5 Minute Milk Dough (Regular or Dairy Free)
This versatile dough is your shortcut to pillowy steamed buns, bao, and dim sum favorites! While not a traditional Japanese milk bread, it delivers that soft, tender bite you love. The name "five-minute dough" is a bit of a stretch—it's 5 minutes to mix, 5 to thicken, 5 to knead, and a quick steam—but the magic really happens during the rise (give it at least 2 hours or let it chill overnight). Bonus: it keeps in the fridge for up to a week, making meal prep ridiculously easy.
5 Minute Milk Dough (Regular or Dairy Free)
Serves 16+| Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: Varies
Ingredients
- 3c +1 Tbsp (525g) Better Batter Artisan Blend GF Flour
- 1 3/4 tbsp (21g) extra fine sugar
- 1/2 tsp (1.2g) salt
- 1 1/2 tsp (1.5g) active dry yeast
- 5.5 tbsp (80 ml) milk or dairy free sub
- 1 1/4-2 c (310-500 ml) water
- 1 Tbsp (13.63g) oil, plus extra for oiling the bowl
- 1 Tbsp (14g0 rice vinegar
- 1 tsp (4g) baking powder
Instructions
To Prep In a large bowl, blend flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the milk, water, 1 tbsp oil, and rice vinegar. Mix until well blended. Allow to sit for 5 minutes - The mixture will start out watery and loose and will thicken as it sits.
Immediate use: Once the dough thickens to workable consistency, sprinkle with the baking powder and knead for 5 minutes. Proceed with shaping and steaming (below)
Make Ahead: Do not add the baking powder after you mix the dough together and let it sit. Place in an oiled bowl, cover tightly, and allow to rise at least two hours, or overnight, then dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with baking powder and knead for 5 minutes. Proceed with shaping and steaming (below)
Shaping and Steaming: Roll the dough into a tube 1 1/4 inch (3cm) thick and about 23 inches (55 cm). Cut into 18 even pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten to 1/8 inch thick - shape below
- FILLED BUNS - place 1 tbsp of filling in the center of the dough, wetting the outer edges, and bring the dough up to cover the filling, pinching the edges to create a 'purse'. Repeat. Place on parchment paper in a steamer basket, leaving a little room around the edges. Repeat until basket is full, placing extra buns on separate parchment paper. Allow to rise for 1/2 hour or steam immediately for 5-6 minutes. Repeat steaming step until all buns are cooked.
- STEAMED BAO - oil the surface of the rolled circles. place a well-oiled chopstick in the center of each piece and fold in half, pressing lightly. Slide the chopstick out and place the bun on parchment paper in a steamer basket, leaving at least 1/2 inch room around the edges. Place extra buns on separate parchment paper. Allow to rise 1 1/2 hours, then steam in batches for 8 minutes each. Open and fill to serve.
