How to Make Dalgona

Co-authored by Craig Watson and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: March 14, 2022 References

Squid Game only dropped on Netflix this past September, and we still can’t look at umbrellas in the same way. While we can’t forgive this South Korean drama for shattering our hearts into a million tiny pieces, we can thank them for introducing us to dalgona (달고나). Featured in episode 3, this circular, shape-imprinted candy pays a nostalgic tribute to pre-2000s Korean society, where school-aged children would try to poke out the imprint without any cracks or breaks.^{[1]
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Research source} Are you hoping to create your own sugary challenge of umbrella-like proportions, or are you just looking to satisfy your sweet tooth? Either way, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading for step-by-step instructions on how to make this tasty Korean sweet treat at home.

Ingredients

1 tbsp (12.5 g) of white sugar
1 pinch of baking soda
Oil, to grease the parchment paper

Makes 1 serving

1

Grease half a sheet of parchment paper.

Leave part of the paper greased, and the other half completely dry. The parchment paper will act like a makeshift “press,” which will help flatten your dalgona into a thin, circular shape. You’ll be pouring the ingredients directly onto the paper, so it’s best to grease and set it out ahead of time!^{[2]
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- You don’t have to grease anything if you’re using a silicone baking mat.^{[3]
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2

Turn on your stovetop to medium-low heat.

You’ll be melting the sugar over an open flame on your stovetop. Check that your stovetop burner is set to medium-low heat and not high. Melting sugar is a really delicate process, and you don’t want it to burn!^{[4]
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- Most recipes recommend making dalgona over a gas stovetop. While you can definitely try making this on an electric stovetop, you might not have as much luck.

3

Pour sugar into a large metal ladle.

Use around a heaping tablespoon (12.5 g) of white sugar for this. Making dalgona requires a lot of focus and attention to detail, so it’s best to just make one serving at a time. ^{[5]
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- Feel free to use a small, non-stick skillet or saucepan if you don’t have a metal ladle on hand. Spread the sugar evenly on the bottom of your pan or skillet instead of just dumping it in.

4

Melt the sugar slowly over the flame for 2-3 minutes.

Stir the sugar around in the ladle using a metal chopstick.^{[6]
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Research source} Take it slow—it’ll take about 2-3 minutes for all of the sugar to dissolve along the edge of the ladle.^{[7]
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- Skillet Instructions: Don’t stir the sugar—just wait 1-2 minutes for it to dissolve.

5

Keep stirring for another 1-2 minutes.

Make sure that all the leftover sugar lumps are melted down. At this point, your melted sugar mixture should be a gold, honey-colored shade.^{[8]
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- Your mixture is probably burnt if it looks any darker than this.
- Try to keep the ladle about 2 in (5.1 cm) above your burner.
- Skillet Instructions: Once the sugar dissolves into a liquid, lightly mix it until it looks light gold.

6

Mix in a pinch of baking soda.

Whisk in the final ingredient for about 10 seconds. Balance the ladle over the stovetop and try to mix everything together as quickly as you can. After a good round of stirring, your mixture should be light brown and frothy, and look about twice as big as it did before.^{[9]
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- Baking soda helps change the consistency of the sugar, so you do need it for this recipe.
- Skillet Instructions: Move the skillet away from the burner before adding in any baking soda.^{[10]
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7

Pour the melted sugar onto the ungreased parchment paper.

Switch off the stovetop and pour out the mixture in a circular shape. Make sure it’s going onto the dry half of the paper!^{[11]
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8

Fold the greased paper over the sugar.

The oily paper will keep the candy from sticking. Fold the paper in half width-wise, so the sugar mixture is completely sandwiched with parchment paper.^{[12]
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9

Flatten the sugar with the bottom of a skillet.

Place the flat, bottom edge of the skillet on top of the sugar mixture. Press down on the skillet with both hands for a few seconds to flatten the candy into a thin, circular shape. Peel away the parchment once you’re done.^{[13]
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- Ideally, your dalgona candy should be around 3 ¹⁄₂ in (8.9 cm) wide and a few millimeters thick.^{[14]
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- You can also use a Hotteok press to do this! A hotteok press is a hand-held tool designed specifically for Korean pancakes, but it works really well for dalgona, too.

10

Lightly imprint the sugar circle with a cookie cutter.

Press into the center of the candy without breaking through it. Hold your chosen cookie cutter in place for about 5-10 seconds. Then, set it aside and wait 2-3 minutes for the candy to cool.^{[15]
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- Recreate Squid Game’s second game with a triangular, circular, star-shaped, or umbrella-shaped cookie cutter.

11

Enjoy the candy right after you make it.

Dalgona is basically just sugar, so it’ll start to melt if you leave it out. Instead, try to enjoy your sweet treat as soon as possible.^{[16]
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Research source} Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone if you break your shape…
- If you do end up with leftovers, stick them in an airtight container and enjoy them within a day or 2.

Things You’ll Need

Parchment paper
3 + ¹⁄₂ in (7.6 + 1.3 cm) metal well or ladle
Metal chopsticks
3 in (7.6 cm) cookie cutter
Hotteok press (optional)
Silicone baking mat (optional)

Fun Facts

Dalgona is also called ppopgi (뽑기).^{[19]
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Research source} Ppopgi is also the name of the popular shape-carving game that you see in episode 3 of Squid Game.^{[20]
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When ppopgi was in its heyday, some dalgona vendors would give school-aged kids a free candy if they managed to carve out the shape without shattering it.^{[21]
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Before the Korean War, dalgona was made with glucose, which was cheaper than raw sugar.^{[22]
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Research source} The switch was made after the war ended and Korea began processing more of their own sugar.^{[23]
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