Fresh Milled Japanese Milk Rolls
This is our version of the standard Tangzhong Milk Bread, but of course we elevated it with fresh flour nutrition and Basic Blend convenience + performance! If you've already tried this kind of bread you understand the allure, am I right? If you haven't tried it, you're going to want to ASAP. I know I'm biased to this recipe, but it is so soft, moist and perfectly sweet. These rolls MELT in your mouth after they come out of the oven, I'm not convinced there is anything much better tasting :)
This recipe works perfectly for the softest dinner rolls, hamburger buns, hotdog buns, mini-loaves, cinnamon rolls, bubble bread, etc. It's just the perfect tear apart softness. I can't say enough about it.
Why We Love It:
- Delicious + easy to make!
- Freeze well for easy weekday breakfasts
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Unsifted Japanese Milk Rolls
PREP: 30 minutes
TOTAL: 2 hour 30 minute
YIELD: 20 rolls (about 65-70g each)
INGREDIENTS:
2 ⅓ cups Unsifted® Basic Blend grain, divided
1 cup Kamut® grain (sub: Unsifted® Basic Blend grain)
½ cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
⅓ cup water
1 ⅓ cup whole milk, divided
⅓ cup honey (sub: maple syrup)
3 Tbsp packed brown sugar (optional)
2 tsp fine salt
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 large eggs
¼ cup dry milk powder (recommended)
1 ½ Tbsp instant yeast
FOR FINISHING
1 large egg, slightly beaten
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Mill the fresh flour
- Set WonderMill® dial to 12:00 (clock position)
- Mill 2 ⅓ cups Unsifted® Basic Blend grain
- Mill 1 cup Kamut® grain
2. Melt butter + Make warm flour mixture
- To a small saucepan, add ½ cup butter
- Stirring occasionally, heat butter until melted
- Pour melted butter into mixing bowl (sub: Zojirushi ® pan)
- To emptied saucepan, add ⅓ cup water
- Add ⅓ cup milk
- Measure and add ⅓ cup unsifted flour
- Using a whisk, mix until well combined
- Turn on low heat and whisk continuously until you can see streaks from whisk in bottom of pan while stirring
- Pour warm flour mixture into mixing bowl with butter
3. Add remaining ingredients
Pro Tip: Ensure butter + warm flour mixture are cooler than 100F prior to adding the eggs, flour and yeast.
- To the mixing bowl, add 1 cup milk
- Add ⅓ cup honey
- Optional: Add 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- Add 2 tsp salt
- Add 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- Add 2 large eggs
- Recommended: Add ¼ cup dry milk powder
- Add remaining unsifted flour
- Add 1 ½ Tbsp instant yeast (Instaferm® recommended)
4. Knead dough + Rise
Pro Tip: This dough rises very slowly. As long as you kneaded fully it will double, just give it time to do its thing.
- Knead dough until windowpane effect is achieved
- Ankarsrum ® : using roller, knead 6 minutes on speed #3. Continue kneading, checking every 2 minutes
- KitchenAid ® : use dough hook on speed #2. Knead 18-22 minutes; pause every 2 minutes to cool motor.
- By hand: knead about 45-55 minutes
- Put dough in mixing bowl and cover with dish towel
- Let dough rise until at least doubled (about 45-90 min.)
5. Shape + Rise + Egg wash + Bake
- Preheat oven to 375F
- Optional: Lightly coat hands + counter with olive oil (prevents dough from sticking)
- Gently deflate the dough to remove air bubbles
- Roll dough into 20 balls (about 70g each)
- Set dough balls ½” apart in greased baking pan
- Cover and let rolls rise until doubled (30-75 minutes)
- In a small bowl, mix 1 lightly beaten egg + 2 Tbsp water
- Gently brush tops of risen dough with egg wash
- Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes (190-195F internal temp.)
- Optional: brush butter on tops of rolls while still warm

STORAGE TIPS
Cooled bagels may be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer bag.
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THE UNSIFTED DIFFERENCE
We used our Unsifted® Basic Blend and Kamut® grain here- Basic is a high quality custom grain blend curated for exceptional flavor, nutrient diversity, and premium baking performance. Its also pre-treated for pantry safety and perfect for convenient nutrition.
Want this recipe on a beautiful, recipe-stand–friendly card? Snag the professionally printed, cardstock hardcopy and make flour-dusted memories in the kitchen with your kids. It’s the perfect tool for helping little bakers learn- easy to follow, durable enough for year of use, and packed with all the pro tips right in your kitchen.
Each recipe card also includes bonus variations of the recipe, so you’ll have even more ways to bake it your way.
Additional variations for this recipe:
- Japanese Milk Rolls - Hamburger Buns
- Japanese Milk Rolls - Mini Loaf
- Japanese Milk Rolls - Zojirushi® Dough Prep

NUTRITION FACTS
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