Coconut bun or cocktail bun (雞尾包) is a classic and popular bread among Hong Kong bakeries. This is the best homemade Hong Kong cocktail bun recipe. It is soft, sweet and delicious! You can’t stop eating after trying these warm and fresh baked Chinese coconut buns.
Love Asian breads? Check out these popular pineapple buns, custard buns and Chinese hot dogs recipes as well.
What is a coconut bun?
Coconut bun also called cocktail bun (雞尾包) in Chinese literal translation of chicken tail bun. It is a sweet bun with shredded coconut filling. Also, it originated in Hong Kong and very popular among Hong Kong bakeries like pineapple buns and Chinese hot dogs.
A final egg wash gives a shiny and golden brown color on the top after baking. Usually Hong Kong style coconut buns have two stripes decorated toward the ends and sparkles with some sesame seeds.
Why is it called a cocktail bun?
Back in the 1950s, a bakery owner didn’t want to waste bread that was not sold. Therefore, he grounded up the old breads and mixed them with sugar and coconut to make a tasty filling and wrap it around with a fresh bread dough to make Chinese coconut buns.
It named cocktail bun (雞尾包) because the filling was mixed with different breads which is similar to cocktail drink that mixed with different ingredients.
What are the ingredients in Chinese cocktail bun?
Even though it is named cocktail bun, it doesn’t have any alcohol ingredients. Basically, the ingredients are flour, sugar, milk, heavy cream, butter, egg, yeast and shredded coconut.
Most people like to call it Chinese coconut bun because it contains a sweet coconut filling. In this Hong Kong cocktail bun recipe, the ingredients are divided into three parts: bread dough, filling and topping.
Bread dough ingredients:
Filling ingredients:
Topping ingredients:
Cooking tips for how to make the best Chinese coconut buns at home:
- Make sure milk, heavy whipping cream, butter and egg at room temperature. (I normally leave them out for 30-1 hour before making it)
- Divide 9 bigger dough or 12 smaller ones. Roll the dough into oval shape and put the filling on it. Then, wrap and close the dough and roll a little bit to shape it like a long oval.
- Bake at 350F for 18-22minutes until it’s golden brown.
For bread dough:
- Add milk, heavy cream, egg, sugar and yeast into a mixture bowl and wait for 5 minutes
- In another bowl, mix bread flour (1.5 cup first), cake flour, salt, vital wheat gluten and dough enhancer and mix well. Slowly adding to the yeast mixture.
- The dough is a little sticky then slowly add ¼ cup of bread flour.
- Let the dough rise and cover with a wet cloth. At room temperature, it will take an hour or so to rise. It depends on your house temperature.
- I suggest preheating the oven at 200F and turning off. Then, let the dough rise in the oven, it will shorten time for rising the dough in around 30 minutes.
For filling:
- Use unsweetened shredded coconut
- Put the shredded coconut into a chopper to chop them fine and small
- Beat butter, add sugar, dry milk, cake flour and chopped coconut and mix them well
- The filling is a little crumble, so use your hands to press it to make it like an oval or long shape. It can make 9 bigger or 12 smaller ones.
For topping:
- Melt butter in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. Just a little melt, but not too much.
- Mix well with sugar and cake flour
- If you melt the butter too much, it will be runny. Let it cool off, then it will get a little bit harder.
- Put the topping dough into a small ziplock bag. Then, cut a small hole at the corner of the bag and push pressure to pipe two lines on the bread.
FAQs:
What is the temperature to bake Chinese cocktail bun?
Bake at 350F for 18-22minutes until it’s golden brown.
What is the texture and taste like for coconut bun?
The bun is soft and slightly sweet which is a typical Hong Kong style sweet bread. The filling is a little dense, rich and sweet because of the coconut, butter and sugar.
Do I have to use a mixer to make the dough?
You don't have to use a mixer to make the dough, but it is easier and faster if you use a mixer. Personally, I really like to use a Bosch bread mixer to make dough because the dough is well mixed and evenly.
How long does it take the dough to rise?
It depends on your house temperature. Normally, it takes around an hour or more. I suggest preheating the oven at 200F and turning off. Then, let the dough rise in the oven, it will shorten the time for rising the dough in around 30 minutes.
Can you refrigerate the bread?
Yes, you can refrigerate them and will last about a week.
