Japanese Milk Buns
Soft, fluffy, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious—these Japanese Milk Buns are the ultimate dinner roll upgrade. Made with the magic of the tangzhong method, they stay fresh and tender for days, with a hint of sweetness and a perfectly golden top. Whether you're looking to wow your guests at holiday dinners or simply elevate a weeknight meal, these buns are the pillowy, buttery delight you’ve been waiting for!On measuring: All recipes are developed and tested in metric grams. I have provided a conversion to US customary (based on this Baking Conversion and Measurement Chart) in the recipe but I strongly recommend using a digital scale for a more accurate result. Step-by-step photos: If there's any step you feel confused, my recipe post contains step-by-step photos and helpful tips to guide you in making this recipe. Go to >>> https://bakeologie.com/japanese-milk-bread-rolls/
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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 flour, 120g (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 butter, 100g eggs - weight is without shell, 26g (2 tbsps) white granulated sugar, 1½ tsp fine salt, 8g (2¼ tsp) instant yeast, 552g (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 shell, 1 tbsp water, flakey sea salt for topping, everything bagel seasoning for topping, sesame 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.
Notes
Yeast. Yeast packets in the US are sold in 7g quantities. 1 grams is a tiny difference so that is ok to use.
Servings: 12 big rolls
