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Strawberry Swirl Japanese Milk Bread Rolls
5 from 12 votes

Strawberry Swirl Japanese Milk Bread Rolls

Strawberry Swirl Japanese Milk Bread Rolls combine a soft, fluffy milk bread dough with a sweet strawberry jam swirl. The dough is enriched with butter, eggs, and milk via a tangzhong method, which creates a tender crumb and slight chewiness. Kneading the dough thoroughly and allowing it to proof gently results in pillowy rolls with a subtle sweetness and a fruity swirl. These rolls suit breakfast or a light snack and showcase how the strawberry jam can be incorporated before baking for a fun twist on classic milk bread.

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Additional Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 50 mins
Servings: 12 rolls
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

For the tangzhong:
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 6 tbsp milk whole
For the Japanese milk bread rolls:
  • 1/2 cup milk warmed to 30C, whole
  • 7 grams active dry yeast 1 packet
  • 2.5 cups flour I used all purpose flour, 320 grams
  • 1/4 cup sugar plain white sugar
  • 1 tsp salt I used pink Himalayan salt
  • 2 egg room temperature, one egg for the dough, one egg for egg wash
  • 4 tbsp butter room temperature, broken into 1 tbsp blocks
  • 12 tsp strawberry jam

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. To make the tangzhong: In a saucepan, combine flour and milk before placing it on medium heat. Whisk it constantly until the mixture has turned into a paste. This should take around 1-2 minutes.
  2. Set the tangzhong aside to cool and add the yeast to the warmed milk and allow the yeast to bloom for 10 minutes.
  3. While the yeast is blooming, prep your dough by combining flour, sugar, and salt in your mixer bowl.
  4. When ready, on your low speed setting, combine dry mix with the egg, tangzhong, and the milk and yeast mixture. Knead until everything has been incorporated this might take up to 5 minutes. Increase speed to medium and knead dough for another 3-5 minutes until smooth, adding in the butter in 1 tbsp blocks.
  5. When done, remove the dough from the mixer bowl and on a clean surface, gently shape the dough into a ball by turning it gently by tucking the dough under itself. Place the dough ball into a greased bowl and cover with plastic or a tea towel. Allow to proof for 1-2 hours or until the dough has doubled.
  6. Once doubled, transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces and gently roll the dough into a ball by folding the edge of the dough into the middle, pinching the folds together, then flipping the dough over and turn the dough in a circular motion to round it out.
  7. Place the dough balls into a grease 9×12 pan, cover, and let proof (covered) for 10 minutes.
  8. After, use a rolling pin and roll each ball into a rectangular or long oval shape, whichever is easiest for you.
  9. In the middle of the rolled dough, spread a thin layer of jam.
  10. Then, take the long side of the dough, fold it into the middle, take the other side of the dough and fold it over to the “middle” as well, overlapping the first fold. Then roll up the dough, like a fruit roll up.
  11. Place all the strawberry jam filled dinner rolls into a greased pan or parchment lined pan and proof again for 30-40 minutes.
  12. Once ready, brush the tops of the bread with an egg wash (1 egg + 1 splash of milk, mixed together) and bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
  13. Serve once ready