Dalgona Candy Recipe (Ppopgi) (2024)

Published: Oct 7, 2021 by Emily · This post may contain affiliate links.

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5 from 12 votes

This dalgona candy recipe is just like the one from the popular Netflix series, Squid Game! This Korean sweet treat is a crunchy, honeycomb-like candy that's made with just 2 ingredients!

Korean dalgona candy, also commonly referred to as ppopgi, has become increasingly popular due to the show, Squid Game. In this show, contestants have to play a children's game using the dalgona candy.

However, this is a real game played in Korean cities. Young children use a needle or toothpick in an attempt to remove the shape from the candy (ppopgi means "to pick"). Successful children often get rewarded with a free second dalgona candy! In the Netflix show, this game is a matter of life or death.

Dalgona candy is very simple to make, with just 2 ingredients. Combining hot sugar and baking soda over heat and then cooled into a crispy candy. Despite its simplicity, it can be a bit tricky to master.

Aside from just eating it plain, you can crumble it up and serve it over Vegan Ice Cream!

Why you'll love this recipe

Test your Squid Game skills at home - Could you survive in the Squid Game? Make this recipe in your own kitchen and try ppopgi out!
Simple Sweet Treat - Once you get the hang of it, this candy is so easy to whip up and you almost always have the ingredients!
Great for Children - Its a sugary candy AND a fun game all in one!

What you need for this recipe

Ingredients:

White Sugar - I believe this will work with other types of sugars, but I have not tested it. I don't recommend trying sugar alternatives.
Baking Soda - Baking powder will not work as a substitute.

Equipment:

Large metal ladle OR small metal-bottomed pot
Chopsticks or wooden spoon or rubber spatula
Cookie Cutter

How to make this recipe

Step 1: Cook Candy

Over a low-medium heat in a metal-bottomed pan OR large metal ladle, add sugar and wait for a few seconds until the edges begin to melt.

Once the edges start melting, lower the heat and stir.

Allow sugars to caramelize and become liquid. Stir continuously.

Once the sugar has become an amber-colored liquid, remove the heat source and allow to cool slightly.

Next, add a very small pinch of baking soda and stir immediately and vigorously until the mixture becomes frothy, a lighter color, and the baking soda has fully dissolved.

Step 2: Press

Slowly pour the mixture onto a piece of parchment paper, a silicone mat, or a flat surface with cooking spray.

Quickly use a flat metal surface (spatula, the bottom of a pan, a measuring cup, etc.) to press the dalgona until it is about ¼ inch in thickness. Start by gently tapping to make sure it is not sticking to the flat surface.

Step 3: Add Shapes

Before the candy cools completely, use a small cookie cutter to imprint a shape into the center of the candy.

(In the show, Squid Game, the shapes are stars, umbrellas, triangles, or circles.)

Expert Tips & Tricks

Any flat metal surface will work for flattening the dalgona candy. I found that the "pushing" part of a handheld potato ricer, with the pieces removed, worked perfectly and formed the exact size circle I was looking for. A metal bench scraper or small baking pan are other great alternatives!
Be very careful when melting the sugar as it can burn very easily. The key to melting the sugar without burning is to keep the heat low-medium, be patient, and stir constantly.
Don’t have any cookie cutters or shapes small enough for the candies? Get creative or omit them entirely! Do you have a funky shaped, clean, and cheap piece of jewelry? You could even use a clean key or the back of a fork. Also, omitting the fun shape entirely is fine too! It adds nothing to the flavor, so don't worry too much if you can't find anything!
The candy cools and hardens very quickly, so don't take too long between pressing and imprinting.
I do not recommend using a nonstick pan. Although I think a nonstick pan will work well, when the leftover candy hardens and cools, you may ruin the nonstick coating trying to clean it.

Recipe FAQs

What does Dalgona mean in Korean?

The literal translation of dalgona in Korean means "it's sweet." However, it is most often translated as "honeycomb toffee."

What is Dalgona from squid game?

Dalgona, which means honeycomb toffee in Korean, is a crunchy and sweet candy made out of sugar and baking soda. It is popular for children in Korean cities to play ppopgi, which is the game played in the show Squid Game.

What is the difference between Ppopgi and Dalgona?

When this sweet treat came into popularity in Korea in the 1960's, there was a difference between ppopgi and dalgona candy. Ppopgi was made from white sugar (which was more expensive), while dalgona was made from glucose solids. Today, the ppopgi and dalgona are used interchangeably and white sugar is most commonly used.

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📖 Recipe

Dalgona Candy (Ppopgi)

This dalgona candy recipe is just like the one from the popular Netflix series, Squid Game! This Korean sweet treat is a crunchy, honeycomb-like candy that's made with just 2 ingredients!

