This Homemade Coconut Cream Buns recipe yields soft coconut buns filled with white chocolate coconut pastry cream and coconut whipped cream and are topped with a dusting of desiccated coconut. These cream-filled buns are reminiscent of Italian maritozzi buns and Chinese bakeries coconut cream buns.
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These homemade coconut cream buns were inspired by my love of the pillowy breads and pastries at Tous Le Jours and seeing blogger friends make cream-filled buns. I followed the helpful shaping instructions from What to Cook Today’s chinese coconut cream buns. You essentially shape them into hot dog buns, but split them down the middle to add the cream filling. The creamy filling is my favorite coconut pastry cream. It uses coconut milk and white chocolate for a subtly sweet, ultra-creamy consistency.
I adapted this coconut bun recipe from my Vanilla Buns recipe. If you’re not afraid to fry, I recommend my Crème Brûlée Donuts, which are fried cream-filled buns with a crunchy caramel shell. But, I love that I can provide these baked cream bun recipes for folks who don’t want to fry.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- These sweet buns are pillowy soft. The addition of tangzhong ensures the bread bakes up soft and stays moist.
- These can be made without a stand mixer. If mixing by hand, be sure to conduct the windowpane test to ensure there has been enough gluten development.
- These are packed with lots of coconut flavor thanks to coconut milk in the pastry cream and coconut extract in the bread and whipped cream.
Ingredients
- Bread flour is the base of the buns.
- Cornstarch thickens the pastry cream.
- Whole milk adds moisture and flavor to the buns.
- Instant yeast gives rise to the buns.
- Coconut extract flavors the buns and whipped cream.
- Coconut milk flavors the pastry cream.
- White chocolate adds structure and sweetness to the pastry cream.
- Granulated sugar sweetens the buns and pastry cream.
- Powdered sugar, also known as icing sugar, sweetens the whipped cream and is used as garnish.
- Heavy whipping cream is whipped up to create a garnish.
- Room temperature unsalted butter adds richness to the buns.
- Eggs bind the dough and thicken the pastry cream.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and variations
Here's how to customize these fluffy buns to your liking:
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- No bread flour — swap for all-purpose flour without issue. I do not recommend using cake flour.
- No pastry cream — omit the pastry cream and fill with store-bought pudding or double the whipped cream and fill with that.
- Different filling — fill with my chocolate pastry cream from this cake recipe, or with a fruit jam.
- Different shape — make the buns round or another shape you like. You could also split the buns down the side like a hot dog, instead of splitting down the middle.
- Garnishes — omit the coconut garnish or garnish with something else, like powdered sugar or white chocolate curls.
This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions or variations. If you try any, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
How to make These Homemade Coconut Cream Buns
Step 1: In a small saucepan, combine the tangzhong ingredients. Whisk and cook over medium heat until it becomes a thick paste. Remove from the heat to let cool slightly. In a small bowl, combine the warmed milk and yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes to bloom. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if mixing by hand,) whisk together the bread flour, kosher salt and granulated sugar. Add the tangzhong, yeast mixture, vanilla bean paste, egg and egg yolk. Add the dough hook attachment and mix on medium-low until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Gradually add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, until incorporated. Mix with the dough hook on medium speed for 6-8 minutes. When the dough starts looking smooth, conduct the windowpane test. Pinch off a small bit of dough. Slowly pull the dough out from the center with your fingers. If the dough is ready, you will be able to stretch it until it’s thin and translucent like a windowpane. If the dough tears, it’s not ready yet. Beat for 1 more minute, and test again. When the dough passes the test, transfer to a large greased bowl and cover. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
Step 2: While the dough is proofing, make the pastry cream. Combine the milk and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat. Combine the granulated sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl. Whisk by hand until light yellow and fluffy. Add flour and cornstarch and whisk until thoroughly combined and lightened in color even further. Very slowly stream in the warmed vanilla milk with a ladle while whisking vigorously to prevent cooking the eggs. Continue slowly adding in the milk mixture until it is all combined. Return the entire mixture to the medium saucepan and place over low heat. Whisk constantly until the pastry cream has thickened to a pudding consistency (coats the back of a spoon). This can take 5+ minutes. Remove from the heat promptly and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Place the bowl over a larger bowl with ice and place in the refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours.
Step 3: Lightly grease or flour a clean work surface. Punch down the dough and dump onto the work surface. Divide the dough into 8 even pieces (84g each), roll into balls and cover for 5 minutes to rest the gluten. Working with one ball at a time, use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into an oval shape (4-5 inches long and 3 inches wide). Roll up the dough from the long side into a log. Pinch the seam to seal it. Place seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Cover with an inverted baking sheet and proof for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Gently brush the buns with the egg wash mixture. When you put the tray in the oven you’ll want to introduce some moisture, either by spraying water inside the oven with a spray bottle, or by placing a ramekin with a few ice cubes onto the wire rack next to the tray. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown and the interior temperature reaches 190°F. Let cool on a wire rack.
