Coconut Buns (co*cktail Buns) (2024)

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How to to make super soft Chinese bakery buns with creamy coconut filling.

Coconut buns (co*cktail buns) are those popular ones in Hong Kong bakery. We love sweet and soft buns. It is said that the coconut was breadcrumbs initially when we were are lack of food. Then the bakers use coconut to replace bread crumbs and create this yummy coconut buns.Desiccated coconut has been widely used in Chinese bakery as a filling or topping for sweet dessert and buns. This sticky rice balls with desiccated coconut (nuomici) is one of the most popular desserts in dessert stores.

Theoretically, you can use any soft asian bun dough recipes ( for example TangZhong) to make a basic dough. I am using the recipe from milk breadwith very basic home baking ingredients.

Bun dough:

300g bread flour
50g sugar
2g salt
1 smaller egg
160g milk (3.5% fat)
1 and 1/2 teaspoon yeast
30g unsalted butter at room temperature

Firstly make a basic bun dough according to milk bread: in a bowl of stand mixer, add all the ingredients expect butter, stir with hook for 5-7 minutes and then add butter and continue kneading for 10 minutes until you get a elastic, smooth and soft dough. Then covered and set aside until doubled in size.

Coconut filling:

50gdesiccated coconut
40g whisked egg
15g baking milk powder
30g sugar
20g melted butter

Mix whisked egg with butter and then stir in sugar and coconut. Mix well and set aside.

Topping:

30g melted unsalted butter
20g cake flour
10g sugar powder

Mix all the ingredients together and then transfer to icing bag.

How to assemble coconut buns-two ways.

Method 1: flatten one piece of dough with your hands into a oval shape, about 4inches long and 3 inches wide.Then spread the filling in the middle. Roll up one side to cover the another side (like a small tube).

Ingredients

Bun Dough

300 g bread flour
50 g sugar
2 g salt
1 smaller egg
160 g milk , 3.5% fat
1.5 tsp. yeast
30 g unsalted butter at room temperature

Coconut filling:

50 g desiccated coconut
40 g whisked egg
15 g baking milk powder
30 g sugar
20 g melted butter

Topping

30 g melted unsalted butter
20 g cake flour
10 g sugar powder

egg wash

1 egg , whisked +1 tbsp. water (mix well)

honey wash or syrup wash

1 tbsp. honey or syrup +1 tbsp. water , mix well

Instructions

make the bun dough

Firstly make a basic bun dough according to milk bread: in a bowl of stand mixer, add all the ingredients expect butter, stir with hook for 5-7 minutes and then add butter and continue kneading for 10 minutes until you get a elastic, smooth and soft dough. Then covered and set aside until doubled in size. Then transfer out and knead for several minutes to remove the bubbles.
Divide the dough into 9 equal portions.

Coconut filling

Mix whisked egg with butter and then stir in sugar, milk powder and coconut. Mix well and set aside.

Topping

Mix all the ingredients together and then transfer to icing bag.

Assemble the coconut buns-Method 1

flatten one piece of dough with your hands into a oval shape, about 4 inches long and 3 inches wide.Then spread the filling in the middle. Roll up one side to cover the another side (like a small tube).
Turn over, seal completely and slightly roll up the two ends. This method will form a small center filling tube within the bun.

Assemble the coconut buns-Method 2

flatten one piece of dough with your hands into a oval shape, about 4 inches long and 3 inches wide.Then spread the filling in the middle.Then roll from the bottom to top.
Completely seal and shape the buns. This will form layered fillings within the bun.

bake

Assemble all the buns and transfer to lined baking tray. Place in oven and set aside for the second proofing (need 40 minutes to 1 hour) until all the buns are doubled in size. Brush egg wash on surface and decorate with strips of topping (either two strips or three strips). Pre-heat oven to 170 degree C (350 degree F).
Garnish sesame seeds and bake for 15 minutes on middle track until well colored. Then transfer out and brush honey wash.

Nutrition