Coconut Buns

These Chinese bakery inspired Coconut Buns are made from an incredibly rich, buttery, soft, and slightly sweet brioche bread, laced with ribbons of sweetened coconut filling and dotted with raisins. 

These coconut brioche buns are inspired by Chinese coconut buns that you can find at Asian grocery stores or bakeries, but much richer. If you haven’t tried them before, now is your chance! 

I promise you the homemade version of this Asian coconut bread tastes incredible, especially since they’re made with brioche dough. If you need more reasons to make them, here’s why:

• If you don’t have easy access to an Asian grocery store or bakery near you, you can still enjoy this Chinese bakery favorite at home.
• They are perfect for breakfast, tea time or dessert.
• The process can be split into 2 different days if you can’t devote one whole day to make these.
• You can even make it into a coconut loaf which is easier to shape and great for sharing.

Ingredients and Substitutions

As always, you can find the full list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips:

1. Butter – I use unsalted butter in this recipe, but in a pinch you can use salted butter, just make sure to reduce the amount of salt called for by half. Since butter contributes to the flavor of this bread a great deal, this is the time to splurge on very high quality butter.

2. Milk – Use whole milk or 2% milk here. You’ll notice that the recipe calls for 2 to 3 tablespoons. I always start with 2 tablespoons and add more if needed later. Most of the time I don’t really need all 3 tablespoons of milk. Milk can also be used in egg wash instead of water.

3. Granulated sugar – This will give the yeast food and make the bread a little sweeter. Any type of sugar can be substituted here, except for liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup because it will change the ratio of wet and dry ingredients in this recipe.

4. Yeast – I use active dry yeast here, but you can also use rapid rise instant yeast. Even with instant yeast, I would still recommend blooming it in liquid first to ensure the yeast is working.

5. Flour – bread is typically made using bread flour for the higher protein content, which will make your bread chewier. However, to keep things simpler, I’ve used all-purpose flour here.

6. Salt – I use kosher salt, if you’re using table salt, only use about ⅔ teaspoon. 

7. Egg – There are 3 whole eggs in the bread dough, 1 egg in the coconut filling, and an additional egg is used for the egg wash. You have to use egg here, there is no substitution.

8. Coconut – unsweetened shredded coconut is used in the filling. This is dried coconut, which you can not substitute with fresh coconut or sweetened coconut as both have higher water content.

9. Powdered sugar – used to sweeten the coconut filling. There is no substitution for this but you could try making your own by blending granulated sugar with cornstarch. Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch for each cup of granulated sugar.

10. Coconut oil – just a little bit is used in the coconut filling. If you don’t usually use coconut oil, and don’t want to buy a whole jar for this recipe, you can substitute with melted butter instead. 

11. Raisins – just a few raisins are added to each bun, sometimes you might even see sliced almonds on the bakery bread, or use both if you’d like.

How to make coconut buns

Allow all of your refrigerated ingredients to come to room temperature before you start. You can also make these buns using milk bread, which will be less rich but still extremely soft and fluffy.

First, bloom the yeast

Stir active dry yeast into room temperature milk and let it bloom for about 10 minutes, the mixture should puff up. If using instant yeast, do the same to hydrate the yeast and make sure it is working.

Prepare the dough

In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the three eggs and lightly beat them until foamy with a hand whisk or the balloon whisk attachment. Add the bloomed yeast mixture and the dry ingredients to the egg and yeast mixture. 

Use the dough hook to knead on low speed for 15 minutes. Check occasionally to see how your dough is looking, if it is too dry, sprinkle in the remaining 1 tablespoon of milk. By the end of 15 minutes, the dough will pull away from the side of the bowl but may still stick to the bottom. 

Leave the mixer on low speed and add the softened butter, a few pieces at a time, allowing the butter to incorporate into the dough before adding more. This will take about 10 minutes. Then let the mixer knead for another 10-20 minutes or until the dough mostly pulls away from the side of the bowl. 

First rise

Scrape the dough out of the mixing bowl onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a smooth ball by folding it over itself several times. The dough will be very soft and may be a bit sticky. Refrain from adding more flour to it because that can dry it out.

