Pumpkin Mantou
This post may contain affiliate links.These rose-shaped Pumpkin Mantou are as cute as they are tasty! Soft, fluffy, and made with real pumpkin, they’re a fun twist on steamed buns that’s perfect as a snack or side. Surprise your family with these edible flower buns!
Save This Recipe!
We’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
This pumpkin-flavored steamed bun will add a bright pop to your breakfast! Its rose shape makes it almost too pretty to eat, but everyone will want to try each petal.
I’ve always loved pumpkin for the vibrant color it brings to baking. After lots of recipe experiments, I found it adds an amazing softness and smooth texture.
My first try was Pumpkin Bread with Coconut Filling, and it turned out soft, fluffy, and perfect with coconut. Traditional snacks are also great with pumpkin like Pumpkin Talam Cake or Bua Loy Pumpkin. And you will not want to skip the easy Pumpkin Chiffon Cake.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Pumpkin puree – Use fresh pumpkin for best results. It adds a slight sweetness to the flavor. Peel it, steam until soft, and puree with a food processor. You can also use store-bought pumpkin puree.
Pao flour – Use pao flour for best result. It gives a bouncy texture.
Sugar – Regular sugar is fine. It takes some time to dissolve in the dough, but it is okay.
Milk Powder – Use full cream milk powder for best result. It gives the bun milky flavor.
Milk – Other than liquid milk, you can use water to substitute. If you use milk, choose full cream milk for best result. The flavor of the bun will be milky.
Coconut oil – Other than coconut oil, you can use vegetable oil. I like using coconut oil because it is clear and smells nice.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How to Make Pumpkin Mantou
STEP 1. Sieve pao flour into a bowl. Add sugar, instant yeast, milk powder, baking powder, pumpkin puree. Pour milk into it (Image 1). Mix well with a spatula (Image 2). Add oil and salt (Image 3). Knead until it is no longer sticky (Image 4). Cover with cling wrap or cloth. Let it ferment for one hour.
STEP 2. After one hour, punch the air out (Image 5). Flatten the dough, divide it into 4 pieces evenly, round it, and cover with cling wrap (Image 6). Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
STEP 3. For each dough, divide it into 5-6 small pieces (Image 7). Round each one of them. Flatten the small dough with rolling pin into a thin, round shape (Image 8).
STEP 7. Line them up on top of each other. Roll from one end (Image 9). Dab a bit of water on the dough so it can stick to each other. Cut in the middle using a knife (Image 10). Put the dough on a bao paper. Shape each petal resembling a rose (Image 11).
STEP 8. Let them rise up one more time for 10 minutes (Image 12). Preheat the steamer. Steam for 20 minutes using medium heat. Enjoy!
How to Serve
You can serve it with some condensed milk, like a lot of people in Hong Kong do for breakfast. Or just have it with coffee or tea.
Slice it up and enjoy with Crispy Pork Belly or Barbecue Char Siu Pork. Add some lettuce and pickles.
The mantou is already a bit sweet, but you can add some Coconut Kaya Jam on top if you like!
Pro Tips
- Make sure the pumpkin puree is really smooth, so you have a very smooth dough.
- Roll up the flattened dough and dab some water if it doesn’t stick to each other. After cutting it into two, try to shape the petals like blossoming rose.
- If you don’t have pao paper to line it, use parchment paper, cut it a little bigger than the dough size.
- After 20 minutes of steaming, do not take off the lid right away. Turn off the heat and let the lid on for 5 more minutes.
Storage
Keep steamed bun in the refrigerator can last up to 2 weeks if properly done. Use a plastic bag to wrap individually or an airtight container to line up the mantou. Give space so they don’t stick to each other.
Reheating
Mantou is best consumed warm, even sometimes hot in cold weather. After taking it out from the refrigerator, steam it for 10 minutes. It will be fluffy again!
More Bread and Bun Recipes
Pumpkin Mantou
Ingredients
- 190 gr pao flour all purpose flour
- 10 gr milk powder
- 45 gr sugar
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 100 gr pumpkin puree
- 60 gr milk
- 15 gr unsalted butter /coconut oil
- 2 gr salt
Instructions
- Sieve pao flour into a bowl. Add sugar, instant yeast, milk powder, baking powder, pumpkin puree. Pour milk into it. Mix well with a spatula. Add oil and salt. Knead until it is no longer sticky. Cover with cling wrap or cloth. Let it ferment for one hour.
- After one hour, punch the air out. Flatten the dough, divide it into 4 pieces evenly, round it, and cover with cling wrap. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
- For each dough, divide it into 5-6 small pieces. Round each one of them. Flatten the small dough with rolling pin into a thin, round shape.
- Line them up on top of each other. Roll from one end. Dab a bit of water on the dough so it can stick to each other. Cut in the middle using a knife. Put the dough on a bao paper. Shape each petal resembling a rose.
- Let them rise up one more time for 10 minutes. Preheat the steamer. Steam for 20 minutes using medium heat. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Make sure the pumpkin puree is really smooth, so you have a very smooth dough.
- Roll up the flattened dough and dab some water if it doesn’t stick to each other. After cutting it into two, try to shape the petals like blossoming rose.
- If you don’t have pao paper to line it, use parchment paper, cut it a little bigger than the dough size.
- After 20 minutes of steaming, do not take off the lid right away. Turn off the heat and let the lid on for 5 more minutes.
You will definitely fall in love with these pumpkin mantou for its fluffiness and slight sweetness. Try it and give your family a unique Fall snack!