“Pandesal is a traditional Filipino bread roll that is excellent on its own or with a filling of your choice. This pandesal recipe creates a golden, dusty crust, with a soft and fluffy texture inside. It’s great for breakfast or a snack paired with hot drinks!”

Pandesal is the most popular bread in the Philippines. The aroma, softness, and slight sweetness of these Filipino bread rolls are so captivating.

While the Philippines do not have an official national bread, but due to the popularity of pandesal someone might think that it is. This bread is affordable, filling, and delicious.

Bakeries traditionally offered this bread in the early hours of the morning for breakfast. And also peddle on the streets by bicycle vendors with loud air horns.

I remembered waiting early morning for that bicycle vendor to pass by our house so we could have warm pandesal as our breakfast. This bread has become part of our breakfast meal with fond memories tied with it.

Nowadays, several bakeries now make them available throughout the day. So it can also enjoy as a snack any time of the day.

---

What is pandesal?

Pandesal is a Filipino bread roll that has a pillowy interior coated with breadcrumbs that creates a golden, sandy outside. It is typically made of flour, yeast, sugar, salt, oil, and water.

The name Pandesal or Pan de sal (Spanish) which means “salted bread” originated during the 16th-century Spanish colonial era.

Contrary to its name, this bread is slightly sweet rather than salty in flavor.

This Filipino bread roll is normally baked in the morning for breakfast consumption. These days, this bread roll is also widely consumed throughout the day for breakfast, as a snack, or as part of a bigger meal.

It is commonly served hot and fresh from the oven. Pandesal is eaten in a unique method by the Filipinos: by dipping it into hot coffee, milk, or chocolate.

While the soft, fluffy rolls are delicious on their own, they’re also frequently served with a variety of fillings. It can be slathered with butter, loaded with cheese or eggs, spread with jam or peanut butter, and used as the base for a simple but wonderful sandwich. The possibilities are endless and the limit is your imagination.

What are the characteristics of pandesal?

Some of the distinguishing characteristics of pandesal is that:

• it has pleasant rough texture due to breadcrumbs coating
• has a light brown color and slightly crunchy crust
• it is fluffy and has sweet-salty center
• it has oval-shaped pieces but homemade are also made as round/balls

pandesal recipe Ingredients

Traditional pandesal recipes can be made with only six ingredients: flour, yeast, oil, sugar, salt, and water. But in this recipe, we will add and substitute other ingredients so that it would make our pandesal more delicious.

Wet Ingredients:

Milk or Water. I use fresh milk in this recipe. It gives richer flavor and adds creaminess to the bread. It also makes the crust softer. You can substitute low-fat or reduced-fat milk for full milk. Or use ½ cup evaporated milk and 1/2 cup water will suffice. You can also use plain water if so desired.

Egg & Egg yolk. One of the secrets to making the softest and most delectable pandesal is adding an egg. It also aids in the dough’s rise.

Butter. Instead of oil, I use unsalted butter. This will give the pandesal a delicious buttery flavor and smell. You can substitute margarine, vegetable oil, or lard.

Vanilla Extract. Optional ingredient but recommended as it adds sweetness and flavor in the pandesal.

Dry Ingredients:

Yeast. It is responsible for making the pandesal rise. Making pandesal, or any yeast bread for that matter is all about making sure the yeast is alive and active.

So, even when you use instant dry yeast, make sure to bloom it in lukewarm water (between 105-110 °F / 40-43 °C) with a teaspoon of sugar.

Sugar. Adds sweetness to the bread rolls and helps in blooming the yeast.

Flour. I use half all-purpose flour and half bread flour in this recipe. It is moderately chewy and softer. However, I also have success in making it using plain all-purpose flour.

Salt. Balances the overall flavor of the bread.

Breadcrumbs. Gives the pandesal its signature sandy crust. You can buy breadcrumbs or just make it yourself by placing your bread into a preheated oven for few minutes then let it stay there until the oven temperature goes down. Then using a food processor, pulse until it becomes crumbs.