Note: due to high hydration (high water content in the dough), this brioche dough is very slack, which makes the bread soft and moist after baking. Only add flour for shaping and rolling if you absolutely need it.

Once shaped into a smooth ball, place the dough ball into an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. At this point, you can either let the dough rise in the fridge overnight or continue at room temperature until at least double in size.

Tip: using oil on your hands and the counter instead of flour while shaping the dough will help with sticking and also prevent you from adding too much flour which can dry out the bread. However, this dough has a lot of butter so it shouldn’t stick to your hands very much.

Make coconut bun filling

Once the dough has completed its first rise, make the coconut filling by mixing all the ingredients in a food processor. 

Tip: if you don’t have a food processor, you can just mix the filing by hand. I like using the food processor because it blends the filling a bit smoother but either way will work. If not using a food processor, choose a more finely shredded coconut.

Second rise

If you let the dough rise in the fridge overnight, you’ll need to let it come to room temperature before working with it the second day.

Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured countertop, and divide into 6 equal portions. Knead each one into a ball and let them rest for about 15 minutes. This is to allow the gluten to relax, which will make it easier to roll them out.

Roll each ball out into a rectangle, about 4”x6”. Spread 3 tablespoons of coconut filling on top of the dough as evenly as possible and roll it up into a small log.

Cut the log in half, lengthwise leaving about half an inch intact at one end. Twist the two sections into a braided bun. Press a few raisins into the exposed filling. Place the buns on a parchment lined baking sheet with about 2” space in between and allow to rise until at least doubled in size and supple looking, about 1-2 hours.

Bake the bread

Preheat oven to 350°F, apply egg wash on any exposed part of the dough and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Baker’s tips

• Always check that your yeast is working properly before continuing with the recipe to ensure success. If the yeast mixture doesn’t puff up when bloomed, it is best to start over. Otherwise, your dough will not rise. 
• Rising time can vary, depending on the environment: temperature, humidity, barometric pressure. The dough will rise faster in warmer weather compared to colder weather, in higher altitude compared to lower altitude, etc. 

• Invest in a kitchen scale to measure all your ingredients correctly. Using weight actually makes the prepping a lot faster.
• Don’t be afraid to knead this dough for a long time. The longer you knead the more gluten develops, which gives the dough its structure so it can be handled and shaped easier. This dough needs to be kneaded for at least 30-40 minutes.
• Using oil on your hands and the countertop when shaping and rolling the dough can prevent you from adding too much flour and risk drying out the bread, making it too hard.

FAQs

For more FAQs and troubleshooting tips for brioche dough, you can check out my other post on how to make brioche bread. 

Are these the same as cocktail buns?

These are very similar but not the same as Chinese cocktail buns which have an oval shape and the coconut filling is encased within the buns.

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the dough the day before, I’ve written this into the recipe. You simply stop at the first rise and allow the dough to rise overnight. The next day, you’ll make the filling, shape the dough into buns and move on to the second rise and bake.

The dough can last in the fridge for up to 2 days. So you don’t have to make the buns immediately the next day if you don’t have time.

Can I use coconut milk?

Sure, you can. There is only about 2 – 3 tablespoons of milk used in the bread dough. You can certainly substitute it with coconut milk if you wish.

Storage

• Room temperature: these coconut buns will last for a few days at room temperature. Store them in an airtight container.
• Refrigerator: you can also keep them in the fridge for up to a week. 
• Freezer: you can freeze coconut buns for up to 3 months.

To serve leftover buns or cold buns, I find it is best to toast them in the oven for about 3-5 minutes at 350°F to warm them up. This will soften the inside and crisp up the crust. 

More bakery inspired recipes

• Almond Croissants
• Anpan (Red Bean Buns)
• Starbucks Cranberry Orange Scones
• Cinnamon Rolls
• Guava Pastries

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Join my newsletter to get notified when I publish a new recipe. Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for more inspiration.

📖 Recipe card

Coconut Buns

These Chinese bakery inspired Coconut Buns are made from an incredibly rich, buttery, soft, and slightly sweet brioche bread, laced with ribbons of sweetened coconut filling and dotted with raisins.

