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!
Gleniz says
In the video, the yeast was added together with the wet ingredients. But in the written instructions, yeast will be added after mixing the dry and ingredients. I followed the written instructions and I noticed that I can still see the yeast in the dough. I hope it won’t make a difference either way. But that got me confused. I’m still waiting for it to bake in the oven. I hope it’s good!
Bebs says
If you are using instant yeast, it does not really matter.
Bianca says
I love that I’ve stumbled across this great recipe!
I just wanted to know can I use a kitchaid to mix the ingredients or is using by hand easier?
If I can use a KitchenAid, how long would I need to knead it for and at what speed?
Thanks!
Jesry pagal says
I wanna really try this recipe soon... Am looking a best pandesal recipe, because I tried some recipe, next day become hard. 💞
Bebs says
Hi Jesry, to manage your expectations, most pandesal starts to harden some hours after they are baked. This is true with most bakery bough pandesal too. Unless you but the ones packed in plastic from the grocery stores. They stay soft because they add something to make last longer considering they have to be transported and stored on shelves for days.
Dan says
Hello Bebs! I want to try making bread for my birthday which is in four days. I happen to look for a recipe and I found your blog. I live in England. What flour is best for your recipe?
Bebs says
Hi Dan, you can use plain flour or bread flour. Mix of both 50/50 is even better.
icel says
hello!!your recipes are great.i tried your pandesal,eggpie and the leftover turkey baked roll.i used the century tuna instead of the turkey and the result is still better.
your pandesal is always requested by my family.thank you mucho for sharing your recipes😄😍
Bebs says
That is great to hear, Icel. happy that you and your family are enjoying our recipes.
Tim Griffith says
You listed 1/4 cup breadcrumbs but the instruction doesn’t mention anything when to use it. Thanks
Bebs says
Hi Tim, that is for coating the shape buns as indicated in the recipe.
grace says
Aloha, thank you for recipe. easy, yummy and fluffy pandesal. I tried once, now I actually memorize the whole recipe by heart. that's how good your pandesal. I have to tell you I tried this measurements with the purple potato stokes pandesal(since i am not really fun of ube extract cos of the food coloring). It turned out soft and fluffy as well.. You're awesome. Mahalo..
Grace
Bebs says
Hello, Grace! Happy that you like our recipe. Thanks for your lovely comment and for the perfect review.😘
Mar says
Can I use canned evap milk or half and half ?
Bebs says
I suggest using half evap and half water to thin it a little.
mhylene says
hi.. i tried your recipe and it's really good.. 😊my family and friends loved them..
Bebs says
That is awesome!
Tj says
Hi! I love your recipe! Can I ask if you can make them ahead of time and bake them tommorow morning?
Bebs says
Hi Tj, yes you can. You can refrigerate the dough after kneading (bowl covered with a plastic wrap) or after shaping them already (placed on a baking tray covered loosely. The dough or shaped buns will rise overnight and be ready for baking the next day. But I suggest using active dry yeast or if you use instant yeast then reduce the amount a bit to avoid too much rising.
anna says
hi can u share the exact measurements using bread flour? thank you
Bebs says
You can use the same amount of bread flour instead of APF. If it gets too dry just add little water.
Aira says
Hi Ma'am Bebs. Pang-2nd try ko na po itong recipe nyo at sobrang perfect ng kinalabasan. I just add cheese filling for extra flavors. May Father loved it so much. Thank you for sharing your recipe w/ us. More power!
Bebs says
You are welcome, Aira. Happy you like it.
Chim says
Do you have a recommendation if I want to prepare this the night before and bake it the following morning? Like how should I store it?
Bebs says
You can refrigerate after kneading or after shaping them. Normally active dry yeast works better for overnight rising in the fridge.
Paulynne says
This recipe is a keeper!! I used 50/50 APF and bread flour, and the pandesal came out perfect, soft and chewy at the same time. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Bebs says
That sounds about right, Paulynne. I like it also 50/50! Happy to know that you enjoyed it..😘
Jane says
Hi! How do you use your yeast here? Did you just add it directly or did you mix it in with water or something else?
Im new at making bread and I tried to make this but I can’t seem to make the dough properly.
Grace says
It's my first time to bake pan de sal or any bread for that matter and I am amazed how easy and fulfilling it was. Nothing beats watching your bread rise in the oven and smell the sweetness of freshly baked bread.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
Bebs says
That is so true, Grace. It is a good arm workout too 😉
Diane says
Thank you for the recipe. We enjoyed the freshly baked Pandesal. I used both APF and BF and the bread was still soft up to the second day. We stored the bread in an air tight container.
