Pineapple bun or bo lo bao (菠蘿包) is a popular and classic bread among Hong Kong bakeries like coconut buns, Chinese hot dogs, cream bun, cheese garlic breadsticks and sugar donuts. This delightful bun has a slightly crispy and sugary top layer that contrasts beautifully with the soft and fluffy interior. Also, this authentic homemade Chinese pineapple bun or bo lo bao recipe is simple and easy. Let’s learn how to make pineapple buns with step by step photos and a video for your meals or snacks!
Love bread? Check out these custard buns, Japanese milk bread rolls, rosemary garlic bread, dinner rolls, taro buns, ciabatta and pan fried buns recipes.
What is pineapple bun (菠蘿包)?
A pineapple bun, in Cantonese we call it "bo lo bao" (菠蘿包). Literally translated as pineapple bread. Also, it is a sweet, popular pastry that originated in Hong Kong like Chinese hot dogs, cheese garlic breadsticks and cocktail buns. Now, it is commonly found in various parts of Asia. Despite the name, pineapple bun, it actually does not contain any pineapple as an ingredient. The name is for the distinctive appearance of the crust which resembles the texture of a pineapple's skin.
Pineapple buns are often enjoyed as a snack or breakfast item. It is frequently served warm with a slice of butter placed in the center. The combination of the sweet, crunchy topping and the soft bread underneath creates a delicious contrast of textures and flavors. People love this bo lo bao (菠蘿包) because of the unique appearance, sweet and comforting taste. Besides, it is a cultural significance in Hong Kong cuisine.
Why are they called pineapple buns?
The name "pineapple bun" can be somewhat misleading because pineapple buns actually do not contain any pineapple as an ingredient. Also, they don't taste like pineapple either. The name comes from the appearance of the sweet and crumbly topping on the bun which resembles the texture of a pineapple's skin.
The topping is made of sugar cookie dough like sugar, butter and flour. When you bake it, it cracks naturally and creates a distinctive crisscross pattern. This pattern led people to call it "pineapple bun."
What does a pineapple bun taste like?
Bo lo bao (菠蘿包) has a distinct and delightful taste. It is important to note that it doesn't taste like pineapple despite its name. The flavor of a pineapple bun mainly comes from the sweet crispy topping and slightly from the soft bread interior.
The top layer of the pineapple bun is a sweet and slightly crumbly crust. It is like sugar cookie dough that is made from a mixture of sugar, butter and flour. The sweetness of the bun primarily comes from the topping. It has a buttery, sugary and slightly caramelized taste. When you bake it, it becomes crispy and adds a nice crunch to every bite.
Beneath the sweet topping, you'll find a soft and fluffy bread. It is very similar to a traditional bun or bread. The bread is typically plain in flavor. The combination of the sweet, buttery and slightly caramelized topping with the soft, plain bread creates a delightful contrast of flavors and textures.
What is the difference between pineapple bun and melon bun?
Pineapple buns and Japanese melon buns are both sweet bread like pastries. Although they look the same, they are slightly different in origin, taste and texture. Pineapple buns have a crumbly and slightly crispy topping with plain bread. The bun itself is soft and plain, typically without any filling.
While melon buns have a sweet, cookie-like topping covering the entire bun. Also, the topping often resembles the texture of a cantaloupe melon, hence the name "melon pan." Besides, melon bun may have a subtle melon flavor in the dough. The two pastries come from different culinary traditions. Pineapple buns originating in Hong Kong and melon buns originating in Japan.
What are the ingredients for bo lo bao (菠蘿包)?
In this bo lo bao or pineapple bun recipe, it has two main dough. One is the bread dough and the other is the topping dough.
Bread dough:
For the bread dough, the ingredients are milk, heavy whipping cream, sugar, yeast, egg, salt, bread flour, cake flour, dough enhancer and vital wheat gluten.
Topping dough:
The ingredients for topping dough are all purpose flour, egg yolk, sugar, dry milk powder, butter, vanilla extract, milk, baking soda and baking powder.
