Hodu-gwaja

These walnut cookies are a winter staple in South Korea. They consist of a walnut shell that is prepared with a thin walnut-based batter and a filling which combines pieces of walnuts and sweet red bean paste. The cookies were first invented in 1934 by a young couple from Cheonan, and in the 1970s they became available in other parts of the country and were mainly enjoyed as a street snack. However, the original Cheonan hodu-gwaja remains a local specialty.