Fluffy Condensed Milk Bread

Fluffy Condensed Milk Bread is ultra soft, rich and buttery bread recipe! This easy yeast bread is an egg free variation of Brioche bread that rivals Brioche's soft and fluffy texture. It's simple, yet so satisfying and full of sweet buttery flavor!

Prefer wholewheat? Try Wholewheat Sourdough Bread!

Condensed milk bread is a rich, ultra-soft, slightly sweet yeast bread made with sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, flour, and butter for a tender crumb and glossy finish that feels like a cross between Hawaiian rolls and Japanese milk bread.

This artisan quality Fluffy Condensed Milk Bread recipe is absolute heaven when it comes out fresh and warm from the oven. Stunningly golden and luminous, this soft condensed milk bread just glows.

Love Bread? You might also like Dutch Oven Bread and Buttermilk Bread.

What is Condensed Milk Bread

• Milky aroma and shiny crust: Condensed milk bread is an enriched yeast bread where sweetened condensed milk replaces part of the sugar and milk, giving a tight but pillowy crumb, milky aroma, and a naturally shiny crust.
• The dough is soft and slightly sticky: It bakes up tall and fluffy, and is often finished with a condensed‑milk‑and‑butter glaze for extra sweetness.

Why you Will Love Condensed Milk Bread

• Color - The fat and milk solids in butter contribute to French bread's golden, beautifully caramelized crust when baked.
• Texture - Because fat in the butter tenderizes the dough, the texture and crumb is soft and delicate rather than chewy.
• Flavor - Oh buttery flavor! I love the creamy depth butter adds to this delicious french bread!

Ingredients

• Butter - This is a rich dough, meaning it has fat to help guarantee softness. Butter is responsible for richness, tenderness and flavor of many French breads. It's a prominent ingredient in French cuisine, so its use in French bread making is very common. Additionally, it tenderizes bread dough and limits gluten development, yielding a softer, more tender crumb and a richer flavor.
• Salt - Dough is bland without salt and salt also strengthens gluten.
• Flour - Flour is the foundation of the bread. You can use either all-purpose flour or bread flour. I use regular flour in all my bread recipes so I know it works well. However, since bread flour has a higher protein content, it will help create the gluten structure necessary for good bread texture. So, it's your call.
• Whole milk - The fat and lactose in milk help with tenderizing the crumb of the bread making it softer and sweeter.
• Sweetened condensed milk - this will give our soft bread a caramelized taste. So delicious!
• Sugar - just 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar.
• Instant yeast - has smaller granules and activates quickly. That's why we use quick rising yeast - to make the bread rise. Dough made with instant yeast and shaped into a loaf will rise to its optimal height significantly more quickly than a shaped loaf made with regular yeast.
• Salt - Salt adds taste but especially helps bring out the flavors and aromas present in the flour and other ingredients of this condensed milk bread.

Tools and Equipment

• A stand mixer with dough hook makes handling enriched, sticky dough much easier, especially for newer bakers.
• A standard loaf pan or cake pan works well; the bread can also be shaped into pull‑apart rolls in a square pan or as free‑form rolls on a baking sheet.

Step‑by‑step: how to make condensed milk bread

1. Mix the dough

• Combine dry ingredients (flour, yeast, salt) in the mixer bowl, taking care not to let salt sit directly on yeast.
• Whisk together the wet ingredients (whole milk, sweetened condensed milk) at room temperature so they blend easily and don't shock the yeast.
• Slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry until a shaggy, cohesive dough forms and no dry pockets remain.

2. Add Butter

• Mix until the dough begins to smooth out and pull from the bowl in strands.
• Add softened butter a piece at a time, waiting until each piece is fully absorbed before adding the next; this preserves the gluten structure and prevents a greasy dough.
• Continue kneading until the dough is smooth, elastic, and can be stretched into a thin "windowpane" without tearing.

3. First Rise

• Turn the dough onto a very lightly floured surface; avoid heavy dusting so you don't stiffen the dough.
• Knead briefly by hand to tighten it into a smooth ball, then place it seam‑side down in a lightly greased bowl.
• Cover and let rise in a warm, draft‑free spot until roughly doubled in size, about 1 hour; but time will vary with room temperature and yeast strength.

4. Shape the Loaf

• Slice into even pieces and arrange them in the pan like pull‑apart rolls.
• Optional: For dinner rolls, divide into equal balls, tighten the surface by tucking edges underneath, and arrange in a greased square or round pan.

5. Second Rise

• Cover loosely and let the shaped dough rise again until puffy and almost doubled; the dough should slowly spring back when gently pressed with a fingertip.
• Over‑proofed dough often shows large surface bubbles and feels fragile; get it into the oven before it collapses.

6. Make an Egg Wash

While there is no egg in the dough, this is something optional you can do to make your bread appear shiny on the outside. All you need is a whisk to beat the egg, and a brush to paint it on the bread.

6. Bake and Glaze

• Brush the tops with an egg‑and‑milk wash for deep color and shine.
• Bake at moderate heat until the top is golden and the internal temperature is fully cooked; enriched breads need enough time to set without drying.
• While still warm, brush with a condensed‑milk‑and‑butter glaze for extra flavor and a soft, slightly sticky crust, or serve the glaze on the side if you prefer less mess.

Expert Tips for a Fluffy Loaf

Small technique tweaks make a big difference in this style of bread.