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Bread, Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Prep Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Rising Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 5 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 buns

Calories: 583kcal

Author: Trang

Equipment

• Stand Mixer
• Food Processor
• Baking Sheet

Ingredients

Brioche dough

• ▢ 3 large eggs (room temperature)
• ▢ 2 – 3 tablespoon of milk (room temperature, 28 – 42 g)
• ▢ 2 teaspoon of active dry yeast
• ▢ ¼ cup of granulated sugar (45 g, divided)
• ▢ 2 cup all-purpose flour (265 g)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
• ▢ 4 ounce unsalted butter (thin slices, room temperature, 113 g)
• ▢ Extra flour for rolling as needed

Coconut Filling

• ▢ 1 ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (135 g)
• ▢ 1 cup powdered sugar (100 g)
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 1 tablespoon coconut oil (13 g, melted)
• ▢ Handful of raisins

Egg wash

• ▢ 1 whole egg
• ▢ 1 tablespoon milk or water

Instructions

• Make the brioche dough: mix 2 tablespoons of milk together with 1 teaspoon of sugar, and sprinkle the active dry yeast on top. Let it bloom for about 10 minutes. The mixture should puff up, if not repeat this step to ensure yeast is working.
• In a small mixing bowl, add the remaining sugar, flour and salt and whisk to evenly distribute.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer, lightly beat the eggs with a hand whisk. Add the bloomed yeast mixture along with the flour mixture to the beaten eggs. Use the dough hook to knead on low speed (speed 2) for 15 minutes.
• Check occasionally to see how your dough is looking, if it is too dry, sprinkle in the remaining 1 tablespoon of milk. By the end of 15 minutes, it should pull away from the side of the bowl.
• Leave the mixer on speed 2 and add the softened butter, a few pieces at a time, allowing the butter to combine with the dough before adding more. This will take about 10 minutes. Then let the mixer knead for another 10-20 minutes or until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
• Scrape the dough out on a lightly floured counter and shape into a ball. Place it into an oiled glass bowl and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour.
• At this point, you can let the dough ferment in the fridge overnight, or let it double in size (approximately 1-1.5 hours) and move on to the next step.
• Make the coconut filling: add unsweetened coconut and powdered sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the egg and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and pulse until a paste forms. Set aside.
• Assemble the coconut buns: let the dough come to room temperature if you just remove it from the fridge and make sure it has doubled in size before working with it.
• Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured countertop. Deflate the dough and divide it into 6 equal portions. Knead each portion into a ball and allow to rest for about 15 minutes.
• Roll each ball of dough out into a rectangle about 4”x6”. Spread 3 tablespoons of coconut filling on top of the dough. Roll into a log and cut in half lengthwise leaving about half an inch intact at one end. Twist the two sections into a braided bun. Press a few raisins into the exposed filling.
• Place the buns on a lined baking pan, leaving about 2” of space between each bun. Drape a tea towel or plastic wrap over it loosely, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 – 2 hours until at least double in size.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Beat an egg with a tablespoon or water or milk to make egg wash. Brush any exposed part of the dough with egg wash and bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet.

Notes

• Always check that your yeast is working properly before continuing with the recipe to ensure success. If the yeast doesn’t puff up when bloomed in liquid, it is best to start over. Otherwise, your dough will not rise.
• Rising time can vary, depending on the environment: temperature, humidity, barometric pressure. The dough will rise faster in warmer weather compared to colder weather, in higher altitude compared to lower altitude, etc.
• Cutting the butter into thin slices will help it incorporate into the dough easier than cubes.
• Make sure the butter is at room temperature or it will not incorporate easily.
• This dough is very buttery so it shouldn’t need a lot of extra flour for rolling and shaping.
• Invest in a kitchen scale to measure all your ingredients correctly. Using weight actually makes the prepping a lot faster.
• Don’t be afraid to knead this dough for a long time. The longer you knead the more gluten develops, which gives the dough its structure so it can be handled and shaped easier. This dough needs to be kneaded for at least 30-40 minutes.
• Using oil on your hands and the countertop when shaping and rolling the dough can prevent you from adding too much flour and risk drying out the bread, making it too hard.
• If you don’t have a food processor to make the filling, simply mix by hand but make sure to choose a more finely shredded coconut.

Nutrition

Serving: 166g | Calories: 583kcal

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