Vegan Peanut Bao Buns (Pau Kacang Tanah)
Pillowy steamed pau filled with sweet, crushed peanuts. Pau kacang tanah is a nostalgic Malaysian favourite, the toasty peanut centre wrapped in soft, cloud-like dough.
By Farah
· December 2025
Prep 30 min · Cook 10 min · Rest 1.5 hr
Makes 10 · 282 kcal per bun
Contains Gluten (wheat), Peanuts Allergen detail ↓
Pau kacang tanah is the peanut version of the sweet steamed buns sold in Malaysian coffee shops and morning markets. It's less common than the red bean version most people picture when they think of sweet bao, but it was always my favourite growing up.
The traditional recipe is already plant-based: peanuts, sugar and margarine for the filling, water in the dough. So this version isn't an adaptation, it's the original. The peanuts also make these buns surprisingly high in protein for a sweet snack.
These peanut steamed buns are soft and light with a warm nutty centre that melts slightly when you bite in. The dough stays tender from gentle steaming and the peanut mixture adds a simple comforting flavour that reminds me of home. They are lovely as a snack, breakfast treat or an easy dessert and they reheat well in the steamer or microwave with a splash of water.
This recipe makes 10 buns.
Let’s cook
Ingredients
Peanut Filling
- 200 g peanuts
- 50 g coconut sugaror normal sugar
- 2 tbsp vegan butteror margarine
- a pinch of salt
Dough
- 300 g all purpose flourI use 9% protein content
- 1 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 2.5 tbsp sugar
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 150 ml lukewarm water
- 2 tsp neutral oil
Making the peanut filling
Toast the peanuts
Place the raw peanuts in a dry pan over medium heat and toast gently for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until lightly golden and fragrant.
Alternatively, roast the peanuts in a preheated oven at 170°C for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Let them cool slightly before blending.
Blend until coarse
Add the toasted peanuts to a blender or food processor. Pulse a few times until the texture is coarse and crumbly, not smooth. The mixture should still have visible peanut pieces, as shown in the picture.
Mix the filling
Transfer the ground peanuts to a bowl. Add the coconut sugar, vegan butter, and salt. Mix well until everything is evenly combined and slightly sticky.
Shape the filling
Divide the mixture into portions weighing 25 to 28 g each. Roll gently into balls and place them on a plate.
Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the dough. Chilling helps the filling stay firm when shaping the buns.
Making the dough
Mix the dry ingredients
Add the flour, sugar, instant yeast, and baking powder to a large bowl. Stir briefly to combine evenly.
Add the liquids
Pour in the lukewarm water and neutral oil. Lukewarm, not hot. Water that is too warm will kill the yeast. Mix with a spoon or your hands until a rough dough forms.
Knead until smooth
Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, soft, and elastic. The dough should feel supple and no longer sticky.
First proof
Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Leave to proof at room temperature for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Remove excess air and divide
Once doubled, gently punch down the dough to remove excess air. Divide into 10 equal portions and roll each into a smooth ball.
Shaping and steaming the buns
Fill and shape the bao
Flatten one dough ball into a disc, keeping the centre slightly thicker than the edges.
Place one chilled peanut filling ball in the centre. Gather the edges up and around the filling, pinch to seal, and gently roll to form a smooth bun with the seam underneath.
Prepare for steaming
Place each bun on a small square of parchment paper. This prevents sticking and makes lifting easier.
Second proof
Arrange the buns in the steamer with space between them. Cover and let proof for 20 to 30 minutes until slightly puffy.
Steam
Steam over boiling water for 8 minutes. Once done, turn off the heat and leave the lid on for 2 minutes before opening. This helps prevent the buns from collapsing.
Serve
Enjoy your hot, soft, and fluffy peanut buns while they are fresh from the steamer.
No talking. Just the making.
3:14 · Farah's Foods on YouTube
Get to know it
The full picture
Always check your own packets; shared processing varies by brand.
Nutrition
An estimate per bun, from the ingredients listed.
