Korean Red Bean Pie

Name: Korean Red Bean Pie
Prep time: 42 min
Cook time: 33 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 2½ cups (312 g) all-purpose flour; 1 tsp (5 g) salt; 1 tbsp (12 g) sugar; 1 cup (227 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes; 6 tbsp (90 ml) ice water; 2 cups (500 g) red bean paste, store-bought or homemade, room temperature; 1 (50 g) large egg, room temperature; 1 tbsp (15 ml) water, for egg wash; 3 tbsp (45 g) white sesame seeds

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A traditional Korean-inspired pie with a buttery homemade crust, sweet red bean paste filling, and a topping of white sesame seeds. The flaky pastry and earthy, slightly sweet filling make this a distinctive dessert that's both elegant and comforting. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.

Prep: 42 min
Cook: 33 min
Wait: 1 hr 3 min
Total: 2 hr 18 min
Makes: 1 pie (8 slices)

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Steps

Before you start

Use ice-cold water and keep butter cold for a flaky crust
Read through the full recipe first to understand the timing, especially the 30-45 minute chill
Have all ingredients measured and ready before starting (mise en place)
If making dough ahead, remove from fridge 5-10 minutes before rolling if very hard

1
Mix crust dry ingredients
- In a large bowl or food processor, combine the 2.5 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tbsp sugar.
- Stir well or pulse until evenly mixed.
- If using a food processor, transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
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Ready when: Ingredients are evenly combined with no streaks of salt or sugar visible
2
Cut in the cold butter
- Add the 1 cup cold diced butter to the flour mixture.
- Using a pastry cutter, two knives, a fork, or by pulsing the food processor in 1-second bursts, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter visible throughout.
- This should take 5-7 minutes total.
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Ready when: Mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with visible pea-sized butter pieces throughout
Tip: Cold butter is essential for flakiness; if the mixture becomes warm, refrigerate it for 5 minutes before continuing
3
Add ice water and form dough
- Sprinkle the ice water over the flour-butter mixture while tossing gently with a fork.
- Start with 6 tbsp and add 1 tbsp more as needed.
- The dough should come together when you squeeze it with your hands, without being wet, sticky, or having dry flour remaining.
- Do not overmix—stop as soon as the dough holds together.
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Ready when: Dough comes together when squeezed; no dry flour remains, but dough is not wet
Tip: Add water gradually and carefully—too much makes the crust tough and shrink during baking
4
Divide, shape, and chill dough
- Gather the dough into a rough ball, then divide it in half.
- Flatten each half into a disk about 1 inch thick.
- Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30-45 minutes until the dough is firm and cold.
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Ready when: Dough is chilled, firm, and no longer sticky when touched
Tip: While dough chills, preheat the oven and gather your equipment. You can also prepare the red bean paste and have it at room temperature
5
Preheat oven and roll bottom crustOven 375°F / 190°C
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Remove one disk of dough from the refrigerator.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll it out into a circle about 11 inches in diameter and approximately ⅛ inch thick.
- If the dough feels very stiff, let it soften for 2-3 minutes while you work.
- Carefully lift the rolled dough and transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan, gently pressing it into the bottom and sides.
- Let about 1 inch of dough hang over the rim all around.
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Ready when: Dough fits snugly in the pie pan with an even 1-inch overhang around the rim
Tip: If the dough tears, simply pinch it back together; the tears will seal as it bakes. Work quickly to keep the dough cold
6
Prick bottom and spread filling
- Using a fork, prick the bottom of the crust all over—these small holes prevent the dough from puffing up excessively during baking.
- Pour or spoon the 2 cups of red bean paste into the crust.
- Using a spatula, spread it evenly to the edges, smoothing the top into a level surface.
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Ready when: Bottom is pricked all over; filling is evenly spread to the edges with a smooth top
7
Roll and place top crust
- Remove the second disk of dough from the refrigerator.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll it out into a circle about 9-10 inches in diameter and ⅛ inch thick.
- If it feels stiff, allow it to soften for 2-3 minutes.
- Carefully lift the rolled dough and place it over the red bean filling, letting it drape over the edges.
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Ready when: Top crust is placed over the filling with dough overhanging on all sides
8
Seal edges, egg wash, and sesame seeds
- Trim both the top and bottom crusts to about 1 inch overhang all around the pie pan.
- Fold this overhang up and over the outer rim of the pan, pressing gently to seal, then crimp the edge decoratively with a fork or the tines of your fingers.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 large egg and 1 tbsp water to make an egg wash.
- Brush this mixture generously over the entire top of the pie.
- Evenly sprinkle the 3 tbsp white sesame seeds over the top, pressing gently so they adhere to the egg wash.
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Ready when: Edges are sealed and crimped evenly; egg wash covers the entire top and sesame seeds are pressed in
Tip: The egg wash gives the pie a beautiful glossy, golden finish; don't skip it
9
Bake until goldenOven 375°F / 190°C
- Place the pie on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 30-35 minutes.
- The crust should be golden brown and firm to the touch, and you should see the red bean filling just starting to set at the edges.
- The sesame seeds will become fragrant and slightly darker.
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Ready when: Crust is golden brown; filling just begins to set at the edges; sesame seeds are fragrant
Tip: If the crust browns too quickly, loosely cover the pie with a tent of foil for the last 10 minutes to prevent over-browning
10
Cool the pieOven 300°F / 150°C
- Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing.
- The filling will continue to set and firm up as it cools, and the flavors will develop further.
- For the best texture and flavor, serve at room temperature or slightly warm.
- Reheating: you can gently warm slices at 300°F for 5-10 minutes.
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Ready when: Pie is cool enough to slice cleanly and filling is set but still slightly soft inside
Tip: Do not slice while very hot; the filling is still molten and will run out of the pie

Good to know

Tips

Do not overwork the pie dough when mixing—the less you handle it, the flakier the crust will be. Stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together
If the dough gets warm while rolling, refrigerate it for 5-10 minutes to re-firm it. A warm dough is more likely to shrink during baking
Most store-bought red bean paste is pre-sweetened. Taste a small spoonful first; it should be pleasantly sweet. If you find it not sweet enough, you can add 1-2 tbsp honey or sugar mixed into the paste before filling
For an extra-shiny crust, brush the pie with egg wash twice: once before adding the filling and again after placing the top crust and before adding sesame seeds

Make ahead

The pie dough can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 1 month (thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling). The assembled, unbaked pie can be refrigerated for up to 12 hours before baking; add 5-10 minutes to baking time if baking from cold.

Storage & reheating

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Refrigerate for up to 4 days (cover loosely with plastic wrap). Freeze for up to 1 month (wrap well in plastic wrap and foil). To reheat: thaw at room temperature or warm gently at 300°F for 10-15 minutes until soft. The pie tastes best served at room temperature or slightly warm.

Substitutions

cold unsalted butter → Vegetable shortening or lard (use the same weight). Makes an equally flaky crust but with different flavor; shortening is neutral, lard gives a richer taste. Use the same 227g (8 oz)
red bean paste → Adzuki bean paste or mung bean paste. Similar sweetness and texture; both are traditional in Asian pastries and create a slightly different but equally delicious filling
white sesame seeds → Black sesame seeds. More visually striking and have a nuttier, slightly deeper flavor. Use the same amount
red bean paste → Store-bought pie crust (2 disks, about 14 oz / 400g total) instead of making your own. Saves about 30 minutes of prep time. Thaw according to package directions. Assemble and bake as directed