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    Home » Recipes » Sweet Breads

    Published: Jan 8, 2023 · Modified: Mar 17, 2023 by Kelly Bloom · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Steamed Mantou Buns

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pink steamed mantou buns shaped like rose buds.

    Fluffy, soft mantou buns are a traditional complement to many traditional Asian dishes. With the pink rosebud shape, these mantou buns are extra special for that special someone on Valentines or Mother's day!

    Pink steamed mantou buns shaped like rose buds.

    Why You Will Love This Recipe

    Ah, the deliciousness of steamed buns! Whether you’re looking for a traditional Chinese snack or something new to try your hand at, steamed mantou buns are a delightful and easy-to-make treat.

    The basic mantou recipe is very adaptable, as shown with these cute steamed buns shaped like pink rosebuds! You can make them plain, or add fillings when shaping them. With no filling they are called mantou buns, with filling they are bao buns!

    This mantou recipe is also unique because you can opt for a traditional two dough rise method, or a faster one rise method. The addition of a little baking powder cuts the process time in half in the faster method. Either method you choose, you are going to have soft and fluffy steamed mantou buns!

    Jump to:
    • Why You Will Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make Steamed Mantou Buns
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Tips for Success
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Food Safety
    • Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
    • Connect with Smells Like Delish!
    • 📖 Recipe

    Ingredients

    Join us as we take you through the steps required for making wonderful mantou buns from scratch at your own kitchen table!

    ingredients for making Chinese mantou buns.
    • Milk - any dairy or non dairy milk or cream.
    • Sugar - or honey.
    • Salt
    • Yeast
    • Baking Powder - Optional and for the Faster Proofing Method only.
    • Vegetable oil
    • All purpose flour
    • Red food color
    • Green food color
    • Nitrile gloves - to prevent staining your hands.

    Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    How to Make Steamed Mantou Buns

    Read on as I guide you through the recipe step-by-step and show you how to make your own tasty mantou buns at home!

    Step 1. Prepare the Mantou Dough

    1. -Traditional Double Rise Method: Place the salt, sugar, vegetable oil, and yeast in a bowl. Pour in room temperature milk and stir. Add some of the flour and mix with a spoon. Gradually add the rest of the flour and knead the dough with your hands. The dough will be a little sticky.

      -Fast Single Rise Method: Place the salt, sugar, vegetable oil, and yeast in a bowl. Pour in room temperature milk and stir. Add some of the flour and the baking powder and mix with a spoon. Gradually add the rest of the flour and knead the dough with your hands. The dough will be a little sticky. Follow the same instructions for the Traditional method until it comes to steaming.
    yeast blooming in a bowl.

    Mix the salt, sugar, vegetable oil, and yeast in a bowl. Add room temperature milk and stir.

    bulk rising dough in a bowl.

    Add some of the flour and mix with a spoon. If using the Single Rise method, include the baking powder.

    1. Adjust the dough with a little extra flour if it is still too sticky. Roll the dough into a ball an transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to bulk rise for 1 hour.

    2. Pinch off about 2 tablespoons of dough and put in a small bowl. Add a little green food color and mix in (wearing nitrile gloves will prevent your hands from staining). Tint the remaining dough with the red food coloring.
    dough being tinted pink.
    1. Use nitrile gloves when kneading the food color into the mantou dough. Use a fresh set of gloves for each color.
    dough tinted pink rolled out.
    1. Roll out the dough and use a small 1.5" to 2" round cookie cutter to cut out 18 small circles of dough.

    Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Step 2. Shape the Mantou Buns into Rosebuds

    1. First, set the bamboo or stainless steamer up so that it is ready when the rosebud mantou buns are ready to steam. Be sure to place parchment paper liners on each level you are using. Set the bamboo steamer over the pot with hot water and set it to a medium heat.
    1. If using a stainless steel steamer, wrap a terry towel around the cover lid, under and over. Secure at the top where the handle is. This way any condensation will be absorbed by the towel and not make soggy buns. Add some water in the bottom portion and set on a medium heat.
    small dough discs to form rose petals.
    1. Overlap three of the dough circles into a strip. Roll the strip of overlapped dough circles into a roll, starting from the short end.
    Pink mantou buns dough for shaping outer petals of dough rose bud.
    1. Cut the roll of dough petals in to two halves, making two small center rosebuds. Cutting seals the rosebud centers at their base.
    Pink mantou buns dough for shaping outer petals of dough rose bud.
    1. Cut out six 2.5" round piece of dough. You can also hand shape the circles with small balls of dough.
    Pink mantou buns dough for shaping outer petals of dough rose bud.
    1. Center one of the two rosebud centers in the middle. Make 6 equal cuts around the rosebud center.
    Pink mantou buns dough for shaping outer petals of dough rose bud.
    1. Pick up one wedge shape and wrap it around the center bud. You can use a drop of water to help the petal corners to stick.
    Pink mantou buns dough for shaping outer petals of dough rose bud.
    1. Do the same to the opposite wedge shape. Repeat this process with remaining petal circles and rosebud centers.

    Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Step 3. Steam the Rosebud Mantou Buns

    1. Make leaves out of the green dough by pinching off small pieces and shaping them. Attach when on the bottom of the rosebuds so they peek out from underneath.
    1. -Traditional Double Rise Method: Let the buns rest to rise for 30 minutes, then place in a steamer with a parchment paper liner. Turn heat up so water is at a steady simmer. Steam for 12 to 14 minutes. Remove top and serve immediately.

      -Fast Single Rise Method: Place buns on parchment paper liners. Turn heat up so water is at a steady simmer. Steam for 12 to 14 minutes. Remove top and serve immediately.
    pink tinted dough shaped like a rose bud mantou bun.

    Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Serving Suggestions

    Serve these stunning steamed pink rosebud buns anytime, but they will be especially delightful on Mother's Day, or Valentine's Day. Any variety of Chinese steamed mantou buns go naturally with our Miso Baked Branzino, Bok Choy Pho, Asian Crab Salad, Air Fryer Japanese Green Beans, and Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon.

    Pink steamed mantou buns shaped like rose buds.

    Substitutions

    Instead of using some pink food color for the pink, you can make them with no colorant as every day steamed mantou buns. You can also knead in about ½ cup of mashed sweet potato, squeezed spinach, or black squid ink for a rainbow of colors!

    Variations

    This basic mantou recipe is used to make a rainbow of colored steamed mantou buns and filled steamed bao buns! Your imagination is the only limitation. See some of our ideas below.

    • Spicy Pork Filled Steamed Bao Buns - Make our steamed mantou buns recipe. When making the shape of buns you decide on, tuck a small amount of cooked spice pork filling. The filling is usually a sweet and savory flavor.
    • Saffron Steamed Mantou Buns - I love saffron, the color and the slightly earthy fragrance are intriguing. Treat saffron well, so you get all the color, which means you need to dry fry it in medium hot skillet for a few minutes. Then add it to a tiny amount of lemon juice or buttermilk so the acid releases the brilliant yellow hue. Add to the liquid ingredients for any recipe you want a beautiful saffron color.

    Equipment

    Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making Chinese mantou steamed buns.

    • Asian Bamboo 3 Tier Steamer
    • 3 Tier Stainless Steal Steamer
    • Round Cake Pan Parchment Papers
    • Round Air Fryer Basket Liners
    • Clear Vinyl Kitchen Gloves

    Storage

    Store any leftover mantou buns in a covered container in the refrigerator. Reheat by wrapping in a damp paper towel and microwaving for 15 seconds.

    Tips for Success

    • Don't crowd the mantou buns in the streamer, as they will expand and stick together if you do.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I freeze these steamed mantou buns?

    You can! They reheat better though if you let them completely defrost first.

    How do you get smooth round mantou buns and bao buns?

    Don't over proof the dough. The mantou buns will continue to rise a bit more while steaming. If you over proof though, they will collapse a little from the over proofed air in them.

    What's better, a stainless steel steamer or a bamboo steamer?

    The bamboo steamer will give you better results. Because it's a porous natural steamer, it breathers. Stainless steal can create too much condensation.

    How do I keep the mantou buns from sticking to the steamer?

    Use round parchment paper to line the steamer. The round air fryer liners work perfectly!

