These are the fluffiest dinner rolls you’ll ever try – and they stay fresh and soft longer than typical dinner rolls. In my opinion, these Japanese Milk Buns are everything a perfect dinner roll should be: a touch sweet, golden-brown on top, buttery, and pillow-soft (Watch how squishy it is here.).
I highly recommend pairing it with this creamy, lightly salted whipped butter. Sooo good!
What Makes Milk Buns So Soft and Fluffy?
The secret to these rolls’ incredibly soft, tender crumb is the “tangzhong method.” This technique, popular in many Asian bread, involves cooking a small amount of flour and water (or milk) into a thick paste before adding it to the dough. This method pre-gelatinizes the starches in the flour, which allows the bread to retain more moisture and creates a wonderfully soft, springy texture that lasts longer than typical bread.
Why These Milk Buns Would Be A Staple In Your Kitchen
Super Fluffy: These rolls are so soft that when you press down, they’ll spring right back. Think of them as little pillows of heaven on your plate. Watch it in action here.
Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether you’re planning an Easter brunch, a Thanksgiving feast, a cozy Christmas dinner, or simply want a delicious roll for a Tuesday dinner, these rolls will elevate your meal and make your guests raving for it.
Versatile: Japanese milk buns aren’t just for the holiday table. They’re perfect for sliders, sandwiches, soup dunking, or even as a breakfast sandwich. Believe me, they’ll become a staple in your kitchen.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Shop efficiently (treat this as your grocery list) and gather your ingredients at home without running circles in your kitchen. (i.e. One trip to the fridge to get all your dairy needs.) You can still find the full printable recipe at the end of this post.
REFRIGERATED:
- eggs. Helps bind the dough and gives the rolls a golden color. You need a total of 3 large eggs. 100g eggs (weight is without shell, that’s about 2 large eggs) for the dough, plus another egg for the egg wash.
- milk. Adds richness and a tender crumb. You need a total of 300g of milk, preferably whole milk.
- butter. For that buttery, melt-in-your-mouth quality. 1 tablespoon of melted butter plus extra for greasing the pan and brushing the tops right after baking.
PANTRY:
- bread flour. Provides structure and chew. You need a total fo 576g (4 ½ cups). I highly recommend to measure by weight as too much flour will ruin the texture of your bread. If still measuring by volume, please use the spoon and level method. Spoon your flour into the measuring cup instead of scooping directly out of the container.
- sugar. 26g or 2 tablespoons to add just a hint of sweetness.
- salt. 1 ½ teaspoons of fine salt balances the flavor. I use sea salt.
- yeast. Essential for a light, fluffy rise. I use 1 packet (2¼ teaspoons or 8 grams). Some packets are labeled as 7grams. That’s ok to use too – the 1 gram difference is very tiny and won’t affect the outcome of the recipe.
- oil. About 1 tablespoon of neutral tasting oil for greasing the bowl. Canola, vegetable, or avocado oil are great options.
- optional toppings. This Japanese Milk Buns are good on its own, but adding flakey sea salt, everything bagel, sesame seeds, or poppy seeds are great additions for texture and flavor.
Tips for Perfect Japanese Milk Buns
Measure Carefully: Accurate measurements ensure the perfect dough texture. Please weigh your ingredients, especially the flour.
Don’t Rush the Rise: Give the dough time to rise properly for the fluffiest results. This can range from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on how hot or cold your house is. Note also that the 2nd proofing does not need to be double in size – they just need to be puffy.
Use an oven thermometer: Keep an oven thermometer in the middle rack of my oven. You would discover that when your oven makes that *beep* sound to prompt you that it’s already preheated at 350F, it is actually not. I only place my dough/ cake batter/ cookies inside the oven once my oven thermometer reflects that it is at my desired temperature.
Don’t Overbake: All ovens are different so always use the baking time indicated in a recipe as a guide/ estimate. The key is to watch for visual cues – for this one, the tops should be golden brown. Want to take out the guesswork? The thermometer is your friend! The rolls are done when the internal temp hits 190°F/ 87.8°C
More Texture and Flavor: Add melted butter, flakey sea salt, everything bagel, sesame seeds, poppy seeds give a boost of flavor and texture. My favorite is to serve these rolls with whipped butter. YUM!
Recommended Tools
- digital food scale (this is a must…and check-out the cute colors!)
