There is something so fun about baeks that sit in between cultures and textures, and this Pandan Gula Melaka Butter Tteok is exactly that. Inspired by Korean butter tteok, this version is given a Southeast Asian twist with pandan, coconut milk, and gula melaka.
These are baekd in madeleine moulds, giving them a beautiful shell shape with lightly crisp edges and a chewy, mochi-like centre. The gula melaka melts into little caramel pockets, adding a deep coconut sugar fragrance that pairs so well with pandan.
If you enjoy chewy bakes such as mochi cakes, kuihs, or glutinous rice flour-based desserts, this is a fun recipe to try!
What is Butter Tteok?
Butter tteok is a baked Korean-style rice cake made primarily with glutinous rice flour. Unlike regular cake, it does not have a fluffy crumb. Instead, it is chewy, bouncy and slightly elastic with crisp edges when freshly baked.
For this version, I wanted to bring in familiar local flavours. Pandan gives teh tteok its fragrance and colour, while gula melaka adds a rich caramel-like sweetness.
Why You will Like This Recipe
This Pandan Gula Melaka Butter Tteok is:
- Chewy, bouncy and satisfying
- Buttery, with crispy edges when freshly baked. Hear the crunch from the video!
- Fragrant with pandan and coconut
- Filled with molten gula melaka pockets
- A fun Asian-inspired bake for tea time
Important Notes before Starting
This recipe is best enjoyed fresh, just like all butter tteoks, preferably on the same day it is baked. The edges are at their crispest shortly after baking, while the centre remains chewy and soft.
As the tteok sits overnight, the texture firms up and the coconut flavour may become stronger. This is normal for glutinous rice flour bakes, especially for those made with coconut milk.
Furthermore, the gula melaka can bubble quite a bit during baking if not covered well. To reduce this, use only a small amount per tteok at the centre, keeping it away from the edges of the mould. Should some spill out while baking, no worries and just let it continue until fully baked!
I hope you will like this recipe as much as I do!
Video Coming Soon
Pandan Gula Melaka Butter Tteok Recipe
by Javier Tan June-30-2026
Pandan Gula Melaka Butter Tteok, chewy, buttery rice cakes with crisp edges, fragrant pandan, coconut, and molten gula melaka pockets!
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup or 120g Coconut Milk (Fresh if possible)
- 1/3 Cup or 80g of Water
- 8 Pandan Leaves, cut to small pieces
- 1/4 Cup or 60g Melted Butter (Split 45g for Batter, 15g for Brushing Mould)
- 1/4 Cup + 1 Tbsp or 60g of Sugar
- Pinch of Salt
- 1/2 Tsp or 2.5ml Pandan Extract (optional)
- A Large Egg, approx 60g
- 1 and 1/2 Cup or 180g of Gutinous Rice Flour, Sifted
- 1/4 Cup or 30g of Rice Flour, Sifted
- 1/2 Tsp or 2g of Baking Powder, Sifted
Instructions
- First, blend together coconut milk, water and pandan leaves. Then, strain it.
- Combine the pandan coconut mixture with 45g melted butter, sugar, salt, pandan extract and egg.
- Next, sift and whisk in the glutinous rice flour, rice flour and baking powder. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, butter the madeleine mould and pre-heat your oven to 180C.
- Then, transfer the batter to a piping bag, fill it 1/2 full. Put in a small spoonful of gula melaka at the centre, avoiding the edges and then fill batter till 3/4 full.
- Bake 180C for 18 – 22 mins or until golden brown (to adjust depending how big your mould, smaller madeleine moulds would be 13 – 14 mins). If the gula melaka starts to spill out, reduce the temperature to 170C.
- Leave to cool and unmould in 10 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Details
- Prep time: 45 mins
- Cook time: 30 mins
- Total time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Yield: 8 Delicious Pandan Gula Melaka Butter Tteoks
Notes:
- If you would like to be updated for more recipes which I strive to create to perfection for sharing and for free, do check out my Instagram, Facebook Page, or YouTube 🙂 Thank you so much for all of your support! Feel free to tag me or link back here!
- Serve fresh at room temperature on the day itself. If refrigerated (up to 3 days), do give a short blast of microwave or air fryer to warm it up.
- Please do not copy and paste the recipe without my permission, but feel free to link back here!
Enjoy!
– Bakeomaniac, Javier Tan
Leave A Comment