Soft, pillowy Chinese steamed buns with a fragrant filling of traditional black sesame filling— a nutty, rich paste with just the right amount of sweetness. Enjoy these wholesome buns for dessert or breakfast with tea or hot soy milk.

I first came across these fragrant steamed buns at a breakfast stand in Chengdu, tucked in rows in steaming trays and sold alongside plump buns filled with custard and red bean paste. In China, black sesame (黑芝麻 hēizhīmá) is traditionally used in sweets, as the dark seeds are extra nutty and slightly more bitter compared to white sesame seeds. When toasted, ground finely, and combined with sugar and lard for a rich filling, the bitterness becomes a delicious background note, sort of like in dark chocolate.

You can find black sesame buns sold in the frozen aisle in Asian supermarkets, but I like making them at home with more wholesome ingredients. Instead of lard, I substitute coconut oil (a fat that’s also solid at room temperature) for a vegan version. This is a fun project for a weekend, and you can freeze the batch and reheat for a hot, fluffy freshly steamed bun later in the week.

The dough is just flour, yeast, and warm water, with baking powder for an extra bit of lift, and a small amount of cornstarch for extra fluffiness. I add ground black sesame directly to the dough itself for a wholesome flecked appearance and extra aroma. Using a steamer (as opposed to dry heat) gives Chinese buns their soft crumb, with a moist and airy interior and uniform smooth surface with no crust. The pillowy bread is springy; if you squeeze a bun in your palm, it’ll expand right back like a sponge.

Black sesame buns, two-ways:

There are two ways to make the filling. The simplest version is to simply toast the seeds, grind them finely, and stir them together with sugar and coconut oil to form a sandy paste. To get a molten filling, pulverize the sugar a second time until it’s very fine and then add coconut oil and water for a wetter paste. Freeze in a slab to harden, then cut into portions with a knife and shape it into balls. During the steaming process, this filling will melt, and opening the bun will reveal a molten “black lava” surprise inside.

Step 1: Make the filling.

Toast black sesame seeds in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring continuously, until fragrant and beginning to pop, about 5 minutes. Transfer the toasted seeds to a plate and allow to cool slightly, then place in a food processor or coffee grinder along with the sugar and grind to a fine meal.

Reserve ¼ cup (35g) of the ground black sesame for the dough.

For the regular filling: transfer the remaining ground black sesame to a small bowl and add the sugars, salt, and softened coconut oil. Stir to form a crumbly and sandy black paste. Place in the refrigerator to chill as you prepare the dough.

For the molten filling: add the sugars and salt to the remaining ground black sesame in the food processor and pulse an additional minute until fine and pulverized. Transfer to a quart-sized Ziploc bag and add the softened coconut oil and water. Stir or massage (if using a ziploc bag) until fully combined, using the warmth of your hands to melt the coconut oil; the consistency will be wet and thick, like batter. Spread the paste out flat to a ½-inch thickness. Cover or seal the bag and freeze for at least 2-3 hours until solid. Divide into 10 equal balls, about 26 grams each.

Step 2: make the dough.

In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, proof the yeast by stirring together the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until the surface looks foamy. If the yeast does not foam, then start over with newer yeast. If you’re using instant dry yeast, simply stir the ingredients together to combine.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture. Pour in the wet mixture and stir with a pair of chopsticks until it forms fat flakes. Clean off the chopsticks and add the oil and reserved ground black sesame to the dough. Knead for 5 minutes, incorporating any remaining flour on the sides of the bowl, until the dough forms a firm, shaggy ball. Continue kneading for another 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth, supple, and elastic.

STAND MIXER OPTION: Combine the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. On low speed, slowly pour in the yeast mixture, then add the oil and reserved ground black sesame. When the dough comes together into a ball, increase the speed to medium and knead for 6 to 8 minutes.

Place the dough in a warm place, cover it with a clean tea towel, and let rise until it has doubled in size. This will take 1 to 1½ hours, depending on the room temperature.

Step 3: Knead the proofed dough.

Scrape the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead vigorously for another 5 minutes, to eliminate air bubbles. I like to shape the dough into a log, fold into thirds, and knead, then repeat two or three times until the dough is smooth and elastic. Don’t be afraid of over-kneading; this extra step is important so the buns rise evenly and have a smooth surface.

Step 4: shape and fill the buns.

Divide the dough into 10 equal portions, each about 45-50 grams each. Cut out ten squares of parchment paper. On a floured surface, flatten each piece with your palm into a flat, round disk. Using a thin rolling pin, roll the disk into a flat circle about 3½ inches in diameter. Repeat with all the dough portions.

To fill the buns, spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling (for regular buns) or place one frozen ball of filling (for molten buns) into the center of one dough portion. Gather or pleat the sides of the dough to enclose the filling and pinch firmly to seal. This is especially important for the molten buns so that the liquid filling doesn’t leak out when steaming. Flip the bun so the seam side is down and shape gently with your palms into a round sphere. Place on a square of parchment paper and set aside. Repeat until you have 10 buns.

Step 5: Steam the buns.

Transfer the buns (on their parchment squares) into two steamer baskets, making sure they’re at least 1 inch apart, as they will expand. Cover and let the buns rest for 5 minutes. Bring water in a pot or wok to a boil over high heat. Place the baskets over the water and steam the buns for 8-10 minutes.

Allow the buns to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy with hot tea or a cup of hot soymilk.

More black sesame dessert recipes:

• Black Sesame Sticky Mochi Cake
• Black Sesame Cinnamon Rolls
• Black Sesame Chocolate Loaf Cake

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