Chinese steamed buns can be stuffed with various types of fillings or unstuffed. Those stuffed steamed buns are called as Baozi in Chinese (Bao Buns) and those without fillings are called as mantou. Mantou(馒头) is a basic staple in northern part of China and served in every places of China not just the northern part.
In the other parts of China, Mantou is mostly served as breakfast in restaurants and food carts. Mantou is made with flour usually all-purpose flour, yeast and water. But now there are many variations about mantou in China for example wholemeal mantou, milk mantou, sweet potato mantou and pumpkin mantou. Once the basic skill mastered, you can develop lots of yummy mantou differ in shape, color or taste.
This is a traditional Chinese knife cutting steamed buns (Mantou) recipe with two rising processes. We will introduce the one-rising process in another post. In the past days, people are making mantou totally by hand. But it is 100% ok to use stand mixer. In fact, I use stand mixer to deal with my dough in most of my daily cooking.Comparing with other shaping method, this easy method make the steamed buns much fluffier.
Tips before starting off
- There are two types of yeast usually used to make steamed buns: instant yeast and dry yeast. If you are using dry yeast, activate them by placing them in warm water (around 35 degree C) before mixing with the dough. And you should avoid adding instant yeast near sugar and salt.
- In order to get a smooth mantou, the dough should be well kneaded in both stages. After the second kneading, there should be no large bubbles in cross section of your dough. Please keep dusting your operation board during the second kneading stage, it not only help to avoid sticky dough but also fill up any small holes brought by the first proofing. So we can have smooth steamed buns.
- Sugar is optional. You can barely taste sweetness in the well-steamed buns but sugar help to form better gluten.
- If the dough is sticky and hard to control, dust your board and hands.
- For second rising mantou (二发馒头), the steaming process should start with cold water.
- If you want to add milk to improve your steamed buns, use 180g milk for 300g all purpose flour.
- Adding 1.5 to 2% of the flour weight can tighten the gluten network and improves the volume of the finished buns.
FAQ about Mantou making
I get lots of the feedback about this recipe. It turns out perfect for some of the readers, but there are also failed reports and request about figuring out what’s wrong. So I collect some of the top topics and share my own experience.
What about the dough smells sour?
Sour taste indicates that the dough is over-fermented. This usually happens in hot summer days or when too much instant yeast is used. The best proofing temperature for steamed buns is around 28 degree C. So in hot summer days, place the dough in cooler places. I suggest rest the dough until 1.5 times in size in summer and 2 times in size in winter. As long as the second proofing is guaranteed, the bun can be fluffy.
How to make the buns smooth in surface (avoid bumpy surface)
Firstly: the dough should be well kneaded at the very beginning.
Secondly: make sure the dough is appropriately fermented just double in size even in winter, do not over-ferment the dough. And pinch the air out after the firstly fermentation forcefully to remove the air inside. There should be no bubbles in the cross sections.
Lastly, control the fire during the steaming process. For steel steamer, you can use high fire all the time because there is not enough vapor via the holes. For bamboo steamer, low the fire to medium after boiling. Adjust the steaming time if necessary, if your buns are bigger in size, steam for 25 minutes. After steaming, remove your steamer off the fire and wait for around 5 minutes before lifting the cover, otherwise the buns might collapse.
How to keep the buns: if you made a large batch and can not eat up all time, steam the buns firstly and then fridge or freeze after cooled. They can be refrigerated for 3 days and frozen up to 1 month. Re-steam before serving.
How to make the basic dough for Chinese Steamed Buns
Prepare warm water around 35 ℃ and melt the sugar in. And mix the yeast with the water. Mix well and set aside for around 5 minutes. If you do not want sugar, just skip it. I strongly recommend measure the water and flour firstly. And ratio should be around 1:2 for water :flour.
Prepare the flour in a large bowl. Pour the water with yeast slowly to the bowl with flour and stir with a chopstick.
Then knead the flour into smooth and soft dough. At the very beginning, it might be a little bit sticky. Or you can add all the ingredients and knead for 8-9 minutes in a stand mixer.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for around 1 hour or until the paste ball doubles in size. This process can be done by mixer. Since it is winter on my side, I put it in a oven and using fermentation function to shorten the time.
Preheat the oven to around 35 degree C for fermentation. After the oven works 5 minutes, turn it off. And leave the bowl in. Please note that in summer, the oven is not needed. The high temperature will kill your yeast. Just place the bowl in a warm place and wait until the dough double in size.
Tips about how to judge the dough is fermented well? There are two ways.
Firstly place the dough in warm place until 1.5 or 2 times in size (don’t over ferment the dough, otherwise you will need long time to get the air out). Poke a hole with finger and the dough does not collapse.
There will be honeycomb texture when pulled apart.
Forcefully re-knead the dough, slightly dust the operating board and punch the air out. The surface of the dough needs to be smooth again.
Divide the dough into two halves and take one portion and re-knead again. To make smooth Mantou, It is quite important to pinch all the air bubbles out of the dough and keep dusting your operation board.My checking way is to cut a cross sections and see whether there are large bubbles inside.
On a slightly floured kitchen board, roll the dough into a long log around 1 inch in diameter or any size you want.
Then remove the two ends and use a very sharp knife to cut the log to smaller pieces (around 2 cm wide). Try to keep the original shape.
Please the buns into a lined steamer. Add cold water to your wok or steel steamer. Place the buns and then cover the lid and rest for 10 minutes in summer and around 20 minutes in winter or until the bun becomes fluffy again.
Use high fire firstly and then lower the fire after you see the vapor coming out from the lid. Turn off the fire and wait for around 5 minutes before serving and enjoying. I highly recommend using a Bamboo Steamer to steam Chinese steamed buns or Chinese Baozi. They can bring a bamboo armoa to the food. You can try to find some in local stores or purchasing from Amazon Joyce Chen 26-0013, 10-Inch Bamboo Steamer Set
Other Chinese steamed recipes
1. Xiao Long Bao Recipe—Chinese Steamed Soup Dumplings The dough for Xiao Long Bao does not need yeast and fermentation.
2. BBQ Pork Buns
3. Chinese Sugar Buns with sesame and brown sugar as filling.
4. Vegan Baozi with spicy tofu as filling.
5. Chinese sweet potato buns — to add some excellent purple color for your buns.
6. Healthywheat buns–mix flour with wheat flour.
Basic Chinese Steamed Buns using instant yeast, making 12 mini buns. video as below.
