Soft and fluffy milk bread topped with a crunchy cookie layer served with a slab of cold butter, the perfect pineapple bun
What is a pineapple bun?
A pineapple bun or aka Bo Luo Bao 菠蘿包 is a classic sweet bread roll originating from Hong Kong. Now it's a staple in all Asian bakeries around the world.
Contrary to its name the pineapple bun doesn't contain any pineapple at all. Instead, the name comes from the look of the crunchy topping which resembles a pineapple! The topping is similar to a cookie and made from ingredients like egg, flour, and sugar.
Traditionally the topping uses lard for fragrance, as well as ammonia powder to achieve that cracked look. Nowadays bakeries use a combination of butter and baking powder or soda to achieve the same effect.
You can eat pineapple buns as they are, but the most popular way to eat them is with a thick slice of butter sandwiched in between the warm bread roll. Other variations include flavored butter, pork floss, luncheon meat, bbq pork, coconut, or red bean paste. Both savory and sweet options work in this delicious and versatile bun!
Ingredients
Bread Dough
- Bread flour: I recommend using bread flour over regular flour as it has a higher protein content and results in more gluten forming when you are kneading the dough. This is important as it results in a taller bun!
- Granulated sugar: Sugar adds sweetness to the bun! It is also needed for the yeast to feed on and give the dough rise.
- Salt: Salt helps to balance out the flavor of the bun as well as strengthen the gluten that develops in the dough.
- Milk powder: Milk powder adds milkiness to the milk bread! It also adds extra protein to the dough so it has more structure.
- Instant yeast: Yeast is responsible for giving the dough rise. You can use active dry yeast too, but make sure that you activate the yeast in the warm milk before adding it to the rest of the ingredients.
- Unsalted butter: Butter gives the bread a softer texture and a more fragrant aroma.
Topping
- Milk powder: Milk powder gives the topping more flavor.
- All-purpose flour: Flour makes up the structure of the cookie-like crust.
- Baking powder: Baking powder helps the crust puff up and then get that crackly pineapple bun look.
- Baking soda: Baking soda also helps to give the crust that crackle.
- Granulated sugar: Sugar adds sweetness to the cookie topping. Feel free to add more or less according to your personal preference.
- Unsalted butter: Traditionally lard is used here, but I've used butter as it is more commonly used in baking and its smells amazing too!
- Whole milk: Milk helps to bind the dry ingredients together. If you find that the dough is too crumbly you can add more milk.
- Egg yolk: The egg yolk adds richness and color to the topping. If you want that bright yellow color you see in Asian bakeries feel free to add a touch of yellow food coloring too.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla just adds another layer of flavor to the buttery cookie flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do these last?
Homemade bread will always taste better on the day it's made as it is the texture will be the softest and freshest. These will last up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature, or 4 days when stored in the refrigerator.
If you are eating these after they have sat for a while I recommend heating them up in the oven until warmed through, or in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. This will bring back that fluffy texture!
How should I serve these?
These are best served warm, sliced in half, and filled with a thick slice of butter. This is how they are usually served in Hong Kong cafes!
If you want to have a savory version you can even fill it with luncheon meat like spam or bbq pork.
Why isn't the top of my pineapple bun cracking?
The baking powder and soda are responsible for the cracking of the cookie crust on the bun. If you find that you aren't getting that pineapple bun top then it's likely that you either didn't add enough of each, or your baking powder or soda has expired and isn't active.
Why is my bread dense?
There are a couple of reasons why your bread is dense:
- The yeast was dead or not activated (only if you use active yeast)
- The milk added was too hot and killed the yeast
- The dough wasn't kneaded for long enough
Let's Get Baking!
This takes me back to the busy cafes back in Hong Kong! These buns are the perfect breakfast or snack, and they're exactly like the ones you'll find in your favorite Chinese bakery.
If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how you went.
Also, don't forget to tag me on Instagram @catherine.desserts and hashtag #cattycakes so I can see and share your desserts. Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube, and TikTok for more of my baking creations and updates! Until next time... happy caking!
Print📖 Recipe
Pineapple Bun Recipe
Soft and fluffy milk bread topped with a crunchy cookie layer served with a slab of cold butter, the perfect pineapple bun
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 buns 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Intermediate
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
Bread Dough
- 300g Bread flour (2 cups)
- 50g Granulated sugar (¼ cup)
- Pinch of salt
- 16g Dry milk powder (2 tbsp)
- 5g Instant yeast (1 tsp)
- 200ml Whole milk, lukewarm (¾ cup 1 tbsp)
- 30g Unsalted butter (2 tbsp), room temperature
Topping
- 20g Dry milk powder
- 115g All purpose flour
- ½ tsp Baking powder
- ¼ tsp Baking soda
- 100g Granulated sugar
- 33g Unsalted butter
- 20ml Whole milk
- 1 Large egg yolk
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
Egg Wash
- 1 Large egg yolk, beaten
Instructions
Bread Dough
- 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 mixing bowl
- Add the lukewarm milk and stir until a rough dough ball forms
- Add the unsalted butter and knead for 10-15 minutes with the stand mixer, or approx 20 minutes by hand until smooth and elastic
- Roll into a ball, place in a large greased bowl, and cover with plastic wrap
- Place the bowl in a warm spot to proof for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in size
- Once doubled in size remove the dough from the bowl and punch out any air
- Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll them into balls
- Place the dough balls on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cover them with plastic wrap
- Place the tray in a warm spot to proof for 30-60 minutes, or until almost doubled in size
Topping
- Preheat the oven to 180C/355F
- Combine the milk powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar together in a bowl and whisk to combine
- Add the butter, milk, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix everything together until it forms a dough, add more milk if it's too dry
- Divide the topping dough into 8 equal pieces and roll them into balls
- Roll each ball out into a flat circle with a rolling pin and place it on each proofed bun
- Brush the tops with the beaten egg yolk and bake for 15 minutes
- Transfer the baked buns to a cooling rack and cool for at least 10 minutes before consuming
- To serve: Slice the baked bun horizontally with a serrated knife, but not all the way, then place a thick slice of chilled butter in between to serve
Keywords: hong kong, bolo bao, pineapple bun, asian bakery, chinese, bun, bread roll
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Clarissa
Hi Catherine! What can I use to substitute milk powder?