An easy & quick way to make Mantou, Chinese steamed buns. My detailed instructions and tutorial video will help you to succeed.
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Pin ItAs the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival, 春节) is fast approaching, I’m sharing a nostalgic recipe: Mantou(馒头), Chinese steamed buns.
This was an essential item that my parents used to prepare a few days before the most important festival of the year.
We made dozens of them in a variety of shapes and enjoyed them throughout the entire holiday period.
What is Mantou?
Mántóu (馒头), also known as Mó (馍), refers to plain steamed buns which originated from China. They are usually made of white wheat flour, but other ingredients, such as corn flour, sweet potato, pumpkin, are sometimes added to the dough. As a popular staple, Mantou has a firm position on Chinese families’ dinner table.
In regions of northern China, Mantou is also a festive food prepared for the New Year. For this occasion, apart from regular round ones, they are made into all kinds of shapes, such as flowers, butterflies, animals, etc., and decorated with dried Chinese dates (Jujube).
Another popular variety of Mantou is Huā Juǎn (花卷, flower rolls), a layered bun seasoned with herbs, spices & oil.
A quick & easy recipe
Different from the traditional method which uses only yeast as a raising agent, my Mantou recipe calls for both yeast and baking powder which make the cooking process easier & quicker.
The yeast-only method makes great Mantou if you follow the double-proofing procedure: Leave the dough to rise until doubled in size. Shape individual buns then leave to rise again before steaming. The total resting time takes 1-2 hours depending on the room temperature (My post “Steamed Bao Buns” applies the traditional approach).
The “Yeast+baking powder” method requires only one proofing process. You can shape the buns right after the dough is formed. Just leave the buns to rise for about 30 minutes before steaming. It’s a better recipe in terms of efficiency and simplicity thus good for busy or novice home cooks.
Make the dough
Ingredients
My recipe makes 6 medium-sized round Mantou, or 4 flower-shaped buns topped with Chinese dates. Here are what you need in hand:
- 250g all-purpose/plain flour
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp sugar, or to taste
- 130g lukewarm water
- 4 Chinese dates, for flower-shaped buns only
The process is pretty simple: mix flour, yeast and baking powder. Add water gradually. Combine then knead into a very smooth dough. It should be medium-firm thus doesn’t stick to hands or the work surface.
Knead by hand
It can be quite demanding to knead the dough to a very smooth texture by hand. To make the process easier, I always give the dough a little rest soon after all the ingredients are roughly combined. Then knead until the dough appears to be evenly smooth.
Use a stand mixer
Making the dough with a stand mixer is straightforward. Knead on low speed for about 8 minutes. Take the dough out and finish off by kneading by hand for 1 minute.
Ways to shape
Now the dough is ready. It’s time to form them into your preferred shape (No need to rest before shaping). Divide the dough into equal sections then work on one section at a time. For this recipe, I made them into two different shapes (Please refer to my tutorial video):
Regular round shape:
- Knead and fold the dough towards the centre of the ball without turning over. This will result in a smooth outer surface as you form the ball.
- Once you have completed this step rotate the ball between your hands to form a slightly raised shape.
Festive flower shape:
- Roll the dough piece into a long, thin rope. Fold both ends in a “J” shape in opposite directions. Then turn each end towards the centre of the rope until they meet.
- Take a pair of chopsticks placing one either side (in the centre) and squeeze to form a flower shape. Then place a Chinese date in the centre of the flower.
The resting process
My easy Mantou recipe only requires one resting process (unlike the traditional method explained in Steamed Bao Buns). After shaping the buns, place them into the steamer basket to rest. Make sure to leave ample space between each bun as they will be double in size after cooking.
The resting time required varies depending on the room temperature. It takes me 30 minutes in a room at about 25°C/77°F. So if it’s cooler in yours, extend the time a little and vice versa.
Well-rested buns should be slightly bigger (not doubled in size), very smooth on the surface. When pressed gently, the dough bounces back.
How to steam
Use a bamboo steamer when possible
Bamboo steamers work best when it comes to bun making. As bamboo is a “breathable” material, the steam doesn’t cause condensation. Some people also believe it passes some natural bamboo aroma to the buns.
