Pandesal is a classic Filipino bread roll that is particularly eaten for breakfast. It is soft and airy and slightly sweet. Normally eaten as a sandwich with one's favorite filling.
Pandesal is probably the most popular bread in the Philippines. It is a favorite breakfast that can be eaten on its own, dunked in coffee or with filling like coconut jam, peanut butter, cheese, cheese spread, corned beef, egg, hotdogs or practically anything you can think of or whatever leftovers you have laying in your fridge.
One of my faves is mushed spicy sardines...yup! But I remembered a time when we were just small kids, my Kuya Norman's and I would have ketchup with sugar as filling...eeewww, right? But that tasted so good to us at that time! Haha! Yeah, I have to admit I tried a lot of weird stuff just because my big brother thinks it is good or cool. Hehe!
What is Pandesal?
A traditional Filipino breakfast roll, that used to be sold only in early hours at bakeries or on the streets by vendors on bicycles with loud air horns. They would put the Pandesals in a big insulated box to keep them warm. But, nowadays, some bakeries make them available for the entire day.
It is called Pandesal or Pan de Sal (Spanish) that translates to salted bread although it is actually sweeter than salty. It is soft and fluffy and covered with breadcrumbs.
What are the Ingredients for Pandesal?
Basically, you can already make pandesal with just 5 ingredients: flour, yeast, oil or lard, sugar, and salt. Six if you have to include water.
This recipe replaces the water with milk and adds eggs. Both of them giving these pandesals a softer texture, both inside and to the crust, and gives a richer flavor. The eggs also help the dough rise higher.
I also use butter or sometimes margarine that adds that delicious buttery goodness.
A note about flour...
The original recipe I posted here in 2015 was made when we were still living in Germany. When I used the same recipe here in the Philippines, the outcome is different. They taste great but were a little denser and dryer.
This is because of the flour used. The flour that I used in Germany is finer or "softer" which tends to absorb lesser liquid. The recipe (way) below is the original recipe I used for that. The flour I usually use in the Philippines is similar to the ones in the US, Gold Medal APF. This one requires more liquid so I adjusted the recipe here.
Remember—different types of flour has different flour-to-water ratio. The higher the protein/gluten content, the more water it needs. Also important to note, not all-purpose flour acts the same. Different brands have different ways of processing their flour and different contents.
If the dough feels too dry then simply add more water, or if too sticky then add flour. The dough should feel pliable or easy to knead and not too sticky.
You can also use bread flour if you are looking for a chewier pandesal. Mix them in equal parts to get a moderately chewy but softer ones. But remember that bread flour absorbs more liquids so you may need to adjust.
Other Filipino Bread Recipe to Try:
- Spanish Bread - Similar to Pandesal but with a sweet buttery filling
- Cheese Bread - Sweet dough bread covered in milky streusel
- Ensaymada - pillowy bread topped with buttercream and grated cheese
How to Make Pandesal
Printable Recipe
Pandesal Recipe - Soft and Buttery
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour - see NOTE 1 about bread flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk - lukewarm
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon butter - melted (or margarine)
- 1 ½ teaspoon instant dry yeast - see Note 2
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- In a big bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt.
- Pour in milk, beaten egg and melted butter. Mix several times until well blended. Make sure that the milk is only mildly warm and not hot.
- Add the instant dry yeast and fold until a sticky dough forms.
- Tip the dough on a floured surface and knead until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 5-10 minutes.
- Form the dough into a ball and lightly coat with oil. Place it in a bowl and cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and place it in a warm area and let it rise until it doubled in size. Depending how warm it is, could take 30 minutes to an hour.
- Punch down the dough and divide into 2 equal parts using a knife or dough slicer. Roll each into a log. Cut each log into 6 smaller pieces.
- Shape each piece into a ball and roll it in breadcrumbs, completely covering all sides.
- Arrange the pieces on a baking sheet leaving some gaps in between (at least an inch). Leave them to rise second time until double in size.
