Vegan Classic Bao Buns

Total time2 hr 20 min

Prep time30 min

Cook time20 min

These pillowy folded buns come together from a simple yeasted dough, given its light, cloud-like texture with a mix of all-purpose and cake flour and a touch of sugar for gentle sweetness. The dough gets a proper knead until smooth and springy, then rests until puffed and doubled before you divide it into a dozen little rounds. Each piece is rolled thin, brushed lightly with neutral oil, and folded into that signature taco-like shape everyone recognizes from a good bao. A quick steam turns them bright white, glossy, and springy to the touch, ready to pull open and stuff with whatever filling you're craving. The whole process is straightforward enough for a weekend project, and the payoff — soft, chewy, from-scratch buns — is well worth the rise time. This one slots right into a vegan spread without any fuss, perfect for building your own filled bao bar.

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the dough

1 tsp active dry yeast
Kroger Active Dry Yeast Essential Everyday Active Dry Yeast Our Family Active Dry Yeast Stop & Shop Active Dry Yeast - 3 ct Food Lion Active Dry Yeast
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1 tsp granulated sugar
¾ cup warm whole milk (about 110°f / 43°c)
Chef's tip
Use plain, unsweetened oat milk, measured 1:1. It works well in drinks, batters, sauces, and soups; avoid it where milk sets the texture, like custards, puddings, and frozen desserts.
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cake flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp neutral oil (such as vegetable oil or canola oil), plus more for brushing

Instructions

1
Combine the yeast, 1 tsp sugar, and warm milk in a small bowl and stir to dissolve. Let stand for 5–8 minutes, until the surface is foamy and the mixture smells yeasty.
2
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, 2 tbsp sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl). Add the yeast mixture and 1 tbsp neutral oil, then mix on low speed with the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms, about 1 minute.

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