The Christmas season is finally here. How about trying something completely different? We all love Christmas cookies, but what if you combined the delicious treats of Dalgona candy along with the tradition of playing the honeycomb game, and give it a Christmas twist.
The Korean treat, Dalgona Candy, also called Ppopgi or Korean Sugar Candy has been trending after the huge success of Netflix Squid games.
If you have teens and older kids who enjoyed this viral show, then making this delicious treat along with the game of cutting out the honeycomb shapes, is a great way to spend fun family time together and have a laugh.
This Christmas, we’re making Dalgona Candy, and you can too! (You know the game. If you watched Netflix Squid Game, You’ll never forget it.)
Playing Dal-Go-Ona (Korean Honeycomb) was a popular street game for Korean children of the 70s and 80s, still eaten as a fun retro food but after Squid games, it’s popularity has shot way back up.
In Korea, the traditional dalgona game is a favorite among kids and adults alike. But, when it comes to making this honeycomb candy treat, children will need some help. Be aware that the sugar reaches high temperatures while boiling so please do take care and don’t let children make this recipe alone.
To give the DALGONA candy a Christmas twist, just switch out the shapes into Christmassy ones. No need for an umbrella here, you can make this candy with all kinds of shapes, all you need is different types of cookie cutters.
You can easily find Christmas Cookie cutters in any store or supermarket around this time of year, or buy online such as this set below from Amazon (affiliate links)
If you’re looking for a unique sweet for your loved ones during this festive season, we suggest you make some of these special honeycomb candy treats and play the game together — and you can find the recipe below!
What is the Dalgona Candy Honeycomb Game?
This traditional and retro childhood street game involves children successfully cutting out the central shape from the candy without breaking any into pieces.
In Korea, sometimes if a child successfully completed this without breaking the candy, they would win a second honeycomb!
You can find this game in Netflix Squid Games Episode 3 (The Man with the Umbrella) where it has a more deadly twist.
How to Make Dalgona Candy
Dalgona Candy Ingredients
To make this candy, you only need two simple ingredients which you probably already have in your kitchen cupboards. They are
- Sugar
- Baking Soda (just a pinch)
These ingredients are super basic and cheap, so you can easily try your hand at making this sweet on a budget.
Traditionally this recipe is made with white sugar, you could try brown sugar if you prefer.
Dalgona Candy Recipe (Korean honeycomb)
This is a really good detailed and easy to follow recipe from What to Cook Today
If you would like to make life easy, you can purchase Dalgona candy kits with all of the equipment. It is not essential, if you already have your own ladle, metal tray and cookie cutters, so it’s just personal choice.
Click the images below to see or buy on Amazon (affiliate). These kits are with the famous Squid game shapes of circle, triangle, star and the infamously difficult umbrella.
Dalgona Candy FAQs
As many of us here in the UK had not come across this type of candy before Squid Games, unless you have a Korean background, it’s natural you may have a few questions. So we have done the research to help you out with your curiosity.
What is the meaning of Dalgona in English?
Dalgona in Korean means “it’s sweet” whereas Ppopgi means to pick, choose or select because of the game where children would choose which shape they want to cut out.
What is the taste of Dalgona Candy?
Well, as the name suggests.. it is sweet with a slight toffee taste.
When and where was Dalgona Candy first invented?
It was first seen in the 1950s or 1960s in South Korea. It was invented after the Korean War of 1950 as a result of poverty, where Korean people could not afford expensive candies and so this delicious treat emerged as a DIY solution that people could make cheaply for a sweet fix.
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Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
This is so cool! I watched Squid Games, and I totally want to make this now! Thanks for helping me learn more about it. I think its pretty cool 🙂
My eldest has wanted to make this since she saw Squid Game. What a fun idea. I will have to show her this blog post x
Anna, your blog post on making Dalgona Candy with a Christmas twist is such a unique and fun idea! Combining the Korean treat with the honeycomb game is brilliant. The step-by-step recipe and the inclusion of Squid Game references make it even more enjoyable. Thanks for sharing this creative Christmas candy idea!