Rice Cake Churros
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Rice Cake Churros is a Korean twist of churros made of Korean rice cake or tteok. They are crispy on the outside and chewy inside with extra cinnamon sugar coating crunchiness.
Do you love churros? This recipe gonna surprise you because these churros only use 4 ingredients. Churros are typically made with choux pastry, but this time we call for rice cakes or tteok instead. Yes, this is a churros recipe with a Korean spin on them. Not only Rice Cake Churros is easy and quick to make. You will find yourself licking and smacking your fingers after that.
About Rice Cake Churros
I found this Rice Cake Churros from the latest episode of Star’s Top Recipe at Fun-straurant, a South Korean’s cooking show I have been watching lately. The reality show is actually a cooking battle between celebrities. The dishes are then judged by a judge squad, and the winning dish will be available in convenience stores around South Korea. Lee Hwi Jae’s wife, Moon Jeong Won made this dish for breakfast. It looked so easy that I decided to make this the next day.
Moon Jeong Won actually made Rice Cake Churros with thicker rice cakes, then cut and twisted them. It is prettier that way but I prefer this simple no-fuss thinner rice cake that you usually use for making tteokbokki instead. The rice cakes are fried in oil until crispy on the outside. Then, coat the rice cakes with brown sugar-cinnamon mixture.
This recipe actually reminds me of my previous Korean Rice Cakes with Honey recipe I have posted before. I fried the rice cakes with butter and then drizzled them with honey. Both are delicious but I find using oil instead of butter makes crispier rice cakes.
If you love rice cake, you will love this recipe. They are so tasty that I had to stop myself from gobbling down the whole plate before I even took the photos. Blame me for only making this little portion but they were all I had on my fridge.
About Korean Rice Cake
Korean rice cake or known as tteok (떡) is a much-loved traditional dish in Korea. It is usually made with steamed glutinous rice flour, then be pounded, shaped, or pan-fried to make rice cake. Normal rice flour can also be used for some kinds of tteok.
There are various kinds of rice cakes and each has a special meaning, so people made different rice cakes for different events. The rice cake I used for the Korean Rice Cakes with Honey is called garaetteok. It is the most common shape and mainly used for making tteokbokki.
Garaetteok (가래떡) is a long and cylindrical white rice cake made with non-glutinous rice. You can find them in different sizes in Korean grocery stores. Though all rice cakes taste like the same, the size and shape dramatically affect the texture and flavor. I use the thin and short type for an easy bite.
You can find garraetteok sold freshly made, refrigerated, or frozen at Korean grocery stores. I really recommend using freshly made rice cakes for the best texture.
Tips for Making Rice Cake Churros
Here are some useful tips to make perfectly crispy and chewy Rice Cake Churros.
1. Soften the refrigerated rice cakes
Fresh rice cakes are very pliable, soft, sticky, and chewy because they are mainly made from rice flour. They should be eaten on the same day it was made or the next day at the latest because they have a tendency to harden very quickly and when left out, they become dry and hard.
If the rice cakes are truly freshly made, you can just toss them to cook immediately. However, you need to soak them in warm water for 20-30 minutes if you use the refrigerated rice cakes. The soaking will make them soft and chewy again.
2. Fry longer for a crispier texture
Rice cakes are made of glutinous rice flour and they can get sticky when still hot. But wait until the rice cakes are cooled down a little to get that crispy exterior. You can also stir-fry them longer until the rice cakes are light brown in color for a crispier texture.
3. Mix the rice cakes when still hot
You should immediately mix the rice cakes with sugar mixture when they are still hot from the pan. Do not wait too long or they will be dry and the sugar will not stick as well. Then, serve the Rice Cake Churros when still warm. Warm rice cakes make a chewy and soft interior.
More Korean Recipes
- Korean Rice Cake with Honey
- Korean Sausage Bread
- Seaweed Rice Balls (Jumeokbap)
- Cheese Hotteok
- Fig Cream Cheese Financiers
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz (100 gr) fresh or frozen Korean rice cakes
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Oil, for frying
Instructions
- If you are using frozen rice cakes, submerge them in warm water for 20-30 minutes or until they soften. If you are using fresh rice cakes, skip this step.
- Separate the rice cakes.
- Preheat a frying pan over low-medium heat. Add oil. Once the oil is heated, add rice cakes and cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until crispy on the outside.
- Remove rice cakes and immediately mix them with brown sugar and ground cinnamon mixture. You can roll them into the sugar mixture or simply shake them together in a plastic bag or food container until the rice cakes are fully coated.
- Best serve warm when rice cakes are still chewy.
Surprisingly it tastes similar like Churros, but not that rich because of the rice cakes. Love that it only takes just minutes to make. Thank you Jaja for the recipe!