- While waiting, preheat oven 370° F /185°C. Bake the Pandesal for 15 minutes or until the sides are a bit browned.
- Remove from oven and serve while hot!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in September 2015. Updated to include new images and some improvements on the recipe.
For those who still want to use the old recipe, here it is. The main difference is the shaping of the individual rolls. The old version is the traditional pandesal shape that is slightly elongated with pointy ends.
3 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoon instant dry yeast
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
3 tablespoon margarine - or butter (melted)
1 egg
½ cup breadcrumbs
In a big bowl, mix together flour and yeast. In a smaller bowl, combine sugar, salt, milk and margarine or butter. Warm liquids in the microwave until warm. Remove from microwave and add the egg and beat several times until well blended. Make sure that the liquids are only mildly warm and not hot.
Pour the liquid mixture over the flour mixture and fold until dough forms. Knead the dough on a clean surface dusted with flour until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 5-10 minutes.
Form the dough into a ball and place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and place it in a warm area and let it rise until it doubled in size. Depending on how warm it is, could take 30 minutes to an hour.
Punch down the dough and divide it into 2 equal parts using a knife or dough slicer. Roll each into a log. Cover each log with breadcrumbs. Cut the log sideways into smaller pieces. (about 6 pieces each log). Roll each piece with breadcrumbs again.
Arrange the pieces on a baking sheet living some gaps in between (at least an inch). Leave them to rise for another 10-15 minutes.
While waiting, preheat oven 370° F /185°C. Bake the Pandesal for 15 minutes or until the sides are a bit browned.
Remove from oven and serve while hot!
Janet says
Amazing! Thank you for your recipes I bake perfectly. My family and friends love the pandesal. Thank you for sharing and I do recommend to all my friends who ask recipes for the bread that I bake.
Bebs says
Thank you for your lovely comment and for sharing our site to your friends.
Anna says
Thank you for the recipe! Can i make this ahead and bake the following morning?
Bebs says
Sure you can...just refrigerate after kneading and let it rise in the fridge overnight. Use ADY if you have it and reduce the amount to half.
Ana says
can you replace the flour with Gluten Free flour
Bebs says
Hi Ana, I haven't tried it but I think it will work to a certain level. Of course, you cannot expect that the outcome is the same.
Micah says
Hello, I followed your recipe but I put a flavored crumbs
Gra Ce says
Wow!!! your recipe certainly is very good! Making this for the first time ever and it came out deliciously good! I will be making more, your recipe is very easy and simple perfect for someone like me who just started baking recently. I followed your recipe exactly the way it is and I got delicious pandesal for the whole family ❤️ Thank you 😊
Bebs says
That is so nice of you to say, Grace. Happy that you like our recipe.
Chris says
Thanks for sharing the recipe. Godspeed.
Bebs says
You are welcome, Chris. Thanks for the 5 stars.
Michelle says
Very pleased with this recipie. Feels like home. I kept coming back to foxy folksys page to try her other recipies.
Bebs says
I am happy that you are enjoying our recipes here, Michelle. Thanks for the nice words and stars...
Chriscelle Policarpio says
Hello! Can i bake these by batches? Hindi po kasi kasya sa oven ko if isahan bake 😊
Bebs says
Sure you can. Just prepare them in trays and bake one after the other.
Mrs. P says
Hi Bebs!
Can i add more milk and butter to make the bread more flavorful?
Bebs says
Hi, although pandesal is known for its simple taste, of course you can add more butter. The problem with adding more milk is that it will be too sticky then you need to add more flour.
Rav528 says
Thank you for your easy to follow recipes ❤️
Bebs says
You're welcome and thanks for the 5 stars..
Buchi says
Hello - We generally prefer our pandesal on the saltier side rather than the sweet. Would lowering the amount of sugar drastically change the outcome of the pandesal?
Thanks!
Bebs says
Go ahead, it should still work. May take just a bit longer to rise.
