Learn the simple technique for making fluffy Japanese milk bread.

Milk Bread Recipe: How to Make Japanese Milk Bread

Japanese milk bread—also called *shokupan* and Hokkaido milk bread—is a fluffy, yeasted white bread that gets its tender texture from a technique called *tangzhong*. The *tangzhong* is a water roux that involves heating flour and milk and/or water to make a slurry. The *tangzhong* allows the flour to absorb more liquid, yielding moist sandwich bread, buns, and cinnamon rolls.
To achieve perfect milk bread, follow these tips:

1. __Use the spoon-and-level method for dry ingredients__. Spoon flour into your measuring cup—rather than using the measuring cup to scoop up the flour—then level using the back of a knife. This will yield more accurate measurements.
2. __Get the temperature right__. When making the *tangzhong*, a digital thermometer can precisely measure when the starch in the flour gelatinizes at 150 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don't have an instant-read thermometer, pay close attention to the texture, which will change when the *tangzhong* reaches this temperature.
3. __Make *tangzhong* ahead__. To make the *tangzhong* ahead of time, let the mixture cool slightly, then refrigerate until needed, up to 1 day. Bring the *tangzhong* to room temperature before mixing with the other ingredients. 
4. __Use bread flour__. It can be tempting to substitute [all-purpose flour](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cake-flour-vs-all-purpose-flour) for [bread flour](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/bread-flour-guide), but you won't get as much of a rise in your loaf. Bread flour is higher in protein and gluten, which allows bread dough to form a stable structure and rise higher.
Learn the simple technique for making fluffy Japanese milk bread.

Japanese milk bread—also called shokupan and Hokkaido milk bread—is a fluffy, yeasted white bread that gets its tender texture from a technique called tangzhong. The tangzhong is a water roux that involves heating flour and milk and/or water to make a slurry. The tangzhong allows the flour to absorb more liquid, yielding moist sandwich bread, buns, and cinnamon rolls.

What Is Milk Bread? 

To achieve perfect milk bread, follow these tips:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Use the spoon-and-level method for dry ingredients. Spoon flour into your measuring cup—rather than using the measuring cup to scoop up the flour—then level using the back of a knife. This will yield more accurate measurements. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Get the temperature right. When making the tangzhong, a digital thermometer can precisely measure when the starch in the flour gelatinizes at 150 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don&#39;t have an instant-read thermometer, pay close attention to the texture, which will change when the tangzhong reaches this temperature. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Make tangzhong ahead. To make the tangzhong ahead of time, let the mixture cool slightly, then refrigerate until needed, up to 1 day. Bring the tangzhong to room temperature before mixing with the other ingredients. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Use bread flour. It can be tempting to substitute <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cake-flour-vs-all-purpose-flour' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cake-flour-vs-all-purpose-flour","linkCopy":"all-purpose flour","category":null}'>all-purpose flour</a> for <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/bread-flour-guide' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/bread-flour-guide","linkCopy":"bread flour","category":null}'>bread flour</a>, but you won&#39;t get as much of a rise in your loaf. Bread flour is higher in protein and gluten, which allows bread dough to form a stable structure and rise higher. </li></ol>

4 Tips for Making Milk Bread

Japanese Milk Bread Recipe

Learn the simple technique for making fluffy Japanese milk bread.