Ultra pillowy soft coffee buns with heavenly buttery goodness. It has just the right amount of coffee to tease and wake your senses! The smell of them while baking filling the kitchen was simply divine.
They were amazing...and gone too fast! I am not a big coffee fan (tea person here) but these buns are so difficult to resist.
I had to admit, I was hesitant to undertake the task of making these coffee buns at first. I mean, how do you make such a perfect dome of a bun that soft and buttery but airy at the same time. And that crispy crust covering the entire thing, it's magic! I love them but I usually just buy them and not make them myself. But after several people have requested it, I finally pick up the courage to do it.
As I did my research, I realized that it is not that hard after all. I guess I now have some experience in making yeast bread and sticky doughs, like the one I used for making Loaf Bread, Ube Pandesal, and Filipino cheese bread. These are all soft and pillowy bread but made using different techniques.
But making this Kopi Roti a.k.a. "Rotiboy" buns are more similar to making brioche but with lesser butter and no need for sponge dough. So yes, it is not all that difficult to make.
What flour to use for Coffee Buns?
Bread flour is normally used for Kopi Roti. Bread flour has a higher protein content compared to all-purpose flour. This means it produces more gluten and can absorb more liquid. This gives it the ability to rise higher and hold its shape better.
This recipe has high butter content for its delicious flavor. But fats inhibit doughs from getting too elastic or to rise too high. So we want a strong dough that would be able to rise high and hold its form well without trading off that buttery goodness.
Can you substitute bread flour with all-purpose flour or vice versa?
I get this question a lot for my other bread recipes. The answer is yes, you can. But, of course, the result would not be exactly the same. But sometimes the difference is not that noticeable unless you really are a discerning customer when it comes to bread.
The faintly noticeable difference is that dough made with bread flour tends to be slightly chewier with more airy crumbs. And all-purpose flour is cheaper to buy.
Tips for making the best Kopi Roti
- Freeze you butter for the filling after cutting them into cubes. This will ensure that they do not melt into the dough while shaping and waiting for them to rise before baking.
- If you are not going to use the coffee topping immediately or it is too warm in your kitchen, refrigerate it so it will not melt. Actually it is better to refrigerate the coffee buttercream topping for a few minutes before adding it to the dough. This way it will not melt too fast in the oven and will form a thicker crispy crust on top of the buns rather than at the bottom on the pan.
- Kopi Roti is best eaten freshly baked while still warm. The coffee caramel crust will lose its crunch after some time. You can bake it again for 10 minutes to get that crunch back.
Printable Recipe
Coffee Buns (Kopi Roti)
Ingredients
DOUGH:
- 2 ½ cups bread flour -presifted
- 3 tablespoons caster sugar - or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 220 ml lukewarm milk
- 1 large egg -beaten
- 60 grams unsalted butter -softened
FILLING:
- 80 grams butter -cut into 8 cubes and frozen. See NOTE 1
COFFEE CARAMEL TOPPING:
- 1 tablespoon strong instant coffee powder - See NOTE 2
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 60 grams unsalted butter -softened at room temperature
- ¼ cup caster sugar -or granulated sugar
- 1 large egg -room temperature. See NOTE 5
- 1 teaspoon dutch-processed cocoa powder -optional
- ⅔ cup cake flour See NOTE 3
Instructions
TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
- In a large bowl, mix together bread flour, sugar, and salt. Then sprinkle instant yeast and mix again.
- Pour in lukewarm milk and add the beaten egg. Mix for a minute until a sticky dough forms. Add the softened butter and fold it into the dough with your hands until well combined. It will be very greasy in the beginning. As you knead the dough in the bowl, it will be less and less greasy or sticky. Knead for about 10-12 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it almost doubles in size.
- Gently punch down the dough and tip it on a flour surface. Cut the dough into 8 equal parts.
- Take one a piece of the dough and shape it in a small disk. Place a cube of frozen butter in the middle and enclose it by pulling the seams of the dough over and around it. Shape into a ball and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let at least 3-inch space around each buns as they will expand during the second rising and while baking.
- Cover the shaped buns with kitchen towel and let them rise until they almost double in size. Meanwhile prepare the coffee buttercream topping.
