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What Is Korean Chapssaltteok?

In English, you can translate ‘chapssaltteok’ (찹쌀떡) to ‘Korean glutinous rice cake.’ This compound noun consists of the terms ‘chapssal’ (찹쌀), meaning ‘glutinous rice,’ and ‘tteok’ (떡), meaning ‘rice cake.’ Chapssaltteok has a soft and chewy exterior rice cake dough made from glutinous rice flour. The interior is filled with a sweet and nutty red bean paste!

Traditionally, people made chapssaltteok by steaming glutinous rice over a stovetop until it turned translucent and sticky. Then, they pounded it until the dough became chewy and bouncy. Finally, they rolled out the dough and filled it with sweetened ingredients like red bean paste. While this process took many hours and a lot of effort, you can now make this dish easily using a microwave!

While you can add many different varieties of fillings to this dish, in Korea, people tend to expect sweet red bean paste when you mention that you are serving chapssaltteok. Otherwise, people typically call this treat ‘mochi,’ the Japanese word for rice cake, if it is filled with ingredients such as ice cream.

A closeup photo of Korean chapssaltteok on a grey plate. The plate sits on a mat.

Korean Chapssaltteok Ingredient List:

Below, I list the ingredients used to make this recipe:

Homemade or Store-Bought Red Bean Paste (Learn how to make this recipe here)
Glutinous Rice Flour (Learn about this ingredient here)
Sugar
Salt
Water
Cornstarch

Korean Chapssaltteok Tips & Tricks:

Here, I list some helpful tips & tricks to help you make this easy Korean chapssaltteok recipe. If you have any questions, comment below or email me at [email protected]! I hope these tips help!

Wash your hands between each step if you get the dough on your hands. This dough sticks well to itself making it harder to work with once it is all over your hands. Once you reach the step of coating the dough with cornstarch, it becomes much easier to work with.
To make this chapssaltteok have a soft, chewy texture, you need to massage the dough well. If you do not, the dough may be tough to chew.
When making this sweet treat, I recommend using homemade red bean paste. To me, it honestly tastes so much better than the pre-made store-bought versions. To make your own, you can try my recipe for homemade sweet red bean paste.

Korean Chapssaltteok Frequently Asked Questions:

Now that we learned about some tips & tricks, I want to answer some questions you may have about this recipe! If I do not answer your question, feel free to leave a comment in the section below or email me at [email protected].

Chapssaltteok vs Mochi: What Is the Difference?

Interestingly, there is no difference between Korean chapssaltteok and Japanese mochi. These glutinous rice cake balls, bursting with ingredient fillings (such as red bean paste), were introduced to the Korean peninsula through Japan.

As I stated above, when people mention chapssaltteok in South Korea, it usually implies the variety made with a red bean paste filling. Otherwise, they may call this treat mochi if filled with something else (such as ice cream).

Does This Recipe Contain Major Allergens? (Gluten, Soy, Etc.)

Before listing all of the major allergens, I want to state that all of my recipes are naturally gluten-free. On this blog, I only use and recommend gluten-free ingredients and brands. That being said, I list gluten as a potential allergen when necessary– this is because many Korean ingredients (such as soy sauce, gochujang, and doenjang) contain gluten unless you specifically buy gluten-free versions. Not only is this true for gluten, but it is true for other major allergens as well. As such, I always list allergy substitutions in the next section of my post.

This recipe does not contain 9 of the 9 major allergens. It does not contain:

Peanuts
Fish
Crustacean Shellfish
Milk (Dairy)
Tree Nuts
Sesame
Wheat (Gluten)
Eggs
Soybean

This recipe does contain 0 of the 9 major allergens.

An overhead photo of Korean chapssaltteok on a grey plate. The plate sits on a mat.

Allergy Substitutions or Omissions:

While this recipe does not contain any major allergens, always check the packaging of your red beans, red bean paste, and/or glutinous rice flour. Sometimes, these ingredients are processed on the same machinery as other major allergens. For those with severe allergies, I always recommend avoiding products that are processed on the same machines as your allergies. You never know how well they handle cross-contamination!

Is This Recipe Vegetarian or Vegan?

Excitingly, this recipe is naturally vegetarian and vegan!

How Do I Store Leftover Korean Red Bean Mochi?

To store leftover Korean chapssaltteok, place them in an airtight container. Then, store the container in the refrigerator. You can store these bite-sized treats in the fridge for 1 or 2 days. To store it any longer, I recommend freezing them.

To freeze chapssaltteok, individually wrap each mochi with freezer-safe butcher paper or cling wrap. Then, place them in a Ziplock bag, zip it closed to remove all the excess air, and store it in the refrigerator. Before serving, defrost them for approximately 60 minutes.

If this Korean-style mochi appears dried out and hard, warm it in the microwave for approximately 10 seconds. The glutinous rice cake will soften again!

Where Can I Buy the Ingredients for This Recipe?

When making this recipe, I recommend shopping at your local family-owned Korean grocery store or an Asian grocery store chain (such as H-Mart) for pre-made red bean paste, adzuki beans for homemade red bean paste, and glutinous rice flour. You can also order all of these online!

If you do decide to make red bean paste at home, you can check out my recipe on the blog. I prefer making mine at home as there are often potential allergens or additives in imported red bean paste.

Where to Buy Korean Ingredients Online?

Nowadays, there are many online options to choose from when ordering Korean food online. These websites are not limited to but include:

Amazon
H-mart
Hanpoom
Wooltari
Seoul Mills

A closeup photo of red bean mochi on a grey plate. The plate sits on a mat.

I Hope You Enjoyed Learning How to Make This Korean Chapssaltteok Recipe!

In the end, I hope you enjoyed learning how to make this Korean chapssaltteok recipe. If so, let me know in the comment section!

If you would like to read more about cooking, you can find recipes as well as further Korean ingredient articles on my blog. I listed some of our favorite Carving A Journey recipes below! For reference, many recipes are influenced by my family’s blended Korean and Southern heritage.

Further Carving A Journey Recipes:

If you have any questions or comments, you can also email me at [email protected]. And, finally, I would love to hear from you through our social media as well! You can follow me at @carvingajourney on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I also started a vlog YouTube channel with my husband! Or, if you would like more articles like these, you can subscribe to the blog by joining the mailing list. Let me know if you try making chapssaltteok. Thank you so much for stopping by!