Japanese Milk Bread Rolls
Soft, pillowy bread rolls made using a special Japanese technique.
- Total time
- 3 hr 57 min
- Active time
- 30 min
- Yield
8, 8 to 10 rolls, depending on size8, 8 to 10 rolls, depending on size
- Difficulty
- Medium
Ingredients and Constraints
Ingredients
Ingredient watchpoints2 watchpoints
Short requirements and tradeoffs to check while gathering ingredients; detailed source notes stay expandable.
King Arthur Baker's Special Dry Milk
2 tablespoons (14g) King Arthur Baker's Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
The source ingredient row lists alternatives.
Details and source
Acceptable alternatives: Nonfat Dry Milk
Source: Japanese Milk Bread Rolls
Unsalted Butter
4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, melted
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Japanese Milk Bread Rolls
Additional ingredient notes
Method Timeline
Prep
ActivePrep
30 min
Prep time from the source recipe card.
Cook
ActiveCook
30 min
Cook time from the source recipe card.
Total
PassiveTotal
3 hr 57 min
Total time from the source recipe card.
Step 1
Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
Step 2
To make the tangzhong: Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan, and whisk until no lumps remain.
Image detailsPerfectly Pillowy Cinnamon Rolls – Step 2King Arthur Baking · Japanese Milk Bread RollsDev reference Visual cue
until no lumps remain.
Checks1
Visual cueInfoVisualuntil no lumps remain.
Expected state: until no lumps remain.
Why and source
This step has reviewed source-backed guidance.
- Source: Japanese Milk Bread Rolls
Step 3
Place the saucepan over low heat, and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until thick and the whisk leaves lines on the bottom of the pan, about 3 to 5 minutes.
low heat3 min-5 minStep 4
Transfer the tangzhong to a small mixing bowl or measuring cup and let it cool to room temperature.
Step 5
To make the dough: Combine the tangzhong with the remaining dough ingredients, then mix and knead — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — until a smooth, elastic dough forms.
Image detailsPerfectly Pillowy Cinnamon Rolls – Step 5King Arthur Baking · Japanese Milk Bread RollsDev reference Visual cue
until a smooth, elastic dough forms.
Checks1
TextureInfoTextureuntil a smooth, elastic dough forms.
Expected state: until a smooth, elastic dough forms.
Why and source
This step has reviewed source-backed guidance.
- Source: Japanese Milk Bread Rolls
Step 6
Shape the dough into a ball, and let it rest in a lightly greased covered bowl for 60 to 90 minutes, until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk.
Image detailsPerfectly Pillowy Cinnamon Rolls – Step 7King Arthur Baking · Japanese Milk Bread RollsDev reference Visual cue
until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk.
Checks3
Visual cueInfoVisualuntil puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk.
Expected state: until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk.
TimingInfoTimingfor 60 to 90 minutes
Target: 60-90 minute
Expected state: Shape the dough into a ball, and let it rest in a lightly greased covered bowl for 60 to 90 minutes, until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk.
HoldingMain recipeSource holding instruction
Shape the dough into a ball, and let it rest in a lightly greased covered bowl for 60 to 90 minutes, until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk.
Why and source
This step has reviewed source-backed guidance.
- Source: Japanese Milk Bread Rolls
Step 7
Gently deflate the dough, divide it into 8 equal pieces (for large rolls) or 10 equal pieces (for medium-sized rolls), and shape each piece into a ball.
Step 8
Place the rolls into a lightly greased 8" or 9" round cake pan. Cover the pan, and let the rolls rest for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy.
Step 9
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the rolls with milk or egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water), and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown on top; a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the middle roll should read at least 190°F.
Step 10
Remove the rolls from the oven. Allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
Learn More
Extra cooking notes, tests, and source details kept out of the step-by-step method.
Why this works
Quick kitchen reasons behind the main choices.
Tips from our Bakers
With origins in Japan's yukone (or yudane), tangzhong is a yeast bread technique popularized across Asia by Taiwanese cookbook author Yvonne Chen.
Tangzhong involves cooking some of a bread recipe’s flour in liquid prior to adding it to the remaining dough ingredients. Bringing the temperature of the flour and liquid to 65°C (149°F) pre-gelatinizes the flour’s starches, which makes them more able to retain liquid — thus enhancing the resulting bread's softness and shelf life.
Recipe structure
Components and intermediate outputs created by the method.
Main recipe
Recipe card ingredients and steps.
8, 8 to 10 rolls, depending on size
Dough
Source step 5 creates or uses dough.
Mixture
Source step 3 creates or uses mixture.
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Source and Origin
Origin declaration
Adapted from source
Imported from the king-arthur-baking page for dev review.
Copy risk: Unchecked
Japanese Milk Bread Rolls
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