COFFEE BUTTERCREAM TOPPING (while waiting for the dough to rise)
- In a small bowl, dissolve the coffee powder in hot water. Set aside.
- In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar using a whisk or hand mixer (low speed). Add the egg and whisk until smooth but not frothy. Add the cocoa powder and mix again. Pour in the dissolved coffee and mix until well blended.
- Sift the cake flour while adding it to the mixture. Fold in using a spatula until well combined. Transfer the mixture in a piping bag or a sandwich bag and cut a small opening.
ASSEMBLE AND BAKING
- Preheat oven to 180°C/ 355°F.
- Pipe a layer of coffee buttercream on top of each bun, in a coil-like pattern. Starting from the center going out until the top half is fully covered.
- Bake the buns for 15 minutes. Turn of the heat and leave the buns in the oven for another 10 minutes. Take them out and transfer to a cooling rack.
- Serve the buns while still warm and enjoy with a cup of hot coffee or tea or chocolate.
Cath says
Hi! I tried your recipe for the first time and my buttercream frosting cracked all over upon baking. Bun's are not smooth like yours. Any idea why this happened? 🙂 i already reduced temp for my 2nd batch but same thing still happened. Thank you!
Bebs says
What kind of butter are you using?
Cath says
Lurpak butter 🙂
Bebs says
So, next time try this: Make sure that you cream the softened butter and sugar until it is no longer grainy and the color turns pale. Use a large egg at room temperature and cake flour or the alternative. These things are important but if you followed this before and got the result you mentioned, then I suggest adding 1-2 tablespoon more of butter.
MAY says
The taste is on point eventhough I made mistake which I think made the bread heavier and not fluffy.
What to do if the dough is too sticky? . I kneaded for almost 15min, but the texture is just the same. So what I did is I added flour dust during kneading. And I didnt get the elastic dough.
Bebs says
Hi May, it is a very sticky dough, adding more butter or oil actually helps better than adding more flour. The secret is to knead the dough with quick movement so it won't stick to your hands, I use the slap and fold technique.
Lee Joo says
Hi Bebs
I want to try this recipe but would like to check can I make the dough and leave it overnight in fridge? Will this lead to over proofing?
Bebs says
I would use active dry yeast instead so it will rise slower in the fridge overnight.
Doris says
Hi Bebs!
I made Roti Bun aka Coffee Buns 3x before about 4 yrs ago but couldn't find my old recipe. I'm so glad I stumbled upon your blog! Great instructions and tips. I made it and my Roti Buns were delish! I did whip my butter filling with some honey and folded a tsp of flour before shaping them into balls and freezing them (learned this from my old recipe). I made two bacthes, one with Chocolate chip and honey butter filling. Yum yum! Thanks again!
Bebs says
Thanks for your lovely comment and 5 stars, Doris! And thank you for that extra tip! I will try that next time for my filling.
Julie says
Made it for the first time and it was a hit! Thank you for sharing this!
Bebs says
Zou are welcome, Julie.
Ria says
Hi!
I’m excited to try out this recipe and it will be the first ever bread recipe I’ll try so fingers crossed... one question, I don’t normally have instant coffee, would it be possible to use freshly pulled espresso shot? If so, how much?
Thank you 🙂
Bebs says
Hi Ria, a tablespoon of espresso should be enough.
Jesna says
Bebs, can we talk in detail on this recipe? Can I get some tips for mass production?
Rosanna Lorenzana says
Hi. I made this yesterday and it was so good! I used bread flour and the taste was on point. The coffee cream was so crunchy too. My only problem was it deflated. I've read the other comments and you said maybe it was over proofed. I know I proofed it longer than I should have but only because it was so sticky and still wouldn't keep the indentation. I also kneaded it so long coz I was doing for the window pane test.
What can I do next time to avoid what happened?
Bebs says
Same with us, we stopped kneading when the dough is elastic enough that it does not break when pulled up to 2-3 inches and didn't wait for the "thin membrane" stage. I usually just let the dough rise to just almost double the original size.
