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Coconut Buns (Chinese Cocktail Buns)

Coconut buns, or cocktail buns (chicken tail buns) are a favorite at Chinese bakeries. This recipe is soft, fluffy, authentic, and incredibly easy to make.

Prep Time
3 hrs
Cook Time
mins
Total Time
3 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 12 buns
Calories: 389 kcal
Course: Baked Goods
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

The bread dough:
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream (160 ml, at room temperature)
  • 1 cup milk (plus 1 tablespoon, total 250 ml, at room temperature)
  • 1 large egg (at room temperature)
  • 1/3 cup sugar (75g)
  • 1/2 cup cake flour (70 g)
  • 3 1/2 cups bread flour (500g)
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast (11g)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (7g)
The filling:
  • 6 tablespoons butter (85g, softened)
  • 3 tablespoons caster sugar (38g, or superfine sugar)
  • 3 tablespoons cake flour (19g)
  • ¼ cup dry milk powder (30g)
  • ½ cup desiccated coconut (40g)
The toppings:
  • 1/3 cup cake flour (38g)
  • 3 tablespoons butter (43g, softened)
  • 4 ½ teaspoons caster sugar (20g, or superfine sugar)
  • Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water)
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (9g)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar (12g, dissolved in 1 tablespoon/15 ml hot water)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Start by making the bread dough, and be sure your ingredients are at room temperature. In the bowl of a mixer, add the heavy cream, milk, egg, sugar, cake flour, bread flour, yeast, and salt (in that order). Using the dough hook attachment, turn on the mixer at its lowest setting.
  2. Let it go for 15 minutes, occasionally stopping the mixer to push the dough together. (Note: if you’re in a humid climate, and the dough is too sticky, add more flour ¼ cup at a time until the dough comes together). After 15 minutes, the dough is ready for proofing. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and place in a warm spot for 1 hour. The dough will grow to about 1.5X its original size.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare the filling by thoroughly combining all the filling ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
  4. After the bread dough has proofed for an hour, put the dough back in the mixer and knead slowly for another 5 minutes to get rid of air bubbles. Dump the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into 12 equal pieces.
  5. Flatten each piece of dough with your hands into a rough oval shape, about 4 inches long and 3 inches wide. Spread about a tablespoon of filling onto the middle of the dough, and roll it into a cigar, tucking the ends under the bun to completely seal the filling in. We like this method because it evenly distributes the filling throughout the bun.
  6. Transfer the buns to a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise for another 45 minutes to an hour.
  7. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. For the topping, mix together 1/3 cup cake flour, 3 tablespoons softened butter, and 4 ½ teaspoons caster sugar, and transfer to a piping bag or small zip top bag with a small corner cut off. Set aside.
  8. Once the buns have risen, brush with egg wash. Pipe two stripes of your topping mixture onto each bun, and sprinkle each with sesame seeds. Bake for 15-17 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and brush with the sugar syrup.

Notes

  • If you don't have cake flour and/or bread flour, feel free to substitute all purpose flour for both.

Nutrition Information

Calories 389kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 49g (16%) Protein 9g (18%) Fat 18g (28%) Saturated Fat 11g (55%) Cholesterol 57mg (19%) Sodium 401mg (17%) Potassium 160mg (5%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 14g (28%) Vitamin A 570IU (11%) Vitamin C 0.2mg (0%) Calcium 83mg (8%) Iron 0.7mg (4%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12buns

Amount Per Serving

Calories 389

% Daily Value*

Calories 389kcal 19%
Carbohydrates 49g 16%
Protein 9g 18%
Fat 18g 28%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Cholesterol 57mg 19%
Sodium 401mg 17%
Potassium 160mg 3%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 14g 28%
Vitamin A 570IU 11%
Vitamin C 0.2mg 0%
Calcium 83mg 8%
Iron 0.7mg 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.