- 300 g all-purpose flour + 2 tbsp. more for dusting
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar ,optional
- 150 g water or 20ml more if needed
- a tiny pinch of salt ,around 1.5% of the dough
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Prepare warm water around 35 °C and melt the sugar in. And mix the yeast with the water. Mix well and set aside for around 5 minutes. If you do not want sugar, just skip it.
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Place salt and flour in a large bowl. Pour the water with yeast slowly to the bowl with flour and stir with a chopstick.
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Then knead the flour into smooth and soft dough. At the very beginning, it might be a little bit sticky. Or you can simple resort to a stand mixer.
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Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for around 1 hour or until the paste ball doubles in size.
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When the dough is double in size, get paste ball out, dust the operating board and re-knead the dough for 3-4 minutes until the dough becomes almost smooth again. Divide the dough into two parts, keep kneading and shape each part into 1 inch thick long log.
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Remove the two ends and use a very sharp knife to cut the log to smaller pieces (around 2 cm wide). Try to keep the original shape. Place the buns to a lined steamer one by one. Leave some space among each one as the buns rise after steaming.
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Add cold water to your wok or steel steamer. Cover the lid and rest for 10 minutes in summer and around 20 minutes in winter or until the bun becomes fluffy again.
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Use high fire to bring the water to a boil and continue to steam for around 20 to 25 minutes (depending on the size of your buns).
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Remove off the fire and wait for around 5 minutes before opening the lid. Serve warm or re-steam to soften before serving.
Recipe Video
When lifting the cover when the buns are steamed ready, do not drop any water on the buns.
Adding some salt can help to support the gluten network.
If you want to frozen the buns, steam them firstly and then wait until well cooled. Place in air tight bag and freeze for later use.
I love pan fried mantou with a knob of butter and a glass of soy milk. A great way to start my day.
Hi Lin Wen,
I love to eat the simple steamed buns too. Almost twice a week for breakfast. And buy the way, I have post the infomration about Chinese sauces https://chinasichuanfood.com/chinese-sauces/. Check it please. And if you have any further questions about those sauces, let me know please.
Hi Elaine
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Worked perfect!
Thanks Steven,
Glad to know you succeed. Chinese style steamed buns, although look easy but lot of details need attention! Happy cooking in your kitchen then!
i love these. they look so soft and delicious!
Dina,
Try to make some at home. It really worth the working.
hi, just made them they came out super pillowy soft!!!
would love to know what to serve along with them?
Thanks Priya for the feedback. Usually I match those soft buns with soups and congee and serve for breakfast. I guess milk and soy milk are good match too.
How much is 300 grams in cups?
Ashley,
300 grams is a little more than 2 cups. Here is the measurement for flour.
Bread Flour
Cups Grams Ounces
1/4 cup 34 g 1.2 oz
1/3 cup 45 g 1.6 oz
1/2 cup 68 g 2.4 oz
1 cup 136 g 4.8 oz
look really delicious. Natural buns! my dad will be loving those. I will try it as soon as possible.
Thanks for the recipe 🙂
My Pleasure Silvia.You are a good daughter.
I’m making it right now. My son won’t eat in the morning, so I try to find out what be would eat. Hope the recipe works
Just made these. They suck. There is no taste, nothing. It’s just empty calories without any taste. I could have eaten cupcakes and be more satisfied. Change the recipe. This is no good!
Hi Serdar,
Thanks for stopping by and trying my recipe. Mantou is just a basic staple food which needing go with other things like soy milk, minced beef, minced pork, pickled vegetables or congee. Surely comparing with refined sugar in cupcakes, the faint fragrance is just too hard to feel. But it really exists. If you do not want to eat the plain mantou anymore, just enjoy cupcakes. However next time if you want to have a try again, match them with congee or soy milk along with some pickled vegetables. Thanks again for your feedback!
Wow, Serdar, your comment is extremely rude. Elaine is so kind as to share these recipes with us. If you don’t like her recipes then keep your rude comments to yourself.
Yes I agree…Serdar’s comments could have been a bit more refined but I salute Elaine for keeping her cool. That’s a sign of a consummate professional.
There is nothing wrong with Elaine’s recipe. I strongly suggest that you google ‘mantou’ if you aren’t familiar with Chinese cuisine. The same goes to other recipes (from any blog) that you are keen to try at home, but are totally alien to that particular cuisine.
Mantou is the same like plain bread, oats, plain congee and even yoghurt. There is no taste, nothing. It it meant to be eaten together with other stuff. Or you can always add variety into your mantou, such as chocolate mantou, pumpkin mantou and etc (in some countries you can get these at the frozen section). Enjoy both you and your son enjoy the cupcakes.
I tried these twice but no luck 🙁 I followed your instructions but the dough won’t rise. I have to say I never had luck with dough/breads in general lol. Any tips?
@serdar I suggest you do some research before making comments like that. You obviously don’t have very good foudndation knowledge about Chinese cuisine.
Hi Marie,
If you follow all the steps but still the dough cannot rise, I suggest you checking with your yeast once more. The problem might exist in your yeast. You can melt them in a small bowl with room temperature water in summer and see there they are floating after 10 minutes and whether there are small bubbles on the surface. If yes, then continue the next steps. Otherwise, try to get another package of yeast.
Secondly in the process, be patient with the dough. Give it more time. You can also increase the amount of yeast. In summer, we do not need oven for fermentation, too high temperature will kill the yeast. Just place the covered bowl in a warm place. I hope this can help and wish you good luck next time.
And thanks for your lovely support again. I understand that Serdar might be not familiar with Chinese food since she is comparing cupcakes with those steamed buns.
If you get any problem during the process, do let me know.
Your recipe is great – Plain steamed buns just as I regularly purchased.
Suggestion: Try breaking into bite size pieces and dipping partly into Sweet Soy Sauce (Ketchup Manis) – My favorite Breakfast with Tea/Coffee.
Hi Terry,
Thanks for your comment and lovely suggestion. I will update your suggestion to the post so that more readers can have this idea too.
I ended up mixing up the yeast directly with the flour instead (we must have different types of yeast) and added more water than indicated in the recipe. It finally worked!! Thanks a bunch!