- 9×13 baking pan
- pastry brush
- stand mixer
- digital food thermometer
Step-by-Step Instructions
STEP 1. MAKE THE TANGZHONG. In a small saucepan, whisk together the bread flour and milk until well combined and there are no clumps. Cook over medium-low, for about 3 minutes, while whisking constantly, until thick and the whisk leaves lines on the bottom of the pan. The roux should have the consistency of a curd.
PRO TIP. Bringing the temperature of the flour and liquid to 149°F (65°C) pre-gelatinizes the flour’s starches, which makes them more able to retain liquid — thus enhancing the resulting bread’s softness and shelf life.
Transfer to a small container (to help it cool faster) and let cool to room temperature while doing the next steps, about 5-10 minutes.
STEP 2. WARM the milk and the water. They should be between 100 and 110℉/ 37.78 and 43.33℃. If the water is too hot, you’ll kill the yeast. If the water is too cold, it slows down the yeast and your bread will take a longer time to rise.
STEP 3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm milk, warm water, butter, eggs, sugar, salt, yeast, and tangzhong. Add half of the flour and stir with a wooden spoon (I use the dough hook attachment) until the dough forms a rough shaggy mass.
**NOTE: You can also mix and knead the dough by hand or bread machine.
STEP 4. Attach the dough hook to the mixer, turn to medium-low speed, and gradually add the remaining flour, kneading until a mass of dough begins to form. Continue kneading on medium-low speed until the dough starts to pull away slightly from the bowl, about 5 to 8 minutes . (*NOTE: It won’t completely clear the sides of the bowl and will still be a bit tacky to the touch since it is a wetter dough, but it should feel elastic and tight like a rubber band. So resist the urge to add more flour.)
STEP 5. Grease the bottom and sides of a bowl with oil. I like using a pastry brush to spread it to the sides of the bowl.
Lightly coat your hands with flour then transfer the dough into a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to the greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes, depending on how hot or cold your house is. Be sure to keep an eye on it because it can go fast if it’s really hot outside! Likewise, it can take longer if it’s really cold inside your house.
STEP 6. In the meantime, grease a 9”x13” pan with butter. Set aside.
STEP 7. When the dough is puffy and near doubled in size, gently deflate the dough, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and flatten it with your fingers. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, about 85 grams each. If you don’t have a scale to make even proportions, then I like to flatten the dough out into a square to make it easier to evenly divide. Then cut the dough into fourths and then thirds for 12 pieces.
*NOTE. These are fairly large rolls, if you prefer them in smaller size, evenly divide the dough into 18, or about 58 grams per ball. Use a smaller pan for the extra 6 rolls and start checking if they’re done baking about 3-5 minutes earlier than the suggested baking time.
STEP 8. Next, shape the rolls into a tight, round ball. To do so, flatten the dough with the heel of your hand on a floured surface to release any excess gas (the dough will be sticky so use floured hands if needed) and then take the ends of the dough and tuck them into the center to form a ball. Then place the ball seam side down, shape your hands into the shape of a “C”, then cup the dough from the side and with slight pressure, roll the ball around in a circle formation until you feel some tension in the dough. Make sure to seal the bottom and then transfer to the prepared 9”x13” pan, spacing the rolls evenly.
test
STEP 9. Cover and let rise for another 30-40 minutes, depending on how hot or cold your house is. The rolls should look very puffy but they won’t be fully touching (they’ll expand when baking). To check, if you gently press down with your index finger, the rolls should slowly spring back. If it does not spring back and it leaves an indent, then the rolls are over-proofed.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F while the rolls proof.
STEP 10. In a small bowl, mix one egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Beat well. Brush the top of the rolls with the egg wash. Top with flaky sea salt, everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, or whatever topping you desire.
test
STEP 11. Bake until golden brown, about 18-20 minutes. If you have an instant-read thermometer, it should read at least 190°F when inserted into the center. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with melted butter. The dinner rolls are best served warm. But, if you bake them ahead of time, then cover with foil and reheat in the oven for a few minutes before serving.
