Milk bread is a beloved staple in Korea, Japan, and many Asian countries. With its buttery flavor and pillowy-soft, light texture, it’s incredibly delicious and hard to resist! This version stays true to the original recipe but is now made effortlessly in a bread machine.
HOW IS MILK BREAD DIFFERENT FROM OTHER BREADS?
Milk bread stands out from other breads with its extra moisture, buttery taste, subtle sweetness, and incredibly light texture. This unique softness comes from a starter called Tangzhong, which helps the bread retain more moisture than standard recipes. If you prefer a shortcut, dry milk powder can be used in place of the starter to simplify the process.
Another key difference is in the dough preparation: the dough is rolled between rises, giving milk bread its signature feathery, stringy texture instead of the typical crumbly finish of sandwich breads. This makes it ideal for toasts, PB&J sandwiches, or even egg salad sandwiches.
INGREDIENTS
Wet Ingredients + Salt
- 3/4 cup 2% low-fat milk (warm to bath water temperature or use the preheat function)
- 1/4 cup room temperature water
- 60g unsalted butter (1/4 cup), melted
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp sea salt
Dry Ingredients
- 365g unbleached bread flour (2 3/4 cups)
- 50g sugar (3.5 Tbsp)
- 2 Tbsp milk powder
- 7g instant yeast (1 packet = 2 tsp)
For coating bowls and pan
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
INSTRUCTIONS
- Melt the butter in the microwave (50% power, 20-25 seconds).
- Warm the milk to a bath water temperature, and use room temperature water and eggs—especially if your bread machine lacks a preheat function.
- Add the wet ingredients (milk, water, melted butter, egg) and salt to the bread pan. It’s best to add the salt at this step to avoid inhibiting the yeast.
- In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar). Add this mixture to the pan on top of the wet ingredients.
- Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the yeast inside the well. Sprinkle the milk powder around the yeast.
- Place the bread pan into the machine and start a full Basic Dough cycle. This cycle will take approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes (including preheating and two rises). If your machine doesn’t have a dough cycle, you can use a stand mixer following the steps of a regular milk bread recipe. Once the dough cycle is finished, it should look soft and slightly puffy.
- After the dough is done, punch it down and transfer it to a flat surface (like granite or wood). Divide the dough into two equal portions. Sprinkle a little flour and knead each portion before shaping them into tight balls.
- If your bread machine has a custom rise function, place the dough balls back into the bread pan and let them rise for 30 minutes. If not, place the dough balls in separate bowls, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and let them rise in a warm location or a 100℉ oven for 20 minutes.
- Once risen, roll each dough ball into a thick rectangle (about 12 inches long and 4-5 inches wide). Fold the top third down and the bottom third up to create a square-like shape. Roll the dough into a log, starting from one end.
- Lightly butter the sides of the bread pan and place the two dough logs inside.
- Set the bread pan back into the machine and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour or until the dough reaches about 70% of the pan’s height. If there’s no custom rise function, let the dough rise at room temperature or in a 100℉ oven for about 40 minutes.
- Preheat the bread machine and bake for 50 minutes. Set the crust to your preferred setting (I recommend medium). For a glossy finish, you can brush the top of the dough with milk or egg whites before baking.
TIPS & NOTES
- If you don’t want to make the Tangzhong starter, you can substitute with dry milk powder to retain moisture in the bread.
- Make sure your milk is warm (but not hot) to encourage proper yeast activation.
- For best results, use room temperature ingredients, as cold milk or eggs can slow down the dough rising process.
- Bread made in the machine may not achieve the same golden top as oven-baked bread, but the flavor and texture will be just as soft and delicious.
