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Soft and fluffy bread filled with sweet red bean paste and walnuts and topped with a vibrant matcha glaze is perfect for tea time or as a unique homemade treat.
There’s something so comforting about a soft, fluffy bun filled with sweet red bean paste and with a slightly crunchy, nutty texture from walnuts. I love the combination of red beans, matcha, and walnuts. These buns are a little special, though, because we’re finishing them with a luscious matcha glaze that adds a touch of bitterness to balance the sweetness of the red bean paste. The combination is delicate but unforgettable.
This recipe uses a soft, enriched dough that’s rolled up like cinnamon rolls, cut, and baked to golden perfection. The aroma while they are baking? Heavenly. I could barely wait to glaze and try one while they were still warm.
Why You’ll Like This Recipe
1. The dough is incredibly soft and fluffy, thanks to the butter and milk—almost like a Japanese milk bread texture without needing a tangzhong.
2. Red bean paste adds natural sweetness and a nostalgic flavor that pairs beautifully with the slightly bitter matcha glaze.
3. The matcha glaze is quick to whip up and gives these buns a bakery-worthy finish.
4. You can prep these ahead of time for an easy bake-the-next-day treat.
5. They store well and reheat beautifully, so you can enjoy them all week.
Ingredients and Substitutions
1. Bread flour : The high protein content helps give the dough structure and chew. All-purpose can work in a pinch, but will yield slightly less height and chew
2. Salt : Balances the sweetness.
3. Sugar : Just enough to make the dough lightly sweet. You can use granulated sugar or caster sugar (fine sugar)
4. Egg : Adds richness and color. I don’t recommend substituting with anything else
5. Whole milk : Adds moisture and softness. You can sub with 2% milk or a non-dairy option like soy milk.
6. Instant yeast : I love how reliable instant yeast is—no proofing needed. If you decide to use active dry yeast, you will need to dissolve it in a bit of milk and let it sit for 10 minutes until it’s puffy before adding into the dough mixture
7. Unsalted butter : Softens the crumb and adds flavor.
8. Sweet red bean paste : I used store-bought for convenience, but homemade is always welcome if you have time. Chunky or smooth—your choice
9. Powdered sugar : For sweetness and smooth texture.
10. Heavy cream : Adds richness to the glaze. You can sub with milk for a lighter glaze.
11. Matcha powder : Use a good-quality culinary matcha for the best color and flavor.
Red Bean Walnut Bread with Matcha Glaze
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 340 g bread flour 12.7% protein content plus more for dusting
- ½ tsp salt
- 50 g sugar
- 50 g egg from one large egg
- 160 g whole milk
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 65 g unsalted butter
For the filling:
- 350 g sweet red bean paste
- 100 g walnuts
Matcha glaze:
- 50 g powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream
- 8 g matcha powder
Instructions
- Toast the walnuts on a dry pan over medium-low heat until lightly golden brown and smell nutty, about 5 minutes. Let them cool down as you prepare the dough, then finely chop into tiny pieces
Prepare the dough:
- Combine all the ingredients for the dough, except for the butter, which we will add last, to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Give it a quick stir so the dry ingredients won't "fly" all over when you start the machine. Start kneading on a low speed for 2-3 minutes and then increase the speed to medium and knead for another 2 minutes until you form a rough dough.
- Gradually add the butter, one pat at a time, and continue to knead over medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, you may need to stop the mixer halfway and scrape the sides of the bowl. The dough will be sticky, but don't be tempted to add more flour. It clears the side of the bowl but still sticks to the bottom of the bowl. This may take 8-10 minutes of kneading
First proofing:
- Lightly oil your hands, scrape the dough using a dough scraper, and pick it up with your hands to round it up into a smooth dough ball. Lightly oil the bowl and place the dough back into the bowl.
- Cover with a plastic wrap and let it proof at a warm place until the dough is doubled in volume. This may take somewhere from 1 – 2 hours depending on the temperature. When you poke your finger into the dough, the indentation stays and the dough doesn't deflate
Shaping:
- Lightly grease a 9×9 inch pan and line with two pieces of parchment paper perpendicular to each other, overhanging on the side
- Lightly flour your work surface. Turn the dough out and press into a rectangle. Roll into a 10×14 inch sheet with the long side near to you. Spread the red bean paste filling evenly on the surface, leaving a ½-inch border on all sides. Scatter the chopped walnuts as evenly as possible on top of the red bean paste
- Roll the dough away from you, tightly into a log.
- Pinch the seam to seal.
- Use a serrated knife and slice into 9 pieces.
- Arrange in the prepared pan
Final proofing:
- Cover and let rise until puffy and the dough fills up the pan nicely, about 45–60 minutes at a warm temperature.
Bake:
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) for conventional oven, 330 F (165 C) for convection oven
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until pale golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190 F (88 C).
Prepare the glaze:
- 5 minutes before the end of baking time, combine all ingredients for matcha glaze. Whisk until smooth
Glaze the bread:
- Remove the bread from the oven and set on top of a cooling rack.
- Pour or spread the icing on top of the warm rolls. Serve warm or at room temperature
RECOMMEDED TOOLS
Pro Tips
1. Don’t overbake: The top is lightly golden brown and if you insert a Toothpick into the dough part, it should come out clean. If you have digital thermometer, internal temperature of the dough part should be about 190 F.
2. Use room temperature ingredients: Cold milk or egg will slow down yeast activity
3. Don’t skimp on kneading: You want to develop gluten so the dough is stretchy and soft. It should pass the windowpane test.
4. Spread the bean paste gently: If your paste is stiff, microwave it for 10–15 seconds so it’s easier to spread without tearing the dough.
5. Use a serrated knife or floss: When cutting the log into buns, this helps keep their shape neat.
How to Make Ahead
These buns are very make-ahead friendly! Here are two options:
1. Overnight proof: After shaping the buns and placing them in the pan, cover with an oiled plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to let the dough rise in the fridge. Let them sit at room temperature for 45–60 minutes before baking the next day.
2. Freeze after baking: Let the baked (unglazed) buns cool completely, then wrap and freeze. When ready to enjoy, thaw and warm slightly before glazing.
Storing and Reheating
1. Storing: Keep the buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Beyond that, I recommend freezing
2. Reheating: Warm in the microwave for 10–15 seconds. You can also wrap in foil and reheat in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes.
3. Freezing: These freeze well! Freeze them unglazed and add glaze after reheating for the best result
I hope you’ll give these buns a try! They’re one of those treats that feel special but are totally doable at home. That pop of green matcha glaze makes them as pretty as they are delicious.
