Ultra Soft Japanese Milk Buns

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🥛🥯 Ultra Soft Japanese Milk Buns

Makes 9–12 buns

⭐ Ingredients

Tangzhong (Water Roux)

  • 3 tbsp (25 g) bread flour
  • ½ cup (120 ml) milk (or water)

Dough

  • 2½ cups (320 g) bread flour
  • 3 tbsp (40 g) sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp (10 g) instant yeast
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup (120 ml) warm milk
  • All of the tangzhong
  • 4 tbsp (55 g) unsalted butter, softened

Egg Wash

  • 1 egg + 1 tbsp milk

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Make the tangzhong

  1. Whisk flour + milk in a small saucepan until smooth.
  2. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened into a pudding-like paste.
  3. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.

This step gives the buns their signature softness.

2. Make the dough

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine bread flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast.
  2. Add:
    • Egg
    • Warm milk
    • Cooled tangzhong
  3. Mix until a rough dough forms.
  4. Add softened butter and knead (by hand ~10 minutes, mixer ~7 minutes) until dough is very smooth, stretchy, and slightly tacky.

Windowpane test: Stretch a small piece — it should become thin and translucent without tearing.

3. First rise

  1. Place dough in a greased bowl.
  2. Cover and let rise 1 to 1½ hours, until doubled in size.

4. Shape the buns

  1. Punch down dough and divide into 9–12 equal pieces.
  2. Shape each piece into a tight ball (tuck edges under, rotate on counter).
  3. Place on a parchment-lined baking pan, spaced slightly apart if you want them to rise together, or spread out for individual buns.

5. Second rise

Let buns rise 35–45 minutes, until puffy and almost doubled.

6. Bake

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Brush buns gently with egg wash.
  3. Bake 15–18 minutes, until lightly golden on top.

7. Cool & serve

Cool 10 minutes before eating — they will be SO soft and bouncy!
Serve warm with butter, jam, or as mini sandwich buns.

✨ Tips for the softest buns ever

  • Use bread flour, not all-purpose — gives better chew and structure.
  • Don’t add extra flour while kneading — slightly sticky dough = soft buns.
  • Add butter after gluten has started forming (makes kneading easier).
  • Brush warm buns with a little melted butter for a glossy, ultra-soft finish.
  • Store in an airtight container — they stay soft for 2–3 days thanks to tangzhong.

🍞 Variations

  • Milk Bread Loaf: Shape into a 3-log pull-apart loaf and bake 30–35 minutes.
  • Sweet Cream Buns: Fill with custard or sweet red bean paste.
  • Garlic Butter Buns: Brush with garlic butter after baking.
  • Matcha Buns: Add 1 tbsp matcha powder to flour.

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