Introduction

Heukseoltang (흑설탕) literally means “black sugar,” and in Korean grocery stores it is the name for dark brown sugar. Korean supermarkets usually sell three kinds of sugar side by side: white sugar (baekseoltang), light brown sugar (hwangseoltang) and dark brown sugar (heukseoltang). The dark one is what gives Korean treats such as yaksik (sweet rice with nuts and dates) and the gooey filling of hotteok their deep caramel color and rich, molasses-like taste.

Heukseoltang at a Glance

What it is

• Korean dark brown sugar, the darkest of the three common Korean sugars

Main ingredients

• Cane sugar with molasses or caramel for color and flavor (check the label)

Taste

• Deeply sweet with caramel, toffee and light molasses notes

Main uses

• Yaksik, hotteok filling, sujeonggwa punch, braised dishes and dark marinades

What is Heukseoltang Made Of?

Heukseoltang is refined cane sugar that has been darkened and flavored, typically with molasses and sometimes with caramel coloring, depending on the brand. It is soft and moist, and it clumps a little like Western brown sugar. The three Korean supermarket sugars compare like this:

• Baekseoltang (white sugar): neutral sweetness for everyday cooking and kimchi.
• Hwangseoltang (light brown sugar): mild caramel flavor, popular for bulgogi and baking.
• Heukseoltang (dark brown sugar): strongest color and flavor, used where a dark, glossy result matters.
• Korean syrups: liquid sweeteners such as jocheong rice syrup are used alongside sugar for shine.

What Does Heukseoltang Taste Like?

It is sweet like any sugar but with a rounder, slightly bitter-caramel finish, similar to Western dark brown sugar. In cooking it adds warmth and color more than extra sweetness – a spoonful turns a pale syrup amber and gives soy-based dishes a deeper, almost toffee-like flavor.

Popular Korean Dishes That Use Heukseoltang

Yaksik

Sweet sticky rice with jujubes, chestnuts and pine nuts, colored dark brown by the sugar and soy sauce.

Hotteok

The molten filling of these sweet pancakes is brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts – see our hotteok guide.

Sujeonggwa

Cinnamon-ginger punch sweetened with brown sugar for its amber color.

Jorim and Braises

A little dark sugar gives braised beef, lotus root or potatoes a glossy, deep brown glaze.

Easy Rice Cooker Yaksik Recipe (Makes an 8-inch pan, about 12 pieces)

Ingredients

• 2 cups sweet (glutinous) rice, soaked in water for at least 3 hours
• 10 dried jujubes, pitted and quartered – see our daechu guide
• 10 peeled cooked chestnuts, halved
• 2 tbsp pine nuts and 2 tbsp raisins (optional)

Seasoning liquid

• 1/2 cup heukseoltang (dark brown sugar), packed
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sesame oil, plus extra for the pan
• 1 tbsp honey and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup water

Instructions

1. Drain the soaked rice well in a sieve for 10 minutes.
2. Stir the brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, cinnamon and water together until the sugar dissolves.
3. Put the rice in the rice cooker, pour the seasoning liquid over it and stir. Scatter the jujubes, chestnuts, pine nuts and raisins on top.
4. Cook on the regular white rice (or sweet rice) setting. When it finishes, mix everything well and let it rest with the lid closed for 10 minutes.
5. Press the warm rice firmly into an 8-inch pan brushed with sesame oil. Cool completely, then cut into squares.

Tip: If the rice is still a little hard after cooking, sprinkle 2–3 tbsp of water over it and run a “keep warm” or short reheat cycle for 10 minutes. Use plastic wrap to press the hot rice into the pan without burning your hands.

Where to Buy Heukseoltang

United States

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Amazon
Search Korean dark brown sugar on Amazon
Search sweet glutinous rice on Amazon

H-Mart
Search brown sugar on H-Mart

Canada

Search Korean dark brown sugar on Amazon.ca

Europe

Search Korean dark brown sugar on Amazon.co.uk

Regular dark brown sugar from any supermarket is a good substitute.

How to Store Heukseoltang

Keep it tightly sealed in an airtight container at room temperature so it doesn’t dry out and harden. If it turns into a hard lump, place a slice of bread or a damp paper towel in the container overnight to soften it. Yaksik keeps for 2 days at room temperature in a cool kitchen; wrap individual pieces and freeze them for up to 1 month, then microwave briefly to soften.

Heukseoltang FAQ

Is heukseoltang the same as Okinawan black sugar?

No. Okinawan kokuto is unrefined sugarcane juice boiled down. Korean heukseoltang is a refined dark brown sugar.

Can I use regular brown sugar instead?

Yes. Dark brown sugar is the closest match; light brown sugar works but gives a paler color.

Why is yaksik dark brown?

The color comes from dark brown sugar and soy sauce. Some traditional recipes also use homemade caramel sauce.

What is hwangseoltang?

It is Korean light brown (“yellow”) sugar, milder than heukseoltang.

Conclusion

Heukseoltang is the secret behind the deep color and caramel taste of many Korean sweets. Keep a bag next to your white sugar, make a pan of rice cooker yaksik for an easy traditional treat, and use the rest for a batch of hotteok.