Marie,
Glad to know that it finally works for you. Can you tell me the type of yeast you are using? I will check them and see whether we can provide some further information for the follow readers.
I think this will be one of my next recipes to try. I look forward to making it. (The photography is lovely,too!)
Thanks Carol for your lovely comment. Hope you good luck.
Cant wait to try these! will make it tomorrow and let you know how it goes.. looks so good!
Hi Shilpa,
Thanks for the lovely comments. Look forward to your feedback. Good luck.
Hi there, can I make these without yeast and use self raising flour?
Hi Vinea,
Back to the old days, people use self raising flour. They usually use a old sour dough instead of yeast. The old sour dough can function similar to yeast. But the process requires a much longer time and usually you need to add soda to reduce the sour taste. Using yeast really is the quickest and easiest way.
Thank you very much for this recipe Elaine! I’ve loved eating these buns since I was little, but always bought them in chinatown or the store. I usually eat them with honey. I made them for the first time tonight and they were so good. Very easy and fun to make too! So happy. Thank you
Michelle,
You are welcome and I am really glad to hear that it works fine for you. Make Mantou in summer is easier in winter because the short fermentation time. Serve with honey sounds a yummy option too.
When I make this it’s all sticky and gooey… Not like soft or pillowy… Did I do anything wrong? 🙁 and it has the honey comb texture it’s just that it’s all gooey like.. What do I doooo
Hi Mimi,
In most cases, if the dough become very sticky and gooey and you even cannot keeping dough it after spreading some dried flour, then the dough might be over fermented. Does it smell sour? This happens when the room temperature is higher than 30 degree C. You can add some soda water with extra flour to see weather you can control the dough.
finally a recipe I know I can trust and get satisfying results . I had tried your sichuan hot pot and it was great ( although I consumed the oil part , and was quite a bit sick , but it was worth it :D) .
Place where I live , there is only one place which sells it and I have to spend 400 rupees ( indian currency ) for transportation to get buns worth 100 rupees only 😛 .
Now I can make my own and won’t need the trouble to go so far to go get the buns . I prefer the ones with meat filling though with just basic chinese red chilli paste / red chilli sauce . You are doing a great job , keep it up , and thanks again for the recipe . God bless .
Pal, Thanks so much for your trust and feedback. They are so warm! As long as you can make this basic buns successfully, then you are ready to make different fillings, different shapes. Good luck and just enjoy the process.
Hey, thanks for putting up the recipe, just wondering is the recipe right when it says 150g of water/milk or is it supposed to be milliliters? Wasn’t sure if 6 cups of water/milk would be too much. 🙂
Hi Max,
g here means gram. So 150g water equals to 150 ml water. Am I right?
its easier to measure fluids in grams, just set your scales to zero and add the water to the required amount, this is particularly helpful if you are using percentages to flour.
Thanks Vikcie for the lovely suggestion. That’s absolutely helpful.
Its a very nice recipe ,will sure try it ,my daughter will love them.
Thanks for your lovely comment. Nice day ahead and wish you good luck.
Hi I was wondering how many will come out cause it says serve 4 but does that mean 4 people or 4 buns? Sorry but I’m new to this
Hi Lee,
That’s a good question. Mantou should be served with other dishes or porridge I made around 12 small buns with a total net weight around 420g, make serves 4 as breakfast. I have updated the recipe so that you can adjust the amount according to your own needs.
Hi Eliane,
I was so excited to find your website! So many recipes to try. I really like the fact that this recipe was really easy to make (not always the case for me), no need to purchase anything I didn’t have in my cupboard already … and most of all: tasting exactly as I hoped! China nostalgy… 🙂
Thanks! You’re putting so much work in this, I can tell! All the best to you and your family.
Nathalie
Oh, I’m sorry, I spelled your name wrongly… Elaine 🙂
Nathalie,
Thanks for your lovely feedback and the warm words. They will encourage me to the feature recipes. I will try my best to make them accurate, yummy and accuracy authentic. Thanks again for your support and trust.
All the best to you too.
Elaine
These look fantastic. Going to try and make them soon. I was just wondering how long to knead the dough for? I am very new to making dough.
Hi Charlie,
Usually it takes around 10 ~20 minutes depending on your knead skill. But you are quite new, you can resort to mixer.
This is an awesome reicpe. It is different than most bread machine reicpes because you put the yeast in and let it activate. Normally it is the last thing put into a bread machine. I also like to make croutons with it!
Hi Claus,
This is Chinese way of making buns.
Hi Elaine,
I don’t know how to to knead dough. Can i skip the kneading part at the start and just do it at the end??
Hi Susan,
I would not suggest to do that because the first kneading part can mix the yeast well with the flour. So personally I think it is a must. Knead the dough is not that difficult as you think. Just grasp with hand together firstly and then knead like you are washing clothes until it is smooth. Just try this, I believe you can do it.
I would like to make the steamed pork buns in my coursework so I only get 1hr to cook it.
if I just leave the dough for half and hour will it still success?
Thank you
P.S. Yours recipes are so good
Hi Charling,
Thanks for your trust. In that case, the better way is to prepare a semi-fermented dough before the coursework and make another one during the coursework. And use the pre-prepared dough to for the following steps after showing how to prepare another fresh dough during the coursework. Good Luck.
Hello, I would like to ask if there is any quicker way to make the dough be bigger, like within half hour instead of one hour? Thank you so much!
Hi Coco,
The time needed for rising the dough depending on many factors including the yeast and temperature. Personally I think half hour is not enough. Even in summer time, at least 40 minutes are needed. You can try to add a little bit more yeast and test to see what’s the texture after 30 minutes.
Hello!!
I’ve just found this web and it’s really nice the recipes I am seeing, I have to say that I am baker and .always I wanted to try with Asian recipes (bread recipes) and I think I’m gonna try it,thanks for inspiring me. Xxoooo from Spaim
Hi Antoni,
Thanks for stopping by and dropping me such a warm note. Chinese breads are very different from western traditional breads. Hope you will love them too.
It took me 3 tries to actually make them and then I lost track of time cleaning up my mess so they steamed too long. Even so, they taste just like I was hoping and once I get better at making them I will move on to more recipes. Thanks a bunch!