Jonna says
Thanks for the recipe Ms. Beb 🙂 It’s my third time making this. Always no left overs. I have a question though regarding the coffee buttercream. I made another batch earlier, and I had some left over coffee buttercream. Can I store the coffee buttercream for future use? If yes, how long is its shelf life and where can I store it?
Bebs says
Great to know that you like our recipe, Jonna. As for storing the coffee buttercream, I will say you can refrigerate it for a couple of days but as there is egg in it I will not keep it that long.
Rachel Ann Peddy says
This Kopi Roti recipe is absolutely delicious! Just made it today. You just made my day. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Bebs says
That is great, Rachel! Glad you love it!
Coleen says
My buns turned out really well. Good recipe.
Bebs says
Glad to hear it, Coleen.
Sab says
Mine definitely did not turn out the way it should, lol.
The bread tastes good but the dough was too sticky and gooey, maybe it needed more kneading? My coating was also very thick so it ended up like a cracked swirl when cooked. I tagged you on IG. Anyway, it was worth a try, might try it again just to see if I can make a better one.
Rosé says
Hi, thanks for the recipe. I used bread flour but not sure what I did wrong, my bread turned out really flat, not like your. How can I fix this problem?
Bebs says
Check your yeast if it is still active. Over and under kneading can also result to lesser rise but "really flat" is a different thing.
Mae says
Hi may I ask, if i had some left over buns how do i reheat it so the top gets crispy again?
Bebs says
Hi Mae, I do not think it is possible to get them to be crispy again once moisture has been absorbed.
Lil says
Hi I have a question, do I have to include the butter inside the roti bun? Or will I even taste it? Because I do not like filling inside.
Bebs says
the butter will melt into the buns while it bakes giving it a very buttery taste. You can skip it if you do not like it too buttery.
anne says
hi! i have a convection oven, will i change the temperature when baking or should i have it the same as what was written? thank you!
Bebs says
Hi Anne, does it not have a conventional setting? If not, then you may need to lower the temperature a bit.
alelie says
HI Foxy Folksy,
I tried your recipe
here are what I expereinced:
- I used APF instead of Bread Flour. and for some reason, it took me 45 mins of kneading, hehehehe, I am still trying to figure it out what went wrong on my part eheheh..
- my coffee buttercream seems so thick, far from the consistency on your video.. so the result, it didn't covered the bun..eheheh...
I'll tag you on my IG post so you can see..
but all in all, I love your recipe. The smell and taste of the coffee buttercream is similar to my favorite rotti bun here in Dubai. and yeah, the end result of my coffee bun taste good.
Bebs says
Hi Alelie, kneading time depends on how good/fast you can knead and type or quality of flour used. So sometimes it varies. As for the buttercream, it can be the butter used. Make sure that it was softened at room temperature.
Germaine says
Hi! I was just wondering if I could use all purpose flour for this recipe?? And what’s the difference??
Bebs says
It should also work but it may not give you puffier buns as APF has lower gluten than bread flour that is able to hold the buns form well when it rises.
Kreen says
Hi! Just wanted to check if I can use all purpose flour for the coffee topping instead
Bebs says
You can but it might deflate as it does not have as much gluten as bread flour.
Kristine says
Delicious! I made it was the kopi roti I remember. I do want to know if you use unsalted butter for the filling? Thanks!
Bebs says
Yes, it was unsalted butter but you can use salted one.
Leah says
Wow! Just made this and it was not hard at all! Needs a bit of patience but so worth it! I missed kopiroti so much now that I'm miles away from the Philippines so I just have to try this coffee bun and really love it.
Bebs says
that is great, Leah!
Yhang says
Hi! The taste was amazing.. love love! We put the 8 buns into 2 separate trays. The ones on the upper part of oven were perfect in shape. But the ones we placed on the lower over became flatter..what could be wrong move here? Thank you!!!
Bebs says
It can be that your oven does not distribute the heat evenly when using multiple layers.
Ada says
This is another amazing recipe, Bebs! Thank YOU! You make it so easy to follow and understand!
My 1st attempt! Epic fail! 😞
2nd attempt! Perfection! 👌
I used APF. 1st proofing: 40 mins
2nd proofing with frozen butter filling: 20 mins
What I learned from my 1st attempt was if the buttercream topping is too cold, they become too heavy resulting in the entire bread to flop! And another factor that contributes with the flopping and won't hold the shape is overproofing.
