Coffee Buns (Roti Boy)

These coffee buns are made with soft and fluffy milk bread, filled with melted butter and topped with a sweet and crunchy coffee cookie crust

Some weekends I just want something warm and a little indulgent, and coffee buns always hit that sweet spot of feeling cosy without being complicated. They come out soft and airy, with a crisp coffee shell that melts into the bread and a rich centre of butter that turns silky as it bakes.

I first started making these when I was testing café-style breads for TuCha, and I still remember one batch collapsing because I piped the topping too close to the edge. Another time the butter escaped completely and welded itself to the tray, which was a very humbling moment after winning a dessert show on Netflix. After a few rounds of tweaking the dough and swirl, I found a version that feels simple but still a touch special. It’s the kind of bake that fills your kitchen with a warm, gentle aroma.

What is a coffee bun?

Coffee buns also known as Mexican coffee buns, papparoti, kopi roti, or rotiboy, and are a light and pillow bread filled with butter and topped with a thin layer of crunchy coffee-flavored cookie crust. Unlike its name, this delicious bread actually originates in Penang, Malaysia, and now it has been popularised all over Asia.

It’s a take on the popular conchas from Mexico, but it also has similarities to Japanese melon pan and pineapple buns from Hong Kong. All of them having a super soft bread base topped with a crunchy cookie crust.

The coffee flavor of these buns gives them a wonderful aroma and is best with a warm cup of tea or coffee. If you haven’t tried these before this is your chance!

At-a-Glance – What You’ll Need Before We Start Rolling

Ingredients

Bread Dough

• Bread flour: Bread flour has a higher protein than regular flour and is necessary when making bread as it gives it more structure, allowing the buns to grow taller and fluffier.
• Granulated sugar: Sugar gives the dough a subtle sweetness. We don’t need too much as the bread itself is not that sweet.
• Pinch of salt: Salt helps to balance out the flavors of the bun as well as strengthen the gluten strands in the bread dough for a taller and fluffier bun.

• Milk powder: Milk powder adds extra milkiness to the dough as well as increasing the protein content of the bread.
• Instant yeast: Yeast is what gives bread dough rise! I like to use instant dry yeast as it doesn’t need to be activated, but feel free to use active yeast if you like. If you are using active yeast make sure to activate it in the lukewarm milk until it bubbles before adding it to the dough.

• Whole milk: Milk adds moisture to the dough, as well as a milky flavor! If you can’t have milk, or you don’t have any on hand you can replace this with water as well.
• Unsalted butter: Butter is added to the dough to give it a more fragrant flavor and tender texture.

Butter Filling

• Salted butter: I like to use regular butter as the saltiness adds a sweet and salty element to the bun. Make sure you use chilled butter as it makes it easier to cut it into squares and put them in the center of the dough.

Coffee Topping

• Unsalted butter: Unsalted butter gives the topping that buttery aroma and delicious crumbly texture.
• Granulated sugar: Sugar gives the cookie crust sweetness! If you prefer a sweeter cookie crust feel free to increase this sugar amount.
• Large egg: An egg binds all the ingredients together.

• All-purpose flour: The flour forms the structure of the cookie crust! You can use cake flour for a crumblier crust if you prefer.
• Instant coffee powder: We use instant coffee powder in the topping as it is the easiest way to get an intense coffee flavor without adding too much moisture to the topping.
• Hot water: Hot water is added to dissolve the coffee powder.

Optional – My Favourite Extras That Add a Little Magic

Little upgrades that take your buns from classic to café-style.

• Vanilla Extract in the Topping: Brings a rounder sweetness and deepens the coffee aroma.
• Brown Sugar Instead of White: Adds a caramel edge to the crust that tastes like a latte.
• A Splash of Condensed Milk: Makes the topping creamier and a touch sweeter. Very Malaysian bakery-coded.

Substitutions – Smart Ingredient Swaps That Still Taste Amazing

Simple swaps if you’re out of something or baking for dietary needs.

