From butter tteok (rice cake) to chewy ice cream, stretchy textures are driving Korea’s latest dessert boom.
An image to promote Mega MGC Coffee’s “Butter Tteok”
MEGA MGC COFFEE
In Korea, dessert lovers are asking for more than a sugar rush. These days, a sweet bite has to come with a chew.
After a nationwide craze for Dubai chewy cookies, bite-sized cakes that have a signature crisp exterior and tender, mochi-like interior have emerged as Korea’s next dessert obsession.
Mega MGC Coffee’s “Butter Tteok” has sold more than 5 million units in the four months since its launch in April, the coffee chain said on Thursday. The bread is made from a dough of glutinous rice flour, milk, butter and eggs, baked until crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside.
A person holds a Lalasweet’s chewy ice bar at GS25 store in an undated photo.
GS25
“It has been popular among consumers for its affordable price of 1,400 won ($1.03) and its pairing with coffee,” a Mega MGC Coffee representative said. “We initially planned to offer it only through August, but decided to keep it on the menu through December due to strong demand.”
Convenience stores are also seizing on the craze with their own chewy desserts.
CU has rolled out products including its Yellow Cheese Chewy Bread (translated), which features a thin, chewy outer layer filled with yellow cheese cream. It also rolled out a sticky rice cream bread product through collaboration with Yonsei Milk.
“Marshmallow & cookie chocolate” bar made by confectionery maker Orion
ORION
Chocolate chewy churros by Paris Baguette
PARIS BAGUETTE
7-Eleven has introduced chewy breads shaped like potatoes and sweet potatoes, while GS25 has launched its Breadique, its own sticky rice-cake cream bread, which contains an entire piece of rice cake inside.
The chewy texture craze is spreading to other desserts as well. Confectionery maker Orion has introduced a “marshmallow & cookie” chocolate bar, a chewier take on its classic mini chocolate bar.
Bakery brand Paris Baguette has rolled out chocolate chewy churros. Earlier this year, Domino’s Pizza joined the trend with chewy butter balls, football ball-shaped bites with a rich buttery flavor.
Chewy butter balls sold at Domino’s Pizza between May and June
DOMINO’S PIZZA
Chewy ice cream has also entered the market. These products use thickeners such as gelatin to give ice cream a stickier, more elastic texture. Lalasweet melon-flavored and mango-flavored chewy bars have sold more than 4 million units in the three months since their May launch, according to GS25.
Much of the appeal of chewy desserts comes from their distinctive texture. Consumers can experience two sharply contrasting textures in a single bite, with the exterior and interior offering completely different mouthfeels.
The “healthy pleasure” trend, which emphasizes enjoying food while making healthier choices, has also fueled the craze.
Chewy breads typically replace wheat flour with ingredients such as tapioca starch or glutinous rice flour, which gives them a thin, stretchy exterior similar to mochi. Inner fillings come in a variety of flavors, including cheese, sweet potato and potato.
Because they can contain less wheat flour and sugar than conventional bread, many consumers see them as a healthier option.
Their visual appeal is another draw. When torn in half, the chewy exterior stretches apart to reveal colorful, generously packed fillings. Social media videos of the breads being pulled apart to reveal their gooey interiors have become popular.
“The popularity of Dubai Chewy Cookie has put desserts with chewy textures in the spotlight and is driving a new trend,” a food industry source said. “Companies are now exploring a variety of products to keep pace with it.”
BY CHOI HYUN-JU [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.