A variety of Chinese steamed buns, flower rolls (Hua Juan) are layered with a tasty scallion filling. Follow my quick & easy method to make some!
What are flower rolls
Flower rolls (knowns as Huā Juǎn/花卷 in Chinese) are a variety of Chinese steamed buns. Layered with a light oily filling, they often come with a savoury taste, but sweet versions exist too. Similar to Mantou/馒头 (plain steamed buns) flower rolls are made of leavened wheat flour dough and served as breakfast or as a staple for regular meals.
How to make the perfect dough
The dough for the flower rolls is based on my quick & easy recipe of Mantou which uses both yeast and baking powder as raising agents. For making 6 rolls, you will need:
- 250g all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon dried active yeast
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 130ml lukewarm water
All-purpose flour works fine
What it comes to flour-based recipes, I’m often asked “What type of flour shall I use” or “Do I have to use special flour for dumplings/buns”. My answer to these questions is: the most accessible all-purpose flour works perfectly.
All-purpose flour (aka plain flour) usually has a medium level of gluten (10-11g protein per 100g flour) which produces a fluffy, yet a little chewy, texture. In some countries, eg. Canada or Switzerland, all-purpose flour has a higher gluten content. Add a little cornstarch (10%) to the flour if you prefer fluffier rolls.
In Chinese/Asian stores, you may find flour labelled as special flour for steamed buns/bao. It has a low gluten level thus produces fluffy buns. As it’s highly processed and bleached, the flower rolls made of this type of flour would look much whiter.
Rest the dough once only
Unlike the traditional way of making steamed buns, my dough recipe calls for both yeast and baking powder. This alteration largely reduces the dough resting time.
Once a smooth dough is formed, you can shape the flower rolls straight away. Then leave to rest for 30 minutes before cooking.
How to make a tasty filling
What makes flower rolls different from Plain Steamed Buns? It’s the tasty filling between each layer of dough. Like the popular Scallion Pancakes, my flower rolls are seasoned with similar ingredients: finely chopped scallions, ground spice (Chinese five-spice powder or ground Sichuan pepper), salt and a little oil.
It’s fine to simply mix all four ingredients then brush onto the dough. However, I like adding one more step to make the filling even tastier: heat up the oil then pour over the scallions. The heat will release more aroma out of the scallions. Or, if you have a jar of Homemade Scallion Oil at hand, mix it with ground spice and salt, then brush onto the dough.
Don’t have either Chinese five-spice or Sichuan pepper? Use ground black pepper instead. Or, create your own combination of herbs & spices.
How to shape the rolls
There aren’t any set rules on how you should layer and shape flower rolls. As I’m quite obsessed with the appearance of my food, I’ve tried many different methods over the years. The particular one used in this recipe is neat, effective and creates a beautiful look.
It’s an easy method to master. The other day, my 7-year-old daughter watched me making flower rolls for filming the tutorial video. She quickly picked up the idea and shaped another batch of rolls on her own.
This is how I shape them step by step (please refer to the tutorial video):
1. Dust some flour over the worktop. Roll the dough into a thin, rectangle shape (about 20cm×30cm). Evenly coat the dough with the filling.
2. From the long side of the rectangle, fold the dough twice making it a three-layer strip. Then cut it into 12 pieces.
3. Stack up two pieces. Use a chopstick to press the middle line lengthways. Hold both ends then stretch.
4. Hang it over the chopstick. With one hand pinch and hold both ends. With the other hand twist the chopstick.
5. Put the roll on the worktop, press the chopstick then slide it out of the roll.
Two ways to cook flower rolls
Traditional method: steaming
As I mentioned above, flower rolls are a type of Chinese steamed bun. So they are usually cooked in a steamer basket. Here is the procedure:
Inspired by Pan-fried Pork Buns, I sometimes fry my flower rolls as I adore the golden, crispy crust. I highly recommend you try this method, especially if you don’t own a steamer.
- Line the basket with a piece of steamer parchment paper, or brush a thin layer of oil if using a metal steamer. Then place flower rolls on top.
