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    Home » Recipes » Chinese Pancakes

    Coconut Buns (Cocktail Buns)

    Last Modified: October 9, 2022 by Elaine| 26 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    How to to make super soft Chinese bakery buns with creamy coconut filling.

    coconut buns (cocktail buns)|China Sichuan Food

    coconut buns|China Sichuan Food

    Coconut buns (cocktail buns) are those popular ones in Hong Kong bakery. We love sweet and soft buns. It is said that the coconut was bread crumbs initially when we were are lack of food. Then the bakers use coconut to replace bread crumbs and create this yummy coconut buns.Desiccated coconut has been widely used in Chinese bakery as a filling or topping for sweet dessert and buns.  This sticky rice balls with desiccated coconut (nuomici) is one of the most popular desserts in dessert stores.

    Theoretically, you can use any soft asian bun dough recipes ( for example TangZhong) to make a basic dough. I am using the recipe from milk bread with very basic home baking ingredients. 

    Bun dough:

    • 300g bread flour
    • 50g sugar
    • 2g salt
    • 1 smaller egg
    • 160g milk (3.5% fat)
    • 1 and ½ teaspoon yeast
    • 30g unsalted butter at room temperature

    Firstly make a basic bun dough according to milk bread:  in a bowl of stand mixer, add all the ingredients expect butter, stir with hook for 5-7 minutes and then add butter and continue kneading for 10 minutes until you get a elastic, smooth and soft dough. Then covered and set aside until doubled in size.

    Coconut filling:

    • 50g desiccated coconut
    • 40g whisked egg
    • 15g baking milk powder
    • 30g sugar
    • 20g melted butter

    Mix whisked egg with butter  and then stir in sugar and coconut. Mix well and set aside.

    coconut buns (cocktail buns)-17

    Topping: 

    • 30g melted unsalted butter
    • 20g cake flour
    • 10g sugar powder

    Mix all the ingredients together and then transfer to icing bag.

    coconut buns (cocktail buns)-17

    How to assemble coconut buns-two ways.

    Method 1: flatten one piece of dough with your hands into a oval shape, about 4 inches long and 3 inches wide.Then spread the filling in the middle. Roll up one side to cover the another side (like a small tube).

    coconut buns (cocktail buns)|China Sichuan Food

    coconut buns (cocktail buns)|China Sichuan Food

    Turn over, seal completely and slightly roll up the two ends. This method will form a small center filling tube within the bun.

    coconut buns (cocktail buns)|China Sichuan Food

    Method 2: flatten one piece of dough with your hands into a oval shape, about 4 inches long and 3 inches wide.Then spread the filling in the middle.Then roll from the bottom to top.

    coconut buns (cocktail buns)|China Sichuan Food

    Completely seal and shape the buns.  This will form layered fillings within the bun.

    coconut buns (cocktail buns)|China Sichuan Food

    coconut buns (cocktail buns)|China Sichuan Food

    Assemble all the buns and transfer to lined baking tray. Place in oven and set aside for the second proofing (need 40 minutes to 1 hour) until all the buns are doubled in size.  Brush egg wash on surface and decorate with strips of topping (either two strips or three strips). Pre-heat oven to 170 degree C (350 degree F).

    coconut buns (cocktail buns)|China Sichuan Food

    Garnish sesame seeds and bake for 15 minutes on middle track.

    coconut buns (cocktail buns)|China Sichuan Food

    When well baked, transfer out and then brush honey wash.

    coconut buns (cocktail buns)|China Sichuan Food

    coconut buns (cocktail buns)|China Sichuan Food

    coconut buns (cocktail buns)|China Sichuan Food

    🧾Recipe

    Coconut Buns (Cocktail Buns)

    Elaine
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 50 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Dessert
    Cuisine Chinese
    Servings 9 making 9 coconut buns
    Calories 316 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Bun Dough

    • 300 g bread flour
    • 50 g sugar
    • 2 g salt
    • 1 smaller egg
    • 160 g milk , 3.5% fat
    • 1.5 tsp. yeast
    • 30 g unsalted butter at room temperature

    Coconut filling:

    • 50 g desiccated coconut
    • 40 g whisked egg
    • 15 g baking milk powder
    • 30 g sugar
    • 20 g melted butter

    Topping

    • 30 g melted unsalted butter
    • 20 g cake flour
    • 10 g sugar powder

    egg wash

    • 1 egg , whisked +1 tbsp. water (mix well)

    honey wash or syrup wash

    • 1 tbsp. honey or syrup +1 tbsp. water , mix well

    Instructions

    make the bun dough

    • Firstly make a basic bun dough according to milk bread: in a bowl of stand mixer, add all the ingredients expect butter, stir with hook for 5-7 minutes and then add butter and continue kneading for 10 minutes until you get a elastic, smooth and soft dough. Then covered and set aside until doubled in size. Then transfer out and knead for several minutes to remove the bubbles.
    • Divide the dough into 9 equal portions.

