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These Brown Sugar Mantou are soft, slightly sweet, and infused with the rich caramel flavor of brown sugar. Perfect for breakfast or as a snack, these buns are a delicious twist on traditional steamed buns.

I enjoy making buns

Dough-based dishes are popular in China, and my family loves them—from buns to dumplings. They freeze really well, so on busy mornings, I can quickly steam or cook them for a fast meal. Pairing them with some congee makes for a classic and comforting breakfast.

Brown Sugar Mantou are a type of steamed bun popular in Chinese cuisine, known for their sweet, soft texture and rich caramel flavor from brown sugar.

The dough, made from flour, water, yeast, and brown sugar, is rolled out, layered with additional brown sugar, and then rolled into logs and cut into individual buns.

These buns are steamed until fluffy and cooked through, resulting in a light, airy texture with pockets of melted brown sugar.

For these buns, I use two proofing stages, but don’t worry—the second proofing doesn’t take much time.

Note: I’ve heard from some readers that they had trouble making these Brown Sugar Mantou. My tip is to make sure you’re using high-sugar-tolerant yeast, and double-check that it’s still within its expiration date and active.

Ingredients:

100g brown sugar
250g hot water
5g high-sugar-tolerant yeast
500g all-purpose flour, divided
100g brown sugar, divided (50g for spreading on the dough, 50g for filling the buns)
30g flour for spreading on the rolled dough

Instructions:

Prepare the Brown Sugar Water:

In a medium bowl, dissolve 100g of brown sugar in 250g of hot water. Stir until the sugar is completely melted. Set the mixture aside to cool to room temperature.

Activate the Yeast:

Once the brown sugar water has cooled, add 5g of high-sugar-tolerant yeast. Stir well to combine and let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast is activated and starts to foam slightly.

Make the Dough:

Gradually pour the brown sugar yeast mixture into 500g of flour in a large mixing bowl, stirring continuously. Mix until the dough begins to come together. Knead until the dough comes together and there is no dry flour remaining. At this point, the dough doesn’t need to be perfectly smooth yet.

First Proofing:

Cover the dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and set it in a warm place to rise. Allow the dough to proof for about 45 minutes or until it has doubled in size.

Prepare and Roll the Dough:

After the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. Knead for another 3-5 minutes until the dough becomes smooth.
Roll the dough into a large rectangular sheet (about 1/4 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface.
Evenly spread 50g of brown sugar across the surface of the dough, followed by a thin, even layer of 30g of flour.

Shape the Mantou:

Starting from one edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Lightly dust the rolled dough with flour to prevent sticking.
Cut the log into 8 equal portions. Each piece will become one mantou.
For an added touch, make a small cut in the center of each piece and add about one teaspoon of brown sugar into the opening of each mantou.

Second Proofing:

Set up the steamer by adding enough water, but don’t overfill it to avoid having the water overflow and touch the buns during steaming. Place the shaped mantou on small squares of parchment paper to prevent sticking and arrange them in your steamer, leaving enough space between each bun for expansion.
Cover the steamer and let the buns proof for another 15-20minutes, or until they have noticeably increased in size.

Steam the Mantou:

Now it’s time to start cooking. Once the water boils, begin timing and steam the mantou over medium heat for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and allow the mantou to sit in the steamer for an additional 3 minutes to prevent them from collapsing due to sudden temperature changes.
How To Make Brown Sugar Mantou

These Brown Sugar Mantou are soft, slightly sweet, and infused with the rich caramel flavor of brown sugar. Perfect for breakfast or as a snack, these buns are a delicious twist on traditional steamed buns.

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Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: brown sugar mantou

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Fermentation Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 676kcal
Ingredients
100 g brown sugar
250 g hot water
5 g high-sugar-tolerant yeast
500 g all-purpose flour divided
100 g brown sugar divided (50g for spreading on the dough, 50g for filling the buns)
30 g flour for spreading on the rolled dough
Instructions
Prepare the Brown Sugar Water:
In a medium bowl, dissolve 100g of brown sugar in 250g of hot water. Stir until the sugar is completely melted. Set the mixture aside to cool to room temperature.
Activate the Yeast:
Once the brown sugar water has cooled, add 5g of high-sugar-tolerant yeast. Stir well to combine and let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast is activated and starts to foam slightly.
Make the Dough:
Gradually pour the brown sugar yeast mixture into 500g of flour in a large mixing bowl, stirring continuously. Mix until the dough begins to come together. Knead until the dough comes together and there is no dry flour remaining. At this point, the dough doesn't need to be perfectly smooth yet.
First Proofing:
Cover the dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and set it in a warm place to rise. Allow the dough to proof for about 45 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
Prepare and Roll the Dough:
After the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. Knead for another 3-5 minutes until the dough becomes smooth.
Roll the dough into a large rectangular sheet (about 1/4 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface.
Evenly spread 50g of brown sugar across the surface of the dough, followed by a thin, even layer of 30g of flour.
Shape the Mantou:
Starting from one edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Lightly dust the rolled dough with flour to prevent sticking.
Cut the log into 8 equal portions. Each piece will become one mantou.
For an added touch, make a small cut in the center of each piece and add about one teaspoon of brown sugar into the opening of each mantou.
Second Proofing:
Set up the steamer by adding enough water, but don’t overfill it to avoid having the water overflow and touch the buns during steaming. Place the shaped mantou on small squares of parchment paper to prevent sticking and arrange them in your steamer, leaving enough space between each bun for expansion.
Cover the steamer and let the buns proof for another 15-20minutes, or until they have noticeably increased in size.
Steam the Mantou:
Now it's time to start cooking. Once the water boils, begin timing and steam the mantou over medium heat for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and allow the mantou to sit in the steamer for an additional 3 minutes to prevent them from collapsing due to sudden temperature changes.
Tried this recipe? Tag me on Instagram!Do you make this recipe? I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @yumofchina.

Nutrition
Calories: 676kcal | Carbohydrates: 151g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 220mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 7mg