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Soft Fried Buns Recipe

4.9 from 494 reviews

Soft Fried Buns are fluffy, golden, and slightly sweet buns that are deep-fried to a perfect crisp exterior with a tender and airy interior. Made using a simple yeast dough infused with honey, these buns can be enjoyed plain, dusted with sugar, or filled with sweet or savory fillings for a delightful treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Liquid Ingredients

  • 150 ml milk (lukewarm)
  • 70 ml water (lukewarm)
  • 12 g honey

Dry Ingredients

  • 7 g instant yeast
  • 400 g all-purpose flour
  • 7 g salt

Other Ingredients

  • 30 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • Vegetable oil for frying (enough to fill deep pan to approx. 5 cm depth)

Instructions

  1. Activate yeast: Stir the instant yeast into the lukewarm milk, lukewarm water, and honey mixture. Let it rest until the mixture becomes foamy, about 5-10 minutes, to ensure the yeast is activated.
  2. Make dough: Add the all-purpose flour, salt, and room temperature unsalted butter to the yeast mixture. Knead everything together until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky, which usually takes about 8-10 minutes by hand or 5-7 minutes with a stand mixer.
  3. First rise: Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours. This resting allows the dough to develop airiness and flavor.
  4. Shape buns: Punch down the risen dough to release excess air, then divide it into 10 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball. If desired, you can fill the buns with sweet or savory fillings at this stage by flattening each piece, adding filling, and sealing them back into balls.
  5. Second rise: Place the shaped buns on a tray, cover them, and let them rest for 30-40 minutes, until they become puffy and slightly risen again.
  6. Fry the buns: Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or pot to 175°C (350°F). Fry the buns in small batches, turning them to ensure even golden browning on all sides, typically about 3-4 minutes per batch.
  7. Drain and serve: Remove the buns with a slotted spoon and drain excess oil on paper towels. Serve them plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or stuffed with your favorite fillings for a comforting treat.

Notes

  • Make sure the milk and water are lukewarm, not hot, to avoid killing the yeast.
  • If you want filled buns, some great options include red bean paste, custard, or savory minced meat.
  • Maintain oil temperature around 175°C to ensure the buns cook through without burning.
  • Use a thermometer for oil temperature accuracy.
  • Store leftover buns in an airtight container to keep them soft.

Keywords: Fried buns, soft buns, yeast buns, snack recipe, fried dough, Asian buns