Pandesal (Filipino Bread Rolls): Step By Step Guide To Perfectly Fluffy Rolls (2024)

Learn how to make the perfect Pandesal, a popularFilipino breadroll, with this step by step guide. Fluffy and delicious, these rolls are a staple inFilipinocuisine. LoveFilipinobreads? Checkout mySpanishBread recipe.

Oh, pandesal in the sweet hours of the morning! Nothing beats a warm tray of these freshly bakedFilipino-style dinner rolls with the morningcupof tea or coffee.

Pan de SalinSpanishmeansalt bread. And despite the name, manypandesal recipeshave evolved from salty to being slightly sweet with just a touch of salt.

Pandesal is one of the most raved-about recipes here on the blog. If you would like a bread machine version, check outBread Machine Pandesal!

How to Enjoy Pandesal?

• Pandesal is probably the Philippines’ favorite bread. There is something about these golden dinner rolls that are dusted with breadcrumbs that make them so out of the ordinary. A bread that is delicious on its own, or dipped in coffee.
• For a filling version, we slice the bun in half and fill it with sliced hotdogs, fried egg, and even sauteed corned beef. Sweet tooth? Try peanut butter or coconut jam. Oh, the little things that bring us so much joy!
• If you love pandesal, you need to check out my other pandesal creations like Ube Cheese Pandesal , Red Velvet Pandesal and Chocolate Pandesal with Nutella Filling!

The Perfect Pandesal Recipe

• These pandesal are lightly toasted on the outside. The nice golden exterior has a nice tender-crisp texture, and it renders a nice toasty flavor. Just the way I like it.
• The inside is soft and light. It is not dense and tight-knit, but not too airy either. Just pure crumb perfection.
• They are pillowy soft out of the over AND remain soft the days after.
• Eat them plain, dip them in coffee, slather Nutella, slather butter. You decide how to enjoy it. Lately, we slather it with non-hydrogenated margarine. I think it’s the only way to enjoy it now, and nothing else 🙂

The Process

Proof the Yeast and Mix in the Dough Ingredients

In a bowl of a stand mixer, pour the milk and then sprinkle the yeast. Sprinkle approximately 1-2 teaspoons of the sugar in there as well. Let this mixture sit for 7-12 minutes until it looks thick and creamy.

Add the eggs, the remaining sugar, and the oil. Stir to combine. In a bowl, combine 4 cups of flour and 1 tsp of salt. Gradually add this mixture to the mixing bowl, about 1 cup at a time, stirring well after adding.

Knead the Dough in the Stand Mixer

Now attach the dough hook to the mixer, and on medium speed, mix the dough for 10 minutes. During this period the dough will start to take form, gathering slowly in the center.

After ten minutes of mixing, slowly add more flour with the mixer still running, about 1-2 tbsp at a time. As you add, the dough will gather more and more and it will start to clean the sides of the bowl.

The Dough Gathers in the Center of the Bowl

Continue the mixing and adding, until the dough gathers in the center of the bowl and cleans the sides and bottom of the bowl entirely.

You will also hear the slapping sounds that the dough makes against the bowl. This should take around 10 minutes more, for a total of 20 minutes or so in the mixer.

To test if the dough is adequately kneaded, you can do thewindowpane testfound in my How to Knead Bread Dough post.

See Also

Easy Longganisa Recipe (Filipino sweet sausage) - Foxy FolksyHow to make Garlic BihonPandesal (Filipino Bread Rolls): Step By Step Guide To Perfectly Fluffy RollsPandesal (Filipino Bread Rolls)

Finish Kneading and Allow the Dough to Rise

You may also need to increase the mixer speed for the dough to release at the bottom of the bowl. You may need less of the 1/2 cup reserved flour, but not more.

Shape the dough into a ball, and let thedough risein abowl, Allow it to rise for 1 hour and a half, covered with a clean towel.

Shape the Dough and Dust with Bread Crumbs

After rising, gently deflate the dough. Shape it into a log and divide it into 25-28 pieces.

Roll each piece into a plate of bread crumbs, then arrange the balls in a parchment-lined, light-colored baking pan.

Allow the Shaped Dough to Rise Again, then Bake!

Allow these to rise once more, for 30-40 minutes, covered loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Bake the pandesal for 23-25 minutes, or until golden on top.

Let them cool slightly before serving.

Pointers for Making Pandesal

• The milk should not exceed the temperature of 110F. Hotter than that and you risk killing the yeast.
• If the yeast did not turn foamy after 10 minutes. Discard the mixture and start again.
• The recipe calls for 4 and 1/2 cups of flour. 4 cups are added initially to the dough. The remaining 1/2 cup will be added one tablespoon at a time just until the dough gathers into the center of the bowl. You may not have to use all of the 1/2 cup of flour.
• Use a light-colored baking pan to avoid too much browning of the bottom of the pandesal.

p.s. These will be so good with this Sweet and Spicy Squid or this Filipino Style Pancit Canton.

More Bread Recipes:

• Mamon Recipe
• The Best Ensaymada
• Cassava Cake
• Ube Cheesecake
• Chocolate Mamon
• Yema Rolls
• Coconut Buns with Milky Sweet Filling
• Japanese Milk Buns
• Spanish Bread
• Hawaiian Rolls
• Sweet Cheese Rolls
• Sweet Beehive Buns
• Milk and Sugar Mini Buns
• Pineapple Buns
• Whole Wheat Potato Dinner Rolls
• Crescent Butter Rolls