Happy Friday! Lunar New Year is next week and I’m excited to share these Mickey Shaped Hot Dog Buns! Inspired by the ones at Disney California Adventure, these Mickey shaped milk bread buns are filled with sliced hot dogs and topped with green onions!
Hong Kong style hot dog buns are a staple in many Chinese bakeries. Made with sweet milk bread, they’re similar to a pig in a blanket. Usually they’re made in a flower shape and topped with green onions and toasted sesame seeds. As part of their Lunar New Year celebrations, Disney California Adventure makes a Mickey shaped versions of this bun. I can’t resist a Mickey shaped treat and so I decided to make these at home!
Disclaimer: Links in this post are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn a very small amount from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog!
For these buns, I adapted a recipe from a wonderful cookbook called Mooncakes & Milk Bread. Overall, the buns are straight-forward to make but they do require a chunk of time to proof and rest. For the milk bread, you’ll start by making a tangzhong, which is basically a roux made with flour and milk.
To make the tangzhong, combine the flour and milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a paste, 2-3 minutes. Then, transfer the paste into a small bowl and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir the yeast, a pinch of sugar, and warm milk together in small bowl. Let rest until the top of the mixture is foamy, 5-10 minutes.
Next, make the rest of the milk bread dough by combining the sugar, flour, salt, and egg in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the tangzhong and yeast mixture mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms.
Then, add the butter, one piece at time, mixing until each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next. Once the butter has been incorporated. increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the soft, smooth, and slightly sticky, about 8-9 minutes.
Use damp hands to shape the dough into a smooth ball, pinching and pulling the ends together and place the dough ball into a large, greased mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
While the dough is resting, line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Once the dough has proofed, punch it down in the bowl, then transfer to a lightly floured workspace. Roll the dough out to ¼ – ½ inch thickness. Use a large Mickey Mouse cookie cutter to cut out the shapes. I used a large Mickey Mouse cutter from the Parks, but there are a lot of options available on Amazon.
Place the cut out dough shapes onto the parchment lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Firmly press 3-4 pieces of hot dog into the ears and face portion of the dough.Cover the buns with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Whisk together the egg and heavy cream to make the egg wash. Brush each bun with egg wash and sprinkle with green onion and sesame seeds. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the buns are golden brown. Serve warm or cool completely to serve later.
Enjoy these Mickey Shaped Hot Dog Buns! Happy Lunar New Year!
Mickey Shaped Hot Dog Buns
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons bread flour
Milk Bread Hot Dog Buns
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon milk, warmed to 110 F
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- pinch granulated sugar, for the yeast
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 2/3 cups bread flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, for the bowl
- 6 hot dogs, cut into quarters
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions, only the green parts
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
Tangzhong
-
Combine the flour and milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a paste, 2-3 minutes.
-
Transfer the paste into a small bowl and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
Milk Bread Hot Dog Buns
-
Stir the yeast, pinch of sugar, and warm milk together in small bowl. Let rest until the top of the mixture is foamy, 5-10 minutes.
-
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the sugar, flour, salt, and egg. Add the tangzhong and yeast mixture mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms.
-
Add the butter, one piece at time, mixing until each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next.
-
Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the soft, smooth, and slightly sticky, about 8-9 minutes.
-
Use damp hands to shape the dough into a smooth ball, pinching and pulling the ends together.
-
Place the dough ball into a large, greased mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Hot Dog Bun Assembly
-
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
-
Punch the dough down in the bowl, then transfer to a lightly floured workspace. Roll the dough out to ¼ – ½ inch thickness. Use a large Mickey Mouse cookie cutter to cut out the shapes.
-
Place the cut out dough shapes onto the parchment lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Firmly press 3-4 pieces of hot dog into the ears and face portion of the dough.
-
Cover the buns with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
-
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Whisk together the egg and heavy cream to make the egg wash.
-
Brush each bun with egg wash and sprinkle with green onion and sesame seeds.
-
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the buns are golden brown. Serve warm or cool completely.
Recipe Notes
adapted from Mooncakes & Milk Bread