• Whole Milk → Oat or Soy Milk
  Swap Tip: Plant milks still give the dough enough moisture without changing the texture.
• Unsalted Butter → Salted Butter
  Swap Tip: Works fine, just skip extra salt in the dough.
• Instant Coffee → Espresso Powder
  Swap Tip: Stronger flavour, so use a little less to keep the topping balanced.

Troubleshooting – Quick Fixes I’ve Learned from My Bakery Kitchen

Comparison – How This Recipe Stacks Up Against Other Desserts

Tips for the Best Coffee Buns

• Optimal Dough Hydration: Adjust flour based on humidity levels—more flour on humid days, less in dry conditions.
• Prevent Butter Leaks: Ensure buns are sealed tightly to avoid butter leaking out during baking. If unsure, double-seal the dough by pinching twice.
• Chill Dough Before Shaping: If your dough is too sticky, refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes before shaping into buns to make handling easier.

Love the aroma of fresh-baked coffee bread? Try my Coffee Bun Toast

• Proof with patience: Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size. This ensures the final buns turn out soft, light, and fluffy instead of heavy.
• Check your topping swirl: Pipe the coffee topping in a neat spiral, leaving space at the very top of each bun. This lets the topping melt down evenly while baking.
• Use tangzhong for extra fluff: Incorporating a tangzhong (water roux) technique into the dough helps retain moisture, keeping the buns fresher for longer with a pillowy texture.

• Cool before storing: Always cool buns completely before storing. Trapping steam while still warm will soften the crunchy topping and alter the texture.
• Freeze unbaked buns: Prepare and freeze filled buns before proofing. Bake them directly from frozen when needed for fresh bakery-style results on demand.
• Test dough readiness with a poke: Gently press the dough with your finger after proofing. If it springs back slowly, it is perfectly proofed. If it collapses, it is over-proofed.

Variations:

• Coffee Caramel Buns: Swap the plain butter filling for homemade coffee-flavored caramel for an extra coffee kick.
• Mocha Buns: Add a layer of melted dark chocolate along with the coffee topping for a mocha-flavored twist
• Almond Coffee Buns: Add ground almonds or almond extract to the coffee topping for a nutty flavor.

If you’re into soft, nostalgic breads, my Cream Buns

• Matcha latte buns: Replace the coffee powder with matcha and pair with a white chocolate filling. The result is a soft, green tea flavored bun with a creamy center.
• Red bean buns: Fill the dough with sweet red bean paste for a Japanese-inspired twist. The earthy sweetness balances beautifully with the buttery topping.
• Tiramisu buns: Layer mascarpone and a dusting of cocoa powder inside before baking. The finished bun captures the flavors of the classic Italian dessert.
• Cheese filled buns: Add cream cheese or cheddar into the center for a sweet and savory contrast that melts into the bread as it bakes.

• Kaya coconut buns: Use kaya jam as the filling for a traditional Malaysian upgrade. The sweet coconut flavor pairs naturally with the coffee topping.
• Hazelnut mocha buns: Add Nutella to the filling and hazelnut flavored coffee to the topping. This creates a rich chocolate hazelnut version with a nutty aroma.

Serving Suggestions:

• Espresso Glaze: Drizzle with a simple espresso glaze made of powdered sugar and brewed espresso for added richness.
• Serve with Whipped Cream: Serve warm buns with a dollop of whipped cream to balance the strong coffee flavor.
• Coffee Bun Ice Cream Sandwich: Slice the bun in half and sandwich a scoop of coffee or vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert

• Breakfast pairing: Serve freshly baked coffee buns with a latte, cappuccino, or black coffee for the ultimate breakfast treat.
• High tea centerpiece: Cut buns into halves or quarters and serve them on a tiered tray during afternoon tea for an elegant presentation.
• Holiday gift box: Wrap cooled buns in parchment and place them in gift boxes for festive, edible presents that travel well.