This recipe is traditionally vegan, like many Malaysian kuih.
Percent daily values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values vary with the brands you use.
Notes
- Peanut texture matters. Blend the peanuts until coarse, not smooth. Over blending will release too much oil and turn the filling greasy.
- Chill the filling. Refrigerating the peanut balls makes shaping much easier and helps keep the filling centred inside the bun.
- Water temperature. Lukewarm water should feel warm to the touch but not hot. Hot water can weaken the yeast and slow the rise.
- Steamer spacing. Leave space between buns in the steamer. They expand as they cook and need room to stay round.
- Opening the lid. Always rest the buns with the lid on for two minutes after steaming. This prevents sudden temperature changes that can cause wrinkles.
Swaps
Coconut sugar gives a deeper, less sharp sweetness, but plain sugar works. Any vegan butter or margarine is fine. Plain flour is best here; a lower-protein flour (around 9%) keeps the buns soft rather than chewy. If you only have salted roasted peanuts, skip the toasting step and cut the added salt.
Texture and sweetness
These peanut buns are lightly sweet rather than dessert sweet. The coconut sugar adds depth without overpowering the nutty flavour, making them suitable for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
Peanut choice
Raw peanuts work best for this recipe as you can control the roast level. Avoid pre roasted salted peanuts as they can throw off the balance of sweetness and salt.
Storage
These buns are best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat by steaming or microwaving for a few minutes until soft and warm again.
Freezing
The shaped buns can be frozen after the second proof but before steaming. Steam directly from frozen, adding two to three extra minutes. Alternatively, fully cooked buns can be frozen and reheated in the microwave until warm and soft. Cover lightly to prevent them drying out.
If the buns wrinkle or collapse: leave the lid on for two minutes after the heat is off, and steam over medium rather than high. A sudden temperature change is what shrinks the skin.
If the dough will not rise: the water was probably too hot and killed the yeast, or the room is cold. Use lukewarm water, around body temperature, and give it the full hour somewhere warm.
If the filling leaks: the peanut balls were too soft or the seam was not sealed. Chill the filling first and pinch the seam firmly with the seam underneath.
Best warm from the steamer with tea or coffee, as a breakfast or an afternoon snack.
The quiet science
Bamboo steamer is ideal as its natural material absorbs condensation rather than dripping it on the buns.
Leftovers, used well
Keep leftover buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, refrigerate for up to 3 days. Avoid leaving them uncovered as they dry out quickly.
You can also freeze them in a zip-lock bag for up to 1 month.
To reheat, steam or microwave from frozen.
Questions
Why do my steamed buns wrinkle or collapse?
Why is my dough not rising?
Can I use peanut butter instead of ground peanuts?
I don't recommend it. Peanut butter is too oily and wet, so the filling slumps and leaks out during steaming. Coarsely ground roasted peanuts give the filling a crumbly texture that holds its shape inside the bun. If you want to use peanut butter, mix it in with ground roasted peanuts to firm it up.
Can I make these buns less sweet?
Yes, easily. Cut the coconut sugar in the filling from 50g down to about 35g, and you can reduce the sugar in the dough a little too. I would not remove it completely, as a small amount feeds the yeast and helps the dough rise. A slightly bigger pinch of salt also balances the sweetness without changing the texture.
What flour is best for steamed buns?
A low protein plain flour, around 9 to 10 percent protein, gives the softest and fluffiest steamed buns, and that is what I use here. Higher protein bread flour builds more gluten and makes the buns chewy and dense rather than light. Standard plain flour still works, the buns just come out a touch less pillowy.
Can I steam without a bamboo steamer?
Doubling the batch
- This recipe doubles or triples easily. Dough and filling scale proportionally.
- Make the peanut filling a day ahead and refrigerate to make it easy for you the next day.
- Divide and shape all buns before the second proof. Keep unsteamed buns covered with a damp cloth while waiting for their turn.
- Do not freeze uncooked shaped buns as the dough degrades.
Bring it to the table
Pour something
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