How to make pandesal

Making this pandesal recipe is quite simple. It only needs little muscle power for kneading and a lot of patience while waiting for it to rise.

In a mixing bowl, pour warm milk, add yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar (from the ½ cup). Mix well until fully combined. Set aside for 5-10 minutes until bubble forms.

Combine the dry ingredients in a separate mixing bowl, beginning with the all-purpose flour, bread flour, sugar, and salt. Mix well to fully incorporate.

Make a well in the center and add all the wet ingredients. Start with egg, egg yolk, melted butter, and the yeast-sugar-milk combination. Mix until a dough-like consistency is achieved. Then, using clean hands, combine all of your components and make sure they’re well combined.

Knead the dough on a level surface until it reaches a fine texture. If you want to make the kneading process easier, you might use a stand mixer with a dough hook.

Form the dough into a circular shape. Grease the mixing bowl, place the dough and cover it with a cloth or cling wrap. Let it rise for about 30 minutes to an hour or until it doubled in size.

Punch the dough to release gas bubbles and place your dough on a flat surface. Divide it into two equal pieces with a dough slicer. Roll these portions into a log shape, then cut each cylindrical dough slice diagonally. Keep in mind that these slices will become our individual pandesal pieces later. Mold each dough into an oval or ball shape.

After that, roll your sliced dough in breadcrumbs and place it on a wax paper-lined baking tray. Make sure there is enough space between the dough pieces because pandesal rises a bit more. Then let it rise in the tray for another 20-30 minutes (depending on room temperature).

Prepare your oven for baking by preheating it for 10 minutes at 180 °C/ 350 °F. Then we’re ready to go with our dough tray! Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top turns light brown. Turn off your oven once this is completed. Then, right out of the oven, lay your warm, wonderful batch on your favorite serving dish or tray.

Additional Tips

Aside from the tips I’ve shared in my Malunggay Pandesal with Cheese, here are some of the additional tips to make the perfect Filipino bread roll.

• Make sure the water used for proofing is between 105 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit, as hot liquids (over 135 degrees Fahrenheit) can kill the yeast.

• Activating or proving the yeast ensures that it is alive and active before continuing with the recipe. It’s possible that the liquid is too hot or the yeast is too old if bubbles don’t develop on the surface of the mixture after 5 to 10 minutes.

• The dough might be sticky at the beginning this is okay, there is no need to add any additional flour. The dough will get dry if there is too much flour in it and the results will be dense bread.

• Instead of dusting more flour, use oil, butter or margarine and rub in your hands so the dough will not stick. Knead the dough until it is no longer sticky and is smooth and elastic.

• As much as possible, do not work in a cold room or use any air conditioning or electric fan as this will affect the rising and texture of the dough.

• Yeast develops and multiplies optimally between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. If your house is too chilly, the dough may take longer to rise. Pro-Tip: Preheat the oven to its lowest temperature for about 5 minutes, then turn it off and place the dough in the center to rise. Or you can place the dough near the preheated oven to let the heat radiates, creating a warn environment for the dough.

• Divide the dough into two portions for easier proportioning. Form each into a long baton with a diameter of 4 to 5 inches and cut each baton into 10-11 pieces horizontally.

• Always cover the dough with plastic wrap while working on each batch to keep the dough from drying out.

• If you want an even bread pieces, use a digital kitchen scale especially if you are selling these breads.

How to serve

Pandesal is a popular breakfast option that can also be enjoyed as a snack throughout the day.

Serve these hot bread rolls with a cup of hot coffee, milk, or chocolate.

You can also serve it with your favorite filling.

It goes well with fillings such as butter, margarine, coconut jam, peanut butter, cheese slices, cheese spread, sweetened condensed milk, corned beef, egg, hotdogs, sardines, spam or nearly anything else you can think of or leftovers from your fridge.

