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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Candy » Dalgona Candy

    Dalgona Candy

    Published: October 18, 2021 · Modified: Oct 18, 2021 by John Kanell

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

    Want to learn how to make Dalgona Candy (Korean Honeycomb Toffee) to play the Squid Game Dalgona challenge? This sugar candy recipe comes together quickly and easily with only two simple ingredients. This recipe will teach you how to make ppopgi with everyday kitchen tools instead of requiring a candy-making kit.

    A plate with two dalgona candies with a star and circle shape.
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    Pinterest graphic of a broken dalgona candy.
    Pinterest graphic of a dalgona candy with a star in the middle.
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    Pinterest graphic of two dalgona candies on a plate.

    A popular street food from the 1960s and 1970s that’s been brought to international attention with Netflix’s new Korean drama, Squid Game, dalgona candy (also known as ppopgi), is a sweet but nutty candy that your kids will love to snack on. Dalgona was traditionally made with glucose solid, whereas ppopgi uses plain sugar, but the two names became interchangeable over time. You might find this sponge toffee-like sugar candy to be tricky to make at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be stamping out sweets like a pro. Break out the cookie cutters and make them in a variety of cutouts. It’s quite similar to making homemade caramel!

    What you Need to Make This Recipe

    What you need to make dalgona candy.

    Sugar — while you can use either brown sugar or white sugar to make this candy recipe, I use white sugar. It’s easier to see the color of the sugar changing with white sugar.

    Baking soda — you cannot skip the baking soda. The baking soda reacts to the sugar and turns it light, airy, and brittle.

    How to Make Dalgona Candy

    Set of two photos of sugar added to a metal ladle and melted.

    1. Add two tablespoons of sugar to a metal ladle, then place directly over medium heat.

    2. Stir constantly with a wooden chopstick until the sugar is melted and a light amber color.

    Set of two photos showing baking soda added to the melted sugar then poured onto parchment.

    3. Remove the ladle from the heat, add a pinch of baking soda, and mix vigorously until incorporated.

    4. Pour the mixture onto parchment paper in two equal circles.

    Set of two photos showing the candy pressed down by a measuring cup then a cookie cutter pressed on top.

    5. Use a lightly oiled measuring cup to press the candy into a thin, even layer a bit less than ¼ inch.

    6. Let the measuring cup rest there for about 8 seconds, then remove and press a shape in with your cookie cutter. Repeat for the remaining portion of candy.

    A needle beside a broken dalgona candy.

    Pro Tips for This Recipe

    • If you’re having trouble pressing down the candy, let the mixture cool off for 10 to 15 seconds before pressing.
    • If your candy sticks to your measuring cup even with the oil, layer a piece of parchment in-between before pressing down.
    • If you are making multiple, cleanup is much easier if you have a bowl of very hot water ready to plunge your ladle into afterward.
    • Do not turn the flame up too high. As the sugar starts melting, it will burn very quickly, especially on high heat. So, keep it at medium heat and a close eye on it.
    • If you don’t let the dalgona candy rest for a couple of seconds before pressing the cookie cutter in, it will get stuck.
    • Press a lollipop stick to the candy to turn it into a grab-and-go dessert.

    Overhead view of dalgona candy with a star in the middle.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How do I play the Squid Game dalgona game?

    Hold or place your pressed candy on a plate, and using a sewing needle or a toothpick, carefully run it along the lines made by your cookie cutter. You can also try to eat your way to the shape. The goal is to pop out the middle shape without cracking the candy! Adjust the level of difficulty by pressing the cookie cutter harder or lighter into the candy or using a more complicated cookie cutter.

    How did this sugar candy come to be?

    Back in the 1970s, sweet baked goods were a luxury as ovens for baking were not accessible. So, street vendors with a portable charcoal stove would make sugar candy with a metal ladle and a wooden chopstick. It became part snack, part game as the children would pick out the shape pressed onto the candy. Traditionally made with glucose, it wasn’t until after the Korean War that raw sugar took its place as it was no longer expensive (Source).

    How do I store this?

    Store leftover candy in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze the candy for up to 2 to 3 months. Simply wrap them individually in plastic wrap once they’ve cooled to prevent them from sticking to each other. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag.

    If you love this recipe try these out!

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    If you’ve tried this Dalgona Candy recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

    Overhead view of dalgona candy with a star in the middle alongside other shapes like triangles and circles.
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    5 from 21 votes

    Dalgona Candy

    Light, airy, and brittle, you'll want to eat the two Dalgona Candy at once! Take the change and see if you can break the shape out of the candy.
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Korean
    Prep Time 0 minutes
    Cook Time 2 minutes
    Total Time 2 minutes
    Servings 2 servings
    Calories 46kcal
    Author John Kanell

    Equipment

    • Metal ladle or very small pot/pan
    • Wooden chopstick or large skewer
    • Flat metal measuring cup
    • Parchment paper
    • Cookie cutters

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 1 pinch baking soda

    Instructions

    • Lightly oil the bottom of a measuring cup and lay a sheet or parchment paper on your counter.
    • Add two tablespoons of sugar to a metal ladle then place directly over medium heat and while stirring constantly with a wooden chopstick until the sugar is melted and a light amber color.
    • Remove from heat then add a pinch of baking soda and mix in vigorously, stirring until incorporated.
    • Pour the mixture onto parchment paper in two equal circles then use the prepared measuring cup to press into a thin even layer a bit less than 1/4 inch. Let the measuring cup rest there for about 8 seconds then remove and press a shape in with your cookie cutter. Repeat for the remaining portion of candy.

    Video

    Notes

    • If you’re having trouble pressing down the candy, let the mixture cool off for 10 to 15 seconds before pressing.
    • If your candy sticks to your measuring cup even with the oil, layer a piece of parchment in-between before pressing down.
    • If you are making multiple, cleanup is much easier if you have a bowl of very hot water ready to plunge your ladle into afterward.
    • Do not sure the flame up too high. As the sugar starts melting, it will burn very quickly, especially on high heat. So, keep it at medium heat and a close eye on it.
    • If you don’t let the dalgona candy rest for a couple of seconds before pressing the cookie cutter in, it will get stuck.
    • Press a lollipop stick to the candy to turn it into a grab-and-go dessert.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 46kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Sodium: 137mg | Potassium: 1mg | Sugar: 12g | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg
    *Nutrition Disclaimer
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    Thanks for stopping by! I’m John Kanell, a husband, dad to twins Lachlan and George, Los Angeles native, and an avid baker and cooker of all things delicious thanks to a life long education from my mother. This blog is where I share all of my kitchen creations!

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