More Bread Recipes
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Japanese Milk Buns
Ingredients
For the Tangzhong
- 24g (3 tbsps) bread flour
- 120g (½ cup) milk
For the milk bread dough
- 180g (¾ cup) warm milk (100 to 110℉) divided
- 60g (¼ cup) lukewarm water (100 to 110℉)
- 14g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter melted plus more for greasing the pan
- 100g eggs – weight is without shell (about 2 large eggs in Canada/USA)
- 26g (2 tbsps) white granulated sugar
- 1½ tsp fine salt
- 8g (2¼ tsp) instant yeast (see Notes)
- 552g (4⅓ cups) bread flour (if measuring by cups, use the spoon and level method)
- 1 tbsp neutral tasting oil (e.g. canola, vegetable, avocado oil) for greasing the bowl
For egg wash & finishing
- 50g egg – weight is without shell (about 1 large egg in Canada/USA)
- 1 tbsp water
- flakey sea salt for topping (optional)
- everything bagel seasoning for topping (optional)
- sesame seeds for topping (optional)
Instructions
- MAKE THE TANGZHONG. In a small saucepan, whisk together the bread flour and milk until well combined and there are no clumps. Cook over medium-low, for about 3 minutes, while whisking constantly, until thick and the whisk leaves lines on the bottom of the pan. The roux should have the consistency of a curd. Transfer to a small container (to help it cool faster) and let cool to room temperature while doing the next steps, about 5-10 minutes.24g (3 tbsps) bread flour120g (½ cup) milk
- WARM the milk and the water. They should be between 100 and 110℉/ 37.78 and 43.33℃. If the water is too hot, you'll kill the yeast. If the water is too cold, it slows down the yeast and your bread will take a longer time to rise.180g (¾ cup) warm milk (100 to 110℉)60g (¼ cup) lukewarm water (100 to 110℉)
- NOTE: The next steps involve using a stand mixer, but please know that you can mix and knead the dough — by hand or bread machine.In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm milk, warm water, butter, eggs, sugar, salt, yeast, and tangzhong. Add half of the flour and stir with a wooden spoon (I use the dough hook attachment) until the dough forms a rough shaggy mass.14g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter100g eggs – weight is without shell26g (2 tbsps) white granulated sugar1½ tsp fine salt8g (2¼ tsp) instant yeast552g (4⅓ cups) bread flour
- Attach the dough hook to the mixer, turn to medium-low speed, and gradually add the remaining flour, kneading until a mass of dough begins to form. Continue kneading on medium-low speed until the dough starts to pull away slightly from the bowl, about 5 to 8 minutes . (*NOTE: It won’t completely clear the sides of the bowl and will still be a bit tacky to the touch since it is a wetter dough, but it should feel elastic and tight like a rubber band. So resist the urge to add more flour.)
- Grease the bottom and sides of a bowl with oil. I like using a pastry brush to spread it to the sides of the bowl. Lightly coat your hands with flour then transfer the dough into a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to the greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes, depending on how hot or cold your house is. Be sure to keep an eye on it because it can go fast if it’s really hot outside! Likewise, it can take longer if it’s really cold inside your house.1 tbsp neutral tasting oil
- In the meantime, grease a 9”x13” pan with butter. Set aside.
- When the dough is puffy and is near doubled in size, gently deflate the dough. Transfer it to a lightly floured surface and flatten it with your fingers. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, about 85 grams each. If you don’t have a scale to make even proportions, then flatten the dough out into a square to make it easier to evenly divide. Then cut the dough into fourths and then thirds for 12 pieces.***NOTE. These are fairly large rolls, if you prefer a smaller size, evenly divide the dough into 18, or about 58 grams per ball. Use a smaller pan for the extra 6 rolls and start checking if they're done baking about 3-5 minutes earlier than the suggested baking time.
- Next, shape the rolls into a tight, round ball. To do so, flatten the dough with the heel of your hand on a floured surface to release any excess gas (the dough will be sticky so use floured hands if needed) and then take the ends of the dough and tuck them into the center to form a ball. Then place the ball seam side down, shape your hands into the shape of a “C”, then cup the dough from the side and with slight pressure, roll the ball around in a circle formation until you feel some tension in the dough. Make sure to seal the bottom and then transfer to the prepared 9”x13” pan, spacing the rolls evenly.
- Cover and let rise for another 30-40 minutes, depending on how hot or cold your house is. The rolls should look very puffy but they won’t be fully touching (they’ll expand when baking). To check, if you gently press down with your index finger, the rolls should slowly spring back. If it does not spring back and it leaves an indent, then the rolls are over-proofed.Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F while the rolls proof.
- In a small bowl, mix one egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Beat well. Brush the top of the rolls with the egg wash. Top with flaky sea salt, everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, or whatever topping you desire.50g egg – weight is without shell1 tbsp waterflakey sea salt for toppingeverything bagel seasoning for toppingsesame seeds for topping
- Bake until golden brown or until an instant-read thermometer reads 190°F when inserted into the center, about 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with melted butter. The dinner rolls are best served warm. But, if you bake them ahead of time, then cover with foil and reheat in the oven for a few minutes before serving.