Hi John,
Making those steamed buns at home is not a easy task. I am glad you tried to adventure. Cleaning up the flours can be quite boring and time-consuming. I have this problem too. I am always set up a kitchen alarm clock at the very beginning of the steaming process. I hope this tip is useful.
Hi Elaine
I wonder the remain sugar for the dough should be added before of after knead the flour (with warm water and dry yeast)?. I mean we just add a little sugar with water & yeast, so what’s about the remain sugar if I want to add it into the flour to make dough(2-2.5 tbsp)?
Thank you. 🙂
Hi Atenatny,
I would suggest melting the sugar with warm water. If the sugar is too much for the water, mix it with flour before kneading for uniformity of of sweetness.
Hi
First of all I want to thank you for the recipe, second of all your step by step photos!
I follow the steps but I don’t think I do it right, my dough turns out sour like wine smell before I steamed them.
They still taste good but the look awful ugly. I don’t know how to control yeast or dough can you help me with it! I want to do a second time cause my kid and I love it so much, and I want to know how to make a good looking one, mine turn out sticky at the bottom and everything just look like dough itself before and after ….
Hi Annie,
Firstly thanks for your lovely feedback.
If the dough smells sour, then it is over fermented. You need to shorten the fermentation time.
For a smooth surface, firstly make sure the dough is appropriately fermented.Then knead for a longer time so that the air is punched out completely and the dough becomes really smooth.
Besides, lower the fire during the steaming process after the water is boiling.
Let me know if there is any progress.
Hi! I had these buns during a holiday in Singapore with chili crab sauce and thought they were amazing. Glad to have found the recipe. I’m going to try and make some over the weekend. Just had a question…can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast? If yes, how much yeast should I use? Thanks!
Sure Anam, you can use dry yeast to replace instant yeast. But the fermentation time will be quite longer. So if you prepare earlier, You can use the same amount or add a little bit more if your room temperature is relatively low.
Hi,
I would like to make this a bit more healthy for my kids so I would like to know how to make it using whole wheat flour or semolina instead. Will the proportions and method be the same or can you guide me how to go about that.
Thank you
Hi Sonia,
For whole wheat version, you can check this post:https://chinasichuanfood.com/chinese-steamed-wheat-buns/. It is very similar but I do not recommend use whole wheat flour only.
I gave them a try today. I might need to adjust the water content, but they were quite nice, especially the stuffed ones 🙂
Thanks Ala for your lovely feedback. And I am quite happy to hear that you like them the same as me too.
Different flours have different water-absorbing quality. So usually we need to adjust the water a little bit.
Please help..mine comes out sticky&gooey and its not fluffy inside unlike yours which looks soft and fluffy both inside and outside. Is it because of the dough to water, 2:1 ratio…
Also if I am using milk, what ration should I keep??
I want to make them since its too expensive and not available as my culture cooks differently
Hi Theodre,
If you are using milk, I have listed this problem in FAQ after the recipe. You need to add more milk based on how much flour you are using. Milk only contents around 87% water.
Besides,you need to know some basic about your flour, high gluten flour needs more water. Make sure that the dough is not over-fermented (smell sour or like wine) and I would love to suggest you changing your flour for another try.
If it is sticky, you need to check which part is sticky. I mean whether it is the bottom, surface or the middle. If the even the middle part is sticky, then they are not well steamed. You need to lengthen the steaming time. If the button is sticky, place a cloth or leaves or brushing some oil might help.
Thanks for the tips!! I shall try with a medium gluten flour
I bought all of the ingredients especially for this recipe, but bought some ‘fast action’ yeast by mistake. How long should I leave the dough for using this yeast?
Also, can I add some sesame oil for flavour? How much should I use if I can?
Thank you, and what an amazing recipe! ~Josh
(I bought a bamboo steamer with my Christmas money :D)
Hi Josh,
I have not used fast action yeast yet so I cannot figure out the time needed. Anyway, I would suggest you to watch your dough carefully at the first trying to figure the time out. As long as the dough is around double in size, it is well-proofed.
For sesame oil, I do not think that’s a great idea to add it directly in the dough because the oil will influence the texture. If you want to have more flavor, making a dipping sauce might be a better choice.
Lastly, with your bamboo steamer, you are on board of a steamed bun journey. And welcome!
Well, ome sachet is 7g, but it says that one sachet is equivalent to 15g of normal yeast. But it is actually the same amount as a normal sachet! I’m really confused!
About the sesame oil, could I brush the bottom of the bun with oil before i place it on greaseproof paper and put it in the steamer? I’ve heard that other recipes use this, but was wondering whether it would be suitable for this recipe.
Thanks for the reply! ~Josh
Hi Josh,
Brushing the oil on the bottom is mainly used to prevent the buns sticky to the steamer. If you use greaseproof paper, this step is not required. But you can brush some of course if you like.
About the amount of the yeast, I am sorry that I have not used it before. But I suggest using a smaller amount and wait for a longer proofing time. I would recommend a 0.7% of the total amount of your flour.
Hi Elaine, I fermented the dough for 45 Min. I steamed the mantou for 20 min using high heat started from cold water to became boiling. I used stainless steel steamer. The surface of the mantou was not smooth. Any idea which part that I did was not right. Thank you
Hi Choo,
You need to knead the dough forcefully until smooth after fermentation. If there is any air within the dough, the surface will not smooth as expected.
Hey there, i am making the dough now as we speak. Just a trial run, because i want to try to make the pork bunns this wednesday.. I only have a question about the steaming. I use a steel steaming pan. Do i add them when the water is still cold, wait for the water to boil and THEN 20 / 25 minutes? I know you explained it in your recipy, but to me its not quite clear (sorry about that, english is not my native language). And how long can you keep them? And how? Fridge or freezer?
With love
Skye.
Oh and i forgot to add, can you make the dough in advance? Like the leftover dough i made now, can i still use it wednesday if i refridgirate it?
Skye,
Add the buns when the water is still cold and then steam for 20 to 25 minutes after boiling.
I would not recommend making the dough much easier for the bun because even in fridge, it might be over-fermented. However you can prepare the dough in the previous night and then cover with plastic wrapper and place in a cool place. Besides, the proofing process also depends on how much yeast used in certain amount of flour. You can reduce the yeast slightly to lengthen the time.