• Coffee bun pudding: Cube leftover buns and bake them with custard into a rich bread pudding. This reduces waste while creating a second dessert.
• Sweet sandwich: Slice buns open and fill them with salted caramel or mocha ice cream for an indulgent twist on the classic ice cream sandwich.
• Mini party buns: Bake smaller versions of the buns to serve as bite-sized treats at parties, perfect for snacking alongside espresso-based cocktails.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Over-proofing the dough: Leaving dough too long before baking can cause the structure to collapse, resulting in flat buns. Focus on volume increase, not time alone.
• Topping too runny: If the coffee topping is too liquid, it will slide off before baking. Chill the topping slightly before piping for the right consistency.
• Butter filling melting out: Using softened butter instead of chilled cubes can cause the filling to seep out. Keep butter firm to ensure it melts only while baking.

• Skipping oven preheat: Coffee buns need a fully preheated oven for the topping to crisp and the bread to rise properly. An unevenly heated oven can ruin the texture.
• Storing while warm: Covering or boxing up warm buns traps steam, softening the cookie crust. Always allow buns to cool fully before storing.
• Uneven piping: Inconsistent topping spirals can cause uneven browning. Pipe carefully and evenly to ensure a uniform crust.

Coffee Bun Recipe

Print Recipe

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Soft and fluffy milk bread filled with melted butter and topped with a sweet and crunchy coffee cookie crust

• Author: Catherine Zhang
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 8 buns 1x
• Category: Bread
• Method: Intermediate
• Cuisine: Malaysian

Ingredients

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Bread Dough

• 300g Bread flour (2 cups)
• 50g Granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
• Pinch of salt
• 16g Milk powder (2 tbsp)
• 5g Instant yeast (1 tsp)
• 200ml Whole milk, lukewarm (3/4 cup 1 tbsp)
• 30g Unsalted butter (2 tbsp), room temperature

Butter Filling

• 80g Unsalted butter (Chilled, cut into 10g squares per bun)

Cookie Topping

• 80g Unsalted butter, softened (1/3 cup)
• 65g Granulated sugar (1/3 cup)
• 1 Large egg, room temperature
• 80g All-purpose flour (2/3 cup)
• 4g Instant coffee powder (3 tsp)
• 1 tbsp Hot water

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Instructions

Bread Dough

1. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, milk powder, and instant yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, or in a large bowl
2. Add the lukewarm milk and mix until a rough dough ball forms
3. Add the unsalted butter and knead for 10-15 minutes with the stand mixer, or approx 20 minutes by hand until smooth and elastic
4. Roll into a ball, place in a bowl and cover with cling wrap
5. Place the bowl in a warm spot to proof for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in size
6. Once doubled in size remove the dough from the bowl and punch out any air
7. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces
8. Flatten each piece and put a small square of butter (10g) in the center
9. Enclose the cubed butter by pinching the edges of the dough together and rolling it into a ball
10. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cover them with cling wrap
11. Place the tray in a warm spot to proof for 30-60 minutes, or until almost doubled in size

Cookie topping

1. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C/355F
2. Combine the instant coffee powder and hot water together in a small bowl, and set aside
3. Combine the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until smooth
4. Add the egg and whisk until well combined
5. Add the slightly cooled coffee mixture and whisk until smooth
6. Sift in the flour and mix until just combined
7. Transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle
8. Uncover the proofed buns and pipe swirls of the coffee topping over the top of the buns
9. Then bake the buns for 15 minutes, or until cooked through
10. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes, then enjoy warm!

Catherine Zhang

My name is Catherine, a food blogger and dessert lover. If I look familiar you may have seen me on NETFLIX's Zumbo’s Just Desserts S2! As an Australian-Chinese pastry chef and recipe developer I share recipes and tips on desserts inspired by amazing flavours, fresh produce and of course my Asian background.

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