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This homemade milk bun dusted with powdered sugar and milk powder is soft, fluffy, and perfect for every meal. Make this easy, fail-proof milk bun recipe for every day and the holidays!
Best Milk Bun Recipe
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and you have to bake these cotton soft milk buns this year!
Milk buns are perfect for the holidays. These will be the best and softest dinner rolls you’ll ever make. Each bite is as light as a marshmallow, the bun is so delicious and practically melts in the mouth.
This sweet milk bun recipe is adapted from Japanese milk buns or shokupan, known for their soft and fluffy texture. I want to make this recipe simple and quick so I won’t be using a roux starter. But I guarantee it’s going to be just as delicious, airy, and moist!
You can eat these milky buns on their own or with your favorite jam or spread (and a cup of coffee or tea!). They are perfect as slider buns and small sandwiches, with their soft texture and glazed appearance adding a more premium feel.
If you want some flavor on your buns, try my Mexican Coffee Bun and Pineapple Bun recipes!
Ingredients For Milky Buns
- Bread flour – I use bread flour because it has more protein than all purpose flour. It makes the bread rise higher and gives it a chewier texture.
- Instant yeast – activates quicker than active dry yeast which makes it best for quick baking recipes like this. If using active dry yeast, you will need to activate it in warm water with some sugar before using.
- Granulated sugar – adds a little bit of sweetness to the buns.
- Milk – gives a lot of moisture and richness to the bread. It’s what makes it soft and flavorful. Use whole milk as much as possible.
- Heavy whipping cream – makes the milky buns more moist, richer, and fluffier.
- Butter – use unsalted butter and make sure it’s softened to room temperature.
- Icing sugar and baking milk powder – to sprinkle the dough and the buns with after baking.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
Recipe Variations
- Tangzhong/Yudane method – A lot of milk bun recipes out there precook a tiny portion of the dough to make the bread more moist and chewy. You can try this, but the dough can be trickier to knead and may not rise as much.
- Dessert buns – Make these Double Chocolate Milk Buns as a snack or dessert by adding cocoa powder and chocolate chips. You can also fill the buns with custard, Nutella, or any sweet spread.
- Milk rolls and loaves – Use this recipe to make different shapes and sizes of bread like milk rolls, pull-apart bread, or even loaves. Just make sure to adjust the amount of your ingredients accordingly.
- Savory milk buns – Turn your milk bun into a savory treat by adding fillings and toppings like cheese, garlic, and ham. Check out my Ham and Cheese Loaf, and Pull Apart Garlic Bread recipes for inspiration.
How to Make Milk Buns
I love the smell of bread baking in the oven. That’s why I try to make this easy Japanese bun recipe whenever I can. The soft, fluffy texture and subtle sweet flavor win me over every time!
Here’s how to make the softest milk buns at home:
Step 1.Add bread flour, sugar, yeast, salt, milk, and heavy whipping cream to a mixing bowl. Combine well with a spatula. Using a dough hook, knead the dough with a stand mixer on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, or until smooth. Add the softened butter and continue kneading at the same speed for an additional 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Step 2. Cover the dough with a cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm area for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and gently press it to release the air. Divide the dough into 16 equal portions and shape each piece into a smooth ball.
Step 3. Use a 9-inch square baking pan and place each dough ball in the pan, spaced about half an inch apart. Lightly cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 30 minutes, or until puffy.
Step 4. Meanwhile, prepare the sugar and milk powder mixture by combining the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.
Step 5. Preheat the oven to 310°F (155°C). Sprinkle the dough with the sugar and milk powder mixture before baking. Bake the bread for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Step 6: Remove the milk buns from the oven. Dust them with additional sugar and milk powder mixture before serving.
Helpful Tips For Home Bakers
- The secret to making these milk buns insanely soft and fluffy without a roux starter (unlike Japanese and Thai milk bun) is adding heavy whipping cream to the recipe. So don’t skip the cream when you make the dough.
- Make the perfect sweet milk buns by shaping the dough to the same exact size and weight.
- For the best results, use a 9-inch square baking pan to make the milk bun.
- Do not over bake the buns as they can become dry and hard. Remove from the oven as soon as they turn lightly golden brown on top.
How Do You Store Milk Buns
Store the milk buns in an airtight container or plastic bag and leave them at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate and they will last for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Milk buns are softer with a subtle sweet flavor compared to brioche which has a denser texture and rich, buttery taste.
Yes, you can use condensed milk as a substitute. If you use sweetened condensed milk in this recipe, you may need to reduce the sugar to prevent the milk bun from becoming too sweet.
Some milk bun recipes incorporate eggs while others do not. But it is not required. You can also brush some egg wash on top of the bread for a shiny, glazed appearance.
Aside from using bread flour, the milk and heavy whipping cream in this recipe make these milky buns extra soft and fluffy.
Absolutely! The subtle milky and sweet taste of the milk bun does not overpower the flavors of the burger. Plus, its soft texture gives the burger an overall premium feel.
This milk bun recipe with yeast has only 332 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Milk Bun
Milk bread buns are best served with butter, jams, or spreads, but they can also be used for burgers and sandwiches.
For a festive meal, I recommend the following recipes:
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Milk Bun
Ingredients
Bread Dough
- 2 cups bread flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Sugar and milk powder mixture
- 1/2 tablespoon icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking milk powder
Instructions
- Add bread flour, sugar, yeast, salt, milk, and heavy whipping cream to a mixing bowl. Combine well with a spatula. Using a dough hook, knead the dough with a stand mixer on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, or until smooth. Add the softened butter and continue kneading at the same speed for an additional 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Cover the dough with a cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm area for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and gently press it to release the air. Divide the dough into 16 equal portions and shape each piece into a smooth ball.
- Use a 9-inch square baking pan and place each dough ball in the pan, spaced about half an inch apart. Lightly cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 30 minutes, or until puffy.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sugar and milk powder mixture by combining the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 310°F (155°C). Sprinkle the dough with the sugar and milk powder mixture before baking. Bake the bread for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove the milk buns from the oven. Dust them with additional sugar and milk powder mixture before serving.
Notes
- The secret to making these milk buns insanely soft and fluffy without a roux starter (unlike Japanese and Thai milk bun) is adding heavy whipping cream to the recipe. So don’t skip the cream when you make the dough.
- Make the perfect sweet milk buns by shaping the dough to the same exact size and weight.
- For the best results, use a 9-inch square baking pan to make the milk bun.
- Do not over bake the buns as they can become dry and hard. Remove from the oven as soon as they turn lightly golden brown on top.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What would be the rise time if I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?
If using active dry yeast, it takes around 1 hour to rise the bread dough in a warm area.