Bebs says
Hi Ada, thanks for sharing your experience. Glad that you had success with our recipe. Yes, you are quite correct about using cold butter. As for the holding the shape, bread flour does a better job with that than APF. That is why it is recommended for this kind of soft, buttery, bread.
Rash says
Hi! Been using your recipe for quite sometime but I added an additional coffee coz I want the coffee taste to be stronger. It’s wonderful when it got out of the oven and cooled. But was wondering if it’s normal for the coating to be sticky and quite melting after awhile?
Bebs says
Hi Rash, thanks for your wonderful comment. As for the sticky outer coat, I guess it depends on the humidity of your surroundings. But mine does it too after a while, not melting though.
J. D. says
Hi! I tried this coffee bun recipe but I don't know why the consistency of my topping looks kinda thick?
Shall I add some tablespoons of hot water?
Thank you in advance! 🙂
Bebs says
It could be that your butter is not softened enough or is still cold, make sure you are using butter and not margarine. You also have to cream the sugar and butter well until it becomes smoother and use room temperature egg.
Celeste Faye Sy says
Hi! I tried your coffee buns recipe and though it was good, when i removed the buns from the oven, it sorta deflate. it didnt have the dome look. Any ideas what could have been the reason? Thank you so much for sharing your recipes
Bebs says
Did you use bread flour? Did you let it rise too much?
Mhel says
Hi.just want to ask why my butter become curdled when i add the egg?🙁 2times i tried but the same result.
Bebs says
Hi Mhel, this could happen if you use cold eggs or butter, make sure the butter is softened at room temperature.
Anj says
Can i use cake flour instead of bread flour?
Bebs says
I would not recommend cake flour for this kind of bread, or actually for any bread with yeast.
Bernadette says
I’m so thankful I found this recipe! I love coffee buns!! This version of yours made it so easy! I actually used Plain Flour instead of the Bread Flour but I still managed to get the fluffiness! Just be patient when proofing, I guess hahaha
Thanks again! ❤️
Bebs says
Great to hear that, Bernadette. True, patience works most of the time...
Joan Mariel Catolico says
Hi! I love your coffee bun recipe 🙂 I would just like to ask if there is a way to retain the crunch of the topping? And if we would reheat, shall we use toaster and for how many minutes? Thank you 🙂
Bebs says
The topping would absorb the moisture after a while that is why it soften. I am not sure you can prevent that. To reheat, you can do this in the oven or a toaster for some minutes. But check that they do not burn, especially when using a toaster.
LC says
Hi! Can I make the dough the night before, shape then put in the ref and bake in the morning?
Bebs says
Yes, you can, LC. If you have active dry yeast, use that instead which is better for overnight rising in the fridge.
Lee Joo says
Hi, leaving the dough overnight in the fridge means proofing overnight which is much longer than the normal 1-2 hours of first proofing .So will it affect the texture of bun as over proofing will deflate the bun later?
Kyla says
I would to have a coffee flavored filling for these. Can you please suggest one that would perfectly complement this recipe?
Marissa says
Yummy! Super easy step by step instructions to follow👍 Highly recommended. Tried it twice. Thank you for the recipe❤️👍
Bebs says
Glad that you like it, Marissa. It is my personal fave too...
Lynn says
Bebs,
For the dough, can i use oil instead of 60gms butter? If yes, about how much oil? Love your pandesal recipes btw
Bebs says
Oil normally works too, but then you will miss the buttery taste that Kopi Roti is known for. If you still want to try it, then just use the same amount.
SIMONE says
Hi Bebs. Your Page has been my run to place for recipes. I love them all.
Btw, i made the buns but the coffee buttercream didn't melt down during baking. 🙁
Bebs says
Hi Simone, try to lower your temperature. I am guessing that the buttercream cooked too early and created a crust before it can melt. I also had a thick layer.
Korina says
Hi! We only have a yeast that needs to be activated first. What will be the measurements of water, yeast and sugar? Do I need to pour all of it in the mixture once its activated?
Thanks a bunch!
