Taiwanese Scallion Bread

Name: Taiwanese Scallion Bread
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 228 min
Ingredients: 30 g boiling water (2 tablespoons); 25 g bread flour (2½ tbsp); 250 g bread flour (A bit less than 2 cups); 30 g cake flour (¼ cup); 10 g dry milk powder (1 tablespoon); 30 g sugar (2 tablespoons); 15 g honey (a little bit less than 1 tablespoon); 25 g large egg, beaten (½ large egg, ⅛ cup, store the rest in the fridge for brushing and making scallion mixture. ); 80 g cold whole milk (⅓ cup); 60 g cold water (¼ cup); tangzhong (Yudane) paste (see above); 1 teaspoon instant yeast (preferably saf instant yeast); 1 teaspoon sea salt; 30 g unsalted butter (cut into 6 - 8 pieces); 100 g scallions (about 6-8 stalks); 1 tablespoon lard (or any kind of vegetable oil); remainder of beaten egg (from above); ½ teaspoon sea salt; pinch of sugar; black pepper to taste (optional); toasted sesame seeds (optional)

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Fluffy, savory, and full of that irresistible scallion fragrance, this traditional Taiwanese scallion bread is a nostalgic favorite that’s perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. In this recipe, I’ll show you how to recreate this classic Asian bakery-style bread at home—so good, that it may just beat what you get from the store!

Three golden-brown scallion buns in a ceramic bowl with a blue napkin on the side and more breads on the baking tray lined with parchment paper.

This Taiwanese scallion bread is the kind of thing I grew up eating from the corner bakery—soft yet satisfyingly bouncy, and packed with that irresistible scallion oil aroma. It’s the perfect mix of a fragrant savory flavor with a hint of sweetness all in one bite.

After trying different recipes, I found that this scallion bread tastes the best using my signature pastry bread dough with Yudane method, which is the same dough I use for my Pineapple Bun, Taiwanese Milk Butter Bun and Tuna Bun. It not only improves the texture of the bun but also allows it to stay soft longer.

Why You Need to Try This Recipe

You can now try this classic and delicious Taiwanese scallion bread without traveling to Taiwan!
It's fun to make! Don’t let the braided shape fool you, the steps are surprisingly simple for how professional the finished product looks.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced baker, you’ll be able to make delicious bread at home with my easy-to-follow recipe.

Ingredients You'll Need

Here are the main ingredients you'll need for making this recipe. Check the recipe box below for the full ingredient list with actual measurements.

Flat lay of ingredients for scallion bread, including bread flour, cake flour, milk powder, Instant yeast, sugar, salt, milk in a small cup, scallions, lard, egg and sesame seeds.

Notes

Yeast - use instant yeast, I recommend using saf-instant yeast.
Milk - use whole milk for the best results.
Cake flour - adding a small amount of cake flour into the dough is an easy way to make the bread lighter and fluffier.
Dried milk powder - dried milk powder improves both the flavor and texture of the bun, you can skip it if you don't have it, but I highly recommend using it. You can also use this to make snowflake crisp and Taiwanese milk butter bun if you need more reasons to get some.
Honey - honey helps keep the bun moist.
Lard - if you want to replicate the authentic flavor of traditional Taiwanese scallion bread then lard is a must. It provides a unique aroma and flavor that you won't be able to get from using vegetable oil. However, if you are vegetarian or just don't want to use lard, you can replace it with regular cooking oil.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1 - Make yudane (tangzhong) roux paste the day before.

Pour boiling water into a small bowl with bread flour and immediately mix well. Cover and store in the fridge after it's cooled for between 12 and 48 hours (or at least 2 hours if you can't wait).

A metal bowl containing a thick white flour-water mixture (tangzhong) sits on a digital kitchen scale, which displays a weight of 55 grams.

Step 2 - Make milk bun dough.

In a stand mixer, mix all the dough ingredients except yeast, sea salt and unsalted butter until a rough dough is formed—about 5 minutes. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.

This step is called the autolyse method, which will help shorten the kneading time later and prevent the dough from getting too warm (which worsens the texture of the buns).

After resting, add yeast and knead for 1-2 minutes on medium speed before adding salt. Knead for another 2-3 minutes before adding unsalted butter, one piece at a time. Knead until the dough is smooth and able to pass the windowpane test (see FAQ below for more details)—about 10 minutes.

A process shot that show dough is being kneaded in a stand mixer.

Make sure the dough stays cool during the entire kneading process. If the temperature of your dough becomes higher than 82°F (28°C) when it's done kneading, place it on a tray and chill it in the freezer for 1-2 minutes before proofing.

Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and proof in a warm place (82°F / 28°C) for an hour or until the dough just about doubles in size.

A bowl of risen dough, doubled in size, indicating the completion of the first proofing stage.