On the third day, we noticed it became crumbly. Is this expected? This is my first time to make Pandesal.
Bebs says
Yes, this is normal with home-baked goods and especially pandesal.
Diane De Los Santos says
Hi! Thank you for your recipe! I used the bread flour instead of AFP and its good too!
Bebs says
That is great, Diane. Thanks for sharing that info.
Tiffany says
Hello! Thank you for sharing your recipe! I was thinking if I can put fillings in the pandesal like blueberry and strawberry jam then bake it. Will it affect the quality of the bread? Thank you so much!
Bebs says
Hi Tiffany, I have not tried it myself but I am pretty sure it should work.
Maya says
If you let the dough rise overnight. Do you wait until the dough is in room temperature? Or you can go ahead and divide and roll into log?
Lei says
Hi Bebs
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I tried different pandesal recipe But your recipe is the best, chewy, soft and so yummy!! I feel like I’m home, my family and my friends loved it. This is now my recipe too and again thank you. God bless and keep safe. ❤️🥰xxx
Bebs says
That is so nice to hear, Lei. Thanks for the 5 stars.
aileen says
i really liked this recipe and wanted to make larger batches, but was wondering about the ratio of ingredients?
Bebs says
Just double the ingredients. But you have to work quickly or refrigerate the dough that are not yet being formed or they might rise too fast.
Nerissa says
Hi Bebs,
Your recipe looks so good. I'm planning to make this pandesal but can I use a stand mixer for kneading? If so, how long should it be? Also, I'm in Canada, would you suggest me to follow your Germany recipe? Appreciate your response. Thank you.
Bebs says
I am not familiar with the flour in Canada, if it the same as in US then I would follow the new one as I use Gold Medal APF here.
Francesca says
Hi,
I've tried this one. And I must say, this is by far the perfect pandesal recipe I've tried. Just a little bit 'siksik' inside. I am looking for a texture that is not too siksik inside. Did I cut the dough too big, should I just make it bit smaller, any suggestion para hindi gaano siksik ang loob? But all in all, it is really good! Thanks for sharing your recipe. 🙂
Bebs says
Try to make smaller buns then let them rise longer until almost double in size before baking.
Abby says
I love your recipe, but just wondering why the top of my bread is not brown?
Bebs says
You can increase the temperature or place them a rack higher.
Mitzi says
Hi! I’m planning to try this recipe. And I’m a beginner in baking. My question is what kind of milk am I going to use? Evap milk or the milk that comes in a plastic container? Thank you
Bebs says
In baking, milk usually means fresh milk unless otherwise stated.
edgar says
nice recipe!!!
Lugin Malabanan says
Thanks for your recipe. I like your recipes and got to do it easily.
Bebs says
You're welcome, Lugin.
Maria Sophia Galicia says
Hi Bebs,
In this recipe can I just use all bread flour? Thank you
Bebs says
Sure if you like it chewier then go ahead.
Gina says
Can i use pancake mix to make pandesal?
Bebs says
Hi Gina, pancake mix already has a leavening agent and other added stuff so no, I will not recommend it for this.
Kelsey says
Hi! Would like to know if I can refrigerate the dough after shaping? Is this possible? (Planning to bake it kasi the next morning)
Bebs says
Sure you can, Kelsey.
Kim says
Hi Bebs!
Apparently, what I have is the ube flavoring only and not what you used on your ucp. How many tbsp of ube flavoring should I use? And also, can I mix it with the milk?
I hope you notice me 🤗
Bebs says
Hi Kim, yes, add it to the liquids. I have not used it myself and it differs from one brand to the other. I suggest starting with 1/2 tablespoon and add more if you like.
Peachy says
Hi, I have a bread maker and was wondering if your first recipe will work using the machine?
Thank you!
Bebs says
It should work fine. Let the machine do the muscle work and then just shape them as usual.
Emme says
This is awesome! Can you make this ahead and keep in the fridge and bake in the morning?
Bebs says
Yes you can, Emme. I just answered a similar comment here with tips that you can read...
Dar C says
Hello, I tried the recipe and the taste is very good. Hope you can advice how to manage the dough when its was sooo sticky, like it didnt even want to form. I used 50/50 bread flour and APF. I added more flour for it to take shape but i couldnt knead it as it would stick on my hadn and on the surface table. I added half cup of flour more and it was still too sticky.
