Korean Coffee Buns

4.87 from 15 votes

Korean coffee buns are extra soft, delicate brioche buns with a buttery coffee topping that bakes into a light coffee crust. Fresh out of the oven, take a bite, and you’ll feel like you’re in heaven! Just like at Paris Baguette and other Korean bakeries, they’re perfect with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee, making them the ideal breakfast or tea-time snack.

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: Korean

Yield: coffee buns

Calories: 332kcal

Author: Emma Choi

Prep Time: 30

Active Time: 15

Resting Time: 2

Total Time: 2 45

Equipment

Ingredients

340 g brioche flour (Note 1)
40 g caster sugar
3 g salt
7 g instant yeast
180 ml warm milk
50 g unsalted butter - room temperature

Coffee topping:

15 ml warm water
9 g instant coffee powder
90 g unsalted butter - room temperature
75 g caster sugar
70 g egg
105 g regular flour

US - M

Instructions

Prepare the dough

In a large bowl, combine the brioche flour, caster sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Be careful that the salt and yeast do not come into direct contact at this stage.
Warm the milk to around 40°C (105°F)—it should be warm but not hot. Add the warm milk to the dry ingredients. Knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes, until it is smooth and slightly tacky but not too sticky.
Add the unsalted butter, continuing to knead for another 10 minutes, until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is soft and elastic.
Shape the dough into a ball, place it in the bowl, cover with cling wrap, and let it rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or until it doubles in size. If the room is cool, place the bowl over a pot of warm water to gently raise the dough (Note 2).

Shape the buns

Once the dough has risen, gently press down to release excess air.
Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball.
Place the dough balls on a baking tray lined with baking paper, leaving about 1.2" / 3 cm of space between each. Cover with a towel and let them rise for another hour.

Prepare the coffee topping

Dissolve the instant coffee powder in warm water, mixing until smooth.
In a separate bowl, cream the butter and caster sugar together until smooth.
Add the beaten egg and whisk well to combine.
Mix in the dissolved coffee.
Add the flour, whisking until all ingredients are well combined and the mixture is smooth.

Assemble and bake

Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
Transfer the coffee topping into a piping bag. Starting at the top center of each dough ball, pipe a swirl of coffee topping to cover about half of each bun.
Bake in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes, until the buns are golden and the coffee topping has set and formed a light crust. the buns should have doubled in size. Baking times may vary slightly by oven (Note 3).

Notes

Use brioche flour, which has a higher gluten content. Note that all-purpose or cake flour has lower gluten levels, which may result in buns with a denser crumb and texture. If brioche flour isn’t available, you can substitute with pastry flour or bread flour.
Room temperature affects rising time. In colder conditions, especially in winter, the dough may not rise well. In this case, pour some boiled water into a pot, then place the bowl with the dough (covered with plastic wrap and a towel) on top to create gentle warmth.
Baking time should be 13 to 15 minutes, depending on your oven. Remove the buns when they have doubled in size and the coffee topping is fully set.
Precision matters in patisserie and bread-making, so accurate measurements are key. For best results, use a scale for grams or ounces rather than cups or spoons.

Nutrition