Hi,
First thing I want to say is that: My family loves Chinese steamed buns, but unfortunately we do not live in an area that has a good Chinese market here. That said, I am so happy to find this website and see the steps to make this. I do have a couple of questions because I would love to make this for my family. Would regular flour or wheat flour be better for this recipe? Also, when you say to punch the air out, how do you know you took the air out after letting the dough rise? and my last question (I promise), what would you recommend for how long to knead the dough?
Hi Amery,
You can use regular flour for this recipe. No flour is much better than another one. It just depending on your own like. For example, if you use regular flour, the buns will be less fluffy but much chewier, I mean compared with low-gluten flour. It is the North Chinese style. And if you plan to add wheat flour, you can check this post https://chinasichuanfood.com/chinese-steamed-wheat-buns/.
For the second question, you can judge from the size and texture. When the air is punched out completely, the dough should be in similar size before rise and when separate the dough, there will be no small holes inside. The texture should be uniform and smooth.
The time needed for knead the dough is depending on the skill greatly. However I would suggest 8-10 minutes, forcefully!
Hi! I just tried this recipe and I’m using a bread maker. I noticed that the dough didn’t rise as much. Is it because there’s too little water or flour? Also, after steaming, they weren’t as soft and fluffy as I thought they would be but they tasted great though. What can I do to get soft and fluffy buns?
Hi Nikki,
If you are using all-purpose flour, the buns will be chewier.
If you want the buns to be more soft and fluffy, you can start with low-gluten flour or add more water slightly.
Hi Elaine! Thank you for your reply. Besides low-gluten flour, what other flours can I use? Is bread flour okay?
Hi Nikkie, bread flour is high-gluten flour and should not be used in Chinese style steamed buns.
Hi Elaine,
I LOVE your website. It is very beautiful! Your recopes are simple and easy to follow. I am coeliac and I miss chinese steamed buns from when I was a child. Have you had any experience with people who have used gluten free flour blends?
Sorry Jade,
I do not know about gluten free flour and I have not rested with gluten free buns.
Hi Elaine, im planning to try these yummy looking buns soon but I was wondering if adding raisins after beating the air out and a little bit of cinnamon powder would be ok.
Yes totally fine Jane.
I am introducing the very basic process of making soft steamed buns. You can add raisins and cinnamon for extra flavor. And thanks for that brilliant idea. I will try your idea when making my family buns next time.
thank u 🙂
My pleasure!
Hi
im.trying.this.recepie however my.mantao come.out very elastic also.hiw can.i removed the.smell.of.yeast in the mantao? Thanks
Hi Chile,
What yeast are you using for your bun? If the taste is really strong, I will recommend you changing the yeast for a try. If it is mild and you just do not love it, you can slightly increase sugar or add a small amount of beer in your dough. By the way, let the dough proof slowly.
I have never eaten chinese steamed buns. I must buy a steamer.
Hi Simona,
By itself, steamed buns sometimes are really plain without no strong taste. However they are extremely amazing when matched with soups,chili sauces and pickles.
hi,
how to store the mantao? should i steam it before i store in refrigerator?
Steamed buns can be kept in refrigerator after steaming(covered with plastic wrapper). And re-steam them before serving or you can directly deep-fry them like this one https://chinasichuanfood.com/fried-mantou-with-condensed-milk/
Hi! I’ve tried making the buns but mine were slightly yellow. Does using low-protein flour help? Are there any explanation for that?
Hi Buby,
The color of the buns actually depends on the flour. If you want the bun to be as white as possible, change your flour to Hong Kong flour.
My dough was wayy to sticky to knead. They were all stuck to my hands. I tried adding some flour as I kneaded but to no avail. I gave up and just let it rise then steamed them. They came out oddly shaped and grey-brownish in color. Where have I gone wrong?
Hi Shaw,
If you are using 300 gram flour and 150 gram water, the dough should be not that sticky. At the beginning, the dough might be slightly sticky, just add more flour and continue kneading for certain time until gluten comes out and the dough becomes smooth. This process might take 10-15 minutes depending on the kneading skill. If the dough is not well kneaded, the buns cannot come out smooth!
Hi Elaine,
Thank you for sharing the steam bun recipe. The process of making the dough is very successful but it was spoiled during the steaming process. I am using steel steamer to steam the bun but not following your ways to steam the bun. I only place the bun inside the steamer after water start boiling on high heat, and created lot of water vapor within the steamer. Is it the problem that causing my bun doesn’t looks fluffy and smooth on the surface? Please advice!
Hi Titan,
For buns, it is really important to steam with cold water because it will become fluffy again during the process! However, if you steam with boiling water, the yeast will be killed immediately. That’s why the bun is not so fluffy. And for the surface, I would recommend kneading for a longer time next time and do not lift the cover immediately after turning off the fire.
Hi,
Thank you so much for sharing the recipe. I think you have an excellent website.
I followed your steps closely and made Mantou and BBQ pork buns.
Please see photos of my work here.
https://picasaweb.google.com/103670743926486862407/May102015?authuser=0&feat=directlink
I am very happy with my home made buns. I love Chinese steam buns, especially Cantonese Cha Shao Bao but I dislike the artificial taste of those buns bought outside.
However my buns are not as smooth as yours. I wonder if it is because of the kneading?
Hi Alicia,
Thanks for trying my recipes and give me this detailed feedback. You have done great work! Yes, from the pictures, the most possible reason is insufficient kneading. For example, in the first picture, the dough is not smooth enough. It might be slightly time-consuming if you do not knead dough by hand. If you have a stand mixer or bread making machine, you can restore to them for the firstly kneading process. Enjoy and good luck with your further kitchen adventure.
Hi Elaine,
OK I will try kneading more next time. I like kneading by hand even though it gets tiring after 10 minutes. It’s a good exercise for me!
I agree that too Alicia!!
Hi Elaine,
I made the buns again using Hong Kong Bao flour. Here are the photos
https://picasaweb.google.com/103670743926486862407/May232015?authuser=0&feat=directlink
I find it easier to knead with Hong Kong Bao flour. I made BBQ pork buns and steam pork buns. My daughter said the buns are like those bought from restaurant. Thank you so much for your excellent website.
Hi Alicia,
Thanks for sharing me the photos and your buns looks so great!!! Restaurants usually use Hong Kong flour, and I agree with your daughter. Thanks for letting me know and happy cooking in your kitchen.
how much yeast:flour ratio should be?
