Hua juan (steamed scallion flower rolls)
Vegetarian
葱油花卷 · cōngyóu huājuǎn
Fluffy steamed buns rolled with spring onion, oil and salt, then twisted into knotted 'flowers' that show off their layers. An everyday northern Chinese breakfast bread.
Hua juan (steamed scallion flower rolls) is a Chinese bread from China, ready in about 2 hours 15 minutes and made with all-purpose flour and spring onion. It serves 10 and is rated intermediate to cook.
No licensed photograph of this dish yet.
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Rest
- 1 h 25 min
- Total
- 2 h 15 min
- Serves
- 10
- Level
- Intermediate
- Calories
- 140
Method
Step 1
Mix the flour, yeast and sugar (opens in a new tab), add the water and knead 10 minutes to a smooth, fairly firm dough. Cover and leave until doubled, 60 minutes.
How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels Step 2
Knead the dough briefly to expel the air, then roll into a 3 mm thick rectangle about 40 × 30 cm. Brush with the oil, sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper and spring onion (opens in a new tab).
Step 3
Fold into three like a letter along the long side, then cut across into 20 strips about 2 cm wide. Stack two strips, press a chopstick lengthwise along the middle, then stretch the ends and twist them under to form a knot.
Step 4
Set on squares of baking paper in a steamer (opens in a new tab), cover and proof 20–25 minutes until slightly puffy and light.
Step 5
Place over boiling water and steam on high for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the lid on for 3–5 minutes before opening, so the rolls don't collapse or wrinkle.
- 15 min
- high heat
- Steamer (opens in a new tab)
- Wok (opens in a new tab)
About this dish
- Origin
- Northern China, China · Well documentedAlso popular in TaiwanMore food from China
- Dish
- Breakfast · Snack · Breads & flatbreads · Side dishes
- Cooking method
- Steamed, Fermented
- Taste
- savoury, salty, mild
- Diet
- Vegan · Dairy-free · No nut ingredientsWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Vegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · DASH-style - Good for
- Freezer-friendly · Budget-friendly · Everyday
- Cook more with
- All-purpose flour · Spring onion · Instant yeast · Sugar
- Techniques
- Boiling · Steaming · Kneading · Fermentation
Allergens
- Contains: Wheatfrom all-purpose flour
- Contains: Glutenfrom all-purpose flour
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
140 kcal per serving
Calculated1 serving ≈ 52 g · recipe makes 10
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 10%
- Carbohydrate 71%
- Fat 20%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 140 kcal | 269 kcal |
| Protein | 3.3 g | 6.4 g |
| Carbohydrate | 24.5 g | 47 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 23.4 g | 45 g |
| Sugars | 1.2 g | 2.3 g |
| Added sugars | 1 g | 1.9 g |
| Fibre | 1 g | 2 g |
| Fat | 3 g | 5.9 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.3 g | 0.5 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 235 mg | 452 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 0.6 g | 1.1 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 52 mg
- Calcium
- 11 mg
- Iron
- 1.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 8 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 3 µg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 98 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- Optional ingredients are not included: white pepper, sichuan peppercorns.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Wrap the steamer lid in a cloth so condensation doesn't drip onto the buns.
Common mistakes
- Over-proofed rolls lose their shape and go wrinkled after steaming.
Serve with
- Serve with soy milk and pickles for breakfast, or with braised dishes and stews.
Storage
- Refrigerate 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.
Reheating
- Steam 5–8 minutes (10–12 from frozen).
Variations
- Plain hua juan: Omit the spring onion and use oil and a little sugar for a sweet version.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.
Baker’s notes
Customise in Bread & BakeryTimeline and readiness cues
Mix and knead · about 35 min
Weigh everything. Knead until smooth and elastic: a small piece stretches thin enough to see light through (the windowpane test).
First rise (bulk) · about 1 h
About doubled, domed, jiggly, with bubbles on the sides. A floured finger poked in leaves a dent that fills slowly.
Final proof · about 25 min
Poke test: the dent springs back slowly and only partly. Springs back fast = needs longer; doesn't spring back = over-proofed, bake now.
Bake · about 15 min
Deep golden; bread sounds hollow when tapped underneath, or reads 93–96 °C inside (enriched breads 88–90 °C).
