Two milk buns sitting on dark grey plates, in between a salad leaf and a piece of fried chicken.

Soft Milk Buns

Name: Soft Milk Buns
Prep time: 1 h 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 10
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 500g bread flour; 350g milk, at 98 °F (37 °C); 50g unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut in 0.7x0.7 inch cubes (2x2 cm); 7g active dry yeast; 20g granulated sugar; 1 tsp fine salt; 1 egg, at room temperature

This is one of my easiest bun recipes, and they taste so much better than any store-bought buns! They're pillowy soft and sweet, and made with just six simple ingredients. They're also fast - you can have these ready in under two and a half hours. Ideal when you want to add a little extra to a lunch or dinner.

Proof time 1 hr 45 min

Bake time 15 min

Total time 2 hr

Servings 10

Equipment

Stand mixer (optional)

Soft Milk Buns

Ultra-soft, pillowy buns that are ready in under two and a half hours. Great for fried chicken sandwiches or burgers.

Ingredients

500g bread flour
350g milk, at 98 °F (37 °C)
50g unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut in 0.7x0.7 inch cubes (2x2 cm)
7g active dry yeast
20g granulated sugar
1 tsp fine salt
1 egg, at room temperature

Method

In the bowl of a stand mixer (if you don’t have a stand mixer, just use a regular large bowl), combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add the milk and butter cubes, then knead on low speed or by hand until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test (see note), about 10-15 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size. This should take about 1 hour, but depending on the temperature of your kitchen it can take a bit less or more time.

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently deflate. Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball. I do this by pinching the ends of the dough piece, creating a ‘seam’, then rolling the ball seam-side down on my work surface so I create more tension. You can eyeball the size of each dough ball, but I like to weigh my dough and then divide by 8, so I know exactly how much each ball should weigh. Place the balls with seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a cloth or plastic and let rise again, for 45 minutes. With about 15 minutes of rising time left, preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C).

In a small bowl, beat the egg and right before baking, egg wash the buns. When I make these buns specifically for burgers, I like to sprinkle some sesame seeds on top. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Note: The windowpane test is a test to determine if the gluten network in your dough has developed enough through kneading, and is strong enough for its first rise. You take a small piece of your dough and gently stretch it between your fingers. If the dough stretches out thin enough that you can see light through without it ripping, that means your gluten is well developed and your dough is ready. If your dough rips apart, it means the gluten strands haven’t yet linked into a strong, elastic network and it’s a sign your dough needs more kneading.