Hi Jason,
Usually we use a ratio around 50:1 (flour: yeast). However the ratio might be adjusted slightly based on the room temperature and how long you hope the proofing process would be. For example, in winter, I will use more yeast to shorten the proofing process.
Hi Elaine,
I’ve tried your recipe and they came out perfectly, friends and family loved these although (when you eat too much of them) we got pretty… gassy, so to say.
I’m thinking of making a caramelized peanuts filling with brown sugar! Do you have any suggestions and/or a recipe of any kind? because I have a humongous amount of peanuts and too much time on my hands and a lot of friends/family waiting for the next batches 🙂
Hi Chris,
Thanks for the feedback of the recipe. And you can made caramelized peanuts filling of course and I believe it will be very yummy. I would love to firstly toast the peanuts and then make peanut sauce. And finally mix with brown sugar.
Hi Elaine,
My girl love mantao so much 🙂 so i plan to make this for her … may i know can i use normal bao flour instead of all purposes flour ?
Hi Iris,
Yes, you can use bao flour to replace all-purpose flour.
thanks for your reply :):)
You are the most welcome!
Best with condensed milk as a snack and soy milk while lounging on the patio 😀
Agree! Angle. If you love to serve buns with condensed milk, you can deep-fry half of them to make this dish https://chinasichuanfood.com/fried-mantou-with-condensed-milk/
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe Elaine! I tried making mantou for the first time today and it was definitely a raging success! So yummy I think I ate them all in 5 minutes :’) I’m definitely going to make a bigger batch next time haha
Thanks Jodie for the lovely feedback. I am so happy to know you love mantou too. In winter days, I usually make larger batches too and then re-steam them whenever I want to serve. Quite time-saving. Happy cooking and enjoy kitchen life.
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe Elaine! So easy to follow 🙂 I made mantou for the first time today and they were definitely a raging success! I think I ate them all in about 5 minutes hahaha :p I’ll just have to make a bigger batch next time!
Hello, What does it mean if you punch a hole in the middle and it collapses? What do you do then?
Hi Sam,
I mean if you use your finger and pork a hole in the center of the dough, the hold will keep its shape, not go down. Of course, you can also judge the proofing by the size of the dough.
How can you skip sugar in the first step? Yeast needs food – sugar is the food. I’m not understanding how yeast and warm water work. Yeast needs a food, that food is the sugar – what else should I feed it? I’ve yeast on its own (water doesn’t feed it).
Hi Mike,
You can add sugar in the dough for sure. But it is not a must. Sugar can work well with yeast and fasten the fermentation process. But it is ok to skip sugar. The dough will be perfect in longer time.
The flour has sugars in its starch, which the yeast can to some extent use. A little added sugar is however beneficial.
Can I use the bread machine for steps 1 to 5?
Can place banana leaf as base (for bun) to steam?
Yes, you can use bread machine for kneading the dough. But you need to punch the air out by hand, bread machine is not recommended here. Using banana leaf is good choice as it can add some flavor.
Hello,
thank you for your recipe it’s perfect. I’m wondering if I can store the mantou in the freezer, after having steamed them (or before?). If yes, what to do when I will use them again? Have I to re-steam them? Sorry for my poor English!
Hi Lia,
If you plan to freeze them,cool down completely after steaming and then keep in air-tighter bag. For next serving, rest in room temperature for 30 minutes and steam again until soft and warm again.
I hope this helps. Happy cooking!
Thank you!
You are the most welcome! Lia.
Hi!
I just wanted to say thank you for this recipe! The instructions explain the process so well. I have no experience with Chinese cooking but I’ve used this recipe about 5 times so far for steamed buns and its is came out great every time. Sooo delicious. I’m not gluten free but I was wondering if I could substitute rice flour for a different flavor?
Hi Maya,
Thanks for the wonderful feedback. However flour with gluten is a must for Mantou. If you want to use rice flour, I recommend you trying this one: https://chinasichuanfood.com/steamed-rice-cake/.
should I mix with the paddle (leaf) attachment then use the dough hook for kneading
Hi Dianne,
I think you can use dough hook directly.
When I was young I had a friend whose dad is Chinese and he used to cook all these yummy Chinese goodies and these buns were my absolute favorite! For years I would think back on the days we would eat them and wish I’d asked for the recipe… Now I finally have it!! Thank you so much for posting this, I’ll be making them this weekend!!
Good luck Anna, I really hope you will love this.
Hi! I was wondering if I can use a plastic steamer since it is the only available steamer here in our house? How will i make it?
Hi Ckiara,
If that’s the only option, plastic steamer should be ok too.
Hello,
I like bread texture better. Can I use bread flour instead of all purpose and what is the measurement?
Hi Lakey,
Usually we do not recommend using bread flour to make Chinese bun. If you really love to try, you will need to increase the water to 180ml to 200ml.
Hi Elaine, I love how your buns look so smooth, I wonder if you tried making this with sponge? will the texture will be the same?
Hi Mark,
I do not understand about making this with sponge. Do you mean making steamed sponge cake? There are two different food with different texture and taste.
We used to eat these all the time when we were kids! My fondest memory is to serve them with peanut butter. While they are still warm from the steamer, spread some peanut butter in the middle. The best part? Licking the semi melted peanut butter off as we bite into them. Yum!
That’s an interesting way to enjoy warm steamed buns. I absolutely love to try this next time. Sometimes, we add some homemade spicy sauce and minced pickles just like your peanut butter. Yum too!
Just spent 5 weeks at sea on a Chinese government boat where we had many different buns and bread. Looked for recipe and found your page. Tried it tonight. Good for soaking up pork rib sauce!
Made jiaozi on the boat with 20 other people foot Chinese new year. Might try that next. Thanks for posting the recipe.
Haha, Chinese buns and bread on a boat! Sounds interesting! Matching plain mantou with a ribs sauce is a smart choice. We usually match it with normal chili sauce.
Hi. Thanks for sharing your recipe. 🙂 I do not have any problems making this but do you have a recipe for a steamed bread loaf that can be deep fried after? A popular Chinese restaurant offers it in one of the many islands here in the Philippines and I would very much like to try making one at home. I am not sure if the man tou and local siopao dough recipes here at home would suffice. Or are they practically the same?
