Coffee Buns ( Eggless Mexican Bun Recipe)

The crispy coffee-crusted, soft, and pillowy coffee buns are just perfect for any occasion. These are super easy to make and are ready from start to finish in under 4 hours. Inspired by the Mexican rotiboy recipe, this eggless coffee paste topped buns do not have the conventional butter filling, but a tender crumb throughout.

If you have tried my Hokkaido milk bread loaf then you will surely enjoy the texture of this bread as well. Enjoy more buns and rolls recipes on the blog.

Why will you love this Mexican Bun recipe

• It is an easy and quick recipe. I have used instant yeast that makes these buns possible in under 4 hours.
  
• It is an eggless recipe. If you are allergic to eggs, this recipe is specifically designed for you.
  
• It can easily be made into a vegan coffee buns recipe. Substitute butter with margarine or vegan butter, and use any plant-based milk.
  
• Customizable. You can fill these buns with whatever you like. If you want, you can add a filling of butter, which is customary for Mexican coffee buns. Nut butter or anything else that goes well with the taste of coffee and can be used as a filling. You can also use coffee cream as a filling.
  

🍶 Ingredients and substitutions

Bread Flour/ All purpose flour

Bread flour makes the best coffee buns. Don't worry, even all purpose flour makes perfect coffee buns. For filling you can use all-purpose flour or cake flour.

Butter:

Use good quality butter, the ones with higher fat percentages for best results.

I have used unsalted butter in this coffee bun recipe, but if you are using salted butter, make sure to omit the salt from the recipe

Yeast:

I have used instant dry yeast in the recipe. So, it needs to activate by adding the warm liquid and sugar mixture.

But in case you are using instant yeast, just add the dry ingredients and mix.

Dry milk powder:

I always add dry milk powder to my pavs, buns, and rolls, as it helps to keep them soft for longer.

This is an optional ingredient, but adding dry milk powder does help with the texture and softness of the roti boy bun recipe.

Milk:

I like to use whole milk. Whole milk gives a richer texture and enhances the flavor of the bread. You can also go with 2% milk.

I have made it with 2% fat milk, with good results. I suggest avoiding skim milk as we are not using any eggs here (like always), so all the richness and texture come from milk.

Instant coffee powder

Instant coffee powder is made with real coffee beans. The soluble and volatile content of the bans are extracted and then water is removed so that a coffee powder is left behind. There are numerous brands to choose from. I usually use Nescafe or Instant coffee powder by Whole foods.

Use whichever type of coffee you like. We just need a tablespoon of instant coffee in this roti boy recipe.

🍞 Instructions to make coffee buns

Step 1 Kneading the dough in a stand mixer

Start the Mexican coffee bun recipe by kneading the dough for the buns. Take a large bowl or the bowl of the stand mixer. In that add all the dry ingredients. It means to combine the bread flour, sugar, and dry milk. If you are going to use unsalted butter then, add a pinch of salt here.  Also, empty the yeast pack into the bowl. Whisk everything to combine evenly.

Now add the milk and place the bowl on the stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Knead the dough at low speed until it becomes smooth and leaves the sides of the bowl. It should take 7-8 minutes.

Now add half of the softened butter and knead again. When it starts to integrate into the dough, add the remaining half of the butter. Now, knead the dough until everything integrates and the dough becomes smooth and shiny.

 Kneading with hands

To knead with hands, use a big bowl and add all the dry ingredients, followed by milk. Using the back of a ladle or a strong spoon, combine everything until the entire flour becomes wet. There should be no patch of dry flour left in the bowl. Use hands if required. Then cover and let the dough autolyse for 30 minutes. 

Now transfer the dough onto a flour-dusted workstation and start kneading with your hands. Use the heel of your hands to stretch the dough away from you. Then, bring it back and collect it.  Knead for 5-6 minutes or until the dough becomes manageable and smoother. Then add half of the softened butter. Knead to combine the butter with the dough. When it is integrated, add the remaining butter, and knead. Keep kneading to obtain a smooth and supple dough.

Kneading dough, if you are using instant dry yeast

If using instant dry yeast, first bloom the yeast in warm milk with sugar. Check the temperature of your milk. It should be between 105⁰F-110⁰F. It is the ideal temperature for proofing dry yeast. If you do not have a thermometer, just ensure that the water is hot enough that you can dip your finger comfortably without burning it.

Once we add yeast to the milk and sugar mixture, we stir it and let it rest for 5-10 minutes or until it becomes bubbly, frothy, and rises. Then add it to the dry ingredients and knead the dough as discussed above.

Step 2 Bulk Rise (First Rise)

Now, oil a large bowl and place the dough into the bowl. Brush some oil on the dough's surface to lock the moisture and prevent it from drying. Cover the bowl with a cling wrap or a kitchen towel and place it in a warm and moist place.

The ideal place for proofing in winters, is in the oven, right under the oven light, which is switched on, with a pan of hot water placed next to it. Let us give our yeast what it wants! And it wants a warm and moist place.

In the next 45 min to 1 and a half hours, the dough will double in volume.