Mrs E says
Hi there. This might be a silly question. Is Potato flour same as potato starch? I’m making it tomorrow for my kids. Thank you.
Bebs says
Potato flour is potato in powder form so it has the potato flavors. Potato starch is the powder that forms from the "washings" of potato and does not have any flavor. But for this recipe you can use either.
Michelle says
Thanks so much for this recipe. This was my starter attempt to make pandesal. We've developed the recipe to our liking, after several trials and errors. And now, we've done so much with it! Cheers and more power!
Bebs says
You are welcome, Michelle. Glad you like it!
Donessa says
Hello Po! Thank you po recipe mo at ngayon perfect na ang pandesal ko..ang dali lng po sundin. Ilang years na akng ng try mg bake ng pandesal galing sa ibat ibang recipe online pero laging may mali, pero sa recipe mo isang beses ko lng nitry, perfect agad. After ko tin-try for the first ang recipe nyo, binasa ko halos lahat ng comments nyo at marami akng natutunan na nga techniques, sa sa pangalawang try, inadjust ko, instead butter or margarine, ginawa ko half butter/half oil, at nilagyan ko rin ng 1/4 potato starch na sabi nyo..at wow, above perfect ang pandesal ko, noon, after ilang oras parang abto na ang pandesal ko, now, the next day, ang lambot parin...kaya thank youuuu...
Bebs says
Hi Donessa, I am happy that you learned a lot from this recipe. I, too, am still learning still and try different techniques to get the best result. Thanks for your nice comment.
Jolynne So says
Hi, I followed this recipe for making my very first pandesal, it turned out yummy but the dough was sticky and hard to knead. I made two batches again this morning. On the first batch the dough was also sticky, it’s hard to knead but turned out good, soft and buttery. On the second batch, the dough was not that sticky anymore. It might be because the butter was too melted and warm on the first batch but I’m not sure.
Bebs says
Hi Jolynne, You can also use softened butter and add it after the dough has been formed. It will be greasy at first but will be better as you knead.
Charlotte D says
Hi Bebs,
Thank you for this recipe. You mentioned in your post that pandesal can be done with only 5 or 6 ingredients. My son has dairy allergy and i would like to skip the milk and egg if i can. Would you be so kind enough to share the basic recipe? Maraming salamat po.
Bebs says
Hi Charlotte, replace milk with water and skip the sugar. If the dough is too sticky just add a bit more flour.
Mae says
Thank you for this recipe, Bebs! I made a batch last week and it turned out great. I also tried your suggestion of crushing and toasting regular breadcrumbs as an alternative and it worked! Looking forward to try your other recipes 🙂
Bebs says
Hey! I am a Manaloto too! Happy it worked out well for you...thanks for the lovely comment.
Mae says
Wow, that's good to know! Any chance your roots are also from Pampanga? Anyway, I got back to your site to try your ube pandesal recipe. As expected, it didn't disappoint (as this plain pandesal recipe)! Thanks for your wonderful recipes 🙂
Bebs says
Yes, my father's family came from San Luis and Armin and I now live in Bacolor. Happy to hear that you liked our ube pandesal as well.
Georgie says
Hello. What is your comment on adding bread improver?
Bebs says
Hi Georgie, I tried it once and I am not sure if I made a mistake but the breaf was soft but too crumbly. If you want it to stay soft and moist longer try adding 1/4 cup potato flour or starch. But add a bit more water too as it will be absorbed by the potato flour, say about 1/4-1/2 cup of water.
Maricris says
Hi. What would be the main problem if the dough doesn’t rise? Thanks.
Bebs says
The main would be the yeast. Check if it is still good. Then there are other things, like if your liquid is too hot and it killed the yeast. Another is the temperature of the surroundings. Too cold and it will take a long time for the bread to rise, about 2-3 hours.
Sue says
Hi Bebs!
