Steamed Bao Buns Recipe
Soft, pillowy, warm clouds that you can eat! These delicious puffs of heaven are milky, slightly sweet, and go with basically every kind of filling you can dream up.
Steamed Bao Buns Recipe
Steamed Bao Buns Recipe
Steamed Bao Buns Recipe
Making bao buns from scratch is extremely rewarding and easy! They taste delicious and have a texture you may want to snuggle up and sleep on if you could make one big enough.
Prep them ahead of time and freeze them to use in weeknight meals like this delicious sticky chicken bao recipe or to make entertaining that little bit less work on the day.
You’ll need a steamer for this. I used a bamboo steamer, you can get them from most super markets or Asian grocery stores but you can also use a standard steel steamer.
If this is your first time making bao, don’t fret about not having perfectly symmetrical shapes when you fold your bao, however if you want to ensure they’re perfectly matching, my recommendation is to add another step, rather than cut portions out to roll individual bao, roll out the entire dough to make a sheet 3-4mm thick, then cut with a cookie cutter, and roll out your dough into ovals that way.
If you love the idea of making your own dough from scratch, then my Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe is definitely one to try.
Store unused boa in the freezer, after they have been steamed, place them on a tray with the baking paper square still attached, then freeze for a couple of hours and transfer to a freezer bag.
To reheat your bao, place the frozen boa in a steamer with the lid on and steam for 6-8 minutes until heated through.
Ingredients and substitutions
How to make it - step by step!
Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, yeast and mix to combine then make a well in the centre. Pour the milk, rice vinegar and oil into the centre.
Mix to combine using your hands, combine in the bowl until it forms a rough dough.
Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until the dough forms a smooth texture. It should have a light spring-back to it when you press into it.
Place in a lightly floured bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hr. Meanwhile cut out 10 squares of baking paper 11cm x 11cm / 4.5” x 4.5” size
Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface then ‘knock out’ the dough to remove air bubbles by kneading it for about 5 minutes.
Roll out the dough onto a log shape, then cut into 10 pieces (cover these with clingfilm to prevent drying out while rolling the others). Then using a rolling pin, roll each piece into an oval shape about 10cm x 5cm (twice as long as they are wide). You want them to be 3-4mm thick. Place each piece on a baking paper square.
Brush each oval with oil, then fold in half so that the oil sides are touching, roll lightly over the boa lightly with a rolling pin then cover and let prove again for 30 minutes. It should rise to about 1.5 times the size.
To steam the buns, add some water to your wok or base pot, place some buns baking paper side down onto a bamboo or metal steamer, and place the steamer onto your wok or base pot. (you’ll need to work in batches depending on the size of your steamer) Cover and steam for 10-12 minutes until fluffy and cooked through. Serve warm.
Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, yeast and mix to combine then make a well in the centre. Pour the milk, rice vinegar and oil into the centre.
Mix to combine using your hands, combine in the bowl until it forms a rough dough.
Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until the dough forms a smooth texture. It should have a light spring-back to it when you press into it.
Place in a lightly floured bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hr. Meanwhile cut out 10 squares of baking paper 11cm x 11cm / 4.5” x 4.5” size
Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface then ‘knock out’ the dough to remove air bubbles by kneading it for about 5 minutes.
Roll out the dough onto a log shape, then cut into 10 pieces (cover these with clingfilm to prevent drying out while rolling the others). Then using a rolling pin, roll each piece into an oval shape about 10cm x 5cm (twice as long as they are wide). You want them to be 3-4mm thick. Place each piece on a baking paper square.
Brush each oval with oil, then fold in half so that the oil sides are touching, roll lightly over the boa lightly with a rolling pin then cover and let prove again for 30 minutes. It should rise to about 1.5 times the size.
To steam the buns, add some water to your wok or base pot, place some buns baking paper side down onto a bamboo or metal steamer, and place the steamer onto your wok or base pot. (you’ll need to work in batches depending on the size of your steamer) Cover and steam for 10-12 minutes until fluffy and cooked through. Serve warm.
Watch the how to video
Watch the how to video
Steamed Bao Buns Recipe
- 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tbsp raw caster sugar
- 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast
- ¾ cup full cream milk
- ½ tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2.5 tsp oil (neutral tasting) plus extra
- Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, yeast and mix to combine then make a well in the centre. Pour the milk, rice vinegar and oil into the centre
- Mix to combine using your hands, combine in the bowl until it forms a rough dough
- Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until the dough forms a smooth texture. It should have a light spring-back to it when you press into it
- Place in a lightly floured bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hr. Meanwhile cut out 10 squares of baking paper 11cm x 11cm / 4.5” x 4.5” size
- Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface then ‘knock out’ the dough to remove air bubbles by kneading it for about 5 minutes
- Roll out the dough onto a log shape, then cut into 10 pieces (cover these with clingfilm to prevent drying out while rolling the others). Then using a rolling pin, roll each piece into an oval shape about 10cm x 5cm (twice as long as they are wide). You want them to be 3-4mm thick. Place each piece on a baking paper square
- Brush each oval with oil, then fold in half so that the oil sides are touching, roll lightly over the boa lightly with a rolling pin then cover and let prove again for 30 minutes. It should rise to about 1.5 times the size
- To steam the buns, add some water to your wok or base pot, place some buns baking paper side down onto a bamboo or metal steamer, and place the steamer onto your wok or base pot. (you’ll need to work in batches depending on the size of your steamer) Cover and steam for 10-12 minutes until fluffy and cooked through. Serve warm.