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A woman's hands opening a freshly cooked bao bun.

EASIEST Bao Bun Recipe

Melissa Norris
Learn to make the easiest bao bun recipe with just a few minutes of hands-on time! Cook them up using a steamer basket and your wood stove (or your stovetop) for delicious homemade bread in a fraction of the usual time.
4.67 from 3 votes
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Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 16 minutes
Course bread
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 12 buns

Equipment

  • Bamboo Steamer Basket see tips below if you don't have a steamer basket

Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 Master Bread Dough Recipe link to recipe in the notes below
  • 1/2 cup flour give or take, depending on your dough
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 Tablespoons avocado oil or oil of choice

Instructions
 

  • Prepare your bamboo steamer baskets with a liner and soak the bottom edge of the lowest steam basket in water for 30 minutes.
  • Heavily flour your work surface and place 1/3 of the master dough recipe onto the flour.
  • Press the dough into a disc and add about 1/4 cup of flour along with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder on top.
  • Knead the dough for about 3-4 minutes to incorporate both the flour and baking powder until the dough is no longer tacky. Add more flour as needed.
  • Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it's 1/4-inch thick.
  • Using a large biscuit cutter (or a Mason jar ring) cut out your bao buns.
  • Roll the buns out so they're just a bit larger (if desired).
  • Brush the bao buns with oil and fold them in half.
  • Using a rolling pin, gently roll over the bun to seal it.
  • Gather any remaining dough and repeat steps 4-7 until all buns are formed.
  • Place bao buns into the prepared steamer baskets, stack and add the lid.
  • Boil water in a large pan on the stove (I'm using my wood stove) and place the steamer basket in the water.
  • Be sure the water isn't touching the portion of the basket where the buns are, it should only come up on the “legs” of the basket.
  • Steam your bao buns for eight minutes and then remove from the heat.
  • Allow them to cool slightly and enjoy!

Notes

  • Grab my Master Dough Recipe here, make it up to two weeks prior to making this bao bun recipe and keep it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  • If you're dying to make this recipe and don't want to wait for that steamer basket you just ordered on Amazon, there are a few options for steaming your bao buns without a bamboo steamer basket. Pro Tip: No matter which method you use, it's important that the steam doesn't drip down onto the bao buns. This will create soggy buns, and no one likes soggy buns! See tips below for avoiding this.
    1. Metal Steamer Basket – If you have a pot that has a metal steamer basket (for steaming vegetables) you can use this to create a steamer basket. You may need to cook them in smaller batches, but if it means you can eat bao buns I don't think anyone will complain!
      • Line the bottom of the steamer basket with parchment paper (you can punch holes in the parchment paper to allow more steam through if you'd like).
      • Arrange bao buns (make sure they're not touching the sides!).
      • Cover the pan with a towel first, then add the lid. The towel will absorb the steam so it doesn't drip back down on the bao buns.
      • Cook all your buns in small batches and enjoy!
    2. Plate, Bowl & Pot or Pan – The School of Wok recommends using a wok instead of a pot or a pan, but if you don't have a steamer basket, it's possible you also don't have a wok. You just need to be sure the pot or pan is large enough to fit a plate on top of a small bowl with enough space to still add the lid.
      • Grab a large pot or pan with high sides and add a small amount of water.
      • Put a small bowl into the center of the pan.
      • Line a plate with parchment paper and arrange your bao buns on the parchment paper.
      • Carefully place the plate on top of the bowl, making sure it's above the water line.
      • If you have space to add a towel, do so. Otherwise, just cover the pan with a lid and cook. The towel will absorb the steam so it doesn't drip back down on the bao buns.
Keyword Bao Bun Recipe, Bao Buns, Chinese Dumplings
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