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These Papparoti Coffee Buns are about to become your favorite breakfast bread, ever. A popular recipe originating from Malaysia, these are incredibly soft and fluffy buns filled with butter and a crunchy coffee crust on top. I have been getting requests to make them for years, and never understood the hype until I made them myself. They are spectacular – I gobbled up 3 of them while still filming this recipe!
Read the full blog post below for detailed notes, tips, tricks, photos and videos.
WHAT ARE PAPPAROTI COFFEE BUNS?
This is a recipe with a few too many names, so allow me to clarify for you! These coffee buns originated in Malaysia, and were inspired by Mexican “conchas“, hence the name “Mexican Coffee Buns” (even though they’re not from Mexico). They were popularized by chains like Papparoti and Rotiboy in Malaysia and all over Asia, and are often called “Papparoti” or “Rotiboy”.
Essentially, Papparoti / Coffee Buns are slightly sweet, very soft and fluffy buns filled with butter, and are topped off with a signature sweet and crunchy coffee-flavored crust. They are sweet, salty, and coffee-y, and an absolute delight to eat!
PROCESS WITH PHOTOS
The detailed recipe is given in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but let’s quickly go over the process with photos for my visual learners!
First, mix the ingredients for the dough, and knead for 10-15 minutes until a smooth, soft and stretchy dough forms:
Cover the dough and let it rise until it doubles in size:
Divide the dough into 8 pieces:
Roll each piece into a ball, and lightly flatten it out:
Place a cube of cold butter in the middle, and pinch back into a ball, ensuring you tightly seal the edges:
Let the buns rise a second time:
For the coffee crust, first cream together the butter and sugar:
Whisk in the egg and coffee:
Lastly, whisk in the flour and cornstarch:
Pipe the coffee mixture in swirls on top of the buns once they’ve risen:
Bake & enjoy!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes, you can replace the active dry yeast with instant yeast with no change to the method.
You can replace the egg in the dough with 1/4 cup full fat yogurt. However, I am not aware of a good substitute for the egg in the coffee crust.
Proofing is a critical step to get right for the best, soft and fluffy buns. This is the same exact dough (slightly smaller batch) as my garlic butter dinner rolls, and I highly recommend reading that blog post as I have shared detailed tips on proofing and kneading bread in it.
The buns will develop a crispy, light golden crust all over them. You can carefully poke a roll, and it should spring back.
Ideally, these buns should be consumed within a day of baking them. However, you can eat them for 2-3 days. I recommend storing them in an airtight container at room temperature, and reheating in the oven until they become slightly crispy again on top.
Check out these popular related recipes on the blog!
Easy Garlic Butter Dinner Rolls
Tandoori Chicken Naan Buns
The Best Coffee Cake With Coffee
Japanese Milk Bread
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Ingredients
Buns:
- 2/3 cup whole milk (160g), warm (~110F)
- 1/4 cup sugar (55g)
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (325g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (60g)
- For filling the buns: 1/2 cup salted or unsalted butter, cold and cut into 8 equal cubes (113g)
Coffee crust:
- 5 tbsp butter (70g)
- 1/4 cup sugar (55g)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp instant coffee mixed in 2 tsp water
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour (65g)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- To make the buns, stir together the warm milk, sugar, yeast, flour, egg, salt, and 1/4 cup softened butter
- Use a large bowl to stir together the ingredients until they form a shaggy dough
- Turn out onto a clean surface, and knead with a push-pull motion using your palms for 15 minutes. The dough will be sticky at first, but will become smooth and stretchy with time, so do not add more flour. You know the dough is done kneading when it passes the window-pane test (stretch a piece of dough slowly between your fingers until it becomes almost paper thin without ripping)
- You can also knead the dough using the hook attachment of your stand mixer for ~10-12 minutes
- Transfer the dough to a large clean bowl sprayed with a little oil. Cover with cling wrap and place in a warm, humid spot to let the dough rise until it at least doubles in size. This typically takes around 90 minutes
- Once risen, punch the dough and turn it out onto a clean surface. Divide it into 8 equal pieces
- Roll each piece into a tight, smooth ball
- Using a small amount of flour, flatten each ball into a disc, about 3.5″ in diameter
- Place 1 cube of cold butter in the middle, and then pinch the dough back into a ball so the butter is in the middle of it. Make sure there are no cracks or openings that the butter can leak out of, and try your best to get the butter in the middle of the ball
- Place the shaped buns in a large baking sheet with parchment paper, leaving at least 3″ of space between each bun
- Let the buns rise a second time in a warm spot until they are puffed up. This usually takes 30-45 minutes
- In the meanwhile, prepare the coffee crust. First, whisk together the butter and sugar until the look fluffy and light in color. Add the egg and coffee (mixed in water), and whisk again. Then sift in the flour and cornstarch, and whisk until just combined
- Transfer the coffee crust mixture to a piping bag and make a small opening in it
- In the last 20 minutes of the second rise, pre-heat your oven to 350F (conventional)
- Once the rolls have risen again, carefully pipe the coffee crust topping onto each bun, starting from the top and tightly swirling around until you get to the widest part of the bun. You want a generous amount of topping on each bun!
- Bake the buns for ~18-20 minutes until they have a light golden, crispy crust on top and are cooked through
- Let the buns cool down for 15-20 minutes
- Serve & enjoy!
Video Tutorial
Notes
- Store the papparoti coffee buns in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, and reheat in the oven before enjoying
Comments
Fathima Sheik
I would love you make these for my kids but they don’t like coffee. Could I use cocoa powder instead of the instant coffee?
