Honey Butter Milk Buns

I love a good yeasted roll. And when it comes to the best types of rolls, well, I don’t think anyone can deny that Japanese milk buns use the best technique and have the absolute best texture. It’s pull-apart, fluffy, and stringy in the best way, and that’s all thanks to tangzhong – a Chinese term for the pre-cooking of flour and water to make a paste that keeps bread moist, pliable and soft for days. In these Honey Butter Milk Buns, I used that same technique, but injected the rolls with a small scoop of honey butter. As the butter melts in the oven, it releases steam to cause a huge *poof* in the rolls and creates pockets of pull-apart bread that I can’t get enough of. It’s a fantastic yeasted roll, and that’s because I learned from the best.

What is tangzhong?

Tangzhong is a Chinese term for a fantastic baking technique that cooks down flour and water on the stove top so that it gelatinizes into a paste. In a tangzhong the flour is cooked up to 150°F which causes the sugars and starch in the flour to gelatinize. A few things happen when this is added to a dough. It helps the dough hold moisture, but it also stalls crystalization in wheat dough, so it makes the bread last longer while keeping a soft, pliable texture.

The greatest benefits I’ve seen from using this technique is that my bread is fluffier, more tender, and has a delicate, pull-apart crumb that reminds me of a Pillsbury Grand. (I love when things remind me of Pillsbury).

Tips on making, storing and using a tangzhong

The key to using a tangzhong is that you want it to be done before you start your dough so that it has time to cool. It is at its best when it is allowed to come to room temperature on its own, but you can also speed up the process by popping it in the fridge.

Tangzhong also keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days, in case you want to plan ahead.

The big tip is that the closer you can get this to room temperature, the better. So take it out of the fridge a hour or so before you plan to bake!

Ingredients you will need for these Honey Butter Milk Buns

The ingredients for this recipe are broken down into three parts, the tangzhong, the dough and the honey butter:

What you will need for the tangzhong:

• 23 grams bread flour
• 120 grams water

For the dough:

• 8 grams active dry yeast
• 45 grams granulated sugar
• 120 grams whole milk between 100-110°F
• 42 grams unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs divided, one for the dough, one for the egg wash
• 350 grams bread flour
• 5 grams Diamond Crystal kosher salt

For the honey butter:

• 113 grams salted butter, softened
• 60 grams honey
• Flaky salt for finishing

How to make, fill and bake these honey butter buns

First, begin with the tangzhong.

This doesn’t have to be a crazy amount of time earlier, it can be just a few hours. The key thing is you want your tangzhong to have time to cool.

• Add the 23 grams of bread flour and 120 grams of water to a small pot. Put the pot over medium heat. Stirring often, bring this mixture to between 150-160°F or until thickened and gluey. If you can lift up your spoon and the tangzhong pulls down from it like a ribbon, it is ready.
• Transfer this to a bowl, cover the surface with wax paper or cling wrap to prevent a film from forming, and let this cool to room temperature. This will take an hour or two at room temperature, or 15-30 minutes in the fridge. This also keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days.

When the tangzhong has cooled to room temperature, you may begin the dough.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer add 8 grams of yeast, 45 grams of sugar, and 120 grams of milk that’s between 100-110°F. Whisk so the yeast and sugar are dissolved. In a separate small bowl, whisk together 43 grams of melted butter and the egg until pale yellow, then add those into the bowl as well.
• Add in all of the tangzhong (it should be about 120 grams of the mixture). Whisk this all together until smooth. Using the hook attachment, add the 350 grams of bread flour and 5 grams of salt. Mix the dough on medium speed for 12-15 minutes, or until the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
• If you can take out a golf ball size piece of dough and stretch it until you can see light shine through it, then it’s ready.

Now it’s time for the first proof.

• Transfer this dough to a bowl to proof for 1 hour, it won’t double in size, but it will grow by about a third and look “puffy.”
• While the dough is rising, use a spatula to combine 113 grams of softened butter with 60 grams of honey to make the honey butter.

Next, shape the rolls with the honey butter inside.

• Use a bench scraper to cut the dough into eight pieces. Pull and flatten them out widely with your hands, then put a scant tablespoon of the honey butter in the center of each piece. Working around the edges of the dough, fold the edges over to seal in the honey butter.
• Pinch the bottom seam of the dough and gently roll the dough seam-side-down on the counter a few times. Use the traction from the counter to help seal the dough up even more and ensure the honey butter is fully encased.

Now for the second proof.

Grease a 10-inch skillet or a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with butter. Place the dough balls seam-side down in the pan. Cover and let them proof another hour until they have grown another third in size.

After the second proof it’s time to bake.

Bake the rolls after brushing them with egg wash at 375°F for 25-30 minutes. Brush them with the remaining honey butter and sprinkle with flaky salt. Then serve warm!

Storage and make-ahead suggestions

The best way to store these rolls is either:

• Store in an airtight bag at room temperature if you plan to eat within 2-3 days.
• Store in an airtight bag in the fridge for 7 days, gently reheat the rolls in the oven or microwave for peak softness.
• Freeze these rolls for up to 6 months. Move them to the fridge 24 hours before serving to let them thaw, then gently heat in the microwave or in the oven at 350°F for 10-11 minutes.

