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Snacks & sweets · Korean home cooking

Simple cinnamon ginger punch (sujeonggwa)

A simple home version of the Korean cinnamon-and-ginger drink. Brown or white sugar both work, and the dried persimmon and pine-nut garnish can be left out.

170 min4 servings6 stepsDifficulty: Easy
Simple cinnamon ginger punch (sujeonggwa)

AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.

01 / Before you start

Ingredients

4 servings

Get your ingredients ready
Get your ingredients ready

Everyday kitchen measurements

For 4 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).

How to fill the cup and spoons

Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.

King Arthur Baking

Essential, optional and substitute ingredients

Keep essential ingredients. For a replacement, use its listed amount and cooking changes instead of that ingredient’s original amount. Skip optional ingredients and their preparation if omitted. Photos show the original recipe.

  • Substitute available

    If Cinnamon sticks is unavailable

    Use instead
    Ground cinnamon
    Substitute quantity
    ½ small teaspoonReference quantity: 1 g

    Simmer the fresh ginger in water first. Add ground cinnamon only for the final 5 minutes, then strain through a paper coffee filter. The drink will be milder and may remain slightly cloudy. Do not use both cinnamon forms together.

  • Substitute available

    If Fresh ginger, peeled is unavailable

    Use instead
    Ground ginger
    Substitute quantity
    ¼ small teaspoonReference quantity: 0.5 g

    Add ground ginger only during the final 5 minutes of simmering. It gives a softer, slightly different flavour. Strain through a paper coffee filter if the drink is gritty.

  • Substitute available

    If Brown sugar is unavailable

    Use instead
    White sugar
    Substitute quantity
    3 level eating spoonsReference quantity: 36 g

    Dissolve at the same stage. The drink will be lighter in colour and have less caramel aroma.

  • Essential

    Use drinking water; keep the saucepan partly covered during simmering to limit evaporation.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. The cinnamon and ginger drink still works without it. If using, remove the stalk and hard seeds and soak only in the refrigerated cooled drink.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. They are only a garnish. Omit for anyone who must avoid these seeds; do not replace with another nut without checking allergies.

Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.

02 / You’re ready to cook

Step-by-step cooking

  1. Step 1

    Step 1: Rinse the cinnamon sticks and break them into a few large pieces. Peel the fresh ginger and slice very thinly. If using ground ginger instead, keep it aside for the final 5 minutes. Prepare a saucepan and a fine strainer.

    Rinse the cinnamon sticks and break them into a few large pieces. Peel the fresh ginger and slice very thinly. If using ground ginger instead, keep it aside for the final 5 minutes. Prepare a saucepan and a fine strainer.

  2. Step 2

    Step 2: Put the cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger and 6 paper cups of water into the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Partly cover and simmer gently for 25–30 minutes, until the liquid smells fragrant and turns amber.

    Put the cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger and 6 paper cups of water into the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Partly cover and simmer gently for 25–30 minutes, until the liquid smells fragrant and turns amber.

  3. Step 3

    Step 3: If using ground ginger instead of fresh, stir it in during the final 5 minutes of simmering. Turn off the heat and strain the liquid into a clean heatproof jug, removing the cinnamon and ginger. If using ground spices, pass through a paper coffee filter too.

    If using ground ginger instead of fresh, stir it in during the final 5 minutes of simmering. Turn off the heat and strain the liquid into a clean heatproof jug, removing the cinnamon and ginger. If using ground spices, pass through a paper coffee filter too.

  4. Step 4

    Step 4: Return the strained liquid to the saucepan, add the brown sugar and heat gently for 2 minutes while stirring until dissolved. Taste a cooled spoonful; you may use less sugar. Turn off the heat. Top up with a little hot drinking water if the flavour is too strong.

    Return the strained liquid to the saucepan, add the brown sugar and heat gently for 2 minutes while stirring until dissolved. Taste a cooled spoonful; you may use less sugar. Turn off the heat. Top up with a little hot drinking water if the flavour is too strong.

  5. Step 5

    Step 5: Cool promptly in an ice-water bath, keeping bath water out, then refrigerate in small clean containers within 2 hours. Chill for about 2 hours. If using dried persimmon, remove its stalk and seeds, cut into small pieces and add only to the chilled drink in the refrigerator.

    Cool promptly in an ice-water bath, keeping bath water out, then refrigerate in small clean containers within 2 hours. Chill for about 2 hours. If using dried persimmon, remove its stalk and seeds, cut into small pieces and add only to the chilled drink in the refrigerator.

  6. Step 6

    Step 6: Pour into four small glasses. Add a few pine nuts only if using and suitable for the people being served. Serve cold; or enjoy a portion warm immediately after cooking. Keep the remaining drink refrigerated.

    Pour into four small glasses. Add a few pine nuts only if using and suitable for the people being served. Serve cold; or enjoy a portion warm immediately after cooking. Keep the remaining drink refrigerated.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Finished dish: Simple cinnamon ginger punch (sujeonggwa)
Simple cinnamon ginger punch (sujeonggwa)
Helpful tips

No dried persimmon or pine nuts at home? Leave both out. If you have no cinnamon sticks, use ½ small teaspoon of ground cinnamon (about 1 g): simmer the fresh ginger in the water first, add the cinnamon only for the final 5 minutes, then strain through a paper coffee filter. The drink is milder and may stay slightly cloudy. Cinnamon and ginger are the defining flavours; omitting both would make a different drink. After cooking, cool promptly in shallow containers or an ice-water bath and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is hotter than 32°C. Keep at 4°C or below and use within 3–4 days. This is a refrigerated drink, not shelf-stable bottled food.

Enjoy every bite

How to enjoy it

Taste a small sip before serving. Leave the optional garnish out for a smooth, easy-to-drink version; this is a sweet drink rather than a health treatment.

Serve it with