Thank you for your recipe. I am a novice in baking, this quarantine triggered a curiosity for things not tried😊. My output was pretty and pandesal texture is nice and a bit chewy which is good👍. But, how do I make it smell like that wonderful smell of a freshly baked bread that I smell in the malls? Is there a flavoring additive that needs to be added?
Thanks a lot!😊
Bebs says
Hi Sue, the bakeries have different bread and pastries baking all the time. But I am wondering how your pandesal smelled because it does make a nice freshly baked bread.
Ccc says
I’m a noob baker and would really want to make pandesal.
What specific all purpose flour did you use? If I decide to use bread flour 50/50 with APF, how much potato flour can I use to make the bread softer, much longer?
Also, what kind of bread crumbs and milk do you recommend for this?
I have oat and almond milk.
Thanks!
Bebs says
I use APF Gold Medal bleached, ernriched and presifted most of the times. 1/4 cup potato flour should be ok. I use fresh milk but almond milk milk should be fine. As for breadcrumbs, anything you have should be fine. If you only have Panko, crush finely and toast in a pan until golden.
Keith says
Hi. I made the dough way too early to bake it. Can i just leave it on the counter or put it in the ref? Also, if i make the dough in advance, can i store it in the ref and just leave on room temp when ready to bake? Does it need to be chilled or frozen when stored? Thanks -K
Bebs says
Hi Keith, you can refrigerate overnight it after kneading then proceed as usual in the morning. You can also freeze the pre-shaped pandesal and thaw in the fridge the night before baking in the morning. Just make sure you bring it first at room temperature and let it rise again before baking. Baking time may also be longer.
Sherlynne says
If I want to freeze the pre-shaped pandesal, should I freeze it before or after the 2nd rise? Thank you po!
Bebs says
Hi Sherlynne, freeze them before the second rise.
Khristine Corcuera says
i dont have yeast. Can i replace it with a baking powder ?
Bebs says
I am afraid you cannot make yeast bread with baking powder.
Irene Udarbe says
Thanks for sharing for your expertise, we love pandesal and the only problem that I see is it becomes very hard after 1/2 a day or so.. You mentioned adding potato flour, how much do we need and where do we have to add it..
Bebs says
Hi Irene, add 1/4 cup potato flour. But check if you need more water if the dough get dry...it should still be a sticky dough.
Hanie says
Hi 😊 I tried making your pandesal for the first time today and it came out good and soft but after a couple of hours it was hard. Wonder what i did wrong? Thank you. 😊
Bebs says
Hi Hanie, this is typical of pandesal. If you want it soft longer add 1/4 cup potato flour.
Rose says
Hi Ms Bebs! I had a great experience using potato starch with the Cheese Bread recipe. It turned out really soft! 🙂 I also want to use potato flour for this, is it "3c APF + 1/4c PF" or "2 3/4c APF + 1/4c PF"? Thank you so much!!!
Bebs says
Hi Rose, yes potato flour makes a difference same as Tangzhong...
Juliet says
Is Potato flour and potato starch the same thing?
Bebs says
Thay are different things, Julia. Potato flour is the potato itself in powder form so it has the flavor of potato. The starch is taken from the liquid used in washing and squeezing out potatoes. A fine powder will form at the bottom and that is the starch. It has bland taste.
Nedi says
I used this recipe the first time I made pandesal, and it was a smash hit with my family. Am making this the 3rd time tonight.
Bebs says
That is great to hear, Nedi! Happy the family likes it!
kit says
hi ms. bebs!!!! thanks for sharing your recipe. i really enjoyed making pan se sal.😊
Bebs says
glad to hear it, Kit.
Pages & Coffee NZ says
Legit. Thanks!
Bebs says
Thanks to you too..
Leigh Anne Mercado says
Have you tried freezing before baking?
Bebs says
I personally have not but I have bough frozen doughs before.
Millie Wong says
Hello, I tried the recipe last night!
Your video showed you mixing the yeast in liquid form, but
I read that the yeast went in after the dough had been made.