Hi there,
Steamed mantou can be deep-fried and they are extremely delicious with condensed milk. Our local way of serving is to serve both steamed version and deep-fried version simultaneously. You can go this link https://chinasichuanfood.com/fried-mantou-with-condensed-milk/ to check the steps.
I agree that the tone was uncalled for… However, a suggestion for Serdar as well as a question for Elaine: How about adding some salt? 1-2% of the total weight of the other ingredients. This way you should enhance the taste, although since the bun is steamed, there won’t be any aromas from browning (Maillard reaction). To achieve this however, the bun can be toasted after steaming. The salt will also support/strengthen the gluten network so you shouldn’t have a problem with the buns not rising.
Anyways, interesting info on mantou/gua bao. Thanks! We made these with milk at the restaurant I work in, and adjusted the flour by feel/appearance. Didn’t know about the 2:1 ratio and 87% if using milk, but looking back we had almost exactly that ratio. Buns came out good. We also used 1.5-2% salt.
Yes, I adjust the water amount by hand feeling based on the ratio off 2:1. But hand feeling or experience is hard to past over to other readers. So I worked lots of times and 2:1 should be a tested ration. It is a good question about adding some salt in the dough, which for sure can help to support the gluten and balance the taste.
Hi Elaine,
It is my first time to make these and when I poked the dough with my index finger it collapsed. What should I do to fix it?
Hi Lauren,
You will need to wait for longer proofing time.
Hey Elaine, is there a way to make the steamed buns softer/fluffier. Other than that great recipe i cant wait to make more!
Hi Jordan,
You can add around 10ml to 20ml more water for softer buns. And if you want them to be fluffier, longer resting time after shaping can help.
Thanks Elaine, I appreciate your dedication to your blog, Also how do you preserve the buns to use for a later time?
You can fridge them for couple of days in an air-tight bag or for longer time, you can freeze them after steaming and then re-steam before serving next time.
Thanks for sharing the recipe. My wife just made it and she knead the dough by hand. Turn out no good. After steaming, the bun surface is rough, texture sticky and not fluffy at all. Proofing is not an issue. Could she has over done the kneading? (too long?). She let the dough stay over night before steaming.
The dough might be over-proofed. Which size it is after overnight proofing?
Hi Elaine, pardon me for this but I don’t really understand this. I’m confused. “(Add cool water in wok and put the buns in the steamer to steam. Cover the lid and rest for around 10 minutes to 20 minutes (this is called second proofing and can let the bun softer.))”
Steam for about how many minutes? and rest it. Should I steam it without the lid?
Hi RJ,
Basically we need to cover our buns in the entire process because exposure in air dries the buns out. The second proof may need around 20 minutes, covered of course. Then start the fire and bring the water to a boil, steam for 20 to 25 minutes, covered too.
Happy cooking!
Oh! The 2nd proof needs no fire, it just needs to be covered. (Steaming with no fire). Thank you, Elaine!
That’s right. Sometimes in extremely cold winter, we slightly heat the water (not boil) to increase the temperature inside the steamer. But in most cases, we just leave them inside the steamer for proofing.
Hi Elaine,
I’ve been making this recipe several times, and although the flavor is good, the result is not as fluffy as the ones I purchase at the local market. I followed the recipe exactly, so are there any common mistakes I might be making?
Thanks,
Jeon-Pa
If you want your buns fluffy enough, you can add 1/2 teaspoon baking powder in the dough.
Hi Elaine,
Can i use this recipe to make fried buns? Do i need to steam them and fry later or just fry?
Also can you advice on frying method?
Thanks a lot
Hi Renata,
You need to steam them before frying. For frying method, check this post.
I absolutely cannot wait to make this recipe. I had mantou buns for the first time in Singapore, and I loved them. I don’t typically like working with dough that often (I have no patience), but I’ll have to get back into it for this recipe. Thanks!
Hi, I was wondering if you can tell me the directions to baking them if I wanted to bake instead of steam. Thanks!
Hi Nancy,
Is there any special reason to bake them instead of steaming? We bake soft buns too but use different dough recipe like milk bread.
Hi Elaine, just wondering if I can or should be using self raising flour instead of normal flour? Well this help the dough to rise better?
Hi Sylvia,
If you use self-raising flour, read the instructions about the water amount and there is no need to add yeast any more.
Hi Elaine,
Made these last year but they came out sour…. My kids just nagged me to try again and this time added less yeast, and didn’t leave them so long to rise and they came out perfect!
I tried dipped in honey as someone suggested and it was yum!
By the way, my 6 yr old says excellent name… Hers is Elaina so almost the same.
Liz
That’s so exciting when I heard your successful test for Steamed Buns. Because of the difficult environment(including temperature, humidity, activity of yeast), the measure of ingredients may be with slight difference. Anyway, you have succeed and I really love your daughter’s name, so beautiful!
Hi Elaine,
I would like to try your recipe using wet cultured yeast (starter) due to my gastric problem. May I know how many grams I used use for this recipe? Thank you.
Sorry Ivy,
I have not tried to use cultured yeast previously for homemade steamed buns.
Thank you so much for this recipe and this whole blog! I used to live in Jinan and seeing these food photos overwhelms me with memories. Mantou, Baozu, Liangpi, Youtiao, Congyoubing… even a vegetarian/vegan section. I’m so happy.
谢谢 !!!!!!!
I would like to thank you wholeheartedly….Never have i cooked any kind of bread let alone steamed bun!! ….YOU MADE THAT HAPPEN…So thanks a ton!!!!
You are the most welcome! And thanks for your encouraging comment.
I’m surprised these turned out well. Was quite worried that it might get too yeasty like my previous attempt with different recipe. Was looking for a simple recipe for my R&D and finally I can use this! Thank you! 😀 will definitely be exploring more recipes from this site ??
Thanks Zee for your lovely feedback. This is a well tested recipe by lots of readers. Summer is a great season for steamed buns, happy cooking!
I have a 2 tier metal steamer. When I steamed the buns the top tier buns puff perfectly but the bottom tier buns just did not puff as much and the skins of the buns are wavy and swivel. What could be the reasons..
Hi Kean,
Do you remember the buns in which layer is prepared firstly? And is there any vapor wet your buns?
Hi,Elaine.
Can I use baking powder instead of yeast?