Bebs says
Hi Korina, just take about 1/2 cup from the lukewarm milk and a teaspoon from the sugar in the recipe and use that to proof the yeast. And add all of it back to the flour together with the rest of the lukewarm milk.
Ash says
Hi , everytime I baked this my butter inside is melting when I put it in the oven and do you have any technique to avoid it from happening again😔 I am getting frustrated because I can't get it right 🙁 Please help
Bebs says
Hi Ash, the butter is supposed to melt.
CJ Bobis says
This is so good. But my frosting did not melt. Am wondering what i did wrong.
Bebs says
Me too, lol. It is a buttercream so it should easily melt. Did you change anything?
Marissa says
My frosting went well👍 Did not change anything from the recipe❤️
Bebs says
Thanks for letting me know, Marissa.
Mabs says
Hi Bebs, can you use stand mixer to knead?How long?
Bebs says
Hi Mabs, normally about 8-10 minutes at medium speed. But I suggest doing the windowpane test to be sure.
Mc says
Hi Miss Bebs,
I’ve been thinking on baking kopi roti using your recipe. But bread flour is quite hard to find here in my location. Is there any substitute? Thank you.
Bebs says
You can use APF but it might not rise as well and as fluffy.
Dee says
Hi! Can I use a different filler? Like chocolate chips? And can I go basic like no filler at all? Just want to see how flexible the recipe is :)! Would love different flavor fillings or none at all if I'm feeling super basic haha!
Bebs says
Sure you can use other fillings, Dee. And even without any, the coffee caramel coating itself is good enough on its own.
Christina says
If active dry yeast is used, is it the same measurement? Also, that needs to be proofed with the milk before adding to the dough right? Thank you!
Bebs says
Hi Christina, same measurement and yes take 1/4 to 1/2 cup of lukewarm milk then add a teaspoon of sugar and use that to proof the yeast.
Ashley says
What kind of milk should I use? Evaporated? Or fresh milk?
Bebs says
Hi Ashley, use fresh milk when following a recipe unless otherwise stated.
Joanna says
Hi! I have tried making these coffee buns twice, and the flavor is amazing! I think the coffee buttercream is now one of my favorite types of frosting.
One issue I had both times is that the coffee buttercream seemed to weigh my buns down after I piped the frosting on. So my buns turned out more flat, instead of nice and puffy like yours. They still tasted really good, but I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong with the shaping or another step. Any advice would be great!
Bebs says
Are you using bread flour? If yes, it should hold its shape even after adding the frosting, unlike using APF which is more sensitive once it has risen.
Vicky says
Wow,, since i start making some of your recipe now i’m just being obsessed keep trying all your recipes.. thank for sharing
Bebs says
That is one of the nicest things I've got here. Thanks, Vicky and enjoy!
Chez Samson says
I made a batch of these over the weekend and they were gone in a few minutes! So good! Thanks again for yet another wonderful and easy to follow recipe! 🙂 All the best Bebs.
Armin says
So glad to hear that, thank you for telling me and all the best for you, too!
Rosey says
Soooooo I made this but the buttercream coffee frosting did not meltdown the bread and it did not cover the bread. I followed everything except i added 1/2 a teaspoon of coffee and 1/2 a teaspoon water :((
Or was it my oven was too hot?
Gem Guillero says
Hi. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I just want to clarify if there's egg or not in the dough. In your video there's egg, but in the list of ingredients for the dough there's no egg? Thanks
Rizalyn Cayetano says
I really love your Ube pandesal recipe it’s easy and so yummy my whole family loves it . Please continue to make more easy and yummy recipe .
Riz
Armin says
Hi Riz, I`m so happy to hear that and I will do my best to keep the recipes as simple as possible!
HakunaMatata says
Hi! do we follow the same measurements if we use All Purpose Flour? Thank you 🙂
Bebs says
It will be too sticky if you use only APF because bread flour normally absorbs more water than APF. Just add APF a tablespoon at a time but not too much or it will not be as moist and fluffy.
Kristine says
Can I use cold milk to extend the proofing and leave them overnight and bake them in the morning?
Bebs says
Hi Kristine, I suggest you use active dry yeat because it rises slower or you can reduce the amount of instant yeast to 1/2 tbsp.