The importance of bread flour:
Bread flour is a crucial ingredient in making pineapple buns, bo lo bao, because bread flour contains a higher protein content compared to all purpose flour. The higher protein content helps develop the structure and texture of the bun. Gluten provides elasticity and strength to the dough, allowing it to rise and trap carbon dioxide gas produced during fermentation. Therefore, it results in a soft and chewy texture.
Also, the gluten from bread flour helps the dough maintain its shape and structure during baking. This is particularly important when you want to achieve a distinct sweet crust and the soft bread inside.
Do you use tangzhong for bread dough?
Tangzhong is a technique used in bread making to create a water-roux paste. Then, add to the bread dough. It helps improve the softness, fluffiness, moisture content and shelf life.
Asians like to use this technique for bread. But, in this pineapple bun recipe, I do not use this tangzhong method. I add two magic vital wheat gluten and dough enhancer ingredients instead.
These two ingredients make the dough soft, fluffy, moist and increase the shelf life. Even after refrigerating, when you warm them up. The texture is just like the bakery's. If you like the tangzhong method, you can check out this sugar donuts recipe for how to make tangzhong.
Can I make a pineapple bun with custard filling?
Sure, you can put custard filling into the bread. The custard filling combines the delightful sweetness of a traditional pineapple bun with the creamy richness. Some like to put taro paste or red bean paste as filling to add extra sweetness and flavor to the buns.
Why isn't the top of my pineapple bun cracking?
The characteristic cracking or crisscross pattern on the top of bo lo bao is an essential feature. If your pineapple bun's top isn't cracking, maybe the topping mixture is too thick or dry, so it does not crack as it bakes.
Also, egg wash is often applied to the top of pineapple buns before baking to help with browning and texture. The egg wash can promote cracking as the bun bakes. Make sure to apply the egg wash evenly over the top.
Besides, baking at the right temperature and time is crucial for achieving the characteristic cracking. Make sure your oven preheats 350 F and bake them for 18-22 minutes.
Cooking tips for how to make pineapple bun:
Bread dough:
- Personally prefer to use a Bosch mixer to make bread because they mix the dough very well.
- Remember to leave the milk and heavy cream at room temperature for 30 minutes or just warm up a little bit in the microwave for 15 seconds. This can help the yeast rise faster.
- Add 1 & ½ cup bread flour first, then let the dough mix it together. If the dough is still sticky, add the rest of ¼ cup of bread flour slowly.
- I added dough enhancer and vital wheat gluten, so the bread has a better texture.
- My trick to speed up the rising time. Normally, I preheat the oven to 200 F. Then, turn off the oven and put the dough in for 30 minutes.
Topping dough:
- Put regular sugar and dry milk powder in a chopper and run it for a few seconds. Thus, it is smooth and fine.
FAQs:
Most people in Hong Kong eat pineapple buns in the morning for breakfast or in the afternoon as a snack. It is best to eat pineapple bun when it is fresh, warm and straight out of the oven.
You can refrigerate pineapple bread and warm them up in a microwave for 10-20 seconds or toast it.
Around a few days to a week in the refrigerator.
Yes, you can freeze pineapple buns to extend the shelf life. Allow the pineapple buns to cool completely to room temperature. Then, wrap each pineapple bun individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This helps prevent freezer burn and keeps them fresh. After that, put them in a plastic freezer bag. Remember to label the bag with the date you freeze the buns. This will help you keep track of their freshness.
When you're ready to enjoy the pineapple buns, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours. You can also reheat them in an oven at a low temperature to restore their freshness and crispness. You can bake them around 300°F for 10-15 minutes or air fry them 350 F for 3-5 minutes.
Instructions for how to make pineapple bun:
Bread dough:
1.Pour ½ cup of warm milk, ½ cup of heavy whipping cream, and ¼ cup of sugar into the Bosch mixer. (Warm up the milk in the microwave for 15 seconds or leave it out at room temperature for 30 minutes before using it. Also, I used 2 % milk. You can use fat free or whole milk.)
