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Soft and fluffy milk buns laced with crispy and sweet sesame at the bottom are so delicious especially if you like the play of texture in one bite!
I had a brief discussion with hubby the other day about what makes me enjoy eating food so much! It’s actually not just the taste to me! Yes, taste it’s important of course! but I’m huge on texture! My daughter apparently is the same way too. We both enjoy that contrast of texture in one dish. Soft and crunchy! These crispy-bottom honey buns are one of our favorites! The soft and fluffy texture of the crumbs against the caramelized sugar and honey and the crisp sesame seed! Oh..so good!
Crispy-Bottom Honey Sesame Buns
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 250 g bread flour 12.7% protein content
- 50 g all-purpose flour
- 10 g milk powder
- 5 g salt
- 4 g instant yeast
- 20 g sugar
- 20 g honey
- 30 g egg save the rest for egg wash
- 100 g whole milk or more as needed
- 30 g unsalted butter softened
For the sesame honey layer:
- 30 g honey or as needed
- 20 g sugar
- 20 g white sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
To brush on the dough:
- egg
- white sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp water
Instructions
Prepare the dough:
- Add all ingredients for the dough except for the butter. Use the dough hook to stir the mixture a bit so the flour won't fly around when you start the mixer. Knead on the lowest speed for 2-3 minutes and then increase to speed 2 and knead for 3 minutes and then speed 4 for another 3 minutes or until it forms a dough that clears the side of the bowl, but not smooth yet
- Add the softened butter and knead on speed 2 for about 2-3 minutes and then increase speed to 4 and knead for 5 minutes or until the dough is soft, smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky to the touch
- It is important that the dough is soft, meaning, enough hydration. This will ensure you get a soft fluffy bread texture for more than 24 hours. If the dough feels firm, don't be afraid to add a bit more milk, one teaspoon at a time and knead until you get a soft smooth dough.
First proofing:
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until double in volume. if it's colder, it may take longer to proof the dough
Prepare the crispy base:
- Combine sugar and sesame seeds in one bowl. Pour some honey in a separate bowl. Melt the butter and set aside
Shaping:
- I use 9 x 9 inch square pan. Lightly oil the bottom of the pan. Line with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper with melted butter. The butter also help to crisp up the bottom
- Knock out all the gas by giving the dough some kneading.
- Divide the dough into 8 portions. Round it up into a dough ball. Cover and let them rest for 5 minutes to relax the gluten. Keep them covered
- Work with one dough at a time. Roll it out into an ovalish/rectangle shape Fold the two sides in and then roll it up. Cut in the middle into two pieces. Dip the cut-side in honey and then into the sugar sesame bowl. Repeat with the rest of the dough. So you will have a total of 16 small buns
- Arrange the shaped buns in the prepared pan. Give them some space in between so they won't get squeezed into a distorted shape as they proof
Final proof:
- Let the dough proof at a warm place until they puff up and fill up the pan, about 1 hour or so, depending on the tempearture. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C) for conventional oven, 350F (180 C) for convection oven.
- Brush the top of the dough with some egg wash and sprinkle with some sesame seeds
Baking:
- Combine honey and water and set aside
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes and then remove from the oven and brush the honey water mixture on top and bake for another 5 minutes until nicely golden brown
Cool down:
- Remove the pan from the oven and put on cooling rack. Very carefully lift the parchment paper up to remove from the pan. Place a cooling rack on top and gently but quickly, flip the buns over, so the crispy bottom is up. This helps to crisp up the bottom as it is cooling down. It may not be crisp when it's hot but it will crisp up when it cools down completely
To serve:
- Serve the bread on the same day if possible. The crispy bottom will soften but you can easily reheat them in a toaster oven for about 5 minutes until they crisp up again
RECOMMEDED TOOLS
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
How to bake crispy-bottom honey buns
1. Add all ingredients for the dough except for the butter. Use the dough hook to stir the mixture a bit so the flour won’t fly around when you start the mixer. 
2. Knead on the lowest speed for 2-3 minutes and then increase to speed 2 and knead for 3 minutes and then speed 4 for another 3 minutes or until it forms a dough that clears the side of the bowl, but not smooth yet. Add the softened butter and knead on speed 2 for about 2-3 minutes and then increase speed to 4 and knead for 5 minutes or until the dough is soft, smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky to the touch
3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until double in volume. if it’s colder, it may take longer to proof the dough
4. Combine sugar and sesame seeds in one bowl. Pour some honey in a separate bowl. Melt the butter and set aside
5. I use 9 x 9 inch square pan. Lightly oil the bottom of the pan. Line with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper with melted butter. The butter also helps to crisp up the bottom
6. Knock out all the gas by giving the dough some kneading. Divide the dough into 8 portions. Round it up into a dough ball. Cover and let them rest for 5 minutes to relax the gluten. Keep them covered
7. Work with one dough at a time. Roll it out into an ovalish/rectangle shape Fold the two sides in and then roll it up. Cut in the middle into two pieces. 
8. Dip the cut-side in honey and then into the sugar sesame bowl. Repeat with the rest of the dough. So you will have a total of 16 small buns
9. Arrange the shaped buns in the prepared pan. Give them some space in between so they won’t get squeezed into a distorted shape as they proof
10. Let the dough proof at a warm place until they puff up and fill up the pan, about 1 hour or so, depending on the tempearture. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C) for conventional oven, 350F (180 C) for convection oven. Brush the top of the dough with some egg wash and sprinkle with some sesame seeds
11. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes and then remove from the oven and brush the honey sugar mixture on top and bake for another 5 minutes until nicely golden brown
12. Remove the pan from the oven and put on cooling rack. Very carefully lift the parchment paper up to remove from the pan. Place a cooling rack on top and gently but quickly, flip the buns over, so the crispy bottom is up. This helps to crisp up the bottom as it is cooling down. It may not be crisp when it’s hot but it will crisp up when it cools down completely
13. Serve the bread on the same day if possible. The crispy bottom will soften but you can easily reheat them in a toaster oven for about 5 minutes until they crisp up again
How to store
Let them cool down completely with the crispy side up. Transfer them to an air-tight container. They can be kept at room temperature for 2-3 days. The crispy bottom won’t be as crispy anymore the next day. Simply reheat in a toaster oven at 350 F (180 C) for about 5 minutes and then let them cool down to crisp back up
Did you make this crispy honey bun recipe?
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4 comments
Hi, Marvellina, I’m eager to try this recipe but I don’t have milk powder at home, and am reluctant to buy a tin just for the amount needed. Can it be omitted?
Hello, you can omit it 🙂
Thanks for your reply! Will give the recipe a try this week 🙂 Oh, before I forget – have a blessed dragon year! (Still in time, it’s the last day here)
Same to you too! Wish you a blessed dragon year 🙂 I hope the recipe turns out well for you!!