sesame Crunch)
    • Turn the heat off. Stir in the sesame seeds and nuts. Stir well until everything is well coated with the syrup.
      DSC5728 640x427 - Kkae Gangjeong (Sesame Crunch)
    • Place the mixture between two pieces of parchment paper. Let cool for a minute, or the mixture can stick to the paper. Press it down to flatten it, and roll it out with a rolling pin to a 1/4 to 1/2-thick rectangle. Using a side of a knife, push in the rough sides to straighten up a bit. Roll it again to an even thickness, as necessary.
      DSC5732 640x427 - Kkae Gangjeong (Sesame Crunch)
    • When the crunch is hardened but still slightly warm, cut with a sharp knife into desired sizes.
      DSC5739 640x427 - Kkae Gangjeong (Sesame Crunch)
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

    This recipe was originally posted in December 2012. I’ve updated it here with new photos, more information, and minor changes to the recipe.

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    Previous Post: « Galbitang (Beef Short Rib Soup)
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jess says

      January 01, 2021 at 11:08 am

      Thank you for sharing this recipe! It’s my Mom’s favourite snack and I did not know it was possible to make this at home! I look forward to trying your recipe! You make fancy recipes easy to follow, thank you! Happy new year!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 01, 2021 at 11:41 pm

        Thank you! I’m sure your mom will be happy to have these made by her daughter.

        Reply
    2. Jennifer says

      December 16, 2020 at 6:51 pm

      will this work with black sesame seeds? I just happen to have corn syrup and toasted black sesame!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        December 16, 2020 at 9:32 pm

        Of course! In fact, I say to try it in my head notes under The Sesame Seeds.

        Reply
    3. Wanda says

      December 13, 2020 at 5:44 pm

      5 stars
      So easy and ono (delicious). Mahalo for the recipe.

      Reply
    4. Les says

      April 05, 2018 at 8:20 am

      I’ve made this a few times and found that 3 minutes is not enough boil time for the syrup, and the candy doesn’t harden enough. 3 1/2 minutes works out just about perfect for me. I’ve also been adding dried cranberries, raisins, or dried cherries, without exceeding 1 1/4 cups for the seed mix overall. This is easy to make and a big hit with my Korean co-workers, who think I’m very talented, LoL.

      Reply
    5. Carol Petroccia says

      August 11, 2016 at 9:58 am

      Can this be made using Splenda or Stevia instead of sugar and honey?

      Reply
    6. tammy says

      April 21, 2015 at 3:16 pm

      You need to rename this korean crack. Just made it and it’s wonderful. Mine isn’t cool yet but I loved it gooey, as well. This stuff needs a warning label! 🙂

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        April 21, 2015 at 9:30 pm

        Ha ha! That good? I’m thrilled to hear that. Thanks for the feedback!

        Reply
    7. Li-Yong says

      February 15, 2015 at 10:09 pm

      Hi Hyosun – I have tried 2 other (messy and wet) unsuccessful attempts using other recipes but finally with your recipe I have success!! Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        February 16, 2015 at 1:12 am

        That’s awesome! You just made my day. Enjoy!

        Reply
    8. Fabio says

      July 16, 2014 at 4:06 pm

      Well, it’s not Christmas, but I’ve just made it. – I used sesame seeds, whole cane sugar as sugar and roasted peanuts as nuts. It’s perfect! Also, I thought not, but the pan was easy to clean. Now, I don’t need to buy it anymore; I’ll do it by myself. – Many thanks!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        July 16, 2014 at 11:36 pm

        That sounds great! Of course this is good any time of the year. I should make it again soon.

        Reply
    9. Curvyyogi says

      February 15, 2014 at 11:09 pm

      Love them! Simply delicious! Used pumpkin, sunflower, flax seeds and almonds and they turned out great! Who needs candied pecans on their salad when these are around?
      Thanks for making this so easy!

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        February 16, 2014 at 5:10 am

        Sounds great! Thanks for letting me know.

        Reply
    10. denise @ singapore shiok says

      December 31, 2012 at 2:27 pm

      Hi Hyosun 🙂 Your sesame crunch looks lovely. My grandmother used to love nibbling on a very similar snack, when she was still around. Don’t know how she managed to…. she was toothless for as long as I knew here LOL

      Hope your Christmas was lovely and that you and your family will have a wonderful New Year filled with peace. blessings and joy!

      Reply
    11. The Squishy Monster says

      December 30, 2012 at 3:24 am

      Mama loves this stuff…can’t wait to try it out very soon. Lovely blog =) Happy (belated) Christmas!!

      Reply
    12. Pola M says

      December 26, 2012 at 11:41 pm

      Never thought these would be so easy to make! Have to try!

      Reply
    13. LeahTN says

      December 25, 2012 at 4:48 am

      THANK YOU for posting this recipe!! I did not realize these were so easy to make. These are a great low-carb treat for the low-carb eater! I made a batch tonight, but mine never hardened. I’m thinking I did not boil the honey and sugar long enough to make a true syrup. I’m a novice at that stuff. 😡

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        December 25, 2012 at 4:46 pm

        Hi Leah – It’s really easy. I’ve made about 10 batches over the last couple of days to share with friends and relatives. I think you figured out the problem yourself. I timed it, and it takes a couple of minutes from the point it starts to bubble up. I’ve added the time to the recipe. Try it again. You can whip up this yummy snack in a few minutes. Thanks for the feedback! Happy holidays!!

        Reply
    14. Sandra Mihic says

      December 24, 2012 at 11:03 pm

      Those look fantastic and very delicious! I wish you and your family Merry Christmas!

      Reply

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    Hi! I'm Hyosun, and I am a Korean-American mom of two wonderful grown-up children. Here, you will learn how to cook Korean dishes the way we Koreans traditionally eat at home. Read More...

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