To make these rolls ahead (and if you want them baked fresh), I would suggest doing every step up to the second proof. Wrap the rolls tightly in plastic, move them to the fridge to store for 24-48 hours, then pull them out and they should be ready to bake after 20 minutes or so.

Why is this recipe in grams?

Grams are always my preference for baking, and I hope it will be yours, too. The only way to ensure complete accuracy is through measuring by weight, not volume. One cup of flour can weigh all the way from 120 grams to 160 grams, depending on how it was packed. This ends up causing some volatility and miss-matched results.

I want to ensure you get the best results with this recipe (and I want to keep this recipe fool-proof!) so I highly recommend getting a small affordable kitchen scale if you want to move forward with this particular recipe.

And that’s it for these Honey Butter Milk Buns!

If you make them, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

Honey Butter Milk Buns

5 from 6 votes

These soft, pillowy Honey Butter Milk Buns use the same technique as Japanese milk buns, but with a twist. Each bun is baked with a spoonful of honey butter right in the center, giving you tall, plush buns that pull apart in the most satisfying way. While I used a separated pan, you can use any pan for this, from a cast iron to a 9 by 9-inch baking dish.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time:45 minutes mins

Cook Time:30 minutes mins

Chilling and Proofing Time:3 hours hrs

Course: Appetizer, baking, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American, Fusion, Japanese

Keyword: dinner rolls, honey butter, honey butter buns, milk buns, rolls, yeast, yeasted bread

Servings: 8 rolls

Equipment

• 1 Stand mixer
• 1 bench scraper
• 1 10-inch skillet or 9 by 9-inch baking dish
• 1 half sheet pan

Ingredients

For the tangzhong:

• 23 grams bread flour see Note*
• 120 grams water

For the dough:

• 8 grams active dry yeast
• 45 grams granulated sugar
• 120 grams whole milk between 100-110°F
• 42 grams unsalted butter melted
• 2 large eggs divided, one for the dough, one for the egg wash
• 350 grams bread flour
• 5 grams Diamond Crystal kosher salt

For the honey butter:

• 113 grams salted butter softened
• 60 grams honey
• Flaky salt for finishing

Instructions

• A few hours before you would like to begin the recipe, make the tangzhong (this is a prep step that makes the most soft and tender rolls). Add the 23 grams of bread flour and 120 grams of water to a small pot. Put the pot over medium heat. Stirring often, bring this mixture to between 150-160°F or until thickened and gluey. If you can lift up your spoon and the tangzhong pulls down from it like a ribbon, it is ready.
• Transfer this to a bowl, cover the surface with wax paper or cling wrap to prevent a film from forming, and let this cool to room temperature. This will take an hour or two at room temperature, or 15-30 minutes in the fridge. This also keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• When the tangzhong has cooled to room temperature, you may begin the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer add 8 grams of yeast, 45 grams of sugar, and 120 grams of milk that’s between 100-110°F. Whisk so the yeast and sugar are dissolved.
• In a separate small bowl, whisk together 42 grams of melted butter and the egg until pale yellow, then add those into the bowl as well. Add in all of the tangzhong (it should be about 120 grams of the mixture). Whisk this all together until smooth.
• Using the hook attachment, add the 350 grams of bread flour and 5 grams of salt. Mix the dough on medium speed for 12-15 minutes, or until the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl. If you can take out a golf ball size piece of dough and stretch it until you can see light shine through it, then it’s ready.
• Transfer this dough to a bowl to proof for 1 hour, it won’t double in size, but it will grow by about a third and look “puffy.”
• While the dough is rising, use a spatula to combine 113 grams of softened butter with 60 grams of honey to make the honey butter.
• Move the dough to a work surface. Dust the dough with flour if needed, but I find it never needs any. Use a bench scraper to cut the dough into eight pieces. Pull and flatten them out widely with your hands, then put a scant tablespoon of the honey butter in the center of each piece. Working around the edges of the dough, fold the edges over to seal in the honey butter. Pinch the bottom seam of the dough and gently roll the dough seam-side-down on the counter a few times. Use the traction from the counter to help seal the dough up even more and ensure the honey butter is fully encased. You should have 1/4 cup of honey butter remaining. Save this for finishing the buns.
• Grease a 10-inch skillet or a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with butter. Place the dough balls seam-side down in the pan. Cover and let them proof another hour until they have grown another third in size.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F convection.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg for egg wash. Right before you put the dough in the oven, brush them with egg wash.
• Place the baking dish on top of another sheet pan (just to avoid any butter spilling and smoking up your oven). Bake the buns for 25-28 minutes or until nicely golden brown.
• When the buns are out of the oven, brush them with the remaining honey butter and sprinkle on some flaky salt. Serve warm.

Notes

Note* – for the sake of ease and accuracy of this recipe, all of the measurements are in grams. This is just because some measurements are too small to get an accurate cups or tablespoons conversion!