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Home » Recipes

Published: Jun 22, 2020. Post Updated: Mar 25, 2023

Home » Recipes

Milk Buns

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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.

9 Milk Buns baked in a tray

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.

Milk and flour in pot with spoon

Tangzhoug being stirred in pot

 

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.

Shiny dough on dough hook in stand mixer

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.

Dough with punch shape in middle

Corners brought into the middle of the dough ball

Buns with space between them on lined tray

Milk buns doubled in size on lined tray

Milk buns with egg wash

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.

Baked Milk Buns in tray

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.

Window Pane test on dough

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. 

Close up of milk buns in tray

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!

Close up of single milk bun

Other Bread Recipes:

Nutella Bread

Easiest No Knead Bread Recipe

Honey Buns Recipe

If you make this recipe, don't forget to tag us on Instagram.

Close up of Milk Buns on tray

Baked Milk Buns in tray

Milk Buns

Safira
These Milk Buns are based on My Burger Buns, Hokkaido Milk Loafand Stuffed Milk Bunsrecipe and like them they are pillowy, flaky, soft, and buttery.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Proving Time 3 hours hrs
Total Time 4 hours hrs
Course Baking
Cuisine Chinese, Japanese
Servings 9
Calories 255 kcal

Ingredients
  

Tangzhoug

  • 2 tablespoon Strong Bread Flour
  • 2 tablespoon Water
  • 75 g Milk

Dough

  • 120 g Milk Luke Warm
  • 9 g Yeast Instant Dry or Active Dry
  • 320 g Strong Bread Flour
  • ¾ teaspoon Salt
  • 45 g Caster Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 45 g Butter

Egg Wash

  • 1 Egg
  • Splash Milk

Garlic Butter (Optional)

  • 3 tablespoon Butter
  • 2 small Garlic Cloves Grated

Instructions
 

Tangzhoug

  • Combine the ingredients for the Tangzhoug in a pan over medium high heat. It will begin to thicken quickly. After 2 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.

Dough

  • Add the yeast to the warm milk and allow to sit for 8 minutes. Skip this step if using instant yeast and add the warm milk with the ingredients in the next step.
  • Add the remaining ingredients apart from the butter, along with the tangzhoug to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix for 2 minutes. 
  • Add the egg and butter slowly and mix on medium/low for 15 - 20 minutes until it comes together into a smooth dough.
  • Place a damp kitchen towel directly over the bowl and allow it to rest until it has doubled in size. Around 1.5 - 2 hours.
  • Shape the buns. Punch the dough down, and place on a lightly floured work surface.Cut into 9 portions. (Weighing them helps - Mine were around 75g each). 
  • To shape, gently flatten each piece of dough like a pancake. 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 keeping contact with the surface, until smooth. Place seam side down on a lined tray.
  • The dough will need to rise again. This time for around 1.5 hours. 

Egg Wash

  • Beat together the egg and milk.

Bake

  • Preheat your oven to GM 5, 190 C. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Garlic Butter

  • Heat butter and garlic in pot over medium heat for 1 minute. Brush over warm buns.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

How to make Milk Buns ahead of time - 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.
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 the warmed milk from the recipe and let it stand for a bit before continuing with the recipe. 
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.
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.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 255kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 7gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 288mgPotassium: 87mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 331IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Dinner Rolls, Hokkaido, Hokkaido Buns, Milk Buns, Milk rolls, Shokupan, Shokupan buns, Tangzhoug, Tangzhoug bUns
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hey...I’m safira! I share accessible Global Recipes as well as Baking recipes for home cooks. One of my passions is to teach home cooks to become more confident in the kitchen and this comes with time and experience.

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