How to warm up Chinese cocktail bun?
If Chinese cocktail bun is at room temperature, normally I will warm it up in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. If it is out of the refrigerator, I will microwave for 20-30 seconds. Also, you can warm them up in a toaster oven for 1-2 minutes.
Instructions for how to make the best homemade Hong Kong coconut buns:
Bread dough:
1. Add ½ cup of milk (warm the milk in the microwave for 10-20 seconds or leave it at room temperature for an hour before using it.), ½ cup of heavy whipping cream, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of yeast and ¼ cup of sugar into a mixer. Mix them a little bit. Cover the lid and wait for 5 minutes.
2. At the same time, in a bowl add 1 & ½ cup of bread flour, ½ cup of cake flour, ½ tablespoon of vital wheat gluten, ½ tablespoon of dough enhancer, 1 teaspoon of salt and mix well.
3. After that, slowly add the flour mixture into the yeast mixture until the dough is formed. At this moment, the dough is a little sticky. Then, slowly add ¼ cup of bread flour. Let the mixer run for 5-10 minutes at setting 3 (medium high speed) if you use a Bosch bread mixer.
4. Next, put the dough into a bowl and cover with a wet cloth.
5. Let the dough rise double size. (Normally, take around an hour or more. I suggest preheating the oven at 200F and turning off. Then, let the dough rise in the oven, it will shorten the time for rising the dough in around 30 minutes.)
Filling:
6. While waiting for the dough to rise, work on the filling. First, put 1.5 cups of shredded unsweetened coconut into a chopper to chop them until they are smaller pieces. Then, add 1 & ¼ cup of sugar, ¾ cup of dry milk powder into the chopper and chop them until fine. After that, beat 1.5 sticks of butter (I like to use 1 stick of salted butter and ½ stick of unsalted butter.) in a bowl. After, add chopped fine sugar, dry milk powder, shredded coconut, ¼ cup of cake flour and mix them well.
7. Divide the bread dough into 9 bigger or 12 smaller, the same as filling.
8. The filling is a little crumble, so use your hands to press it to make it like an oval or long shape.
9. Roll the dough into oval shape.
Folding:
10. Next, place the filling in the middle of the dough. Then, fold and close it. Roll it like a long oval shape.
11. Place them on a tray and cover with a wet cloth and let it rise. (I suggest preheating the oven at 200F and turning it off. Then, let the dough rise in the oven, it will shorten the time for rising the dough in around 15-30 minutes.)
Topping dough:
12. Meanwhile, work on the topping. In a small container, melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. Just a little melt, but not too much. Then, add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of cake flour. Mix them well.
13. Put the topping dough into a small ziplock bag. Then, cut a small hole at the corner of the bag and push pressure to pipe the topping dough.
14. Beat an egg and brush egg on bread.
15. Pipe two lines on the bread and sprinkle some sesame seeds and are ready for baking.
Baking:
16. Preheat the oven at 350F. Bake at 350F for 18-22 minutes until it's golden brown.
Enjoy this Hong Kong cocktail bun recipe. Also, check out these no knead rosemary garlic bread and the best dinner rolls recipes.
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Coconut bun (Chinese cocktail bun)
Video
Ingredients
Bread dough:
yeast mixture:
- ½ cup Milk 2% (room temperature or warm them in the microwave for 10-20 seconds.)
- ½ cup Heavy whipping cream (room temperature)
- 1 Egg Large (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon Active dry yeast
- ¼ cup Sugar
Flour mixture:
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ tablespoon Dough enhancer
- ½ tablespoon Vital wheat gluten
- 1 & ¾ cups Bread flour (add 1 and ½ cup first and slowly add ¼ cup later)
- ½ cup Cake flour
Filling:
- 1.5 cups Unsweetened shredded coconut (chop them small pieces)
- 1.5 sticks Butter (1 stick salted butter and ½ stick unsalted butter) (soften at room temperature)
- ¼ cup Cake flour
- ¾ cup Instant non fat dry milk powder (chop them fine)
- 1 & ¼ cups Sugar (chop them fine)
Topping:
- some Sesame seeds
- 1 Egg (for brushing the bread before baking)
topping dough:
- 1 tablespoon Unsalted butter (soften at room temperature or melt it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.)