- Fill the steamer pot with cold water. Put in the basket with a lid. Start cooking over high heat.
- When the water boils, turn down the heat to medium-low. From this moment, count 10 minute cooking time.
Creative method: pan-frying
- Add oil to a frying pan over high heat. Place in the rolls leaving ample space in between.
- When the bottom of the rolls turn brown, pour in 200ml water. Cover with a lid.
- Uncover when the water has completely evaporated. Turn off the heat after 20 seconds or so.
How to store & reheat
My recipe makes 6 flower rolls which fit in a medium-sized bamboo steamer. If you have a multi-layer steamer at hand, I encourage you to cook a bigger batch at a time. They keep well in the freeze and can be reheated easily.
Once completely cooled, place the flower rolls in an airtight container/plastic bag. Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
For reheating, simply steam fridge-kept rolls for 5 mins. If frozen, steam for 7 mins (no need to defrost beforehand).
What to serve with flower rolls
I enjoy flower rolls at breakfast, with a bowl of congee and some preserved vegetable or fermented bean curd. My children love eating them as an after school snack. Very often, we have them as the staple for dinner, along with several savoury dishes and probably a tasty soup too.
Chinese flower rolls (Hua Juan, 花卷)
Ingredients
For the dough
- 250 g all-purpose flour - plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon dried active yeast
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 130 ml lukewarm water - see note 1
For the filling
- 2 tablespoon scallions, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder - or ground Sichuan pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
If pan-frying, you also need
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
Instructions
Prepare the dough
- 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).
- 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.
Mix the filling
- Put scallions, Chinese five-spice powder (or ground Sichuan pepper) & salt in a bowl.
- Heat up the oil then pour over the scallions. Mix well.
Shape the rolls
- Dust some flour over the worktop. Roll the dough into a thin, rectangle shape (about 20cm×30cm). Evenly coat the dough with the filling.
- From the long side of the rectangle, fold the dough twice making it a three-layer strip. Then cut it into 12 pieces.
- Stack up two pieces. Use a chopstick to press the middle line lengthways. Hold both ends and stretch.
- Hang it on the chopstick. With one hand pinch and hold two ends. With the other hand twist the chopstick.
- Put the roll on the worktop, press the chopstick then slice it out of the roll.
Rest the rolls
- Leave the rolls to rest for around 30 minutes. Well-rested buns should be slightly bigger, but not double the size (see note 2).
Cooking method 1: steaming
- Place the rolls in a steamer basket (line with steamer parchment paper or brush a thin layer of oil to avoid sticking). Make sure to leave ample space in between each roll.
- Fill the steamer pot with cold water. Start cooking over high heat. Turn down to medium-low once the water is at a full boil.
- Cook 10 mins from this moment. Serve warm.
Cooking method 2: pan-frying
- Add oil to a frying pan over high heat. Place the rolls into the pan leaving ample space in between.
- When the bottom of the rolls turn brown, pour in 200ml water (at room temperature). Cover with a lid.
- Uncover when the water has completely evaporated. Turn off the heat after 20 seconds or so.
Store the rolls
- Once completely cooled, place the rolls 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 rolls
- Steam fridge-kept rolls for 5 mins. If frozen, steam for 7 mins (without defrosting).
Video
NOTES
NUTRITION
NUTRITION DISCLOSURE: Nutritional information on this website is provided as a courtesy to readers. It should be considered estimates. Please use your own brand nutritional values or your preferred nutrition calculator to double check against our estimates.
Sophie says
Can I substitute the active dry yeast with instant yeast? Will it make a difference in the proofing time? Thank you!!
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Yes, you can Sophie. Use the same amount recommended in the recipe. It won’t change the proofing time though.
Nagini says
Can you make the dough beforehand and refrigerate until you are ready to fry??? Thank you!
Wei @ Red House Spice says
You could do that provided: 1. reduce the yeast by half. 2. Keep the dough in the fridge no longer than 12 hours. But please be aware that the final result might not be as good as they are supposed to be.