Equipment

▢
Large metal ladle OR small metal-bottomed pot
▢
Chopsticks or wooden spoon
▢
Cookie Cutter
▢
Metal flat surface (to press the cookies) **see notes**
▢
Parchment paper or silicone mat

Ingredients

▢ 1½ tablespoon White Sugar
▢ 1/16 teaspoon Baking Soda very tiny pinch

Instructions

Over a low-medium heat in a metal-bottomed pan OR large metal ladle, add sugar and wait for a few seconds until the edges begin to melt.
Once the edges start melting, lower the heat and stir.
Allow sugars to caramelize and become liquid. Stir continuously.
Once the sugar has become an amber-colored liquid, remove the heat source and allow to cool slightly.
Next, add a very small pinch of baking soda and stir immediately and vigorously until the mixture becomes frothy, a lighter color, and the baking soda has fully dissolved.
Slowly pour the mixture onto a piece of parchment paper, a silicone mat, or a flat surface with cooking spray.
Quickly use a flat metal surface (spatula, the bottom of a pan, a measuring cup, etc.) to press the dalgona until it is about ¼ inch in thickness. Start by gently tapping to make sure it is not sticking to the flat surface.
Before the candy cools completely, use a small cookie cutter to imprint a shape into the center of the candy.
(In the show, Squid Game, the shapes are stars, umbrellas, triangles, or circles.)
Be sure to press just firmly enough to leave an imprint, but not to go all the way through.
Allow the candy to cool, then remove from its surface and enjoy!

Notes

Any flat metal surface will work for flattening the dalgona candy. I found that a handheld potato ricer, with the pieces removed, worked perfectly and formed the exact size circle I was looking for. A metal bench scraper or small baking pan are other great alternatives!
Be very careful when melting the sugar as it can burn very easily. The key to melting the sugar without burning is to keep the heat low-medium, be patient, and stir constantly.
Don’t have any cookie cutters or shapes small enough for the candies? Get creative or omit them entirely! Do you have a funky shaped, clean, and cheap piece of jewelry? You could even use a clean key or the back of a fork. Also, omitting the fun shape entirely is fine too! It adds nothing to the flavor, so don't worry too much if you can't find anything!
The candy cools and hardens very quickly, so don't take too long between pressing and imprinting.
I do not recommend using a nonstick pan. Although I think a nonstick pan will work well, when the leftover candy hardens and cools, you may ruin the nonstick coating trying to clean it.

Nutrition

Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @LegallyHealthyBlonde or tag #LegallyHealthyBlonde!

FAQs

What is the difference between dalgona and Ppopgi? ›

Dalgona was originally a term specific for expensive candies that use glucose which did not use a mold, while ppopgi was originally candies that use sugar and thus could be easily molded into shapes such as stars and circles.

What are the rules for the Dalgona Candy Challenge? ›

At the center of the dalgona is an indentation of the player's chosen shape. With only 10 minutes on the clock, the players must extricate their shape with the needle without breaking the candy. If the clock runs out or they break the candy, they are eliminated (ie. they are killed).

What is Dalgona candy made of? ›

Similar to honeycomb toffee candy, dalgona is basically made by melting sugar and stirring in a little bit of baking soda. The sugar mixture then foams up and turns into something that looks like light caramel-colored whipped cream. This is the part that resembles the whipped coffee.

Tell Me More ›

Why does my dalgona taste burnt? ›

It will take about 3-4 minutes to completely liquidize; it should end up smooth with no lumps. 2. Bring the ladle to the side of the stove (no heat area), and slowly and carefully add a pinch of baking soda. Make sure you don't add too much, as it can burn quickly and make the dalgona taste bitter.

Is dalgona safe to eat? ›

The excessive consumption of sugar, commonly found in Dalgona coffee recipes, can contribute to weight gain, tooth decay, and an increased risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes.

What is the difference between PGI and DOP? ›

As subtle as the difference in definition may seem, in reality the two acronyms claim a precise connotation. All the phases of production, processing and elaboration of a PDO product must take place within a specific geographical area. In the PGI, instead, only one of them must take place within a specific territory.

Why is it called dalgona? ›

After the drink spread to South Korea, it was renamed "dalgona coffee" which is derived from dalgona, a Korean sugar candy, due to the resemblance in taste and appearance, though most dalgona coffee does not actually contain dalgona.

Know More ›

What is the difference between dalgona and espresso? ›

Dalgona coffee is made from instant coffee powder, cappuccinos are made from freshly brewed coffee on an espresso machines - an espresso shot or two, along with steamed milk. Also, Dalgona coffee is typically made with cold milk while cappuccino is a hot beverage.