Pandesal is also a perfect pair for any kind of pasta and noodles dish such as baked macaroni, creamy carbonara, pesto pasta, or any type of pancit.

How to store

Store leftover pandesal in an airtight container or large zip bag (removing excess air before sealing) at room temperature for up to four days. It is good for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

To reheat, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Transfer pandesal to a baking sheet and reheat for 5 minutes, or until hot.

You can also use a toaster which is also convenient if you are putting some filling into your bread.

I don’t recommend heating them in a microwave because it results in a rubbery-like texture once they cooled down. But if you are in a hurry and will consume it immediately, you can microwave them for around 20-30 seconds only.

Make-ahead Tip: Make the dough ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Overnight, the dough will steadily grow and double in size. Remove the dough from the refrigerator 30 minutes before shaping it into rolls on the day of baking.

Frequently asked questions

Why my dough didn’t rise?

• Make sure that your yeast is still active. When the yeast is blended with warm milk and sugar, it should expand and bubble after 5-10 minutes. If this is not the case, discard your yeast. It can no longer be used in baking.
• Check your yeast package’s “best by” or “expiration” date.
• In a cold climate, dough rises slowly. As a result, it will take longer to proof and rest. Check the volume and look of the dough instead of depending on the given proofing times.

Why my breadcrumbs do not stick to the dough?

• If the dough is exposed, it will form an exterior shell that resembles an elephant skin. The breadcrumbs will not stick to the dough if the skin is dry.

• Keep the dough elastic and moist at all times. During scaling/portioning, resting, and proofing, keep the dough covered with plastic wrap or cloth to prevent it from drying out.

Why my pandesal is so hard? Why isn’t the bread fluffy and soft?

• Adding too much flour. There is a tendency to add more flour while kneading the dough because of its stickiness, this can result in a dense bread. The softer the dough while kneading the softer the end result will be. Instead of adding flour, rub butter, oil or margarine into your hands so the dough won’t stick.

• Under-kneaded dough. Not kneading the dough long enough can result in dense or heavy bread. Under-kneaded dough does not spring back as much in the oven, resulting in a dense, flat-looking loaf. Try kneading more to develop the gluten.

• Over-kneaded dough. This produces an excessive amount of gluten. Gluten overdevelopment causes the dough to become tight. To fix, place the dough in a bowl, cover it, and place it in the fridge overnight to rise. After the dough has risen, shape it swiftly and don’t mess with it too much. Allow the dough to rise for a second time, allowing it to rise a bit longer before baking.

• Under proofed dough. The dough hasn’t had enough time to rise and expand. Under proofed dough lack sufficient carbon dioxide production to considerably expand the dough. This will make the bread dense when baked.

• Over proofed dough. The dough has been proofed for too long and the air bubbles have popped and has risen above its ideal level. Over proofed dough collapse due to a weakened gluten structure and excessive gas generation. It will soar excessively before sinking. The sunken dough will be dense when baked. It won’t be able to rise in the oven because it won’t have enough energy. If your dough never springs back after being poked, it’s over-proofed. Over proofed dough can be saved by pressing down on it to expel the gas, then reshaping and reproofing it.

How to Tell If Dough Is Properly Knead:

• The dough transforms from sticky to a silky texture. It will lose its gluey properties and become just tacky to the touch.
• The dough is elastic. Take a little piece of dough and stretch it out with your fingers as a test.
• After you stick a finger in the dough, it develops a dimple and springs back up.

Try this pandesal recipe at home to enjoy it hot and fresh from the oven. Happy tummy!

If you make something with Happy Tummy Recipes, please share it with me, and don’t forget to rate and comment on this recipe below!

For more recipe inspiration, please subscribe to our recipe newsletter and follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Tumblr, and YouTube!

This post contains affiliate links. I make a commission from sales. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, read my disclosure policy.