Naebang café: walnut pie mix set for a friend, Hodukkakki Brothers

What is Hodukkakki Brothers Bangbae branch near Naebang Station like?

Hodukkakki Brothers Bangbae branch (호두까끼형제 방배점) is a handmade pie shop near Naebang Station. They say they make their pies in the shop without refined sugar. Lots of people these days look for a dessert that's easy but still special, for parents, housewarmings or thank-you gifts. I stopped by this time too.

I'd been curious for a while because it's known as a go-to walnut pie place, and after visiting I understood why people keep loving it. It also suits anyone looking for a healthier-feeling dessert. Okay, let me start my review of the gift I gave a friend!

Exterior and atmosphere of the shop

The exterior caught my eye first, with wood and navy blending nicely. From the entrance it felt like a little European dessert shop, and decorations that suit the brand name (hodukkakki means nutcracker) were placed here and there.

The shop isn't big, but it was tidy, and there are table seats, so it's nice for relaxing over a coffee.

Handmade pies made in the shop without refined sugar

Hodukkakki Brothers says it has been running since 2017 as a handmade premium dessert café. According to the sign in the shop, they use honey, oligosaccharide syrup and maple syrup instead of refined sugar, and make the pies themselves with organic flour and good ingredients.

What impressed me most was that every pie is made right in the shop. There are plenty of mass-produced desserts these days, but here you can really feel each piece is made with care.

The showcase held many kinds of pie. Besides the signature walnut pie, there were pecan, macadamia cheese, hazelnut cacao and milk cream cheese pies, so choosing was part of the fun. There are also mix sets so you can enjoy several flavors at once, which they say are popular as gifts.

Menu and prices at Hodukkakki Brothers Bangbae branch

Whole pies

• Walnut pie (whole) ₩31,000
• Pecan pie (whole) ₩35,000
• Milk cream cheese pie (whole) ₩35,000
• Hazelnut cacao pie (whole) ₩35,000
• Macadamia cheese pie (whole) ₩36,000

Pie slices

• Signature walnut pie ₩4,500
• Original pecan pie ₩4,500
• Milk cream cheese pie ₩4,800
• Hazelnut cacao pie ₩4,800
• Cream cheese walnut pie ₩4,800
• Macadamia cheese pie ₩5,000
• Sweet pumpkin pie ₩4,800
• Mini walnut pie ₩3,500
• Mini pecan pie ₩3,800

Mix sets

• MIX 1 ₩34,900
• MIX 2 ₩33,000
• MIX 3 ₩31,000
• MIX 4 ₩35,900

If you want to try several kinds, they say the mix set is the most popular. I chose a mix with a variety of flavors, and since you get walnut, pecan, hazelnut cacao, milk cream cheese pie and more all at once, it's very satisfying as a gift too.

Drinks

• Coffee: Americano ₩3,900 / Honey Americano ₩4,800 / Hazelnut Americano ₩4,800 / Café latte ₩5,000 / Vanilla latte ₩5,500 / Hazelnut latte ₩5,500
• Ade: Grapefruit ade ₩5,900 / Green grape ade ₩5,900 / Lemon ade ₩5,900 / Yuja (citron) ade ₩5,500
• Tea: Earl Grey ₩4,300 / Chamomile ₩4,300 / Peppermint ₩4,300 / Green tea ₩4,300 / Milk tea ₩5,000
• Latte: Chocolate latte ₩5,000 / Green tea latte ₩5,000 / Strawberry latte ₩5,500

How is the mix set packaging for a gift?

What I picked as a gift this time was the Hodukkakki Brothers mix set with a variety of flavors.

The mix set comes with a dedicated box featuring the nutcracker doll character and an information card, so the package design felt quite upscale. I thought the person receiving it would be pleased. The packing was neat, and everything stayed in place safely on the way.

It felt classy enough for holiday gifts, gifts for parents, thank-you presents for business partners, or housewarmings.

The card explains in detail, with pictures, which pie is which flavor, which was handy when eating.

How does the walnut pie taste? Is it very sweet?

The signature walnut pie at Hodukkakki Brothers was much less sweet than I expected. I gave the set to a friend, and together we tried the signature walnut pie first. Walnut pies can be overly sweet or taste strongly of syrup, but these weren't like that.

Maybe because no refined sugar is used, the sweetness was gentle and natural rather than harsh, and the nutty richness of the nuts came through better.

Thin, crisp crust, and even nuttier when chilled

The crust was really impressive. It wasn't thick or dry but thin and crisp, so it balanced well with the filling. One bite gives you the texture of a pie packed with walnuts and pecans, blended with a moist filling, and I was very satisfied.

They recommend eating it cold, so I refrigerated it first, and the nutty flavor was definitely deeper. Since the walnut pie isn't sweet, it went especially well with an Americano.

My friend loved the gift, so it was a satisfying review to end on!