Yangjae walnut pie shop, 4 pies with black tea: Hodu Kkakki Brothers

Hodu Kkakki Brothers (호두까끼형제), near Yangjae Station, is a dessert shop specializing in walnut pies and other nut pies. The shop is small, but it works well for takeout and gifts, and the rich, nutty aroma of the pies left an impression. They're sweet without being overwhelming, so they go nicely with coffee. As a certified dessert nerd, I picked this on my Seoul bakery pilgrimage list.

Where is Hodu Kkakki Brothers near Yangjae Station?

Hodu Kkakki Brothers is a walnut pie shop in the Maljukgeori alley near Yangjae Station, at the entrance of the building at 10 Nambusunhwan-ro 351-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Since it sits right at the building entrance, it wasn't hard to find, and outside there was a walnut pie sign along with a cute little display. Today's Seoul bakery pilgrimage: a pie spot in Dogok-dong..^^

The red door and wood-toned decor made for a warm feel, and the dessert-shop charm showed from the entrance.

Inside Hodu Kkakki Brothers: what the shop feels like

The inside is small, but the warm wood tones stood out. A big menu board hangs above the counter, so you can see the pies and drinks at a glance, and the showcase had a neat lineup of different pies. Nutcracker figurines and the brand logo add a cute, sentimental dessert-shop vibe.

Next to the showcase is an area where they make the pies in-house, and you could tell it's kept hygienic. If you're a dessert lover, this Yangjae pie spot is a must-stop on your bakery pilgrimage!!!

What pies does Hodu Kkakki Brothers sell?

Hodu Kkakki Brothers sells a range of nut pies, centered on walnut and pecan. You can choose the signature walnut pie, original pecan pie, milk cream walnut pie, cream cheese walnut pie and more by the slice or as a whole pie, and there are set menus like the premium assorted pie and mix pie so you can try several flavors together. They also have coffee, latte, ade and tea, so it'd be easy to pair a pie with a drink..

Pies can be picked individually or as whole pies, which makes them great for gifts too.

Hodu Kkakki Brothers mix sets: several flavors at once

There's a mix set that lets you taste several pies at once. With the signature walnut pie and original pecan pie as the base, you can choose from combinations including the milk cream walnut pie, cream cheese walnut pie, hazelnut cacao pie and macadamia cheese pie. It's great for sharing with people who have different tastes, and the lineup is solid for a packaged gift.

How to store and serve Hodu Kkakki Brothers pies

The pies are handmade in the shop, and I was told they're kept frozen before serving to preserve freshness and shape. They aren't pies made hard with lots of refined sugar, so more care goes into cutting and storing them.

The shop recommends eating regular pies within 7 days refrigerated or 30 days frozen, and cream pies within 3 days, as soon as possible. If a pie feels too cold after delivery or takeout, let it thaw naturally at room temperature for about 5–10 minutes and it tastes even better, they say.

The ingredients Hodu Kkakki Brothers focuses on

Hodu Kkakki Brothers emphasizes handmade pies baked fresh in the shop every day with no refined sugar. They use honey, oligosaccharide syrup, maple syrup and the like for a sweetness close to nature, and say they use organic flour, Korean rice flour, butter made from milk of New Zealand pasture-raised cows, and Korean honey.

Fillings like the cream filling, milk cream, chocolate syrup and strawberry jam are also made in the shop, which made it feel even more carefully done. I was impressed that they use no preservatives or flavorings either.

How did the Premium Nut Pie MIX.1 taste?

What I tried at Hodu Kkakki Brothers was the Premium Nut Pie MIX.1. It includes the signature walnut pie, original pecan pie, hazelnut cacao pie and macadamia cheese pie, so you get several flavors in one go.

I really love nuts, so the moment I opened the box I loved the look of all those walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts and macadamias piled on top.

Signature walnut pie

The signature walnut pie was true to the basics: nutty walnuts with a moist, sweet filling. A faint hint of cinnamon is the highlight, and it's easy to eat without feeling heavy.

Original pecan pie

The original pecan pie had a slightly richer, heavier nuttiness than the walnut pie, and the deep flavor unique to pecans was great. Nut lovers will be satisfied.

Hazelnut cacao pie

The hazelnut cacao pie adds the nuttiness of hazelnut to a bittersweet cacao flavor, with real dessert appeal. It has a chocolate feel but isn't overly sweet, so it paired well with tea too.

Macadamia cheese pie

Personally, the macadamia cheese pie was the one I was looking forward to most. Maybe because I'm a macadamia fanatic, but I especially loved the combo of a soft cheesecake feel with nutty macadamias to bite into.

What drinks go well with Hodu Kkakki Brothers pies?

These pies would be good with coffee too, but I had mine with black tea. The aroma of warm black tea and the nuttiness of the pies went well together, and it felt like having a lovely tea time at home.

There's fun in picking them one by one, and each flavor has its own personality, so these pies suit gifts and also people like me who love tea and desserts.