Sweet & Spicy Zhong Cookie

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Hot tip: Savory cookies are better than sweet ones! These sweet and spicy Fly By Jing Zhong sauce cookies are perfectly chewy, full of umami and of course, spicy. I used Eric Kim’s Gochujang Caramel Cookie recipe but swapped out gochujang for Zhong sauce, and the flavors go crazy. Make sure to add these to your cookie rotation this holiday season.

Recipe from Eric Kim / Adapted by Gabby Phi

Serving size: About 8 large cookies

Ingredients

½ cup (8 tablespoons)/115 grams unsalted butter, very soft
2 packed tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 heaping tablespoon Sweet & Spicy Zhong Sauce
1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt or ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ cups/185 grams all-purpose flour

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of butter, the brown sugar, and Sweet & Spicy Zhong Sauce until smooth and well combined. Set the mixture aside at room temperature.

Sweet & Spicy Zhong

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In a large bowl, use a whisk to blend the remaining 7 tablespoons of butter with the granulated sugar, egg, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla extract until smooth, which should take about a minute. Switch to a flexible spatula and stir in the baking soda. Gently fold in the flour until just combined. Refrigerate the dough for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it becomes less sticky but remains soft and pliable.

While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare two large baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator. Drop the Zhong Sauce mixture in 3 to 4 spaced blobs over the cookie dough. Using long, circular strokes, swirl the Zhong Sauce mixture through the dough, creating broad streaks of orange-red throughout the beige dough. Be careful not to overmix, as you want to preserve the distinct ripples.

Use an ice cream scoop to portion out ¼-cup rounds of dough onto the baking sheets, leaving at least 3 inches of space between each one. You should fit 4 to 5 cookies per sheet. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets, where they will flatten slightly and finish cooking. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.