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Cake flour
Instructions
- Add ½ cup of milk (warm the milk in the microwave for 10-20 seconds or leave it at room temperature for an hour before using it.), ½ cup of heavy whipping cream, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of yeast and ¼ cup of sugar into a mixer. Mix them a little bit. Cover the lid and wait for 5 minutes.
- At the same time, in a bowl add 1 & ½ cup of bread flour, ½ cup of cake flour, ½ tablespoon of vital wheat gluten, ½ tablespoon of dough enhancer, 1 teaspoon of salt and mix well.
- After that, slowly add the flour mixture into the yeast mixture until the dough is formed. At this moment, the dough is a little sticky. Then, slowly add ¼ cup of bread flour. Let the mixer run for 5-10 minutes at setting 3 (medium high speed) if you use a Bosch bread mixer.
- Next, put the dough into a bowl and cover with a wet cloth.
- Let the dough rise double size. (Normally, take around an hour or more. I suggest preheating the oven at 200F and turning off. Then, let the dough rise in the oven, it will shorten the time for rising the dough in around 30 minutes.)
- While waiting for the dough to rise, work on the filling. First, put 1.5 cups of shredded unsweetened coconut into a chopper to chop them until they are smaller pieces. Then, add 1 & ¼ cup of sugar, ¾ cup of dry milk powder into the chopper and chop them until fine. After that, beat 1.5 sticks of butter (I like to use 1 stick of salted butter and ½ stick of unsalted butter.) in a bowl. After, add chopped fine sugar, dry milk powder, shredded coconut, ¼ cup of cake flour and mix them well.
- Divide the bread dough into 9 bigger or 12 smaller, the same as filling.
- The filling is a little crumble, so use your hands to press it to make it like an oval or long shape.
- Roll the dough into oval shape.
- Next, place the filling in the middle of the dough. Then, fold and close it. Roll it like a long oval shape.
- Place them on a tray and cover with a wet cloth and let it rise. (I suggest preheating the oven at 200F and turning it off. Then, let the dough rise in the oven, it will shorten the time for rising the dough in around 15-30 minutes.)
- Meanwhile, work on the topping. In a small container, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. Just a little melt, but not too much. Then, add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of cake flour. Mix them well.
- Put the topping dough into a small ziplock bag. Then, cut a small hole at the corner of the bag and push pressure to pipe the topping dough.
- Beat an egg and brush egg on bread.
- Pipe two lines on the bread and sprinkle some sesame seeds and are ready for baking.
- Preheat the oven at 350F. Bake at 350F for 18-22 minutes until it's golden brown.
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make the best Chinese coconut buns at home:
- Make sure milk, heavy whipping cream, butter and egg at room temperature. (I normally leave them out for 30-1 hour before making it)
- Divide 9 bigger dough or 12 smaller ones. Roll the dough into oval shape and put the filling on it. Then, wrap and close the dough and roll a little bit to shape it like a long oval.
- Bake at 350F for 18-22minutes until it’s golden brown.
For bread dough:
- Add milk, heavy cream, egg, sugar and yeast into a mixture bowl and wait for 5 minutes
- In another bowl, mix bread flour (1.5 cup first), cake flour, salt, vital wheat gluten and dough enhancer and mix well. Slowly adding to the yeast mixture.
- The dough is a little sticky then slowly add ¼ cup of bread flour.
- Let the dough rise and cover with a wet cloth. At room temperature, it will take an hour or so to rise. It depends on your house temperature.
- I suggest preheating the oven at 200F and turning off. Then, let the dough rise in the oven, it will shorten time for rising the dough in around 30 minutes.
For filling:
- Use unsweetened shredded coconut
- Put the shredded coconut into a chopper to chop them fine and small
- Beat butter, add sugar, dry milk, cake flour and chopped coconut and mix them well
- The filling is a little crumble, so use your hands to press it to make it like an oval or long shape. It can make 9 bigger or 12 smaller ones.
For topping:
- Melt butter in the microwave for 5 seconds. Just a little melt, but not too much.
- Mix well with sugar and cake flour
- If you melt the butter too much, it will be runny. Let it cool off, then it will get a little bit harder.
- Put the topping dough into a small ziplock bag. Then, cut a small hole at the corner of the bag and push pressure to pipe two lines on the bread.
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