Panini al Latte, Soft and Easy Milk Bread Buns. Quick and easy to make, these Italian milk buns are a favorite family bake, appreciated by kids, grown-ups, and elderly people alike. Try it today and bring to the table a cute and tasty bread.
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Panini al latte
To explain, panini al latte means milk buns in Italian. They are soft, tasty little bread buns that you can buy in every panetteria, forno, or panificio (Italian bakery). Great on their own in place of bread, they are also wonderful stuffed either savory or sweet. Panini al latte, together with ciabatta bread, and no-knead rustic bread, are my favorite bread to bake and eat.
Recipe credit
I loved this recipe from the cookbook "Panetteria" by Gennaro Contaldo. I actually loved many recipes from this book. They are classic Italian baked good recipes, easy to make, and always delicious. This would make for a great stocking stuffer.
Ingredients
This is what you will need to make 9 cute buns:
- active dry or fresh baker's yeast
- sugar
- milk
- white bread flour, or 00, or all-purpose
- salt
- egg
- butter
- egg yolk mixed with a little milk
- sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds for the top
The dough step by step
As a matter of fact, the dough is quite simple to make. You can use a bowl and your hands to knead, or the stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. I did it by hand.
- Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the lukewarm milk.
- In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook, combine the flour, and salt. Add the beaten the egg, and mix, then add the softened butter and mix again.
- Slowly add the milk/yeast mixture and knead with your hands or with the hook in the mixer, for about 10 minutes, until soft and smooth.
- Form it into a ball, cover with a cloth (a clean shower cap, or plastic wrap, work too), and let rise for 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size. I usually place my dough to proof in the oven, turned off, and with the light on.
- After that time, punch the dough down and knead it for a couple of minutes, then divide it into 9-12 pieces, more or less the same size.
- At this point shape each piece into a ball, or roll it into a sausage and then roll it into a snail shape.
- Place on the baking sheet, cover with a clean towel, and let rise 30 more minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425F/220C.
- Lastly, brush the top with the yolk/milk mixture, and sprinkle the seeds of your choice.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden.
- Remove from the oven, cool on a rack, and enjoy!
Serving suggestions
All in all, Panini al Latte, Soft and Easy Milk Bread Buns, are a fun addition to the bread basket.
Since they are neutral between sweet and savory, they would be perfect to host jam, marmalade, and chocolate spread. Or go savory and stuff them with cheese and salami.
Even great with a celebratory meal, or party. They would also make for delicious sliders.
Happy baking!
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Panini al Latte, Soft and Easy Milk Bread Buns
Panini al Latte, Soft and Easy Milk Bread Buns. Quick and easy to make, these Italian milk buns are a favorite family bake, appreciated by kids, grown-ups, and elderly people alike. Try it today and bring on the table a cute and tasty bread.
Ingredients
- 6 g (heaping 2 tsp) active dry yeast or 12 g fresh baker's yeast
- ½ tsp sugar
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) lukewarm milk
- 350g (scant 3 cup) white bread flour or 00 flour, or all-purpose
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 50 g (3 ½ Tbsp) butter, softened
- 1 egg yolk mixed with a little milk to brush on top
- sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds for the top
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the lukewarm milk.
- In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook, combine the flour, and salt. Add the beaten the egg, and mix, then add the softened butter and mix again.
- Slowly add the milk/yeast mixture and knead with your hands on with the hook in the mixer for about 10 minutes, until soft.
- Shape it into a ball, cover with a cloth, a clean shower cap, or plastic wrap, and let rise for 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size. I usually place my dough to proof in the oven, turned off, and with the light on.
- After that time, punch the dough down and knead it for a couple of minutes, then divide it into 12 pieces, more or less the same size.
- At this point shape each piece into a ball, or roll it into a sausage and then roll it into a snail shape.
- Place on the baking sheet, cover with a clean towel, and let rise 30 more minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425F/220C.
- Lastly, brush the top with the yolk/milk mixture, and sprinkle the seeds of your choice.
- Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden.
- Remove from the oven, cool on a rack, and enjoy!
Notes
They freeze well. I placed a few in a Ziplock bag in the freezer. Let thaw at room temperature.
I love baking and kneading dough because it takes me to a happy place in my soul.
May says
These came out of the oven so fluffy and tender! I swapped the milk for soy milk but it worked perfectly. It was really good with a pumpkin soup I made for my family. Thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
Thank you! Yes, they are so soft and tasty!
Journa Liz Ramirez says
Wow! This recipe is amazing! The buns are soft and so tasty. Would probably make this again.
★★★★★
Thanks for the feedback! We make them often 🙂 .
Natalia says
I love baking but I never have made buns. This recipe seems super easy to follow and the buns look irresistible. Definitely going to give this a go, thank you so much for the recipe!
Hope you try them! Quite tasty and irresistible.
Min says
These are so incredibly soft and delicious. It wasn't as hard as I feared either! Truly an awesome recipe. Thank you!
★★★★★
Thank you for the feedback! Not so hard to make and so good to eat :).
Katie Crenshaw says
These milk bread buns come out perfect! I was surprised at how easy they were to make and they taste incredible!
★★★★★
Thank you so much!!
Laura says
What a lovely recipe! We made these panini and stuffed them with chocolate and almonds spread, it was just too good! Next time we will try something savory.
★★★★★
Stuffing them with chocolate spread is my favorite! Thank you!
Kari Heron | Chef and Steward says
Oh my, what have I discovered here! This is definitely a recipe I’m printing out to make over the holidays!
★★★★★
Thanks for the love!
Tristin says
We loved these little rolls! They were so light and fluffy. Perfect match with some hot soup.
★★★★★
Thank you! They go well with soup.
Moop Brown says
These buns are perfect for the holidays and they look super soft and tasty as well.
★★★★★
Thank you! Yes, they could be a nice addition to a holiday table.
Anna says
I made them with the strong bread flour and they came out fantastic! So soft and so fluffy!!! Absolutely delicious with some butter or jam, but equally good on their own!
★★★★★
Thanks so much! Yes, great use the bread flour!
LaKita says
These milk bread buns came out so soft, fluffy, and delicious! My family couldn't wait for them to come out of the oven before devouring them!
★★★★★
Thanks! We can relate :). Warm out of the oven they are amazing!