- Start to finish: about 2 h 15 min. Times are a guide — warmth changes everything; follow the cues.
The dough
| Ingredient | Role | Weight | Baker’s % |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | Flour | 300 g | 100% |
| Water | Water | 160 g | 53.3% |
| Sugar | Sugar | 10 g | 3.3% |
| Instant yeast | Yeast | 3 g | 1% |
- Total flour
- 300 g
- Hydration
- 53.3%
- With milk, eggs…
- 53.3%
- Wholegrain
- 0%
Hydration = water ÷ flour × 100. Milk is about 87% water and eggs about 75%, so they’re shown separately as “with milk, eggs…”.
- Stiff dough (under 55% hydration) — firm, easy to roll; typical of bagels, pretzels and many flatbreads.
If something goes wrong
Dense, heavy loaf
Likely causes
- Under-kneaded (weak gluten)
- Under-proofed
- Old or dead yeast/starter
- Too much wholegrain flour without extra water
What to do
- Knead to the windowpane stage
- Proof by the poke test, not the clock
- Test yeast in warm water with sugar; feed the starter and use it at its peak
- Add 5–10% more water for wholegrain flours and give them a rest
Gummy or wet crumb
Likely causes
- Under-baked
- Sliced while hot
- Hydration too high for the flour
What to do
- Bake to 93–96 °C inside (cakes: clean skewer)
- Cool completely on a rack before slicing
- Reduce water by 3–5% or use a stronger flour
Spreads flat / no oven spring
Likely causes
- Over-proofed
- Weak shaping (no surface tension)
- Oven not hot enough
- Too much water for the flour
What to do
- Shorten the proof; bake when the poke springs back slowly
- Shape tightly so the skin is taut
- Preheat fully (30+ minutes; with a stone or Dutch oven, 45)
- Lower hydration or use bread flour
Collapsed or sunken middle
Likely causes
- Oven door opened too early
- Too much leavening or sugar
- Under-baked centre
- Over-proofed yeast dough
What to do
- Don't open the oven for the first two-thirds of baking
- Measure leaveners exactly with spoons, levelled
- Test the centre before removing
- Proof less
Pale crust
Likely causes
- Oven too cool
- Too little sugar or no milk/egg for browning
- Over-fermented (yeast ate the sugars)
What to do
- Check the oven with a thermometer
- Brush with egg wash or milk
- Shorten the fermentation
Burnt bottom
Likely causes
- Tray too close to the heat
- Dark tray absorbs more heat
- Too much sugar in the dough
What to do
- Bake on the middle shelf
- Double up trays or use a light-coloured one
- Lower the temperature 10–15 °C and bake a little longer
Crust too hard or thick
Likely causes
- Baked too long at too low a temperature
- No steam at the start
What to do
- Bake hotter for a shorter time
- Add steam for the first 15 minutes (tray of boiling water, or a covered Dutch oven)
- Cool under a tea towel for a softer crust
Big holes or tunnels
Likely causes
- Overmixed batter (cakes, muffins)
- Air trapped while shaping bread
- Uneven proof
What to do
- Mix quick breads only until no dry flour shows
- Degas gently and shape tightly
- Proof covered in an even, warm place
Dough didn't rise
Likely causes
- Dead yeast (expired or killed by hot liquid)
- Kitchen too cold
- Salt in direct contact with fresh yeast
- Starter not active
What to do
- Liquid should be lukewarm (no hotter than 40 °C)
- Proof somewhere warm (an oven with just the light on)
- Mix the salt into the flour, not onto the yeast
- Feed the starter until it doubles in 4–8 hours
Over-proofed (sour smell, collapses when scored)
Likely causes
- Too warm
- Too much yeast
- Left too long
What to do
- Knock back, reshape and proof again briefly (yeast doughs)
- Use less yeast or a cooler proof
- Set a timer and check early with the poke test
Dry or crumbly
Likely causes
- Too much flour (scooped, not weighed)
- Over-baked
- Too little fat or sugar
What to do
- Weigh flour, or spoon it into the cup and level
- Check 5 minutes early
- Don't cut fat or sugar by more than a quarter without another moisture source
Reviews & corrections
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