Yangjae walnut pie shop, thin-crust pies with tea: Hodu Kkakki

What kind of place is Hodu Kkakki Brothers?

Hodu Kkakki Brothers (호두까끼형제) is a walnut pie shop near Yangjae Station in Yangjae-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. It is open daily 11:00-21:00, with a break from 14:30 to 15:30, though there is no break on weekends. There is no parking lot, but takeout customers can park briefly.

Today was the day I finally visited Hodu Kkakki Brothers, a place I'd wanted to try for ages. I'd been seeing it on social media and in all kinds of reviews, and I'd tucked it away in my head as somewhere I had to go someday.

After a tasty meal in Yangjae-dong, I made time before heading home and at last made it there. Whenever I had business in Yangjae-dong I always just walked past, but this time I set it as my destination on purpose. After a good meal I was craving something sweet, and above all I wanted to try a healthy walnut pie made with good ingredients. Hodu Kkakki Brothers is a walnut pie specialist in Yangjae-dong.

It's especially known for using unrefined sugar, plus honey, oligosaccharide and maple syrup, for a healthy flavor that isn't overly sweet.

So many desserts these days are sweet and over-the-top, so a dessert that manages to be both healthy and tasty made me even more curious.

Finding Hodu Kkakki Brothers in Yangjae-dong and its storefront

The shop isn't right on the main road, so you could easily walk past it, but its red exterior makes it easy to spot once you've seen it. My first thought on finding it was that I'd stepped into a storybook. The red facade is so striking that once it catches your eye, you won't forget it.

With a name like Hodu Kkakki Brothers (the Nutcracker Brothers), the fairy-tale concept really comes through. There are plenty of cafés and dessert shops these days, but not many where the brand's personality is this clear. Just from the outside it felt like the place has its own story, which made it even more interesting. Various walnut pies were displayed out front, set up so passersby can stop and look naturally, and just seeing them got me excited.

You could feel that each one was made with care, and I got curious about how they'd taste.

Pie varieties and gift boxes at Hodu Kkakki Brothers

Inside, there's a far wider range of walnut pies on display than I expected, and on one side delivery boxes and gift boxes are ready. Once I stepped in, I found many more kinds of pie than I'd imagined.

I'd assumed a walnut pie specialist would only have one or two kinds, but there were various flavors and set options, so choosing was fun. On one side, delivery boxes and gift boxes were neatly stacked.

You could tell at a glance that lots of people come for gifts. Looking around the shop, I noticed quite a few customers buying them as presents.

What's in the assorted pie box?

The assorted pie box the writer chose holds four kinds of pie, two of each, eight pieces in total. I agonized over what to buy for a long while. Just one felt like a shame, and I wanted to try all the flavors. In the end I went with the assorted box.

I liked being able to try several flavors at once. Above all, it seemed great for sharing with family.

Is the walnut pie at Hodu Kkakki Brothers really less sweet?

My first impression of the pies was that they're less sweet than I expected, and the nutty richness of the walnuts comes through behind a gentle sweetness. Back home, I tried them with a cup of tea.

My first feeling was that it wasn't as sweet as I expected. Desserts these days are so sweet that a few bites in you're often sick of them, but the pies here have a gentle sweetness. Maybe because they use unrefined sugar, the sweetness felt soft and natural. And above all, the nutty richness of the walnuts really came through. Instead of covering the flavor with sweetness, it felt like the ingredients' own taste was brought out. I think anyone who likes healthy desserts will be satisfied.

Each pie has its own character, which made eating them fun. It was amazing that even walnut pie can come in so many combinations and flavors. I used to picture just one flavor when I heard "walnut pie," so seeing it varied like this felt new.

The thin pie crust kept it light

The pie crust at Hodu Kkakki Brothers is very thin, and I got the sense that they minimize the flour to put the focus on the walnuts. Ordinary walnut pies often have thick crusts that feel pretty heavy, so I was glad not to be weighed down by a load of carbs.

Why I recommend Hodu Kkakki Brothers as a Yangjae dessert gift

The walnut pies here aren't overly sweet and are made with good ingredients, so I thought they'd make a great gift for parents or friends, or a thank-you present. Eating them, I naturally thought they'd be really good as gifts. More and more people care about their health these days, so a dessert that isn't overly sweet and uses good ingredients seems like something the recipient can enjoy without feeling burdened. It seemed like a good choice especially for showing gratitude to parents or acquaintances.

Looking at the prettily wrapped boxes, I figured they must be popular as thank-you gifts and gift sets too. This visit gave me a little sense of why so many people come here.

It's not just the taste; the brand's concept and philosophy come through clearly. Using good ingredients and aiming for a healthy flavor shows in even a single dessert. Hodu Kkakki Brothers, which I visited today, felt less like a place that simply sells pies and more like a space that makes healthy desserts with good ingredients and care.

If you're looking for a place to stop by after a meal in Yangjae, or you're wondering about a special dessert gift, I'd recommend paying a visit. Finally getting to a place I'd long wanted to visit made it an even more satisfying day. I spent a happy time with delicious pies today.

In these days when hunting for good eateries is half the fun, this was a place where even dessert was satisfying. I'd also recommend it to anyone looking for a Dogok-dong café that's easy to drop into after a meal. It was a happy day spent at Hodu Kkakki Brothers, a Yangjae favorite where you can taste walnut pies made with healthy ingredients and care.