Wrap the lid if using metal ones
If using a metal steamer, I suggest you wrap its metal/glass lid with a clean tea towel. This way the condensation created during the steaming process will be absorbed by the cloth instead of dripping onto the buns affecting their smooth appearance.
Line the basket or brush oil
To avoid the buns sticking to the steamer, you need to line your basket with steamer parchment paper, like the one I use in my images (They are available in Asian shops or major online shopping platforms). You may cut out circles using regular parchment paper and place them underneath each bun. Make sure they are bigger than the uncooked buns.
Alternatively, you can brush a thin layer of oil on the basket. It’s particularly effective when using metal steamers.
Troubleshoot: avoid bun collapsing
Are you keen to get the smooth, flawless finished look? If so, do not overproof the buns. As shown in the image above, the smooth one on the right was rested for 30 minutes before steaming. The wrinkled one on the left had a 45 minutes rest. While steaming, the excessive air caused by over proofing has created a big air pocket inside the bun. It collapsed once the cooking stopped.
By the way, some steamed bun recipes claim that to avoid the buns collapsing, you should wait for a few minutes before you uncover the steamer. Through numerous tests, I can tell you that this advice has no value. As long as you prepare and rest the dough properly following my recipe, you can immediately remove the lid after turning off the heat (just like how dim sum chefs do).
What to eat with
Mantou is the staple food of many northern Chinese household meals. So just like how you consume steamed rice, families would eat mantou with several savoury dishes, often accompanied by something less solid, such as congee, soups, etc.
It’s also a common breakfast item. You can spread with some savoury sauce, such as Chinese chili oil, fermented bean curd (Fú Rǔ/腐乳), black bean sauce (豆豉酱), etc. Or serve it like a burger, cut open then slide in a fried egg. Simple but yum!
When eating as a sweet snack, it’s very popular to dip mantou into condensed milk. Honey or jam is a great accompaniment too.
Store and reheat
It’s so handy to have some pre-made Mantou available when you crave them. Once your leftover buns are completely cool, place them in an airtight container/plastic bag. You may keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Steamed buns tend to go firm and hard when they are cold. To regain their softness and fluffiness, you can simply reheat them in the steamer. It takes about 4 minutes for fridge-kept ones and 6 minutes for frozen ones (no need to defrost).
Other bread recipes
Interested in other types of Chinese bread? Have a look at these recipes:
📋 Recipe
Love this recipe? Please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating and a comment. Thank you!
Mantou (馒头), Chinese steamed buns
Video
Ingredients
- 250 g all-purpose, aka plain flour
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast, or dry active yeast
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
- 130 g lukewarm water, see note 1
- 4 Chinese dates, for flower-shaped buns, optional
Instructions
Prepare the dough
- IF KNEADING BY HAND: Mix flour, yeast, baking powder and sugar. Add water gradually. Mix with chopsticks/spatula until no more loose flour can be seen. Combine and knead briefly into a dough. Leave to rest for 10 minutes (covered). Knead again until very smooth.
- IF KNEADING WITH A STAND MIXER: Mix flour, yeast, baking powder, sugar and water in the bowl. Knead on low speed until a very smooth dough forms (about 8 minutes).
Shape the buns
- IF MAKING ROUND BUNS: Divide the dough into 6 pieces (4 pieces if you prefer bigger buns). Knead and fold the dough piece towards the centre of the ball resulting in a smooth outer surface. Rotate the ball between your hands to form a slightly raised shape (Please refer to the video below).
- IF MAKING FLOWER BUNS: Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll one piece into a long, thin rope. Fold both ends in a “J” shape in opposite directions. Turn each end towards the centre of the rope until they meet. Take a pair of chopsticks placing one either side (in the centre) and squeeze to form a flower shape. Place a Chinese date in the centre of the flower.
Rest the buns
- Place the buns in the steamer basket (line with steamer parchment paper or brush a thin layer of oil to avoid sticking). Make sure to leave ample space between each bun.
- Leave to rest for around 30 minutes. Well-rested buns should be slightly bigger (not double the size) and very smooth on the surface. When pressed gently, the dough bounces back (see note 2).
Steam the buns
- Place the steaming basket onto a pot/wok filled with cold water. Start cooking with high heat (see note 3).
- Turn down to medium-low once the water is at a full boil. Count 10 mins from this moment (add 2 mins if your buns are bigger). Serve warm.
