Fluffy Steamed Bao Buns (馒头) — Cloud-Like Milk Buns

Prep:120 min

Cook:120 min

Serves:2–4

Difficulty:Medium

Steamed bao buns are the blank canvas of Chinese cuisine — pillowy soft, cloud-white, and ready to be filled with anything from char siu pork to braised pork belly to ice cream. The secret to their impossibly soft, fluffy texture is a combination of cake flour (lower gluten), milk (for richness), and a careful steaming technique that prevents the dreaded wrinkled, collapsed bun.

Mantou (馒头), plain steamed buns, have been a staple food in northern China for over a thousand years. Filled versions (baozi, 包子) are one of China's most important street foods, eaten from breakfast through midnight.

Ingredients

• 300g cake flour (or all-purpose flour)
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 50g sugar
• 150ml warm milk
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1
Dissolve yeast and 1 tsp sugar in warm milk. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
2
Combine flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and oil.
3
Knead for 10 minutes until dough is smooth, soft, and slightly tacky. It should feel like a baby's cheek.
4
Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
5
Punch down dough and knead briefly. Divide into 12 equal pieces.
6
Shape each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly into an oval. Fold in half over a small piece of oiled parchment paper (this creates the classic open bao shape).
7
Let rise for 20 minutes until puffy. Place buns on individual parchment squares in a bamboo steamer.
8
Steam over boiling water for 12 minutes. Do not open the lid during steaming. Turn off heat and let sit for 3 minutes before opening — this prevents collapse from temperature shock.

Pro Tips

💡Use cake flour for the softest buns. If using all-purpose, add 1 tbsp cornstarch per cup of flour.
💡Don't open the steamer lid during cooking or immediately after turning off the heat — the sudden temperature change causes wrinkles.
💡The dough should be slightly wetter than bread dough. Sticky is better than dry for achieving softness.