Please note that never go by the time limit in case of yeast activity. It might take longer or less time depending on the ambient room temperature in your kitchen. So, the good idea is to keep checking your dough after adequate intervals. It should have doubled up in volume.

Step 3 Shaping the coffee buns

Transfer the dough onto a flour-dusted work surface. Form the dough into a large dough ball. Now divide the dough into eight equal parts. Then take each piece and shape it into a smooth round by gathering the edges and then flip the dough ball and use the sides of your palms to smooth it out and form a firm dough ball. (Refer to the process images) When done, place on a parchment-lined baking tray.

Repeat with the remaining parts of the dough. Keep the formed dough balls covered while you work with the left-over dough.

When all the dough balls are formed, cover them all using a kitchen towel.

Step 4 Proofing the buns

Now place the baking tray in a warm corner of the kitchen or the turned-off oven. Let them puff up and become double in volume. It may take 45 minutes to 1 and a half hours depending on the ambient temperature of the kitchen.

Step 5 Make the coffee topping for the buns

To make the coffee cream topping for the buns, start by combining coffee in warm water. Now add granulated sugar and mix well to combine. Then add the melted butter and mix well.  Finally, add the flour and mix well. Then add milk to fix the consistency.

 If you use eggs, the batter spreads well. Since we are not using any eggs, we will need milk to adjust the consistency. The coffee batter needs to be like the pancake batter. Fill it in a piping bag.

Step 6 Topping the coffee buns

Once the buns have been proofed, it’s time to top them with coffee paste. Pipe the coffee paste on the buns in a circular motion. (Refer to images)

Step 7 Baking the Coffee buns

Preheat the oven to 350 ⁰F. Then bake the coffee buns for about 20 minutes. They would take anywhere from 18-22 minutes to bake, depending upon the size of the buns. When done, remove them gently onto cooling racks. Cool for 15-20 minutes and then serve warm.

🫙How to store coffee buns?

Before storing these eggless coffee buns, ensure that they are fully cooled down. Place them in a bread box, or any large box. It is best to keep them in an airtight container to maintain the crispiness of the coffee crust.  The coffee topping absorbs moisture from the environment and becomes sticky over time. And if you store them stacked one over another, the coffee topping will stick to each other. They will keep well on your kitchen counter for 2-3 days.

These are probably the worst buns to freeze. The topping has a lot of sugar which absorbs moisture and becomes sticky.

♨️ How to reheat coffee buns?

Coffee buns need to be reheated to gain back that crispy coffee crust. You can do that by reheating the coffee buns in the following ways:

• Bake the left-over coffee buns at 325 ^oF for 5-7 minutes in an oven.
• Reheat them in an air fryer at 350 ^oF for 3-4 minutes or until the crust regains its crispiness.
• You can also reheat them in a microwave for a few seconds but that is certainly not the best way to reheat them.

💭 Pro Tips

• If you are using unsalted butter, add salt to the dough.
  
• Bloom the yeast first, if you choose to use instant dry yeast.
  
• Add butter in batches while integrating it into the dough.
  
• Please note that never go by the time limit in case of yeast activity. It might take longer or less time depending on the ambient temperature in your kitchen. So, the good idea is to keep checking your dough after adequate intervals.
  
• Store the coffee buns in an airtight container if possible. Also do not store the coffee buns stacked one over one another.
  

❓Frequently Asked Questions

🍞More bread recipes

• Semolina Bread with Sesame Seeds
  
• Matcha Bread (Eggless Matcha Swirl Bread)
  
• Dairy free bread: The best whole wheat vegan milk bread
  
• How to bake perfect bread in Instant pot
  
• Tiger rolls: A foolproof Dutch crunch bread recipe
  
• Softest Multigrain bread
  
• Ladi pav recipe: Homemade Eggless Indian Pav

Sourdough bread recipes

A few Bread recipes with sourdough starter and other ways to use sourdough starter are linked below:

• Sourdough Rolls | No-yeast quick dinner rolls using sourdough starter
  
• The best garlic sourdough bread recipe
  
• Jalapeño Cheddar sourdough: A spicy cheese sourdough bread
  
• Sourdough chocolate bread recipe: Easy and delicious!
  
• How to make sourdough hot dog buns from scratch?
  
• How to make the basic sourdough batard?
  

I hope you will like this coffee buns recipe. Share your results and opinions in the comment section below. Also, subscribe to never miss a recipe.

Till then

Bake it Delicious!

📝 Recipe card for the coffee buns

Print Pin

Coffee Buns ( Eggless Mexican Buns)

The crispy coffee-crusted, soft, and pillowy coffee buns are just perfect for any occasion. These are super easy to make and are ready from start to finish in under 4 hours. Inspired by the Mexican roti boy recipe, this eggless coffee paste topped buns do not have the conventional butter filling.

