Gyeongju café walnut pastries reheated in an air fryer: Buja Hodu

Is Gyeongju... secretly amazing at desserts? Haha. I was disappointed because the restaurants were more ordinary than expected, but the desserts are delicious again... heh.

Among them, Buja Hodu was seriously, seriously, seriously, seriously good!!! It also makes a great Gyeongju souvenir, so when you are on Hwangridan-gil, you could choose this walnut pastry gift set instead of Gyeongju bread. Such a lovely visit thanks to the kind owner too ♬

Buja Hodu location and visitor information

• 38 Poseok-ro 1095beon-gil, B-dong 105-ho, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongbuk, South Korea (경상북도 경주시 포석로1095번길 38 B동 105호)
• Hours: 09:30–20:00
• Public parking lot available; no parking support
• Takeaway only

Shop exterior

This is truly among the best walnut pastries of my life... Since it was before Chuseok, Buja Hodu was also taking orders for holiday gift sets. Beyond Gyeongju souvenirs, it seems like a lovely choice for anyone looking for an easy, not-too-pricey Chuseok gift.

No, but... they were so delicious at home that I thought, I wish they sold them online. Then I looked and found a Smart Store, so I immediately saved the shop haha.

What comes in the walnut pastry gift sets?

Buja Hodu menu and prices

The walnut pastry gift sets came in 10-, 15-, and 24-piece options, with four flavors to choose from: the classic low-sugar red bean paste, pea cream cheese, matcha, and almond praline. From a small set to a generous one, they are great as Gyeongju souvenirs!

The walnut ice cream affogato looked delicious too, but since I visited late in the afternoon, I passed on coffee t_t

Holiday gift sets can also have this pretty bojagi (traditional Korean wrapping cloth) added. If you are considering a Chuseok gift around ₩30,000, I think it would be quite a nice choice ♥

While I waited for my order, the owner gave me one to try, and wow, so tasty... I split it in half with my companion, and the walnut pieces were incredible!! My companion was also startled right away, saying the walnuts inside were really huge.

The three flavors I chose in a 24-piece set

Buja Hodu 24-piece set (low-sugar red bean / matcha / pea cream cheese)

They say these are rice walnut pastries made with easy-to-digest Korean rice dough and honest ingredients. With filling that is not too sweet and big walnut pieces, this is a snack that fills every bite with joy.

The set I packed was 12 low-sugar red bean pastries, 6 pea cream cheese, and 6 matcha.

How to store and warm leftover walnut pastries

Buja Hodu sells freshly made walnut pastries every day, so you can keep them at room temperature and eat them within about 3 days after purchase. If you think you will store them longer, it is best to freeze them right away.

I divided them into portions in zip-top bags like this and froze them. Before eating, just pop them in the air fryer at 180°C for 5 minutes, and you get ridiculously delicious walnut pastries, hehe...

In order: matcha, low-sugar red bean, and pea cream cheese. If you like moist walnut pastries, warm them briefly in the microwave, but personally, I recommend the air fryer haha. The crisp outside and soft inside are absolutely perfect bbb

The walnuts... are truly packed in there. They are not tiny walnut pieces but genuinely big ones, so every bite is crunchy and nutty.

The low-sugar red bean filling was pleasantly sweet, so it was easy to enjoy without feeling too heavy. And the outer dough is rice dough, which somehow made it feel even tastier ♥

For me, the matcha filling had a gentle, subtle matcha flavor. It had a different charm from the red bean filling, and was delicious as expected. My number-one pick was the pea cream cheese. With the cream cheese flavor added, the richness was definitely the best... heh. Next time, I really want to try every flavor, including almond praline t_t

Final thoughts

Buja Hodu, with walnuts that are on another level from their size alone! Personally, it was number one among all the walnut pastries I have tried +_+ If you usually love walnut pastries, I absolutely recommend it. They are also great Gyeongju souvenirs, so if you are wrapping up a Gyeongju trip right now?! Stop by Buja Hodu ♬