Salted butter rolls, also called shio pan bread, are a delicious treat. Shaped like croissants, they are soft and fluffy inside with the crispiest crust you can imagine, all full of buttery goodness.
I first saw salted butter rolls in Korean food vlogs, and when I found them at a local Korean bakery, I had to try one. After tasting the sea salt bread, I knew I had to make it at home.
After a lot of experimenting, I found a recipe I love. It's adapted from South Korean YouTuber and blogger Mukgling.
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What Is Shio Pan Bread?
Salted butter rolls are a popular bakery item in Japan and South Korea. They’re buttery and soft inside and crispy like a baguette outside. The name "shio pan" means "salt bread" in Japanese, highlighting the key ingredient that makes these rolls unique.
And that’s what sets these rolls apart from other dinner rolls or breads—the log of butter tucked inside the dough. As the rolls bake, the butter inside melts and infuses the bread with its rich, savory goodness.
A quick note: When the butter melts, it will spill over on the tray, leaving the center of the roll hollow. That’s normal. Don’t panic. It just makes the bottom of the rolls crisp and crunchy.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- These rolls are soft, golden, and packed with rich, buttery goodness. Each bite melts in your mouth with just the right touch of salt—pure comfort food bliss!
- These are so good for breakfast, slathered with jam for tea time, or served warm with soups and curries—these rolls fit into every meal!
- This recipe is easier than you think! Simple steps, basic ingredients, and a foolproof process make it totally doable—perfect even for beginners!
- These salt bread rolls are so addictive and easy to make that they will become your go-to for any occasion!
Recipe Ingredients
| Water (Lukewarm) | Milk (Lukewarm) | Yeast (Dried active) |
| Flour (All-purpose) | Salted Butter (frozen) | Salted Butter (melted) |
| Sugar | Salt | Sea Salt Flakes |
How To Make Salt Butter Rolls
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine water, milk, and yeast. Stir well.
Step 2: Whisk in the sugar, salt, and melted butter.
Step 3: Now add the flour and mix well using a spatula or your hands. The sea salth butter rolls dough will be soft and slightly sticky to the touch.
Step 4: Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 50 minutes.
Step 5: After 50 minutes are over, it's time for the first fold. Bring a quarter of the dough over to the center. Repeat 3 more times, with each quarter of the dough.
Step 6: Cover the bowl again and let the dough proof for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Step 7: Gently deflate the dough and transfer it to your work surface.
Step 8: Divide the dough equally into 6 pieces, approximately 70 grams each.
Step 9: Roll each dough piece into a ball and place the dough balls on a parchment-covered baking tray. Cover the tray with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let the dough balls rest for 20 minutes.
Step 10: Preshape - Roll each dough ball into a teardrop shape. Place on the tray, cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and rest for 30 minutes.
Step 11: Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough into a long triangle, about 18" long and 3"-3.5" wide at the base.
Step 12: Place a frozen log of butter on the wide end of the triangle and start rolling the dough over the butter so it's completely covered with the dough, then keep rolling the dough until the tapered end of the dough. Repeat with other dough pieces.
Step 13: Place the shaped rolls on the baking tray, cover them with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and place them in a draft-free place for 1 hour or until the rolls are puffy.
Step 14: When the rolls are puffy, spray them evenly with water, sprinkle some sea salt flakes on top, and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Step 15: Some of the butter would have melted out onto the baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to spread this butter on the rolls.
Step 16: Transfer the rolls to a cooling rack and allow them to cool for 15 minutes before digging in!
Pro Tips
- In step 12, make sure the logs of butter you place in the rolled-out triangle are frozen. Melted or softened butter won’t give the same result.
- Each log of butter should be 10 grams (2.5” wide). After slicing, freeze them for a couple of hours so they’re frozen solid.
- In step 14, spray the puffed-up salt bread rolls with water. This will give you a crispy crust.
- Want extra crispy shio pan bread? Toss a cup of ice on the bottom tray of your preheated oven right when you slide in the rolls. The steam from the ice will make them extra crispy.
- When the butter melts, it will spill over on the tray, leaving the center of the roll hollow. This will make the bottom of the rolls crisp and crunchy, so its all good!
- Though cup measurements are very convenient, this recipe for salted butter rolls needs accuracy. So, do invest in a kitchen scale. Even a small battery-operated one will make all the difference.
How To Serve
Japanese salt bread is fantastic, fresh out of the oven. The warm, crispy exterior and the melt-in-your-mouth, buttery interior is THE experience you want. Want to make more out of these buttery rolls?
- Breakfast: Pair the Japanese butter rolls with this easy strawberry chia jam, orange marmalade, or apple butter. For a savory twist, smear a bit of cream cheese and top with a slice of smoked salmon. Serve with a refreshing strawberry matcha latte - yum!
- Meals: An excellent side dish alongside salads like this Italian tortellini salad or smashed chickpea salad. They are wonderful dunked in soups like my roasted pumpkin soup or creamy pea soup.
- Sandwiches: The sturdy and tender texture holds up well to a variety of fillings: ham, cheese, roasted vegetables, fresh mozzarella, and pesto.
Recipe FAQS
Yes, you can! After the first fold (step 5 in my shio pan bread recipe), you can refrigerate the dough. The next day, when you’re ready to bake, continue from step 6 of the recipe.
This recipe uses salted butter. I used Amul. Whatever is easily available to you will do here. Just in case you’re feeling fancy, switch to creamy European-style butter.
These rolls are best eaten the same day. Any leftovers need to be wrapped (or kept in an airtight container) and refrigerated. Reheat in an oven or air fryer. Don’t use a microwave, as it will make the rolls soggy.
📖 Recipe
Salted Butter Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
- 75 gm Water, lukewarm
- 84 gm Milk, lukewarm
- 1 tsp Dried active yeast
- 1.5 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Salted butter, melted
- 240 gm All-purpose flour
- 60 gms Salted butter, cut into small logs about 2.5" wide and frozen
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine water, milk, and yeast. Stir well.
- Whisk in the sugar, salt, and melted butter.
- Now add the flour and mix well using a spatula or your hands. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky to the touch.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 50 minutes.
- After 50 minutes are over, it's time for the first fold. Bring a quarter of the dough over to the center. Repeat 3 more times, with each quarter of the dough.
- Cover the bowl again and let the dough proof for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Gently deflate the dough and transfer it to your work surface.
- Divide the dough equally into 6 pieces, approximately 70 grams each.
- Roll each dough piece into a ball and place the dough balls on a parchment-covered baking tray.Cover the tray with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let the dough balls rest for 20 minutes.
- Now we preshape:Roll each dough ball into a teardrop shape. Place on the tray, cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and rest for 30 minutes.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough into a long triangle, about 18" long and 3"-3.5" wide at the base.
- Place a frozen log of butter on the wide end of the triangle and start rolling the dough over the butter so it's completely covered with the dough, then keep rolling the dough until the tapered end of the dough.Repeat with the other dough pieces.
- Place the shaped rolls on the baking tray, cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and place in a draft-free place for 1 hour or until the rolls are puffy.
- Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 200 C / 392 F.
- When the rolls are puffy, spray them evenly with water, sprinkle some sea salt flakes on top, and bake at 200 C / 392 F for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Some of the butter would have melted out onto the baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to spread this butter on the rolls.
- Transfer the rolls to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes, then enjoy!
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