Yeast mixture:
2. After that, add 1 tablespoon of active dry yeast and 1 large egg into the Bosch mixer. ( I prefer to use a Bosch mixer.)
3. Turn on the lowest setting #1 and let it mix it a little bit and turn off the mixer. Then, wait for 5 minutes. (Don't run the mixer too long, just want to mix the ingredients.)
Flour mixture:
4. In another container, put 1&½ cups of bread flour, ½ cup of cake, ½ tablespoon dough enhancer, ½ tablespoon of vital wheat gluten and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix it well.
Mixing dough:
5. After, turn on the mixer at the lowest setting #1 and pour the flour mixture slowly into the yeast mixture. (Note: if the dough is sticky, add the rest of ¼ cup bread flour at a time until the dough comes together). Then, change the mixer from lowest setting to medium or high setting #3 and let it run for 10-15 minutes.
Dough rising:
6. After 10-15 minutes, the dough is ready. Then, take the dough out in a bowl and cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it sit for 45 minutes. (My trick to speed up the rising time. Normally, I preheat the oven to 200F. Then, turn off the oven and put the dough in for 30 minutes.)
Topping dough:
7. In the meanwhile, prepare the topping dough. Put ¼ cup of nonfat dry milk powder into the chopper.
8. Then, add ¾ cup of sugar into the chopper. Let it run for a few seconds until it's smooth and fine.
9. In a container, put 1 & ¼ cups of all purpose flour, the chopped sugar and dry milk powder from step 7 and 8. Also, 1 large egg yolk, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, ¼ teaspoon of baking powder, ¼ cup of melted butter, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and 4 tablespoons of milk.
10. Mix the ingredients well and keep kneading until the dough comes together. Set it aside and cover with a cloth.
Divide bread dough:
11. When the dough rises, roughly divide the dough into 12 or 10 pieces depending how big the bun or bread you want. (I did it for 12 pieces.)
12. Next, roll the dough into balls and put on the parchment paper with oil spray on the tray. Cover it with a wet cloth and let it wait for 15 minutes.
Divide topping dough:
13. At the same time, roughly divide the topping dough from step 10 and roll it into a ball.
Press topping dough:
14. Take a topping dough and cover with plastic wrapper.
15. Press with your palm to flatten the topping dough.
Combine:
16. The following step, put the topping dough on top of the bread dough from step 12.
Egg wash:
17. Beat a large egg yolk or egg and brush the egg on top of the topping dough.
Baking:
18. Preheat the oven at 350F, bake at 350F for 18-22 minutes until it's golden brown. Then, remove them from the oven and let it cool slightly on a wire rack.
Enjoy this delicious and tasty bo lo bao or pineapple bun recipe! Also, check out these beef broccoli, steamed pork patty, crispy noodles, chicken satay, Hawaiian shave ice, salt & pepper squid and pad thai noodles recipes.
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Pineapple Buns (菠蘿包）
Video
Ingredients
BREAD DOUGH:
- ½ cup Milk (I used 2 % at room temperature)
- ½ cup Heavy whipping cream (At room temperature)
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Active dry yeast
- 1 large Egg (At room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ tablespoon Dough enhancer
- ½ tablespoon Vital wheat gluten
- 1 & ¾ cups Bread flour total (Add 1 & ½ cup first, then let the dough mix it together if the dough still sticky add ¼ cup slowly.)
- ½ cup Cake flour
TOPPING DOUGH:
- 1 & ¼ cups All purpose flour
- 1 lagre Egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon Baking powder
- ¾ cup Sugar (Use a chopper let it run around a few seconds)
- ¼ cup Nonfat dry milk powder (Use a chopper let it run around a few seconds)
- ¼ cup Butter (Melted)
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons Milk
BRUSH THE BUNS:
- 1 large Egg yolk
Instructions
- Pour ½ cup of warm milk, ½ cup of heavy whipping cream, and ¼ cup of sugar into the Bosch mixer. (Warm up the milk in the microwave for 15 seconds or leave it out at room temperature for 30 minutes before using it. Also, I used 2 % milk. You can use fat free or whole milk.)
