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Home » Baking

Super Soft Burger Buns - Hokkaido Milk Rolls (Video)

Published: Feb 3, 2023 by Charlé Visser · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments · 2240 words. · About 12 minutes to read this article.

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A pillowy, melt-in-your-mouth, yeasty soft bun is the most important component of any great burger, slider or sandwich.

Milk buns, also known as Japanese milk buns or Hokkaido buns, are a type of bread roll or burger bun that is a hybrid between brioche and regular white bread buns.

They contain less egg and butter than brioche and instead use milk for hydration. They have a slightly sweet taste and are known for their light, fluffy texture, and they don't fall apart when holding together a juicy burger.

The secret to their softness is a pre-cooked starch called tangzhong, made from flour and water (or milk).

This burger bun recipe is easily scalable and can be used to make homemade slider buns, mini burger buns or even shaped into a shokupan bread loaf.

It can easily be made in advance, keeps well for days at room temperature and can be frozen for longer storage.

Burger bun on wooden background.
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Video
  • How to know when the buns are ready to bake?
  • Tips for success
  • Substitutions
  • Serving suggestions
  • Storage instructions
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Useful equipment
  • Related recipes
  • Recipe
  • Comments

Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for making soft milk buns on wooden table.
  • Flour - All-purpose flour with a protein content of 12 %. If you're not going to use wheat gluten, you use Strong bread flour with a protein content of 15%.
  • Tangzhong - Boiling water (or milk) and flour. Easily substituted for mashed potatoes. It helps the dough retain moisture and keeps the buns fresh for longer.
  • Yeast - Dry active yeast, but you can use fresh yeast too by doubling the amount called for.
  • Egg wash - Made with equal parts milk and egg. Used to brush the buns before baking to give it that beautiful golden top and pleasant shine.
  • Xanthan gum (optional) - Natural stabilizer for maximum and equal air distribution. You need a tiny amount, best weighed out by tiny scales.
  • Wheat gluten (optional)- Naturally found in flour, but adding more, strengthens the structure so that it can trap more air which means lighter less dense buns.
  • Bread improver (optional)- Food for the yeast, resulting in a beautiful soft crumb and fluffy texture.

Instructions

Making the tangzhong

Steps for making tangzhong.
  1. Mix the flour and the water well in a sauce pan.
  2. Whisk on medium heat until it bubbles and thicken. Use straight away or freeze for future use.

Mixing the dough

Burger bun dough is usually an enriched dough. Meaning that it contains ingredients like butter, eggs and milk. Because of this, it requires much more vigorous kneading for proper gluten development. It's best to use a stand mixer and knead the dough for the recommended time.

Steps for mixing milk bun dough.
  1. While the tangzhong is still warm, add it to cold milk, followed by the egg and then the yeast. We use cold milk to cool the tangzhong down, so it doesn't kill the yeast. Mix until well combined.
  2. Add the dry ingredients to a stand mixer bowl and whisk to combine.
  3. Add the wet to the dry and mix on medium heat for ten minutes.
  4. After ten minutes, add room temperature butter and mix for 5 more minutes on medium speed.

Resting and shaping

It's important to only use oiled hands and an oiled work surface. Do not use flour.

Steps for shaping the buns.
  1. Oil a tray and place your dough onto it. Cover flush with plastic wrap and place into the freezer for 15 minutes, or fridge for an hour.
  2. Once rested, divide the dough into 95 gram pieces if making burger buns, 40 gram pieces if making sliders or 20 grams if making mini burger buns. Roughly roll into a round shape and rest for 15 minutes covered on your work bench.
  3. After the pre-shape, go ahead and shape into tight, smooth round balls.
  4. Make sure to close the seam at the bottom of the dough by pinching it close.

If at any point you over work the dough and the top looks torn or not smooth, simply rest for 5 minutes to relax the gluten and try again.

Shaping perfect buns requires some practice, but it's very important that they are tightly shaped and smooth all over for the desired result.

Proofing

It's important to use a large enough tray for these buns to have enough space to expand. The triple, so consider that when spacing them out on the tray.

Steps for proving buns.
  1. Oil your trays then line it with parchment and oil the parchment too. Place your buns onto the trays and cover with another tray turned upside down.
  2. Place these in a warm place until fully proven. This can take 2 to 3 hours depending on the temperature. Keep an eye on them and turn your oven to 180 °C or 356 °F.
  3. Once fully proven, they should look gentle and have a visible wobble when you move the tray.
  4. Very carefully brush them with egg wash, taking care not to deflate them.

Enriched dough like this takes a much longer time to fully proof than regular bread dough. It works best in a slightly warm place like an oven with only the light turned on.

The ideal temperature range to prove them is between 30 °C - 35 °C (or 86 °F - 95 °F).

