Milk Buns

These Milk Buns are based on My Burger Buns, Hokkaido Milk Loaf and Stuffed Milk Buns recipe and like them they are pillowy, flaky, soft, and buttery.

At this stage, if I make any more milk bread I am going to turn into a loaf of bread. I just can't seem to stop! But these are worth it. They are so good and go really well with any main dish that require soft bread as a side. You can also use them as sandwich buns, burger buns, soup dunking buns..

These are the best homemade dinner rolls I’ve ever had and the recipe is straightforward. I make these rolls whenever I get the chance. They are very popular too and people will demand you bake them on repeat. 

How to make Milk Buns

Make the tangzhoug - Combine water, milk and flour in a pan to make a roux. Let it cool.

 

Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer, minus the egg and butter. Knead for 3 - 5 minutes.

Slowly add the milk and eggs. Knead again for 15 - 20 minutes.

Cover the dough and let it rise. The dough rises in about 1.5 -  2 hours in a relatively warm environment.

Punch down the dough to release the air and shape into rolls. Pull up each side pinching it together in the center. Repeat until the ball is sealed. Then cup your hand over the ball and gently move in circular motions until smooth. Place seam side down on a lined tray.

Let the rolls rise for about 1  - 1.5 hours.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. If desired, brush the warm rolls with a little garlic butter for extra flavour.

tangzhoug method for milk buns

Milk Buns are soft bread rolls that use the Tangzhoug method to create a super soft bread.

The method originated in the Hokkaido region of Japan. The bread is usually sweeter then bread in the UK. 

This method uses a roux made with flour and water or milk or a combination of the two. This is cooked till thickened, cooled and mixed into the dough.

Active dry yeast vs instant yeast

Instant yeast and active dry yeast are interchangeable at a 1:1 ratio.

However, active dry yeast needs to be bloomed with liquid before continuing with the recipe and may take longer to rise.

What I do when using active dry yeast is add the yeast to part of the milk (milk should be warm) from the recipe and let it stand for a bit before continuing with the recipe.

In this recipe if using Active Dry Yeast, I bloom the yeast in all the milk rather then part. 

Can the dough be kneaded by hand?

It is far easier to knead this with a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. The dough is quite sticky and takes some kneading to come together. If you prefer to knead by hand, you will need to knead a lot longer.

How to make the lightest fluffiest bread

This dough is meant to be sticky so avoid adding any extra flour. It will look wet and sticky but it will come together eventually as it is kneaded. Adding extra will create a dense chewy bun instead of the light fluffy milk/brioche-style bun we want.

If the dough doesn’t feel like it’s coming together at all, let it rest for about 10 minutes before continuing kneading to relax the gluten.

Window pane test

Once you can stretch the dough with your fingers without it tearing, it is ready. Enough gluten has developed in the dough for it to begin proofing. This is called the windowpane test. If the dough tears, it means you need to knead a little more.

Soft Fluffy Milk Buns

The crustier and chewier the bread, the less fat in the dough. The softer and richer the bread, the more fat in the dough. This is known as a rich dough. Soft dinner rolls require a rich dough.

Rich meaning how much fat is in the dough. For example, this dough has milk, butter, and eggs.

1. Milk: Liquid activates the yeast. For the softest dinner rolls, use whole milk. 
2. Yeast: You can use active dry yeast or instant yeast. If using active dry yeast, the rise times will be a little longer and you will need to activate the yeast first by adding it to the warm milk used in this recipe. 
3. Sugar: Sugar feeds the yeast, increases its activity, and tenderises the dough.
4. Egg: Egg provides structure and flavor.
5. Butter: Butter promises a flavorful and soft dinner roll. 
6. Salt: For a tasty bread.
7. Flour: I suggest strong bread flour in this recipe. Plain flour is convenient for most, but bread flour produces the best dinner rolls. 

How to make Milk Buns ahead of time

The rolls require around 3 hours of rising. Some days this is impossible. So you can prepare the dough, let it rise and shape the rolls.

Cover the shaped rolls tightly and refrigerate for up to about 16 hours. At least 3 hours before you need them the next day, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and allow to rise on the counter for about 1-2 hours before baking.

You can also do the first rise in the fridge overnight and continue the following day.

How to freeze Milk Buns

You can bake the buns and freeze once cooled by covering in plastic wrap and then in an air tight container. 

You can also freeze them after you have shaped them into buns. Simply cover the baking tray in plastic wrap. Once frozen, they won’t stick together anymore and you can place them in a freezer bag.

Let them thaw and rise for about 4-5 hours, then bake. You can also freeze the baked dinner rolls. Therefore, if you want a smaller batch, you can make the entire recipe and bake only a few fresh rolls at a time.

Flavour Options

1. Herb Milk Buns  –  Add 2 Tablespoons of fresh or dried herbs into the flour.
2. Cheesy Milk Buns -  Top with cheese before baking.
3. Flavoured Honey Buns - Drizzle over some flavoured Honey.

The options are endless!

Other Bread Recipes:

Nutella Bread

Easiest No Knead Bread Recipe

Honey Buns Recipe

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