    Food Safety

    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

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    📖 Recipe

    Pink steamed mantou buns shaped like rose buds.
    Print Recipe SaveSaved!
    5 from 2 votes

    Steamed Mantou Buns

    Fluffy, soft mantou buns are a traditional complement to many traditional Asian dishes. With a pink rosebud shape, these mantou buns are extra special for that special someone on Valentines or Mother's day also!
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time12 mins
    PROOFING1 hr
    Total Time1 hr 32 mins
    Course: Bread
    Cuisine: Asian, Asian American
    Servings: 6 rosebud buns
    Calories: 150kcal
    Author: Kelly Bloom

    Equipment

    • Asian Bamboo 3 Tier Steamer
    • 3 Tier Stainless Steamer
    • Round Parchment Paper liners
    • Round Air Fryer Basket Liners
    • Nitrile Gloves
    • Clear Vinyl Gloves

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup Milk
    • 2 tablespoon Sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon Salt
    • 1¼ teaspoon Yeast
    • ¾ teaspoon Baking Powder USE ONLY FOR THE SINGLE RISE METHOD
    • Vegetable oil
    • 1½ cup All Purpose flour use a little more if dough is too sticky
    • Red Food color drops as needed, about ½ teaspoon max
    • Green Food color drops as needed, about ¼ teaspoon max
    • cup All Purpose flour about ¼ cup extra for adjusting dough texture, kneading, and shaping
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Traditional Double Rise Method: Place the salt, sugar, vegetable oil, and yeast in a bowl. Pour in room temperature milk and stir. Add some of the flour and mix with a spoon. Gradually add the rest of the flour and knead the dough with your hands. The dough will be a little sticky.
      Fast Single Rise Method: Place the salt, sugar, vegetable oil, and yeast in a bowl. Pour in room temperature milk and stir. Add some of the flour and the baking powder and mix with a spoon. Gradually add the rest of the flour and knead the dough with your hands. The dough will be a little sticky. Follow the same instructions for the Traditional method until it comes to steaming.
      ½ cup Milk, 2 tablespoon Sugar, ¼ teaspoon Salt, 1¼ teaspoon Yeast, Vegetable oil, 1½ cup All Purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon Baking Powder
    • Adjust the dough with a little extra flour if it is still too sticky. Roll the dough into a ball and transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to bulk rise for 1 hour.
      cup All Purpose flour
    • While the dough is bulk proofing, set your pan with water on the stovetop. Heat on medium to prepare for steaming.
      If using a stainless steel steamer, wrap a terry hand towel around the cover lid, under and over. Secure at the top where the handle is. This way any condensation will be absorbed by the towel and not make soggy buns. Add some water in the bottom portion and set on a medium heat.
    • Pinch off about 2 tablespoons of dough and put in a small bowl. Add a little green food color and mix in (wearing nitrile gloves will prevent your hands from staining). Tint the remaining dough with the red food coloring. Use nitrile gloves when kneading the food color into the mantou dough. Use a fresh set of gloves for each color.
      Red Food color, Green Food color
    • Roll out the dough and use a small 1.5" to 2" round cookie cutter to cut out 18 small circles of dough. Overlap three of the dough circles into a strip. Roll the strip of overlapped dough circles into a roll, starting from the short end.
    • Cut the roll of dough petals in to two halves, making two small center rosebuds. Cutting will seal the rosebud center at the bases so they don't unravel. Repeat with the remaining small circles so you have a total of 6 rosebud centers.
    • Cut out six 2.5" round pieces of dough. You can also hand shape the circles with small balls of dough.
    • Center one of the rosebud centers in the middle. Make 6 equal cuts around the rosebud center.
    • Pick up one wedge shape and wrap it around the center bud. You can use a drop of water to help the petal corners to stick.
    • Do the same to the opposite wedge shape. Repeat this process with remaining petal circles and rosebud centers.
    • Make leaves out of the green dough by pinching off small pieces and shaping them. Attach when on the bottom of the rosebuds so they peek out from underneath.
    • Traditional Double Rise Method: Let the buns rest to rise for 30 minutes, then place in a steamer with a parchment paper liner. Turn heat up so water is at a steady simmer. Steam for 12 to 14 minutes. Remove top and serve immediately.
      Fast Single Rise Method: Place buns on parchment paper liners. Turn heat up so water is at a steady simmer. Steam for 12 to 14 minutes. Remove top and serve immediately.

    Notes

    • Remove Mantou buns from the steamer as soon as they are finished cooking, 12 to 14 minutes, depending on size and heat variations.
    • Do not proof the second time for more than 30 minutes, this will prevent the steamed buns from collapsing or wrinkling on top.
    • Don't crowd the mantou buns in the streamer, as they will expand and stick together if you do. Leave at least 1½" between buns.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 33IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2mg
    Keyword : cute steamed buns, mantou bun recipe, mantou buns, mantou recipe

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    Hi, I'm Kelly! and I have a love affair with herbs & spices! Here at Smells Like Delish, I'm all about creating food that has three aspects: flavor, aroma, and texture - to create satisfying fare!

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