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Spicy-sweet-buttery gochujang caramel cookies are chewy perfection! They’re caramelly and absolutely delicious. These almond flour cookies are quick easy vegan and gluten-free
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Spicy cookies might sound strange at first, but think about something like a ginger snap, with that perfect balance of sweetness and heat. These gochujang caramel cookies have a similar balance with an amazing flavor.
Inspired by Eric kim’s New York Times recipe, I couldn’t resist giving this intriguing flavor combo a spin with a gluten-free, vegan version. These gochujang caramel cookies are sweet and chewy with just the right kick of heat.
I used my go-to almond flour cookie dough instead of the butter sugar flour dough. The almond flour dough is versatile and super easy to work with. No need to beat butter and sugar or worry about errors in measurement. You just have to adjust the liquid to get the texture you want. A thicker batter will give you thicker, and chewier cookies, while a wetter batter yields delightfully crisp results. If your batter has too much moisture, the cookies will spread out and give you the texture of lace cookies.
These cookies are really all about the amazingly delicious gochujang caramel. That sweet, spicy, buttery goodness gets swirled into the cookie dough for bursts of flavor in every bite.
Gochujang is a spicy delicious Korean fermented Chile paste that I love to use in many of my savory recipes. If you don’t want to use gochujang, add in some sambal oelek, sriracha, or your favorite hot sauce to give it that spicy flavor profile. Or omit all heat and just add more cinnamon instead for heat-free.
Why You’ll Love Gochujang Caramel Cookies
- sweet, spicy, buttery cookies with a chewy texture and amazing flavor
- 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 Cookies
Vegan Gochujang Caramel Cookies Gluten-free
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups fine almond flour, blanched super fine is ideal
- 3 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar , , optional
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the Gochujang Caramel
- 2 teaspoons vegan butter
- 1 to 3 teaspoons gochujang, to preference
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, or more, to taste
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoon solid refined coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 teaspoons molasses, to flavor preference
- 3 to 4 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the almond flour, tapioca starch, baking soda, and salt. Mix well, making sure to press out any almond flour lumps.
- Make the gochujang caramel by softening the vegan butter in the microwave a little bit. Mix in the gochujang, brown sugar, powdered sugar, and cinnamon until you have a smooth paste.
- In a separate bowl, melt the coconut oil and combine it with the vanilla extract, molasses, and 3 tablespoons of maple syrup. Mix really well. Gradually add this mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly until it forms a smooth dough. If the dough feels too dry or stiff, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of maple syrup at a time until it’s slightly sticky. Drop teaspoons of the gochujang caramel onto the dough. (You don’t have to use all of it if you aren’t sure if the flavor). Lightly swirl it into the dough without fully mixing.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes, and preheat the oven to 335°F (170°C).
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop 2 to 2 ½ tablespoons of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet for each cookie. If you have leftover caramel, swirl a bit on top of each cookie. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until they spread a little and the edges are set. They will still be a little bit soft at this point. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes and then serve.
- Store on the counter for the day. Refrigerate for upto 4 days, freeze for months.
Video
Notes
For gluten-free and nut-free, use my chickpea flour dough without the chocolate chips. Gochujang contains soy, so for soy-free, you’d need to replace with Asian chili sauce (preferably garlic free), or a bit of hot sauce or just a pinch of cayenne . Also be sure that your vegan butter is soy-free. To make without chili/heat: omit gochujang, add 1/2tsp more cinnamon to make a cinnamon butter and swirl that in.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- almond flour – This is the base for your cookie dough. For nut-free, 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 the gochujang caramel. Choose nut-free, if needed.
- gochujang – Use more or less, depending on how much of a kick you want. You can replace the gochujang with cinnamon or a different hot sauce of choice.
- sugars – Brown sugar and powdered sugar sweeten the cookies.
- cinnamon – For flavoring the dough.
- coconut oil – Use refined coconut oil, so your gochujang cookies won’t taste like coconut.
- vanilla extract – For flavor.
- molasses – Adds moisture, sweetness, and flavor.
- maple syrup – Adds moisture and sweetness.
💡 Tips
- When mixing the dry ingredients, be sure to press out the almond flour lumps. It will be much harder to do once you add the wet ingredients to the mixture.
- You want a thick, sticky cookie dough for the best results.
How to Make Gochujang Cookies
In a bowl, combine the almond flour, tapioca starch, baking soda, and salt. Mix well, making sure to press out any almond flour lumps.
Make the gochujang caramel by softening the vegan butter in the microwave a little bit. Mix in the gochujang, brown sugar, powdered sugar, and cinnamon until you have a smooth paste.
In a separate bowl, melt the coconut oil and combine it with the vanilla extract, molasses, and 3 tablespoons of maple syrup. Mix really well. Gradually add this mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly until it forms a smooth dough. If the dough feels too dry or stiff, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of maple syrup at a time until it’s slightly sticky. Drop teaspoons of the gochujang caramel onto the dough. Lightly swirl it into the dough without fully mixing.
Refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes, and preheat the oven to 335°F (170°C).
Use a cookie scoop to scoop 2 to 2 ½ tablespoons of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet for each cookie. If you have leftover caramel, swirl a bit on top of each cookie.
Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until they spread a little and the edges are set. They will still be a little bit soft at this point. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes and then serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are gluten-free cookies. You can make them nut-free, as well.
For nut-free, use a basic cookie dough recipe (like my coconut oil chocolate chip dough) without the chocolate chips and swirl in the caramel. Make sure that your vegan butter is also nut-free. For gluten-free and nut-free, use my chickpea flour dough without the chocolate chips.
Gochujang contains soy, so for soy-free, replace with Asian chili sauce (preferably garlic free), or a bit of hot sauce or just a pinch of cayenne . Also be sure that your vegan butter is soy-free.
Question: Is Corn Starch a good enough sub for tapioca starch? That is all I can put my hands on today. The online link for Tapioca starch says “currently unavailable”.
Pls LMK, thank you!
Yes it should work
Made a double batch for Solstice yesterday subbing cornstarch for tapioca starch which seemed to work just fine. Also, didn’t have molasses, but didn’t miss it using maple syrup.
Starting another double batch now for Hanukkah & Christmas. Nice to have a treat to offer and enjoy that is a little more on the savory side when there are so many overly sweet things around for the holidays. First batch I went in the center of the range for amount of gochujang. This time I plan to go all the way!
So glad you liked them! Thank you for sharing.
Another fascinating recipe I can’t wait to try! Very interesting aspect of attaining a crisper cookie by increasing the liquid. Could you make a suggestion of what should be increased and its quantity?
If the dough feels too dry or stiff, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of maple syrup at a time until it’s slightly sticky.
This sounds wonderful, can’t wait to try, but, would corn starch work to replace tapioca starch?
Yes it should work.