Steamed Manju (Japanese Red Bean Buns)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Medium

Manju are small Japanese buns with a thin, tender, brown-sugar-scented skin wrapped around smooth sweet red bean paste. This version steams the dough with baking powder for a soft, springy skin. Makes 8 buns in about 1 hr 7 min.

Prep 35 min

Cook 12 min

Cooling 20 min

Total 1 hr 7 min

Yield 8 buns

Ingredients

Adjust yield

buns

4 tbsp (50 g)dark brown sugar
3 tbsp (45 ml)hot water
¼ tsp (1 g)baking soda
14 tbsp (100 g)cake flour, sifted with the baking powder
¾ tsp (3 g)baking powder
1 tsp (5 ml)neutral oil
11 ½ oz (320 g)smooth sweet red bean paste (koshi-an), divided into 8 balls
1 tbsp (10 g)cornstarch

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Instructions

Dissolve the brown sugar in the hot water and let cool to lukewarm. Stir in the baking soda.
Add the oil, then the flour and baking powder, mixing to a smooth, soft dough that does not stick to your hands. Wrap and rest 20 minutes.
Roll the bean paste into 8 balls of 40 g each.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces and flatten each into a thin 3-inch (7.5 cm) round on a cornstarch-dusted surface, thinner at the edges.
Set a bean ball in the center, bring the dough up around it and pinch the seam closed. Place seam-side down on a square of parchment.
Steam over high heat for 10 to 12 minutes in a lined steamer with a towel-wrapped lid, until the skin looks puffed and dry.
Cool on a rack for 10 minutes; the skin firms up as it cools.

Tips

Keep the skin thin and even so the filling is the star.
Brush off extra cornstarch before steaming.
A wet bamboo steamer prevents sticking, or use parchment squares.
Good with sencha green tea.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make steamed manju (japanese red bean buns)?

Plan on 35 minutes of prep and 12 minutes of cooking, plus 20 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 8 buns.

How should I store steamed manju (japanese red bean buns)?

Best the same day. Keep covered up to 2 days at room temperature, or freeze and re-steam 5 minutes.

Can I make steamed manju (japanese red bean buns) ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Serve it with sencha green tea.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.

179 Calories / serving

2.7g Fat

36.4g Carbs

2.8g Protein

26.5g Sugar

Whole recipe (8 servings): ~1432 cal · 22g fat · 291g carbs · 22g protein · 212g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.