Zoha Malik
Hi Fathima! You can try that, taste will be quite subtle
MMM
Tried it.Lovely.Thank you.It needs patience.
Zoha Malik
Thank you so much and agreed. Worth it, though!
Amara
Hey can I make the dough a day in advance like i make it an night and use it in the morning?
Zoha Malik
Sure, make the dough and refrigerate overnight, then shape and give the second rise at room temperature. but the second rise will likely need 30 min longer!
monica kumar
These turned out amazing. Thank you so much 💓
Zoha Malik
Yay!
Mrs Abdul Rahman
My family loves these Buns. They always turn out amazing
Zoha Malik
Yay! They’re very underrated
Ayesha Umair
Everyone loved these buns!!! My kids said they come very very close to Pappa Roti buns… I thinks because I used little less butter inside the buns
Zoha
Aw thank you!
Huda
H Zoya! Thanks for your recipe. Can the dough be refrigerated for a day or 2 after thr 1st rice?
M
These papparoti coffee buns were amazing! So flavourful with the coffee crust and soft and fluffy on the inside. You hit it outta the ball park with every single recipe, Zoha!
Zoha
WUHU!!
Samiyah
I’ve recently come across your recipes and I got very excited to see this one. I’ve had Papparoti in Saudi Arabia and there’s nothing like it here in Toronto. I tried this today and let me just say they turned out AMAZING!! They taste exactly like what I’ve had! Your recipe is so perfect, Zoha! I can’t even tell you how much everyone in my family loved these! Thanks so much for coming up with this and sharing it!
Zoha
THANK YOUUUUUU I am so incredibly touched!
Nat
Can I proof the Dough overnight?
Zoha
I don’t recommend that but you could do the first rise in the fridge overnight and the second one at room temp. It will require longer for the second rise
Asna
I just made these and they turned out sooooooo good! It was the first time I tried out anything bread related, I’m not a baking person AT ALL and it came out EXACTLY like paparoti! Thank you sooo much for this recipe! Also my first recipe of yours and I can already see myself trying out more of your recipes!
Amina
Wow Zoha! I tried these today and my goodness! I’m completely blown away! This satisfied my paparoti craving and made me feel so nostalgic. Thank you for sharing this in such detailed and easy to follow step. 🩷
Kaye
thank you for the recipe! it was very delicious. Husband and kids devoured them. I had some extra coffee crust left in the bag, I’m just wondering if it’s OK to put it in the fridge and save for next time?
Mojh
Hi Zoha I’ve tried this recipe twice and both the times my dough hasn’t passed the windowpane test. what could be the reason behind it? I’ve used ap flour with 11g protein
Aw
I’m having the same issue with the dough not passing the windowpane test. My dough seems to be too dense. Using regular all purpose flour. I tried kneading it for longer in the mixer but no luck.
Maheen Iqbal
Tried these and they turned out so good!! Wish I could leave a picture here too…
Zoha
Aw thank you Maheen!
Fatima Farrukh
First time using yeast and I think I burned it by using too hot milk 😭😭😭 the buns came out too dense but totally on me. I’ll retry tomorrow!!
Zoha
AWWW that sucks!!! And it definitely happens. Better luck next time!
Samiyah
I’ve recently come across your recipes and I got very excited to see this one. I’ve had Papparoti in Saudi Arabia and there’s nothing like it here in Toronto. I tried this today and let me just say they turned out AMAZING!! They taste exactly like what I’ve had! Your recipe is so perfect, Zoha! I can’t even tell you how much everyone in my family loved these! Thanks so much for coming up with this and sharing it!
Fatima Farrukh
Update is I finally succeeded!! This recipe will be in repeat 🙂
R.A
Hi Zoha! Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipes with us. I have tried this recipe twice, and every time, my dough was too sticky and impossible to manipulate.. I had to add more flour to be able to knead it but I feel like it made my buns too dense and not as fluffy as they should be. Do you have an idea why I am encountering this issue? Thank you so much! <3
Zoha
WUHUU!!!!
Ayesha
they were amazing! I really loved them, I have a school thing coming up and me and my friends want to set up a bakestall, i just want to ask, if i make it a day earlier and keep it in the fridge, would it become soggy and sticky or would it retain its crispiness? im a little worried for that.
Tanya
I’m so excited to try this recipe! Is there any way I can prep these the night before and bake them in the morning?
Zoha Malik
Hi Tanya! You can do the first rise in the fridge overnight but the rest will have to be done the same day. If the first rise is in the fridge, second rise will likely take longer. They do also reheat really well if you put them back in the oven for ~5 minutes 🙂
Zoha
Thank you so much, Ayesha! I answered your question about reheating in the thread 🙂
Eshmaal
I have the same question.
Zoha
These will not remain as light and crispy. I recommend baking fresh. otherwise, keep at room temperature and reheat in the oven to make them crispy again before serving!
Yaseera Suliman
10 out of 10 recipe! Loved it! And was super simple and easy to make! Taste was pretty spot on!
Zoha
YAYYY
Arshiya
Oh my God!
Thank you so very much for such a mouth-watering recipe. It was a big hit. 😍😍😍
I’m definitely making these again soon 🤩🤩
Zoha
Made my day :’)
Ayisha
Your Papparoti coffee bun recipe is absolutely fantastic! I tried it out, and it turned out to be incredibly tasty with the perfect texture. The buns were soft, fluffy, and had just the right amount of sweetness. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe! It’s definitely going to be a regular treat in my kitchen from now on.
Zoha
Aww thanks so much, Ayisha!!!
Aiman Hasnat
My friend made these using your recipes and they turned out amazing. Thanks for sharing it!
Zoha
I am so pleased you and your friend enjoyed them!!!