Quick tip - If you find it difficult to tell whether it has doubled in size or not, place the dough in a container with about double of the volume of the dough. That way, when the dough nearly fills the container, you know it's done proofing.

Step 3 - Prepare Scallions

While the dough is proofing, wash, pat dry and slice the scallions. Let the sliced scallions dry on the chopping board until ready to use.

A cutting board with freshly chopped scallions in a mix of green and white segments, with a large knife placed above them.

Step 4 - Shape the bread and final proof.

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions with a dough cutter (don't tear it!)

Flatten the dough with your palm before folding the edges to the center, pinch them together to form a ball and flip it over so that the seam side is down. Cover the dough with a damp tea towel and let it rest for 15 minutes.

A process shot that shows how to form a small piece of dough into a dough ball.

To form the bread, roll the dough ball into a flat oval shape about the size of your hand. Then, using a knife or dough cutter, slice the oval length-wise into three long strips, leaving the top portion intact so the strips remain connected, as shown in the picture below.

Gently braid the three strips together as you would with hair, crossing the right strand over the middle, then the left over the strand that is now in the middle, and so on. Pinch the ends together to secure the braid.

A process shot that shows how to braid the bread.

Place the buns on a lined baking sheet, cover with a damp tea towel and let it rest in a warm place (82°F / 28°C) for 50 minutes.

Step 5 - Assemble the bread and bake

Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C.

Brush each braided dough with the leftover beaten egg.

Brushing unbaked braided bread with egg wash using a gray silicon brush.

In a bowl, mix the remaining beaten egg with melted lard, before stirring in the chopped scallions, salt and pepper. Spoon an equal amount of the scallion mixture on top of each braided dough. Sprinkle toasted white sesame seeds on top if using.

Rows of braided, unbaked dough topped with chopped scallions and sesame seeds on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

When the oven is done preheating, bake the bread for 17-18 minutes or until the bottom part becomes golden brown.

Let the bread cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before enjoying.

Freshly baked Taiwanese scallion breads arranged on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The golden-brown braided buns are topped with chopped green onions and sesame seeds, with a blue cloth partially visible in the background.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Measure your ingredients with a kitchen scale! Especially for flour and liquids, because your one cup can be very different from my one cup.
Start with cold liquid - I learned this from professional bakers in Taiwan. Since the dough needs a lot of kneading, using cold liquid prevents the final dough from becoming too warm (which worsens the texture of the bun). In summer, I would even place the milk in a freezer until a thin layer of ice forms near the edge before I use it.
The best proofing temperature is between 80 - 90°F (26.5 - 32°C). If your indoor temperature is too low, you can proof your dough in a sealed oven over a separate tray/pan on the bottom rack that's filled with boiling water.
If your oven has a proofing function, for the first proof, only turn on the proofing function for the first 20 minutes as using it the whole time would be too hot. For the second proof, you can use the proofing feature the whole time as we need a higher temperature for the second proof.
If your oven doesn't have a proofing function, you can create a warm, humid environment by placing a small pot of freshly boiled water in the oven alongside the dough while it proofs.
If the lard solidifies when mixing with egg, put the bowl in hot water and continue to mix until they're well combined.
The bread might not be golden brown when it's done baking due to the scallion topping. If your oven has a convection bake function, you can turn it on for the last 1-2 minutes to help the buns achieve a nice golden brown color.

A close-up of two golden-brown scallion buns on a ceramic plate, one of them torn open to show the soft, fluffy interior, with more buns in a bowl in the background.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?

This is not recommended, as the texture won't be as good.

Why is my dough not rising?

If your dough doesn't seem to rise after an hour, it might be that your yeast is not fresh or the proofing temperature is too low.

What is the windowpane test and how do I do it?

The windowpane test is a simple way to check if the dough has been kneaded enough. To perform this test, simply get a small piece of dough and stretch it carefully to see if it can be stretched into a smooth and almost see-through membrane. I usually do this test once the surface of the dough is very smooth from kneading.

Can I do the first proof in the fridge?

Yes! Place the dough in a greased Ziploc bag, squeeze out the air and place it in the fridge overnight (12-24hrs). When you are ready to shape the dough, take it out and continue the rest of the steps directly. In this case, the second proof might take a bit longer, as the dough is cold.

Can I make the scallion topping the day before?

It's best to prepare the scallion mixture just before using it. If you make the mixture in advance, the salt will draw out moisture from the scallions and make the mixture too watery and difficult to work with.

Can I freeze them?

Yes! Actually freezing is the best way to store these buns if you are not eating them within a day. Place the buns in a Ziploc bag once they are cooled completely and freeze it for up to three months. Never store these in the fridge as they will dry up.

How to reheat these buns from frozen?

Let the bun thaw for 15 minutes or so before baking in 350°F (180°C) for about 5 minutes, and it will taste as good as fresh ones!

I hope you can give this recipe a try because I know you'll love this scallion bread if you get to try one!

Happy baking!!

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