Fried mantou is one of my favorite Chinese desserts. Typically served with sweetened condensed milk, they also taste great on their own. I used to deep-fry mantou and found the results greasy at home, so I switched to the air fryer. The air fryer yields a crisp, golden exterior with much less oil.
Can’t get enough of Chinese Air Fryer Recipes? Try my Air-Fried Shrimp Toast next!
🥡 About This Recipe
Deep-frying mantou at home works, but it requires heating a lot of oil and then disposing of it, which is wasteful if you rarely fry. The air fryer solves that problem: it’s quicker, cleaner, and produces a less oily result. Because bread is porous, traditional deep-frying often soaks up excess oil; air frying crisps the outside while minimizing absorption.
👨🍳 Cooking From Frozen
If your mantou are frozen, lower the temperature and extend the cooking time so the exterior doesn’t burn before the center heats through.
Use 400°F for refrigerated buns for about three minutes. For frozen buns, set the air fryer to 350°F and cook for roughly five minutes, flipping once halfway through.
🧂 Ingredients
- Mantou: Homemade or store-bought from an Asian market. Slightly stale mantou crisp up nicely, so this is a great way to use leftovers.
- Oil: A neutral oil for brushing the outside of the buns to help them brown.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Classic for dipping. If you have leftover condensed milk, you can cover the can with foil and freeze it for up to three months; it won’t fully solidify because of the sugar, but it keeps well.
🔪 Instructions
STEP 1: Preheat your air fryer — 400°F for fresh/refrigerated buns or 350°F for frozen. Lightly brush each bun with oil and place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket without overcrowding.
STEP 2: Air-fry refrigerated buns for about three minutes and frozen buns for about five minutes, flipping once so both sides brown evenly. Times can vary by air fryer model — adjust as needed for a deep golden color. Serve immediately with sweetened condensed milk for dipping.
📋 Recipe
Best Air Fryer Mantou w/ Condensed Milk
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 steamed mantou
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (for dipping)
Instructions
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Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for fresh buns or 350°F for frozen buns. Brush a thin layer of oil on the buns and arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
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Air-fry fresh buns for about 3 minutes and frozen buns for about 5 minutes, flipping once so both sides brown evenly. Serve with condensed milk for dipping.
Nutrition
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