Spicy, sweet, and buttery Gochujang Caramel Cookies are chewy perfection! They are caramelized and absolutely delicious. These almond flour cookies are super easy, vegan and gluten-free
Spicy cookies might seem strange at first, but think of something like a ginger pop, with that perfect balance of sweetness and heat. These gochujang caramel cookies have a similar balance with amazing flavor.
Inspired by Eric Kim’s New York Times recipe, I couldn’t resist putting a twist on this intriguing flavor combination with a vegan and gluten-free version. These gochujang caramel cookies are sweet and chewy with just the right amount of heat.
I used my almond flour cookie dough instead of the sugar flour and butter dough. The dough with almond flour is versatile and very simple to work with. No need to cream butter and sugar or worry about measurement errors. You just need to adjust the liquid to get the consistency you want. A thicker batter will give you denser, chewier cookies, while a wetter batter will produce deliciously crunchy results. If the batter is too wet, the cookies will expand and give the texture of lacy cookies.
These cookies are really all about the delicious gochujang caramel. That sweet, spicy, buttery goodness is mixed into the cookie dough for an explosion of flavor in every bite.
Gochujang is a delicious, spicy fermented Korean paste that I love to use in many of my savory recipes. If you don’t want to use gochujang, add a little sambal oelek, sriracha, or your favorite hot sauce to give it that spicy flavor profile. Or omit all the heat and simply add more cinnamon for no heat.
Why you’ll love Gochujang Caramel Cookies
- sweet, spicy, buttery cookies with a chewy texture and amazing flavor
- The sticky, sweet gochujang caramel packs the perfect amount of heat
- easy to make in less than half an hour
- naturally gluten free with easy nut free options
More almond flour biscuits
For the Gochujang caramel
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In a bowl, combine the almond flour, tapioca starch, baking soda and salt. Mix well, taking care to eliminate any lumps of almond flour.
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Do the gochujang caramel softening the vegan butter in the microwave a little. Mix the gochujang, brown sugar, powdered sugar and cinnamon until you obtain a smooth paste.
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In a separate bowl, melt the coconut oil and combine it with the vanilla extract, molasses and 3 tablespoons maple syrup. Mix really well. Gradually add this mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly until a smooth dough forms. If the dough seems too dry or stiff, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of maple syrup at a time until it becomes slightly sticky. Drop the teaspoons of gochujang caramel on the dough. (You don’t have to use it all if you’re unsure of the flavor.) Lightly incorporate it into the dough without mixing it completely.
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Store the dough in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes and preheat the oven to 170°C (335°F).
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Use a cookie scoop to scoop 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet for each cookie. If you have leftover caramel, add a little on top of each cookie. Bake for 11-13 minutes, until they have expanded slightly and the edges are set. At this point they will still be a little soft. Leave the biscuits to cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes and then serve.
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Store on the counter for the day. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, freeze for months.
For nut-free, use a basic cookie dough recipe (like my Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Dough) without chocolate chips and add caramel. Make sure your vegan butter is nut-free too.
For gluten-free and nut-free, use my chocolate chip-free chickpea flour dough.
Gochujang contains soy, so if you don’t have it, you should replace it with Asian chili sauce (preferably without garlic), or a little hot sauce, or just a pinch of cayenne pepper. Also make sure your vegan butter is soy-free.
To prepare without chili/heat: omit the gochujang, add 1/2 teaspoon additional cinnamon to create a cinnamon butter, and swirl.
Calories: 117kcal, Carbohydrates: 10G, Protein: 2G, Fat: 8G, Saturated fat: 2G, Polyunsaturated fats: 0.2G, Monounsaturated fats: 0.3G, Sodium: 54mg, Potassium: 34mg, Fiber: 1G, Sugar: 6G, Vitamin A: 33UI, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Soccer: 34mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is calculated automatically, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and substitutions
- almond flour – This is the basis for the biscuit dough. For those without hazelnuts, see the alternative doughs in the recipe card.
- tapioca starch – Acts as a binder.
- baking soda and salt – To condition the dough.
- vegan butter – The base for gochujang caramel. Choose nut-free if necessary.
- gochujang – Use more or less, depending on the power you want. You can replace the gochujang with cinnamon or another hot sauce of your choice.
- sugars – Brown sugar and icing sugar sweeten the biscuits.
- cinnamon – To flavor the dough.
- coconut oil – Use refined coconut oil, so your gochujang cookies don’t taste like coconut.
- vanilla extract – For the flavor.
- molasses – Adds moisture, sweetness and flavor.
- maple syrup – Adds moisture and sweetness.
💡 Tips
- When mixing the dry ingredients, be sure to get rid of any lumps of almond flour. This will be much harder to do once you add the wet ingredients to the mixture.
- You want a thick, sticky cookie dough for best results.
How to make Gochujang biscuits
In a bowl, combine the almond flour, tapioca starch, baking soda and salt. Mix well, taking care to eliminate any lumps of almond flour.
Make gochujang caramel by softening the vegan butter in the microwave a little. Mix the gochujang, brown sugar, powdered sugar and cinnamon until you obtain a smooth paste.
In a separate bowl, melt the coconut oil and combine it with the vanilla extract, molasses and 3 tablespoons maple syrup. Mix really well. Gradually add this mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly until a smooth dough forms. If the dough seems too dry or stiff, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of maple syrup at a time until it becomes slightly sticky. Drop the teaspoons of gochujang caramel on the dough. Lightly incorporate it into the dough without mixing it completely.
Store the dough in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes and preheat the oven to 170°C (335°F).
Use a cookie scoop to scoop 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet for each cookie. If you have leftover caramel, add a little on top of each cookie.
Bake for 11-13 minutes, until they have expanded slightly and the edges are set. At this point they will still be a little soft. Leave the biscuits to cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes and then serve.
Frequently asked questions
These are gluten-free biscuits. You can also make them nut-free.
For nut-free, use a basic cookie dough recipe (like my Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Dough) without chocolate chips and add caramel. Make sure your vegan butter is nut-free too. For gluten-free and nut-free, use my chocolate chip-free chickpea flour dough.
Gochujang contains soy, so if it’s soy-free, replace it with Asian chili sauce (preferably without garlic), or a little hot sauce, or just a pinch of cayenne pepper. Also make sure your vegan butter is soy-free.
