Yangjae Station pie café, 8-flavor assorted set: Hodu Kkakki Brothers

I've always loved desserts, but as I get a little older I've started thinking about my health too, unlike before. Especially after a good cake or pie, my mouth often felt way too sweet or my stomach felt heavy, and that bothered me a lot. Then I visited Hodu Kkakki Brothers (호두까끼형제) near Yangjae Station, a shop that makes healthy, tasty pies without sugar.

To get to the conclusion first: one bite and I understood right away why Hodu Kkakki Brothers has been a beloved premium dessert café for 10 years.

Handmade pies that get both taste and health right. Let me walk you through everything I actually ate, in detail!

What kind of dessert café is Hodu Kkakki Brothers?

Hodu Kkakki Brothers is a handmade premium dessert café that started in 2017 and is now in its 10th year. What makes it special is a very clear philosophy.

It simply never uses refined sugar.

Most desserts are delicious but loaded with sugar. Hodu Kkakki Brothers says it uses honey, oligosaccharide syrup and maple syrup instead of refined sugar for a healthier sweetness. And the pie crust, made from a blend of organic wheat flour and rice flour, is so thin! It's folded many times, so you barely notice that dry, floury taste.

It completely breaks the stereotype that "what's good for you tastes bad," so it's a reassuring place to buy gifts for older relatives or kids.

How do you get to Hodu Kkakki Brothers from Yangjae Station, and where do you park?

Hodu Kkakki Brothers is near the first alley on the left after you come out of Yangjae Station Exit 4, so it's an easy walk. The shop has no parking lot of its own, so if you drive, use the nearby Yangjae SK Herb Primo parking lot.

The shop itself is cozy, perfect for dropping in briefly to pick out desserts. Since it's in an alley, though, if you're driving it's best to check the parking info beforehand.

• By subway: Come out of Yangjae Station Exit 4 and walk to the area near the first alley on the left.
• By car: Sadly, the shop has no parking lot of its own. The nearby Yangjae SK Herb Primo parking lot is the convenient option.

What's in the Hodu Kkakki Brothers premium assorted pie set?

The Hodu Kkakki Brothers premium assorted pie set comes with 4 basic flavors: walnut, pecan, hazelnut cacao and macadamia cheese. I added 4 more, cream pies and a pumpkin pie, for 8 flavors in total. The moment I arrived and saw the showcase full of pies, I got happy without even meaning to.

I wanted to try a bit of everything, so I added the items I especially wanted to the basic set and chose the premium assorted pie set with 8 flavors in total.

• Basic set: signature walnut pie, original pecan pie, hazelnut cacao pie, macadamia cheese pie
• Extras: matcha cream walnut pie, milk cream walnut pie, cream cheese walnut pie, sweet pumpkin pie

Once I put it together, it felt really generous. Sitting around with the family and picking whichever we liked was a lot of fun.

How did the 8 pies at Hodu Kkakki Brothers taste?

Trying the 8 pies one by one, the nut pies stood out for their nutty richness and the cream pies for their restrained sweetness. As I tasted them one at a time, I couldn't help exclaiming in delight.

Signature walnut pie

This is the signature item. They say it uses grade 1 California nuts, and maybe that's why there's no off smell at all and you really get a deeply nutty walnut pie flavor.

Original pecan pie

They say the nuts go through a pre-treatment process that removes that typical nutty smell, and the pecan, the queen of nuts, had a really deep, true aroma and flavor.

Hazelnut cacao pie

The aroma of espresso pulled from top-quality beans plus bittersweet cacao nibs gives it an appealing sweet yet subtle, slightly bitter taste. You really get the luxurious flavor of handmade chocolate.

Macadamia cheese pie

The nuttiness of macadamia meets the richness of cream cheese, and it tasted more upscale than New York cheesecake. One bite and the flavor bursts across your mouth.

Milk cream walnut pie

The signature milk cream walnut pie is like a hidden gem on the Hodu Kkakki Brothers menu. A sugar-free homemade strawberry jam and rich milk cream are piled generously on an almond pie base. It isn't an artificial sweetness; the nutty, soft flavor of the milk itself wraps around your mouth, and it goes so well with the crisp almond pie that you keep reaching for more.

Matcha cream walnut pie

If you love the deep aroma of bitter matcha, definitely pick this one! The luxurious matcha fragrance blends with the milk cream and finishes very soft and clean. It isn't too sweet, so with a cup of tea it makes the best dessert.

Cream cheese walnut pie

This is an almond pie base generously filled with cream cheese. The cream cheese's naturally salty, rich flavor lifts the nuttiness of the almond pie. I highly recommend it if you like the thick, dense texture of cheese.

Sweet pumpkin pie

A yellow, soft pie that brings out the gentle sweetness of the pumpkin itself, something anyone would like.

How do you eat and store Hodu Kkakki Brothers pies?

Hodu Kkakki Brothers pies are meant to be eaten cold, not warm! Keep them in the fridge and eat them chilled, and the firm, crisp texture of the pie and the chewiness of the filling come through even more.

• Storage: Up to 7 days refrigerated and up to 30 days frozen. For cream pies, they recommend eating them sooner, within 3 days.
• How to eat: If frozen, let it thaw naturally at room temperature for 5–10 minutes. It isn't hard, and the way it melts softly in your mouth is truly an art.

Who should get a Hodu Kkakki Brothers pie set?

I recommend the Hodu Kkakki Brothers pie set to anyone who wants a dessert that isn't too sweet, or who wants a healthy gift instead of cake for a family birthday or anniversary. Honestly, I could never eat desserts without worrying about my health, but Hodu Kkakki Brothers pies take away that guilt. They're a really kind dessert.

Maybe you could say these pies show what "sweetness that isn't sugary" really means. For a family birthday or anniversary, try giving a Hodu Kkakki Brothers pie set as a special, healthy gift instead of cake. Everyone from kids to grandparents will like the taste, so it should be a no-fail present. If you're looking for good eats in Yangjae or a café in Dogok-dong, please do visit and experience the best of premium handmade pies.