Store the buns
- Once completely cooled, place the buns in an airtight container/plastic bag. Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Reheat the buns
- Steam fridge-kept buns for 5 mins. If frozen, steam for 7 mins (without defrosting).
Notes
Your Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thanks! Amazing. No more frozen mantou for me!
So happy to hear that, Franz!
Thank you for the easy-to-follow, low-effort recipe — it turned out perfect and absolutely delicious!!!
I truly appreciate your detailed instructions and tips, including how long to reheat it.
Thank you for the lovely feedback, Fumi. I’m so glad the recipe worked well for you and that the tips were helpful. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.
I tried this recipe for the first time and added goji berries! Very easy and yields great results. The buns rose really nicely and the inside were fluffy. I did have to add more water like what the note said, probably because my AP flour is different.
I soaked some and thought I could add them before combining into the dough but I forgot. So I added it in while kneading by hand but it was too wet. So I didn’t add them all, and added dried ones instead. But that turned out to be a beautiful mistake too, it stained the dough a beautiful orange and when they were done, they mantou’s were golden yellow! Decorated the top with some goji berries to make a flower formation too.
Will be experimenting with chrysanthemum next! and maybe increasing the sugar to my preference.
Thank you so much WEI GUO 🙂
Wow, what a beautiful experiment! The goji berries sound like such a creative twist. I love how you embraced the ‘happy mistake’ and turned it into something unique. Can’t wait to hear how your chrysanthemum version turns out!
I am a bit disappointed. Your recipe says 150 g of water. But your video says 150 ml. I didn’t watch the video until my dough was mixed.
Thanks so much for trying my recipe, Michelle! Sorry for the confusion. Since the density of water is 1:1 (meaning 1 g = 1 ml), grams and milliliters are interchangeable for water, which is why recipes sometimes list one or the other. I’ll try to make that clearer next time!
Hello! I have been trying out this recipe, it turned out very good but my kneading skill is still not as good. So i am very confuse with how mine turns out. Is mantou supposed to be dense or very soft? Is mantou similar to pau(malaysian steamed bun)? Thank you so much for the recipe and for reading/answering my comment!
Thank you for trying the recipe! 😊 Mantou should be soft and fluffy while warm, similar to Malaysian pau but without the filling. With more kneading practice, it’ll get even lighter. Keep it up!
Oh that definitely explains, thank you so much!! Mine turns out squishy and pau-like but not as fluffy. I definitely to improve my kneading skill, thank you so much again. I can now sleep at night hahah
This is the easiest recipe I have seen. I’ve now made it 3 times! I double the sugar and add a pinch of salt. My kids love these! Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear your kids love it and that it’s become a favorite!
Thank you for all the tips. Now I know why my pau (as we call it in my country) had wrinkles: too much water in the dough and overproofing. I made red bean pau using this dough and although the skin is not smooth but I love the fact that it’s not collapsing and the texture inside is perfect and the taste is soo good. The second time I made it, I gave the dough 10minute rest before rekneading as per instruction, which I did not do in my first try. I found that this is not necessary in my climate and it has created bubbles by the time I put in the fillings. Consequently my pau developed wrinkling.
You’re very welcome, Asma! It sounds like you’ve learned a lot through experimenting, and I’m glad you’re enjoying the texture and taste! Adjusting rest time based on climate is a great insight. Happy pau-making!
Is there anyway to put the unsteamed buns in the fridge overnight to steam fresh in the morning? Or would that mess the buns up?
As I explained in the recipe, store the buns once they’re cooked and cooled (4 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer). Reheat them in the steamer whenever you want to enjoy them. Happy cooking!
I can’t believe I did it and they came out pretty good! I think they would be less dense had I been patient and waited for the 2nd proof but only gave them 20 minutes in a room that’s 70 degrees F. Family loved them. I will be making more tomorrow. Thank you!!
Thanks for trying out my recipe, Mina! Hope you’ll get even better results.
Wow, what a super simple and great recipe! My first try and definitely not my last 🙂
I do prefer my mantou to be on the sweeter side, which this was not. I’m not sure how much more sugar I could add without changing the texture too much. Could I double or even triple the amount of sugar? Thank you so much 🙂
It’s fine to double the sugar quantity. Give it a try and see if they’re sweet enough for you.
Thank you! I’ll give that a go 🙂