Pineapple Bun

Soft and fluffy milk bread topped with a crunchy cookie layer served with a slab of cold butter, the perfect pineapple bun

Jump to:

• What is a pineapple bun?
• Ingredients
• Frequently Asked Questions
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

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

Related Recipes