- After that, add 1 tablespoon of active dry yeast and 1 large egg into the Bosch mixer. ( I prefer to use a Bosch mixer.)
- Turn on the lowest setting #1 and let it mix it a little bit and turn off the mixer. Then, wait for 5 minutes. (Don't run the mixer too long, just want to mix the ingredients.)
- In another container, put 1&½ cups of bread flour, ½ cup of cake, ½ tablespoon dough enhancer, ½ tablespoon of vital wheat gluten and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix it well.
- After, turn on the mixer at the lowest setting #1 and pour the flour mixture slowly into the yeast mixture. (Note: if the dough is sticky, add the rest of ¼ cup bread flour at a time until the dough comes together). Then, change the mixer from lowest setting to medium or high setting #3 and let it run for 10-15 minutes.
- After 10-15 minutes, the dough is ready. Then, take the dough out in a bowl and cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it sit for 45 minutes. (My trick to speed up the rising time. Normally, I preheat the oven to 200F. Then, turn off the oven and put the dough in for 30 minutes.)
- In the meanwhile, prepare the topping dough. Put ¼ cup of nonfat dry milk powder into the chopper.
- Then, add ¾ cup of sugar into the chopper. Let it run for a few seconds until it's smooth and fine.
- In a container, put 1 & ¼ cups of all purpose flour, the chopped sugar and dry milk powder from step 7 and 8. Also, 1 large egg yolk, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, ¼ teaspoon of baking powder, ¼ cup of melted butter, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and 4 tablespoons of milk.
- Mix the ingredients well and keep kneading until the dough comes together. Set it aside and cover with a cloth.
- When the dough rises, roughly divide the dough into 12 or 10 pieces depending how big the bun or bread you want. (I did it for 12 pieces.)
- Next, roll the dough into balls and put on the parchment paper with oil spray on the tray. Cover it with a wet cloth and let it wait for 15 minutes.
- At the same time, roughly divide the topping dough from step 10 and roll it into a ball.
- Take a topping dough and cover with plastic wrapper.
- Press with your palm to flatten the topping dough.
- The following step, put the topping dough on top of the bread dough from step 12.
- Beat a large egg yolk or egg and brush the egg on top of the topping dough.
- Preheat the oven at 350F, bake at 350F for 18-22 minutes until it's golden brown.
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make Chinese pineapple buns or bo lo bao recipe:
Bread dough:
- Personally prefer to use a Bosch mixer to make bread because they mix the dough very well.
- Remember to leave the milk and heavy cream at room temperature for 30 minutes or just warm up a little bit in the microwave for 15 seconds. This can help the yeast rise faster.
- Add 1 & ½ cup bread flour first, then let the dough mix it together if the dough is still sticky add ¼ cup of bread flour slowly.
- I added dough enhancer and vital wheat gluten, so the bread has a better texture.
- To speed up the rising time. Normally, I preheat the oven to 200F. Then, turn off the oven and put the dough in for 30 minutes.
Topping dough:
- Put regular sugar and dry milk powder in a chopper and run it for a few seconds. Thus, it is smooth and fine.
Okacy says
I don't get it where does it call for pineapple. It's pineapple bread right? Did I miss something? Respectfully,
Tracy O. says
Hi! You're not alone—this is a super common question! Despite the name, traditional Hong Kong-style "pineapple buns" (or "bolo bao") actually don’t contain any pineapple. The name comes from the golden, crackly topping that looks like the skin of a pineapple when baked. It’s all about the texture and appearance, not the ingredients. 😊
Thanks for reading and for your respectful comment—it’s always fun to share the background behind these unique treats!