In a small bowl, mix together the softened 1 tbsp butter, packed light brown sugar, and gochujang until you have a smooth, well-combined paste. Set this aside—this concentrated flavor bomb will be swirled into the dough later for authentic depth. The butter helps distribute the gochujang evenly so you get spicy-sweet notes in every bite.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the 7 tbsp softened butter and 1 cup granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes until light, fluffy, and pale in color. This creaming process incorporates air into the dough, which helps the cookies develop that signature cracked top. Add the room temperature egg and vanilla extract, then beat for another 1-2 minutes until fully incorporated and the mixture looks smooth and homogenous.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, kosher salt, and ground cinnamon. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the creamed butter mixture from Step 2 and stir until just combined—don't overmix, as this keeps the cookies tender. The dough should come together without any visible streaks of flour.

Add the gochujang paste from Step 1 to the dough and gently swirl it in using a spatula or wooden spoon—don't fully blend it. You want visible ribbons of the spicy-sweet paste throughout for an interesting visual and flavor variation in each cookie. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes; this resting time makes the dough easier to scoop and helps prevent excessive spreading during baking.

While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Once the dough is chilled, scoop 12 cookies using about 3 tbsp of dough per cookie, placing 6 on each prepared baking sheet. I like to use a cookie scoop for consistency—it ensures even baking and a professional appearance. Space them about 2 inches apart since they'll spread slightly as they bake.

Bake for 11-13 minutes until the edges are set and golden but the centers still look slightly underdone with visible cracks on top—this is the sweet spot for a chewy interior with crispy edges. The gochujang paste will create darker spots, which is exactly what you want. Don't overbake or the cookies will lose their tender texture.

Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies rest on the hot sheet for exactly 3 minutes—this allows them to firm up enough to move without breaking but still remain soft. Transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. The cookies will continue to set as they cool, developing the perfect texture.