Step 4: In the bowl of stand mixer or in a large bowl with beaters, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste. Beat together until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip, if desired. With a serrated knife or sharp chef knife, make a cut in the center of each bun. Remove a bit of the bread to make room for cream. Spoon or pipe some of the chilled pastry cream into the centers of the buns, then pipe the whipped cream on top. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Top tips
- I prefer rolling dough on a greased surface to avoid introducing additional flour. I will clean the work surface and then just spray it with some oil.
- I like to reheat them in the microwave for just 8-10 seconds to soften the bread after they’ve been in the refrigerator.
- To pipe the raked squiggle, I used a medium basketweave piping tip.
Recipe FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I like to reheat them in the microwave for just 8-10 seconds to soften the bread after they’ve been in the refrigerator.
Yes, swap for all-purpose without issue in the bread dough. I would not recommend swapping for cake flour in a bread recipe. Cake flour has less protein content. The higher protein content in bread flour is vital to provide a stronger gluten protein network.
This is not recommended.
I prefer to bake the buns on parchment paper, but it is not required. If baking without, I recommend greasing the sheet pan.
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Lastly, if you make this Homemade Coconut Cream Buns recipe be sure to leave a comment or give it a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Coconut Cream Buns
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- 2 tablespoon bread flour (20g)
- 2 tablespoon water (27g)
- 4 tablespoon whole milk (60g)
Milk bread dough
- ½ cup whole milk heated to 110°F (120g)
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast (10g)
- 2 ½ cups bread flour (320g)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ tablespoon granulated sugar (37g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (42g)
Egg wash
- 1 large egg
- Splash of whole milk
Coconut white chocolate pastry cream
- 4 egg yolks (64-68g)
- 25 g cornstarch (3 tbsp)
- 400 g full-fat coconut milk (1-14.5 oz can)
- 170 g white chocolate chips or chopped (1 cup)
Coconut whipped cream
- 2 ¼ cups heavy whipping cream (529g)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (33g)
- 2 teaspoon coconut extract
Garnish (optional)
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup coconut desiccated or shredded
Instructions
Do ahead
- The pastry cream can be made a day or two ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to assemble. Prepare a large sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Make the tangzhong paste
- In a small saucepan, combine the tangzhong ingredients. Whisk and cook over medium heat until it becomes a thick paste. Remove from the heat to let cool slightly.
Make the dough
- In a small bowl, combine the warmed milk and yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes to bloom.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if mixing by hand,) whisk together the bread flour, kosher salt and granulated sugar. Add the tangzhong, yeast mixture, vanilla bean paste, egg and egg yolk. Mix on medium-low until incorporated. Gradually add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, until incorporated.
- Mix with the dough hook on medium speed for 6-8 minutes. When the dough starts looking smooth, conduct the windowpane test. Pinch off a small bit of dough. Slowly pull the dough out from the center with your fingers. If the dough is ready, you will be able to stretch it until it’s thin and translucent like a windowpane. If the dough tears, it’s not ready yet. Beat for 1 more minute, and test again.
- When the dough passes the test, transfer to a large greased bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
Make the pastry cream
- Place the white chocolate in a medium heat proof bowl. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together egg yolks and cornstarch until the mixture has lightened in color, about 2 minutes.
- Bring the coconut milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. Once it boils, remove from the heat. Wait 3 minutes.
- Slowly dribble ¼ cup of the warm milk into the egg yolk cornstarch mixture while whisking constantly. Continue whisking and dribbling in the rest of the milk slowly until it is all in.
- Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and heat over medium-low, whisking constantly, until it thickens. Be careful not to let it boil (come to 212°F) as gelatin loses its strength at this temperature) It should be able to coat the back of a spoon.
- Once desired thickness is reached, remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the white chocolate in the heat proof bowl. Stir to melt the chocolate completely. Emulsify the mixture with an immersion blender*** until the pastry cream is lighter in color, about 3-5 minutes.
- Pour the pastry cream on a sheet pan, optionally on top of a silicone baking mat. Spread it thin, and cover completely with plastic wrap, letting it touch all of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until completely cool.
Shape the buns
- Lightly grease or flour a clean work surface. Punch down the dough and dump onto the work surface. Divide the dough into 8 even pieces (84g each), roll into balls and cover for 5 minutes to rest the gluten.
- Working with one ball at a time, use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into an oval shape (4-5 inches long and 3 inches wide). Roll up the dough from the long side into a log. Pinch the seam to seal it. Place seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
- Cover with an inverted baking sheet and proof for 1 hour.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Gently brush the buns with the egg wash mixture. When you put the tray in the oven you’ll want to introduce some moisture, either by spraying water inside the oven with a spray bottle, or by placing a ramekin with a few ice cubes onto the wire rack next to the tray.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown and the interior temperature reaches 190°F. Let cool on a wire rack.
Make the whipped cream
- In the bowl of stand mixer or in a large bowl with beaters, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar and coconut extract. Beat together until stiff peaks form.
- Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip, if desired.
Assemble
- With a serrated knife or sharp chef knife, make a cut in the center of each bun. Remove a bit of the bread to make room for cream.
- Spoon or pipe some of the chilled pastry cream into the centers of the buns, then pipe the whipped cream on top. Dust with powdered sugar or coconut, if desired. To adhere desiccated coconut to the buns, brush them with melted butter.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published 08/20/2025.