Which one is the preferred technique ?
My dough didn’t rise as much as I had expected, although the bread came out quite tasty but not as fluffy. Plan to try it again.
Thoughts ? Opinions?
Bebs says
Hi Mille, you can proof your instant yeast or not if you are sure that it is still good. Active Dry Yeast normally need activating it first.
Marilyn Wermiel says
I just made your recipe (new one), simple easy yo follow and the bread came out so good. Pillowy soft and perfect with just butter. My daughter loved it so much ( she’s 5) and ate 6 of them in less than 10 minutes. Thank you. This recipe is a keeper!
Bebs says
Glad to hear it, Marilyn!
Goldie Hollaway says
Perfect all the time! My husband loved it. First time I made it I didn't have bread crumbs but it was still good. It had great taste and so fluffy. Then the 2nd time I made it, I finally have breadcrumbs (DIY'd it), it tasted even better!
Made dinner rolls from a different recipe. It turned out not so great. So for dinner rolls/pandesal this is my go to recipe. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Bebs says
Hi Goldie, really happy to hear that you are enjoying our recipes. Thanks for the 5 stars..
Joe says
Thank you for this perfect Pan de Sal recipe! I mixed the egg, milk and butter in a separate pan. I mixed the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Then combine together the dry and wet ingredients. Knead the dough for about 15-minutes and follow as per instructions. Result is a perfect Pan de Sal !
Bebs says
That is awesome, Joe! Thanks for the great review!
Wendy says
Hi! I can’t find yeast in my area. Can I substitute it with double acting baking powder? With the flour, can I substitute it with almond flour? Thank you
Bebs says
Hi Wendy, sorry to say you can not substitute baking powder for yeast inmaking bread.
Anne says
Hi Beb
Takes for sharing your recipe. Just wondering if your pandesal stay soft even after a day? Been in search for pandesal recipe, so far none of them will stay soft after half a day.How do you store them?
Thanks
Bebs says
Hi Anne, it is normal for home baked goods to harden after a day. If you want it to remain soft and moist longer try adding 1/4 cup potato flour or tangzhong.
maye ikeda says
hi! would it make a difference if i use a stand mixer than knead the dough manually? thank you 🙂
Bebs says
It will take you lesser time normally. Just check and test from time to time to see if the dough is kneaded enough..
Wendy says
Can I used double acting baking powder instead of yeast? Yeasts are sold out in my area.
Bebs says
Hi Wendy, no you cannot use baking powder for yeast bread. Use it to make other recipes like cake, cup cakes, puto, pancakes and similar food.
Racquel says
I will ve using active dry yeast, what is the amount of water do I use to mix the yeast with?
Do I add it right away to the dough once the yeast is dissolved?
Thanks Bebs
Bebs says
Hi Racquel, use 1/2 cup lukewarm milk not as an additional but taken from the recipe. It should turn foamy to indicate that it is still active. Add to the flour together with the rest of milk.
Chato Arthur says
Can I use self raising flour and no yeast?
Thank you
Bebs says
Hi Chato, sadly you need yeast for this bread. Self-rising flour is also normally used for cake. I suggest you try making cake, muffins or our banana bread instead.
Yen says
Is it panko breadcrumbs?
Bebs says
Yes, but not the right one for this. But you can still use it. Crush very finely using a electric grinder or mortal and pestle. Then place in a skillet or pan and toast over medium heat until golden brown.