Mimi,
I do not suggest to use baking powder and skip yeast. They bring different taste and texture.
Is this the same type of buns that you can use to put pork belly in?
Yes, almost the same. They are different in shapes. You can check gua bao for the tips of shaping.
I just made my first steamed buns and they turned out great. Soft, pillowy and tastes pretty good, I’ll be making more soon. Thank you for this recipe.
Hi Elaine,
Thanks for posting the recipe. Tried making it tonight and I only made half recipe. Looks okay but texture is not fluffy and soft. The bun looks rough and it is chewy, not soft and smooth. Also, I have instant yeast, do I need to mix it with the water to proof the yeast?
I will try the recipe again…
Thanks
Doris,
You can use active instant yeast directly with the flour. But for common dry yeast, you need to activate them with water. Please read the instructions on the package of the yeast, there should be some lines about how to use it.
Go ahead, you are close to soft steamed buns.
I like this post, enjoyed this one thank you for putting
up.
Thanks!
Hi Elaine, your such a wonderful woman and I’m crazy reading ur recipe for about 2 weeks now. I’ved tried already your chicken braised and paper skin chicken without cooking wine because it’s not available on my area. Results paper skin is much better. Thank for the recipe I will master it lol.
About this mantou I will try tonight, I only confuse on instant yeast and dry yeast. Instant yeast can directly mix with flour and dry yeast is need to activate with warm water and sugar, my question is , I had already purchased instant yeast and definitely that’s I will gonna use tonight. I want to add sugar , how will I do that? Do I mix directly flour yeast sugar and salt and mix and then add water?
Thanks for your reply. Ilovechinesefood
For instant yeast, all we need to do is prevent it touching large amount of sugar and salt directly. If you are using a stand mixer, do not make the yeast touching the sugar. If you are kneading by hand, mix sugar with flour firstly roughly and then add yeast.
Hello! I am trying this recipe out for my sister, but do not have a thermometer for the water. She is coming over to my house in an hour or so, and I do not have time to buy a thermometer. So how do I measure the temperature of the water? Anyways, this recipe looks lovely!
Sorry for the late reply, but I really think you present a good question. The best way of testing the temperature of the water is our hand. Usually our hand is around 37 degree C, and the water for the dough should be slightly warmer than your hands.
Hi Elaine,
I tried making mantou following your recipe and it was great! Thank you for going through all the effort to put together this recipe.
Mantou is one of my most favourite breads and I have never had the guts to try making it myself. It is much nicer to have homemade mantou rather than the store bought ones full of additives and milk. This mantou is denser than store bought mantou, but it was still lovely and soft.
Just in case anyone has any issue with yeast… I had bought a yeast that is able to be placed directly into a flour mix without activating the yeast granules. It was the Tandaco Dry Yeast (it doesn’t specifically say “instant” on the package). However, I knew that this particular yeast works well in dough when it is activated prior to being used. I activated the yeast with 150g water at 35 degrees celcius and 2 tablespoons of sugar, but it could have worked fine without the sugar. So, in case anyone is having issues with their dough rising, you might want to try activating the yeast. Cooking pros can correct me if I’m wrong!
James, mantou is the universal partner for most stir fry dish. I love to add bbq pork or pan-fried pork inside the steamed buns. And you can pick up any Chinese soups like lotus root soup and chicken soup.
Hello Elaine,
I have tried out your recipe and they came out perfectly just like in the picture above. Your’e recipes are so great.
grettings from Germany
Thanks Tom. That’s a comment which made my day. Happy cooking.
how much water is 150g in cups? or just how much water do I need??
Hi Lily,
150g water should be 150ml, which is 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp.
very nice and very useful article that you have shared and keep up the good work. and specially thank you for the recipe ideas in your article. thank you.
In the Tips Before Starting Off you say that one should avoid adding instant yeast near sugar or salt (I take it this means not to add sugar or salt to the liquid you are activating the yeast in), but in the recipe, you say to add the sugar to the warm water and then add the instant yeast. Your recipe specifically says instant yeast. I usually use active dry yeast and am unfamiliar with instant yeast, but instant yeast is all I have at the moment, so I’m confused about what to do.
Debra,
That’s a good question.
When we soak yeast in sugar water, the sugar level will not influence the yeast very much. So it is 100% ok to add dry yeast in sugar water.
However if you are using instant yeast, which means there is no need to active it previously, do not let the yeast touch the sugar. Direct contact with sugar will restrain yeast. I hope I have make myself understood. Adding yeast in sugar water is totally different from mixing yeast with sugar.
So you are ok to put your active dry yeast in sugar water.
Hello Elaine
Do you have a recipe for brown sugar steamed buns?
Thanks
Deborah
Thanks so much! I am trying this tonight. The pics look interesting.
I’ll be following your blog now, as I love cooking and I love Chinese food, but I’ve never cooked much Chinese cuisine.
Thx soo much for sharing this simple yet wonderful recipee Elaine! u gave so much detail in making d recipee it works really well for me! I also add 2tbs wisman butter in d batter ,it tastes n smells wonderful! 2 of my toddlers lovees it soo much they ate almost all of it. thank you!!
Thanks Fera for such a lovely comment. Hug hug your lovely toddlers. They must be foodies too.
can this be used in siopao making?
Janet,
I would suggest check this one.
Do you have a recipe for the steam bread using wild yeast (sourdough) starter that you care to share?
David,
Wild yeast is not popular now in China. But it creates a very unique flavor and texture comparing with the fast instant yeast method. I will schedule it.
HI ELAINE, MY FIRST TASTE OF MANTOU WAS A FIRM AND DENSE TYPE FROM A SHANDONG STYLE RESTAURANT. CONE LIKE SHAPE RESEMBLING THE CADBURY KISS CHOCOLATE. BASE MEASURE AROUND 8-10 CM AND HEIGHT OF 12-15 CM. VERY FILLING. CAN’T FIND THOSE NOW SINCE THE TREND IS IN FAVOR OF THE FLUFFY TYPE. WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHT ON HOW TO MAKE THE FIRM AND DENSE MANTOU. THANK YOU.
Evan,
For denser buns, we usually make a softer dough (using only 3/4 of the original flour amount) and then add the remaining 1/4 flour in the second kneading process. More flour added fills the holes inside the dough and thus create a more denser texture.