Baking

Steps for baking the buns.
  1. Bake the buns in a pre-heated oven at 180 °C or 356 °F for 15 minutes until golden brown.
  2. When done, place on a wire rack and optionally brush them with a touch of melted butter before cooling to room temperature.
  3. You can also sprinkle them with a bit of flaky salt.
  4. Eat straight away or store for later.

Video

How to know when the buns are ready to bake?

There's a fine line between under and over proved burger buns. A poke test is usually required for breads.

In this case, you should avoid poking the dough, as it will deflate them.

Rather, look at the way they wobble when gently tapping or shaping the tray. This is visually demonstrated in the video.

Tips for success

  • Use kitchen scales to accurately weigh out your ingredients. Cups and spoons are not accurate measurements, and they vary from brand to brand and country to country. Metric is they forward for any recipe.
  • Use a stand mixer because the dough needs a lot of kneading to become the desired consistency. Kneading by hand will not work.
  • Give the dry ingredients a thorough mix to evenly combine before adding the wet ingredients.
  • Make sure to dissolve the yeast fully in the wet ingredients before adding to the dry ingredients.
  • Keep your butter at room temperature so that it easily mixes into the dough.
  • When shaping the dough, make sure the tops are smooth and then bottoms are sealed.
  • Proof the buns fully before baking. They should look extremely inflated and have a good wobble. The ideal temperature for proofing is 30 °C or 86 °F.
  • If using egg wash, be extremely careful to not knock out the air when brushing the buns.
  • Always preheat your oven at least 30 minutes before baking to make sure it reaches the desired temperature.

Substitutions

  • Tangzhong - Mashed potatoes makes a great substitute for the tangzhong. This way you'll make delicious potato rolls, way better than old Shake Shack.
  • Milk - You could replace the milk with any alternative milks, like soy or almond. Just note that the sweetness and flavour will change.
  • Flour - You could replace up to 15% of the all-purpose flour with any other flour. Take note though that all types of flour hydrated differently and will affect the final outcome.
  • Bread improver - Although it's not the same thing, malt powder can be used instead.
  • Butter - Replace with any other fat like lard or olive oil.

Serving suggestions

  • Any kind of burger.
  • Baked chicken or ribeye steak sandwich with homemade lemon mayo.
  • Breakfast rolls with baked eggs and bacon.
  • Something sweet like peanut butter and orange marmalade.
  • And if you want a taste of South Africa, fill it with bobotie or chicken curry.

Storage instructions

As soon as the buns have cooled down to room temperature, you want to wrap them airtight. They will stay fresh for 3 to 4 few days.

Alternatively, they can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for longer storage.

They will soften beautifully when you toast them for burgers or sandwiches.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour?

Yes, you can use whole wheat flour, but not 100%. Substitute 15% of the regular flour for wholewheat flour.

Can I make mini burger buns or sliders?

Yes, for mini burger buns, simply weigh out 20 gram dough balls and for sliders 40 grams.

Is it normal to have wrinkled tops once they cooled down?

Yes, it's a sign that you made fantastic burger buns. They fully proved and you baked them to perfection.

Can I freeze the buns for later use?

Yes, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. To thaw, simply place them in the fridge overnight or in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

Can I make a milk bread loaf instead?

Yes, simply shape the dough into a loaf and proof in a loaf tin. Bake at 170 °C or 338 °F for 25 - 30 minutes.

Useful equipment

pastry brush

Pastry Brush

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kitchen scales

Electronic Kitchen Scales

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baking sheets

Baking Sheets

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kitchenaid mixer

Kitchenaid Stand Mixer

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Recipe

Burger bun on wooden background.
5 from 7 votes
Print Pin Recipe Save Saved!

Super Soft Burger Buns - Hokkaido Milk Rolls (Video)

Delicious pillowy soft burger buns perfect for any burger or sandwich.
Author Charlé Visser
Prep Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes minutes
Total Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Servings 8 buns
Course Bread, Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American, British, European
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

For the tangzhong

  • 25 grams flour
  • 135 grams water

For the buns

  • 380 grams flour - all-purpose or bread flour
  • 8 grams salt
  • 12 grams bread improver - optional - note 1
  • 6 grams wheat gluten - optional - note 2
  • 0.2 grams xanthan gum - optional - note 3
  • 6 grams dry active yeast - Or 12 grams fresh yeast
  • 180 grams milk
  • 45 grams sugar - Confectioners sugar or caster sugar
  • 120 grams tangzhong - Or mashed potatoes
  • 25 grams butter
  • 50 grams egg - 1 large egg

For the egg wash

  • 1 whole egg
  • 50 grams milk
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Tangzhong

  • Mix the flour and the water well in a sauce pan.
  • Whisk on medium heat until it bubbles and thicken. Use straight away or freeze for future use.

Egg wash

  • Mix well and pass through a sieve.