Course Bread

Cuisine Asian

Keyword coffee buns, korean coffee buns, Malaysian coffee buns, mexican coffee buns, Roti boy recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes minutes

Resting Time 3 hours hours

Servings 8

Calories 275kcal

Author Meenakshi

Ingredients

Ingredients for the dough

• 320 g Bread flour 2 ⅔ g
• 204 g Whole milk ¾ cup+ 2 tbsp
• 7 g Instant yeast 2 ¼ tsp
• 28 g Salted butter 2 tbsp
• 10 g Dry milk powder 2 tbsp
• 8 g Granulated sugar 2 tsp

Ingredients for the coffee topping

• 8 g Instant coffee 1 ½ tbsp
• 22 g Warm water 1 ½ tsp
• 65 g Granulated sugar 5 tbsp
• 50 g Butter 3 ½ tbsp
• 42 g Whole milk 3 tbsp
• 75 g All-purpose flour or cake flour ⅔ cup

Instructions

Step 1 Kneading the dough in a stand mixer

• Into the bowl of the stand mixer, add all the dry ingredients. Combine the bread flour, sugar, and dry milk. If you are going to use unsalted butter then, add a pinch of salt here. Also, empty the yeast pack into the bowl. Whisk everything to combine evenly.
• Now add the milk and place the bowl on the stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Knead the dough at low speed until it becomes smooth and leaves the sides of the bowl. It should take 7-8 minutes. Now add half of the softened butter and knead again. When it starts to integrate into the dough, add the remaining half of the butter. Now, knead the dough until everything integrates and the dough becomes smooth and shiny. (To knead with hands refer to the notes).

Step 2 Bulk Rise (First Rise)

• Now, oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl. Brush some oil on the dough's surface to lock the moisture and prevent it from drying. Cover the bowl with a cling wrap or a kitchen towel and place it in a warm and moist place.
• In the next 45 min to 1 and a half hours, the dough will double in size.
• Please note that never go by the time limit in case of yeast activity. It might take longer or less time depending on the ambient temperature in your kitchen. So, the good idea is to keep checking your dough after adequate intervals.

Step 3 Shaping the coffee buns

• Transfer the dough onto a flour-dusted work surface. Form the dough into a large dough ball. Now divide the dough into eight equal parts. Then take each piece and shape it into a smooth round by gathering the edges and then flip the dough ball and use the sides of your palms to smooth it out and form a firm dough ball. (Refer to the process images) When done, place on a parchment-lined baking tray.
• Repeat with the remaining parts of the dough. Keep the formed dough balls covered while you work with the left-over dough.
• When all the dough balls are formed, cover them all using a kitchen towel.

Step 4 Proofing the buns

• Now place the baking tray in a warm corner of the kitchen or the turned-off oven. Let them puff up and become double in volume. It may take 45 minutes to 1 and a half hours depending on the ambient temperature of the kitchen.

Step 5 Make the topping for the buns

• To make the coffee topping for the buns, start by combining coffee in warm water. Now add granulated sugar and mix well to combine. Then add the melted butter and mix. Further, add the flour and mix well. Finally, add milk to fix the consistency. Fill it in a piping bag.

Step 6 Topping the coffee buns

• Once the buns have been proofed, it’s time to top them with coffee paste. Pipe the coffee paste on the buns in a circular motion. (Refer to images)

Step 7 Baking the Coffee buns

• Preheat the oven to 350 ⁰F. Then bake the coffee buns for about 20 minutes. They would take anywhere from 18-22 minutes to bake, depending upon the size of the buns. When done, remove them gently onto cooling racks. Cool for 15-20 minutes and then serve warm.

Notes

•  Kneading with hands: To knead with hands, use a big bowl and add all the dry ingredients, followed by milk. Using the back of a ladle or a strong spoon, combine everything until the entire flour becomes wet. There should be no patch of dry flour left in the bowl. Use hands if required. Then cover and let the dough autolyse for 30 minutes. Now transfer the dough onto a flour-dusted workstation and start kneading with your hands. Use the heel of your hands to stretch the dough away from you. Then, bring it back and collect it. Knead for 5-6 minutes or until the dough becomes manageable and smoother. Then add half of the softened butter. Knead to combine the butter with the dough. When it is integrated, add the remaining butter, and knead. Keep kneading to obtain a smooth and supple dough. 
• Kneading dough, if you are using instant dry yeast: If using instant dry yeast, first bloom the yeast in warm milk with sugar. Check the temperature of your milk. It should be between 105-110 Degrees F. It is the ideal temperature for proofing dry yeast. If you do not have a thermometer, just ensure that the water is hot enough that you can dip your finger comfortably without burning it. Once we add yeast to the milk and sugar mixture, we stir it and let it rest for 5-10 minutes or until it becomes bubbly, frothy, and rises. Then add it to the dry ingredients and knead the dough as discussed above. 
• On a cold winter day, the ideal place to proof the dough is in the oven, right under the oven light, which is switched on, with a pan of hot water placed next to it. Let us give our yeast what it wants! And it wants a warm and moist place.
• If you use eggs, the coffee batter spreads well. Since we are not using any eggs, we will need milk to adjust the consistency. The coffee batter needs to be like the pancake batter.
• Store them in an air-tight box to prevent the coffee topping from absorbing the moisture and becoming sticky. 
• Reheat in an oven or air fryer to obtain the crispy coffee crust.

📋 Nutrition Facts