• Use room‑temperature liquids and butter so the dough comes together smoothly and yeast activity is not slowed.
• Resist adding large amounts of flour; enriched doughs should stay soft and slightly tacky for the best rise.
• Give the dough enough time to rise by volume, not by the clock, especially in cooler climates.
• Avoid opening the oven repeatedly; temperature swings can cause uneven baking and dryness.

Frequently asked questions

• Can condensed milk bread be made in a bread machine?
  Yes, many bakers have success using a bread machine for kneading and sometimes baking, though oven baking usually gives a lighter crust and taller loaf. Use the "sweet" or "milk bread" cycle if available and ensure the recipe size fits your machine's capacity.
• Can this dough be refrigerated overnight?
  The dough can be chilled for a slow first rise; refrigerate tightly covered after kneading and bring back to cool‑room temperature before shaping and completing the second rise. This improves flavor and can make scheduling easier.
• Is condensed milk bread similar to Hawaiian rolls or Hokkaido milk bread?
  Condensed milk bread shares the same pillowy, enriched character as Hawaiian rolls and Hokkaido milk bread, but it leans more toward sweetness and condensed‑milk flavor than tangzhong‑based recipes. All three styles emphasize a soft, shreddable crumb and gentle sweetness that works for both sweet and savory uses
• What is an egg wash? Egg wash is simply a mix of beaten whole egg and water (or milk or cream), which is used to brush onto the top of bread before baking. You can vary it by using yolks only, whites only, or by altering the amount of water you add to vary the amount of shine.

Condensed milk bread is dense or heavy

A dense loaf is usually due to under‑kneaded dough that never becomes smooth and elastic or under‑proofed dough that barely rose, or over‑proofed dough that rose too long and collapsed internally

Fixes:

• Knead until the dough stretches thin without tearing (windowpane), whether by mixer or hand.
• Keep the dough on the softer, slightly tacky side and flour your hands/surface instead of dumping flour into the dough.
• Proof by volume, not time: the dough should roughly double and slowly spring back when gently poked.

Dough is too wet, sticky, and won't pull from the bowl

Soft, enriched dough should be tacky, but not soupy. If your kitchen is too warm or butter or condensed milk are too warm - they will loose the dough.

Condensed milk bread didn't rise or rose very little

Poor rise is almost always yeast‑related (old, expired, or killed by hot liquid yeast) or temperature‑related (very cold kitchen slows down fermentation).

Pro Tip: Make sure to always hydrate active dry yeast before adding to the dough; instant yeast can go straight into flour. Proof in a slightly warm spot (like an off oven with the light on) and be patient until dough roughly doubles.

What if My Condensed Milk Bread is Dry and Crumbly

This happens due to too much flower (especially when added later), not enough fat incorporated properly or over baking or an oven that runs hot.

Pro Tips: Measure flour carefully and stop adding as soon as dough is soft and elastic. Bake just until golden and cooked through, not to a dark, thick crust. Make sure butter is added after gluten develops and is fully absorbed, not melting in a hot bowl.

Substitutions and Variations

• Flour options:
  1. Cake flour: Produces an especially tender, soft crumb but can be more fragile and requires gentle handling.
  2. All‑purpose flour: A good middle ground; for a cake‑flour‑like effect, some bakers replace a small portion of all‑purpose flour with cornstarch.
  3. Bread flour: Creates more chew and structure; helpful for very wet doughs or when using melted butter instead of softened.
• Yeast types: Instant yeast can be mixed straight into flour and is ideal for double‑rise breads like this. Active dry yeast: Works well if properly hydrated in warm liquid before mixing; expect slightly longer rising times.
• Sweetened condensed milk vs sugar: Condensed milk adds more than sweetness-it contributes milk solids and thickness; replacing it entirely with sugar and extra milk will lighten the flavor and alter browning.
• Dairy alternatives: Unsweetened plant milks can be used in place of whole milk, but the bread may be less rich and brown less deeply.
• For lower‑lactose options: Consider lactose‑free milk while keeping sweetened condensed milk for structure.

Flavor Ideas

• Hawaiian‑style sweet rolls: Shape into small pull‑apart rolls; bake in a cake pan and glaze generously to mimic soft packaged Hawaiian rolls.
• Japanese condensed milk swirl: Spread a paste of condensed milk and very soft butter over rolled‑out dough before shaping to create sweet swirls inside the crumb.
• Cinnamon raisin or fruit buns: Knead in dried fruit at the end of mixing, or sprinkle cinnamon sugar and fruit over the dough before rolling it up.
• Filled rolls: Add chocolate, red bean paste, or nut fillings before rolling and shaping into buns; reduce added sugar in fillings or glaze to keep the bread from being overly sweet.

Serving Ideas

Condensed milk bread is versatile enough for breakfast, snacks, and dessert.

• Serve warm slices with butter, jam, or orange marmalade for breakfast or brunch.
• Use thick slices as "pocket" bread for Pan-Seared Chicken Breast, Easy Pan-Seared Pork Chops, or egg salad sandwiches; the soft crumb holds fillings without falling apart.
• Toast leftover slices and top with fruit and whipped cream for an easy dessert, or cube them for condensed‑milk bread pudding or French toast bakes.

Storage and freezing

• Room temperature: Wrap tightly in plastic or store in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to several days; avoid refrigeration, which accelerates staling.
• Freezing: Cool completely, wrap tightly (preferably in two layers), and freeze as a whole loaf or slices; slices are easier to thaw and toast.
• Thawing: Let thaw on a rack at room temperature, then refresh in a low oven or toaster to bring back softness and aroma.

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