Jongno bakery: Nonsan strawberry choco pie with homemade puree, Ssuk's

What is Ssuk's Choco Pie Seoul?

Ssuk's Choco Pie Seoul (쑥스초코파이 서울) is a dessert shop on Jongno 32-gil, near Gwangjang Market, known as Korea's first mugwort choco pie shop. I went to look around Gwangjang Market not long ago and spotted this distinctive dessert place, haha. They sell all kinds of desserts made with mugwort, a bit different from ordinary choco pies, so I got curious and dropped by!!! 💚

• Address: 25 Jongno 32-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea (1st floor)
• Hours: Mon–Fri 11:00–18:30
• Hours: Sat–Sun 10:00–19:00

When you think of Gwangjang Market food, things like bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) and mayak gimbap (tiny addictive seaweed rolls) come to mind first, but there's a special dessert spot too! Ssuk's Choco Pie Seoul caught my eye right away, from its green interior to its packaging, so I'll introduce it to anyone looking for a Gwangjang Market treat, haha.

Inside the green-themed Ssuk's Choco Pie shop

Green stands out everywhere at Ssuk's Choco Pie Seoul, from the outside to the inside, haha. I was searching for a dessert shop in Gwangjang Market and that unique vibe pulled me right in!!

It feels different from a regular bakery, so I was curious before I even went in! While hunting for Gwangjang Market eats, I wanted to try something different for dessert too, and this was exactly my taste >ㅁ<

And today's star is the mugwort choco pie! It's a dessert where you enjoy a subtle mugwort aroma together with soft cream, and it has a charm that's different from a regular choco pie. If you like mugwort desserts, I think you'll be curious about it, haha.

What comes in the Ssuk's 6-pie set?

With the 6-pie set you can pick six flavors, and buying the set gets you ₩4,000 off. This time I packed up the 6-pie set to take away! It seems like a good option if you want to try lots of flavors at once or are looking for a dessert to give as a gift, haha. When you want to give something a bit different from the usual bread or snacks, a mugwort choco pie like this could be a good choice.

Ta-da~~ all packed up! The Ssuk's packaging looked classy and neat, so it seemed really good as a gift. With the green shopping bag too, the brand look is consistent and even prettier 💚 You come for Gwangjang Market food and can pick up a gift for family or friends as well. Thumbs up!

The six flavors I packed are:

• 🌿 Sea-breeze mugwort injeolmi (roasted soybean powder rice cake)
• 🌿 Geomundo sea-breeze mugwort
• 🍓 Nonsan strawberry
• 🍫 Gwangju real chocolate
• 🥜 Udo peanut
• 🌿 Sea-breeze mugwort red bean

That's the 6-pie set where you can try all six flavors!! Each flavor has its own character, so picking them one by one is fun.

How does the Nonsan strawberry choco pie taste?

I ate the Nonsan strawberry pie right when I got home, so I'll write a detailed review! But isn't the packaging case so pretty?? The package is so nice that buying a 6-pie set and handing them out to friends would be great too.

The first flavor I tried at home was the Nonsan strawberry choco pie! It contains a puree made by boiling Nonsan strawberries themselves, so it's a choco pie with a fresh strawberry taste.

When I opened the package, that fluffy, moist look typical of a choco pie looked so delicious, lol. I cut it in half and it was absolutely packed with cream!!! I was so happy,, this is when a dessert nerd feels joy ㅁ_ㅁ

One bite and I got a soft texture and the sweet choco pie taste, with the fresh tang of strawberry on top, which was nice. Chocolate desserts can feel too sweet, but with the strawberry's freshness it felt a bit lighter and more refreshing!

Ugh.. it was honestly so delicious I teared up (for real..). The bread was super moist, the cream so smooth, the chocolate flavor rich, and the puree inside sweet.. I loved the moist choco pie texture too, and if you usually like strawberry desserts, it's worth a try 🍓 If you're looking for an uncommon dessert among Gwangjang Market eats, I recommend the Nonsan strawberry flavor!

How do you store Ssuk's fresh choco pies?

These are fresh choco pies, so you have to keep them refrigerated!! Even after taking it out of the fridge the bread wasn't dry or hard, which I liked even more. If you're looking for a tasty dessert among Gwangjang Market eats, go for it~!

Verdict: Ssuk's Choco Pie Seoul as a Gwangjang Market dessert

Overall, Ssuk's Choco Pie Seoul has a character unlike ordinary desserts, so it was fun just to look around. The choco pies have a moist, soft texture, so they'd be even better with coffee.. I tried the Nonsan strawberry at home, and I liked the combination of sweet chocolate and fresh strawberry. When I thought of Gwangjang Market food I only pictured traditional market dishes, but finding a unique dessert like this seems like another fun part of exploring the market 💚