DMG says
Hi! I tried the recipe and I think I made a lot of mistakes :)) the bread didn’t rise much (i waited over an hour), and the end result was a batch of very dense balls :)) I needed to substitute some ingredients so maybe that is the culprit. I used unbleached flour, demerara sugar, himalayan salt, melted margarine, an egg from the fridge, and low fat milk. I added a bit of water when it wouldn’t smooth out. I kneaded for 5-8 minutes. My cup measurements are 1 cup = 200ml. Hope you can advise how to improve, I’m trying again tomorrow 🙂
Bebs says
I do not see anything wrong with your substitutes. Although, I have not used unbleached flour before, I read that the difference is not so striking although the articles said that bleached flour tends to yield softer bread with more volume than unbleached flour so expect that it will not be that soft and fluffy. Another is your liquid measurement...normally 1 cup of liquid is 250ml. But this is not applicable to dry ingredients. If you don't have proper measuring cups then you need to weight your dry ingredients. The metric equivalent is given in the post. The dough should be sticky so if is not then your milk is not enough.
If above are all done correctly, then the problem could be your yeast. Check if it is still good. Do a proofing test by adding the yeast to 1/2cup lukewarm milk..it should become creamy and foamy, if not then the yeast is dead. That means bread will not rise.
When kneading there is no specific length of time...perform the windowpane test by stretching the dough very thinly that you can see light coming thru the thin membrane. If it breaks when stretching then knead more.
If your kitchen is cold it could take more than an hour to get the dough to rise to double its size. One time it took me 2 hours (spring in Germany).You can warm you oven to 50°C, turn it off and place the bowl of dough there to rise...same for the formed dough for the 2nd rise
Yna says
Hi, can I use microwave oven how's the process
Bebs says
Hi Yna, if your microwave has oven setting then it could work. I personally haven't tried it but someone left a comment in our Spanish Bread who used microwave and gave some tips how to do it.
Donna says
Hi Bebs,can i use pizza yeast instead coz stores ran out of instant & rapid rise yeast.
Bebs says
Hi Donna, I am not familiar with pizza yeast but I think it works like a regular yeast.
Ami says
I've never baked pandesal before, but this is definitely one of the best that I have ever tasted! I am not a baker at all, but thought I'd give this a try, and it turned out really good! The recipe is spot on!!!
Bebs says
That is so nice of you to say, Ami! Thanks for the great review...
Melissa says
Can I use bread flour instead of all purpose?
Bebs says
Yes you can Melissa...
Joeza Mae Arabia says
Hello! Did my very first pandesal for the fam today and they loved it! Thanks for the amazing recipe! I have a couple questions though. First, can you prep yhe dough overnight and then bake in the morning? Second, what happens if I add too much yeast?
Bebs says
Hi Joeza, yes you can refrigerate the dough right after kneading it and it will slowly rise in the fridge ready for the next steps in the morning. Too much yeast can result in having a strong yeasty smell in your bread and that it may balloon and collapse in the end. If you did it by mistake, the solution is to reduce the rising time but the bread may not be as tasty...
Josie says
Can I use non dairy milk and butter for this pan de sal recipe?
Bebs says
Sure you can Josie. Can be also just plain water too..
Irene says
A big fan of your recipes.... I tried your pandesal and ube pandesal ...thank you
Bebs says
Thanks for the comment and stars, Irene.
Ann says
Hi! Your recipe is a hit to my family. My dough didnt multiply as much as I expected. My yeast maybe? I would just like to ask how to know if my it is still active since we mix it already to the flour ( which I normally incorporate it with warm water/milk) also I got my yeast in the market where they repack it, so no label if its active/fresh! Sorry i really dont know the difference. Lol!
Bebs says
Hi Ann, ADY and instant yeast would give you same results. If you are not sure what kind you have then better to proof it first with 1/2 cup of the liquid and some sugar from the recipe. Since they have different rising times, just check that it has almost doubled in size after the first and also the second rise before you proceed.
Ayesa says
Hi, Can I leave the dough to rise overnight? many Thanks!🙂
Bebs says
Hi Ayesa, yes, just refrigerate after kneading o it can slowly rise in the fridge overnight.
Amor Magpantay says
thank you for this recipe,,, I baked my first pandesal today and it was very good, my husband and sister love it too...
Bebs says
Thanks for your nice comment and the 5 stars, Amor. I hope you are all well and safe.