Jillian Chua says
I had this problem too when I started making bread. After watching kazillion videos on youtube, they said adding more flour may lessen stickiness but will make your bread tough. All you need to do is to continue kneading until it becomes less sticky because you are trying to build the gluten in your dough. As you knead, you will just notice that your dough will become less sticky and become more manageable. 🙂 It took a while for me to get to that point becuase or my small weak arms but it's without adding any flour.
Marithel O. Castro says
First time to bake pandesal. It came out soft and fluffy. Thank you. 😊
Bebs says
That is great, Marithel and I hope you had fun making them for the first time..and probably not the last.
Stefanila Byrd says
Just made this today And it was perfect!!!! The kind of pandesal i’ve been craving for!!!!! Used 50/50 AP and Bread flour and used active dry yeast! At first i thought it was really wet and i just added flour maybe 3 tbsp! And just followed everything!!!! It was perfect! Thank you so much for sharing and the tips! All worth it!!!! 💖
Bebs says
Glad that you like it Stefanila. I guess it has to do with the flour's ability to absorb liquid. They vary from one brand to the other or where you are.
Mhatet says
Hi,
I have been following your recipe. After baking my pandesal is soft and fluffy but the next day it becomes hard. Any tip please.
Thanks
Bebs says
Hi Mhatet, that can be expected with pandesal, they are not like other buns that stay soft longer. You can reheat them in microwave and it will soften them a bit but will harden again when it gets cold.
Steph New says
Wow. Just wow. I just took the baking tray out of the oven and can I just say, the smell of the entire house is like a local panaderia. I love it. And the pandesal? Just perfect. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Bebs says
Nothing beats the smell of freshly baked pandesal. I am glad you like our recipe, Steph and thanks for the stars...
Janet says
How could I make the pandesal airy so it is not heavy imside
Bebs says
I suggest using 50/50 APF and bread flour. Bread flour rise higher without losing its form so you can let it rise a bit longer without worrying that it might deflate later on.
Aileen Tantiangco says
Hi!Thanks for the recipe!I made it today and it was a hit!It was fluffy and filling at the same time!Cheese Tuna Pan de sal on a Sunday morning with coffee!😁Nice way to start the day.
Nicole says
Hi. Me and my daughter nade this earlier but it was too dense. Where did we go wrong?
Bebs says
Hi Nicole, there could be several reasons, but the most common is that the dough did not have enough time to rise to double its size the second time.
Nena lim says
Hi bebs
Do you use weighing scale to measure the flour or just measuring cups?
Bebs says
For some bread using measuring cups is enough, no need to be so accurate. But if you are using cups then do the spoon and level technique in measuring flour or similar ingredients. That is you spoon the flour into the cup and then level it. Don't scoop directly from the container or pack as they are too compact and heavier that way.
Kae Ann says
Do we brush them with egg wash?
Bebs says
No, you don't. Only coat with breadcrumbs as in the recipe.
Charlize Medilo says
Great homemade pan de sal recipe. Just like the ones I used to get from a local bakery from where my grandmother used to live!
Bebs says
Thanks for your lovely comment, Charlize.
Aiai says
Can you use veg shortening instead of butter?
Bebs says
Sure you can, Aiai, you can even use oil.
Fennette says
Hello Beb,
I read your "pan de sal" recipe and thought it was easy to follow. This is my first attempt to bake pandesal. I will try ube pandesal as well.
Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Bebs says
Hi Fenette, how did it go?
Crystal says
Hi! I like ur recipe!!! Tried it and it was soft and fluffy everyone loves it! I want to make another batch. Do u think i can replace the butter with veg oil ? What will be ratio?
Bebs says
Use the same amount.
Jinky says
Hi Bebs, thanks for your recipe my baby loves it I just replaced the APF with whole wheat flour and added a tbsp of butter..soooo good.BtW I also follow your crispy pata recipe.love your recipes can’t wait to try them.❤️❤️❤️
Bebs says
That is great to hear, Jinky! Hope you like our other recipes as well.
adele says
Hi Bebs,
Can I use this recipe to make a cheesy pandesal? Thank you.
Bebs says
Sure you can, Adele.
adele ruiz says
Hi Bebs,
Thank you for all your recipes, because of the lockdown I got into baking and I am loving it.
For this pandesal recipe, is it ok to put a quick melt cheese in the middle before baking to make it like a cheesy pandesal?
Thank you.
Marah says
Hi, just want to say your pandesal recipe is the best🙂 It’s so easy to follow and I love how it turn out, so soft and fluffy. I substitute the butter with vegetable oil and the turn out is just the same. Just how I wanted my pandesal to be. Made this a few times for my family and friends, they loved it!
Bebs says
That is so nice to hear, Marah. Thanks for your lovely comment.