    Coconut filling

    • Mix whisked egg with butter and then stir in sugar, milk powder and coconut. Mix well and set aside.

    Topping

    • Mix all the ingredients together and then transfer to icing bag.

    Assemble the coconut buns-Method 1

    • flatten one piece of dough with your hands into a oval shape, about 4 inches long and 3 inches wide.Then spread the filling in the middle. Roll up one side to cover the another side (like a small tube).
    • Turn over, seal completely and slightly roll up the two ends. This method will form a small center filling tube within the bun.

    Assemble the coconut buns-Method 2

    • flatten one piece of dough with your hands into a oval shape, about 4 inches long and 3 inches wide.Then spread the filling in the middle.Then roll from the bottom to top.
    • Completely seal and shape the buns. This will form layered fillings within the bun.

    bake

    • Assemble all the buns and transfer to lined baking tray. Place in oven and set aside for the second proofing (need 40 minutes to 1 hour) until all the buns are doubled in size. Brush egg wash on surface and decorate with strips of topping (either two strips or three strips). Pre-heat oven to 170 degree C (350 degree F).
    • Garnish sesame seeds and bake for 15 minutes on middle track until well colored. Then transfer out and brush honey wash.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 316kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 8gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 165mgPotassium: 138mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 350IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 0.8mg
    Keyword buns, Coconut
    Tried this recipe?Mention @ChinaSichuanFood

    coconut buns (cocktail buns)|China Sichuan Food

    coconut buns (cocktail buns)|China Sichuan Foodcoconut buns (cocktail buns)|China Sichuan Food

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. DB

      November 02, 2016 at 5:43 pm

      Oh thank you for this recipe! It is inspiring! The milk bread recipe is a good basic start for many pastries. Wonder if this would be a good base for shredded pork buns and maybe lemon buns, too! Kind regards.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        November 02, 2016 at 9:05 pm

        Shredded pork is a great filling. We love to use it very much. As for lemon buns, I am not sure how to make it. Can you share it to me?

        Reply
    2. Alex

      November 06, 2016 at 12:15 am

      Hi, do you use dry active yeast or instant yeast?

      Reply
      • Elaine

        November 06, 2016 at 9:39 am

        Hi Alex,
        I usually use instant yeast in my daily cooking. But it is ok to use dry yeast too. You just need to active them with a small amount of warm water.

        Reply
    3. Ana Santos

      November 09, 2016 at 7:34 pm

      Omg delicious 🙂

      Reply
    4. kitchenaid stand mixer colors

      November 11, 2016 at 9:23 am

      Your step by step procedure will make it easy for us to try this recipe also in our own kitchen. Good thing there are kitchen tool that will make it easier for us to do it also. Thanks for sharing this recipe of yours. It would be a great addition to my list of snacks for the whole family.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        November 11, 2016 at 2:51 pm

        Yes, I love the stand mixer solution. Save so much time and energy.

        Reply
    5. Lila

      November 25, 2016 at 10:07 am

      Thanks for your receipe, i just wonder how many buns đi you make with this receipe, i mean 300gram bread flour
      Thanks you

      Reply
      • Elaine

        November 25, 2016 at 10:39 am

        I make 9 buns out of 300g flour.

        Reply
    6. Leong

      December 31, 2016 at 8:03 pm

      I just made this with pork floss mixed with mayonnaise. The bun is super.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        January 01, 2017 at 11:31 am

        Hi,Leong
        Mayonnaise is also perfect for this buns. Good job!

        Reply
    7. Nichole

      April 07, 2017 at 4:42 am

      I just finished this recipe, and must say this is the tastiest coconut bread I have ever had. 5 stars Elaine!
      Thank you, I printed this out and have saved this to my permanent 'family' recipe book. 🙂

      Reply
      • Elaine

        April 07, 2017 at 8:12 am

        Hi,Nichole
        Thank you for your feedback. This is also my family's common recipe as my daughter love it so much. ?

        Reply
    8. Naomi

      May 20, 2017 at 3:29 pm

      Hi

      Is there a substitute for the baking dry milk powder?

      Reply
      • Elaine

        May 21, 2017 at 7:29 pm

        You can directly skip it if it is hard to find in your country.

        Reply
        • Oscar

          March 03, 2018 at 6:44 pm

          I used malted milk (the drink) powder. Worked well 🙂
          (I also assume that there is a first rise until volume doubles, and to bake at 160C...)

          Reply
    9. Doris

      July 31, 2017 at 5:25 am

      It looks so good! Wondering if you have another version of measuring, ( like Cup)Since we don't use gram here. Thx 😉

      Reply
      • Elaine

        August 03, 2017 at 4:09 pm

        Hi Doris,
        I will try to add the volume measurement in following recipes, but I really recommend weight the ingredients. Using a kitchen scale can simplify the process and guarantee the results.

        Reply
    10. Rheena

      May 19, 2020 at 4:17 pm

      5 stars
      Bravo! Came out perfectly!
      Thank you.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        May 20, 2020 at 9:25 am

        Thanks Rheena!

        Reply
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