Nagini says
Ahh okay. Good to know, thank you! So if I fry them and then steam them to warm up, will they lose their crunchy bottoms?
Wei @ Red House Spice says
They won’t be crunchy any more after steaming.
Doris says
Hi Wei,
I am having a problem stretching it after I use the chopsticks down the middle. Could it be that I am not using enough water? It does taste delicious but it doesn’t look that pretty.
Thank you for this recipe!!
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Thank you Doris for trying my recipe. There are two possible reasons: 1. The dough is to firm/dry. Add a little more water next time. 2. Over-kneading. In this case, rest the dough for about 10 mins to relax the gluten network then roll out. Hope this helps!
Anna says
I made the pan fried hua juan today! They turned out perfect! The YouTube video on how to shape the buns was super helpful! Thank you so much!
Wei @ Red House Spice says
That’s great Anna! Very happy to know you find my video helpful!
Emme says
Hello! Would you know how to make the dough in a bread maker? The recipe looks great but my wrist is weak and I don’t have a mixer but I have a bread maker with dough function! Thank you so much.
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Hi Emme! You can use your bread maker to mix & knead all the ingredients into a smooth dough. Then take it out. Shape the dough into flower rolls as instructed in my recipe.
fay says
I’d like to steam these in my instant pot… (steam setting). Do you have any recommendations on timing for this method? Thank you! Such an inspiring little bun.
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Hi Fay! I don’t use instant pot so I can’t give you an answer. Maybe you can try steaming one roll to see how it turns out? Good luck!
LiLi says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It was easy to use and finally on my 2nd attempt it looked similar to your pictures. It was kid approved by my kids. I definitely like the frying method. The crunchy bottom is delicious.
Wei @ Red House Spice says
My pleasure Lili! I love the fried version too. Not a traditional method but very yummy indeed.
Joan Chen Appleby says
My 13 year old son & I made this recipe tonight and loved it! The Hua Juan tasted amazing 🙂 We made a double batch and our family of 4 ate it all up as part of our dinner. Thank you for posting these wonderful recipes! I love that I can make these recipes at home.
Wei @ Red House Spice says
My pleasure Joan! Great to hear that you made them with your son. Cooking is a wonderful way to bond with children.
Fhey Zhou says
Your blog had helped me a lot to succeed in Chinese bread and buns! I’ve been living in China for 10yrs, my mom-in-law had taught me how to make baozi and yet I have failed on my own. During this pandemic, being just at home in my Home country, I’ve tried and followed your exact recipes—all ingredients measured and procedures followed strictly. And viola! My husband, who’s been with me since the virus breakout, has been missing to taste authentic Chinese dishes. He loved the hua juan’r(Chinese scallion flower Buns) and let out the words: “诶我!你咋做的呀?挺好!挺好!好吃!”(“Oh, my! How did you do it? It’s great! It’s great! Delicious!”) So, to you, Wei, many many thanks! I am so grateful to find your posts! I hope you can add more that are easy to do dishes with easy to find recipes. Just too bad, during this time, I can’t find the Char Siu in any market I go. But anyways, for some dishes, especially the buns, you’re amazing!!! You were the reason for my new found hobby!
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Hi Fhey! Delighted to know you liked my recipes. I have a recipe for Homemade Char Siu. It’s very simple to make. Give it a try!
David says
Hi Wei, another enticing recipe! If kneading the dough by hand, how long should we knead for? Does it need to pass the “window pane” test?
Keep up the great work!
Thanks
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Hi David! You don’t need to look for the “windowpane” for these rolls. Just knead until the dough is smooth on the surface. If you wish to reduce the hand-kneading time, rest the dough for 10 minutes then knead it smooth.
T. Chen says
Hi! Made these twice and they taste great!
Mine seems to unravel as they are resting though? Any tips on what I may be doing wrong?
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Make sure you press the chopstick firm enough to tightly seal the dough pieces. Another possibility is that you might have dusted too much flour on the dough making it difficult to stick dough together. Hope this helps!