Burger buns

  • While the tangzhong is still warm, add it to cold milk, followed by the egg and then the yeast. We use cold milk to cool the tangzhong down, so it doesn't kill the yeast. Mix until well combined.
  • Add the dry ingredients to a stand mixer bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Add the wet to the dry and mix on medium heat for ten minutes.
  • After ten minutes, add room temperature butter and mix for 5 more minutes on medium speed.
  • Oil a tray and place your dough onto it. Cover flush with plastic wrap and place into the freezer for 15 minutes, or fridge for an hour.
  • Once rested, divide the dough into 95 gram pieces if making burger buns, 40 gram pieces if making sliders or 20 grams if making mini burger buns.
  • Roughly roll into a round shape and rest for 15 minutes covered on your work bench.
  • After the pre-shape, go ahead and shape into tight, smooth round balls. Make sure to close the seam at the bottom of the dough by pinching it close.
  • Oil your trays then line it with parchment and oil the parchment too. Place your buns onto the trays and cover with another tray turned upside down. Place these in a warm place until fully proven. This can take 2 to 3 hours depending on the temperature.
  • Keep an eye on them and turn your oven to 180 °C or 356 °F. Once fully proven, they should look gentle and have a visible wobble when you move the tray. Very carefully brush them with egg wash, taking care not to deflate them.
  • Bake the buns for 15 minutes until golden brown. When done, place on a wire rack and optionally brush them with a touch of melted butter before cooling to room temperature. You can also sprinkle them with a bit of flaky salt.
  • Eat straight away or store for later.

Video

Notes

  1. Bread improver gives the buns more volume and keeps the crumb soft. You could also substitute it with 10 grams of diastatic malt powder. 
  2. If not using added wheat gluten, you need to use strong bread flour with a protein content of 15%.
  3. Xanthan gum stabilises the air in the dough, but can easily be left out. Especially when using a 15% protein content bread flour.
The added three "obscure" ingredients plays an important role to make these the best burger buns you'll ever taste. However, you can leave them out and still end up with amazingly soft milk buns.
If you have some leftover mashed potatoes, you could use that instead of the tangzhong.
Important tips for success
  • It's best to use a stand mixer and knead the dough for the recommended time.
  • Use oil instead of flour when handling the dough.
  • When shaping the buns, make sure they're smooth and the bottom seam is closed. Bad shaping shows in the final result.
  • Make sure to pre-heat your oven at least 30 minutes before baking.
  • Space the buns out adequately on the baking trays. They inflate a lot.
  • The ideal temperature range to prove them is between 30 °C - 35 °C (or 86 °F - 95 °F). They take a long time, but can also over proof. Keep an eye on them and don't poke them. Rather, use the wobble test.
  • Apply the egg wash carefully to avoid deflating them.
  • If your oven cooks unevenly, turn the tray around halfway through baking.
Storage instructions
Can be stored airtight at room temperature for 4 to 5 days. Freeze for longer storage, wrapped in plastic for up to 6 months.
To serve them, you simply cut in half and toast the cut sides on medium heat in a pan with a touch of butter.

Nutrition

Serving: 95grams Calories: 258kcal Carbohydrates: 46g Protein: 7g Fat: 5g Saturated Fat: 2g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g Monounsaturated Fat: 1g Trans Fat: 0.1g Cholesterol: 34mg Sodium: 434mg Potassium: 114mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 7g Vitamin A: 159IU Vitamin C: 0.003mg Calcium: 48mg Iron: 2mg
Keywords:hokkaido buns, milk buns, soft burger buns
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    5 from 7 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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  1. Dayana says

    November 20, 2023 at 11:29 pm

    5 stars
    Try this right now with russets potatoes. Wow wow!! Amazing bread! Thank you chef Charlé!!!

    Reply
  2. Dayana says

    September 05, 2023 at 2:56 am

    5 stars
    I want to try this amazing bread with mashed potatoes. What type of potato do you recommend?

    Reply
    • Charlé Visser says

      September 05, 2023 at 5:00 am

      Maris Piper, Desiree, Yukon Gold, Russet. All work great.

      Reply
      • Dayana says

        November 20, 2023 at 9:34 pm

        5 stars
        Thank you!!

        Reply
  3. Dayana says

    August 31, 2023 at 7:40 pm

    5 stars
    I agree with you!! This is the best burger buns!! Soft, tasty, with perfect balanced ingredients. Thank you for sharing real successful recipes. This is time and love that I put in my food and is wonderful when I succeeded from the first try. That makes me sooo happyy!!

    Reply
Charle Visser the chef.

Hey, I'm Charlé!

I'm a professional chef with over 20 years of experience, cooking in some of the best kitchens in the world for some of the most famous people on the planet.

Eating and cooking well contribute majorly to a happy life, and it doesn't have to be hard.

I'm going to teach you how to be a great cook and have a fantastic time.

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