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Home » Recipes » Bread

Italian Milk Bread Rolls Recipe (Panini Al Latte)

Published: Feb 14, 2022 · Modified: Jul 27, 2023. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Milk bread rolls pin
Milk bread rolls pin
Milk bread rolls pin
Soft homemade Panini bread recipe, these buns are easy to make perfect for children’s parties filled with ham, salami or mini hamburgers. homemade bun panini bread recipe

This Italian milk bread rolls recipe is a slightly sweet, soft, and small dinner roll called Panini al Latte. The dough of these fluffy buns is made with flour, milk, egg, and butter. They are golden brown and served fresh with gourmet filling at buffets or children's parties. This milk bread recipe is easy; it is a fun activity to do with the children.

panini piled on a table one open
Jump to:
  • Hamburger and beef
  • Ingredients
  • An easy way to make the dough
  • Instructions
  • Storage
  • A fun activity for children
  • Top tips
  • Other recipes you can make with this dough
  • Other recipes you may like
  • FAQ
  • More bread recipes
  • 📋Italian Milk Bread Rolls Recipe (Panini Al Latte)

This milk bun recipe is not for Japanese milk buns.

They are Italian milk bread rolls called Panini al latte.

These fluffy bread rolls are found everywhere in Italy and used for children's afternoon snacks, quick lunches, or as a buffet for children's parties.

They are soft and slightly sweet, served freshly made at room temperature, and can be filled with anything.

Other buffet finger food are Pizzette Italian pizza bites, Fried mozzarella cheese, Piadina Romagnola, Sicilian Arancini, they are easy to eat on the run, so no playtime is wasted.

Italian Panini bread served at a children party

Hamburger and beef

The sweetness of these panini is also a perfect combination with beef.

They are half way between a dinner roll and a brioche.

I use them as burger buns or filled with roast beef and onion relish and serve them with baked microwaved potatoes.

They are very easy to do and look just like chips.

Italian panini served with roastbeef

Ingredients

To make the panini dough, you need the following basic ingredients:

  • All-purpose flour: if you want to use good quality flour, I would suggest the Caputo bread flour brand
  • Milk: you can either use low-fat or regular
  • Melted butter: the butter should be melted. I like to melt it in the microwave with the milk as it is usually cold from the fridge. You can melt it over a regular stove if you don't have a microwave. Before you add the egg to the mix, make sure they are back to room temperature; otherwise, the egg will cook in the hot milk
  • Egg: I have my own chickens free to walk around the garden, so I always have free-range eggs. I do recommend free range not only for the taste but also for animal wellbeing.
  • Sugar: the sugar is needed to activate the yeast but also to make the dough sweet, like a brioche.
  • Salt: 1.5 tsp
  • Active dry yeast: I prefer dry yeast to fresh one as I can keep a stock at home and make pizza and bread anytime. The fresh yeast should be used within a short time frame and kept in the fridge. As yeast is a living bacteria, the fresh yeast easily perishes, so the dough will not rise.
  • Egg yolk and some milk for the egg wash: it is brushed over the bread roll to make a golden brown top
ingredients for a savory brioche dough

An easy way to make the dough

These soft dinner rolls should be served freshly made the same day; this is why I make them at home using the bread machine. It is such a simple recipe.

Before my morning coffee, I put the dough ingredients in the bread machine.

In 1.5 hours, I have the dough ready to make whatever I want.

If you don't have a bread machine, see: How to make brioche or bread rolls’ dough without a bread machine

I use a programmable bread machine, and on this link, you can find more information on why I like it.

make the dough in the bread machine

Instructions

Making the dough

To make the dough in the bread machine, prepare the wet and dry ingredients separately.

Preparing the wet ingredients

  1. Melt the butter with the milk in the microwave for 1 minute at low power
  2. Let them cool down before you add the egg; otherwise, the egg will cook
  3. Add one egg
  4. Mix until all the wet ingredients are combined
mixing the wet ingredients

Preparing the dry ingredients

  1. Mix the flour with the salt
  2. The sugar
  3. Stir with a fork
mixing the dry ingredients

Preparing the dough

  1. Pour the wet ingredients into the bread machine bucket
  2. Add the dry ingredients
  3. Put the dry yeast
  4. Place the basket in the bread machine with the cycle "Dough". The final dough will be ready and had his first rise in 1.5 hours

N.B: If you don't have a bread machine, you can check the article: how to make dough without the bread machine

puting the ingredients in the bread machine

Shaping the buns

  1. Cut the dough in half, and cut each part into equal pieces until you reach the size and number of buns you want.
  2. Roll them in the palm of your hands and lay the dough balls in a baking pan over a baking sheet
  3. Brush them with egg wash made of egg yolk and milk
  4. Let them rest for 30 minutes for a second rise in a warm place covered with a tea towel; they will become nicely round shaped
  5. If you want to make hamburger buns cut the dough into 6 parts and follow the directions above.
  6. Once the buns have risen, bake them in a hot oven at 350 F - 180C for 20-25 minutes.
  7. Leave them on a cooling rack for 10 minutes

Hint: if you are making burger buns, you can top them with sesame seeds

Step by step how to shape panini

Storage

You can store them for 2 days in an airtight container, however, they are best made fresh.

You can freeze them in a plastic bag and let them defrost at room temperature.

Milk bread rolls with roast beef onion relish

A fun activity for children

The summer on the French Riviera is always very busy. Friends are coming to the region for their holidays, and as the coast becomes very busy, it is easier to invite them to the villa, especially if they have children.

Whatever their age, children love to make these fluffy milk buns.

Once the dough is made in the bread machine, I let the children shape the bread rolls.

The texture of the dough is smooth and soft. It is not a sticky dough, and you don't need much flour.

It is not important to make a smooth ball.

The bread buns will become nicely round once the dough rises.

Place them in the baking tray and let the children paint them with the egg wash.

While the Panini rise and then bake, the children can enjoy themselves in the pool.

The Panini will be ready when the children come out of the pool and immediately ask for something to eat.

For more recipes to make with children, you can check the recipes:

  • Italian Easter cookies

Homemade Italian pasta tagliatelle

Milk bread rolls panini al latte filled with ham and salami for children's parties

Top tips

  • To make sure the rolls are all the same size, cut the dough in half, and cut each part in half again until you reach the size and number of buns you want.
  • If you are making Panini, the rolls should fit inside the palm of your hand, as they have to rest for another 30 minutes; they will double in size.
  • It does not matter if they do not look perfect when you roll them; they will automatically develop into nice, round, smooth buns once they have risen the second time.
Milk bread roll Panini al latte piled up on a tray

Other recipes you can make with this dough

The dough is so versatile that I use it to make several other party food, and guests wouldn't know I spent very little time making all the goodies.

There are so many things I can do using the same milk bread dough recipe:

  • Bread Rolls With Spinach And Sun-dried Tomatoes
  • Brioche Sausage Rolls Recipe
  • Focaccia Pizza

Sausage rolls are usually made with puff pastry, while these rolls are sweet and soft with a spicy bite from the mustard. They are easy to make and perfect for picnics, buffets,s or children's parties.

Brioche Sausage Rolls Recipe

Other recipes you may like

More bread recipes in my bread category:

  • Italian cheese bread
  • English Muffins
  • Homemade wraps
  • Italian flatbread piadina
hand holding a piece of Italian cheese bread

FAQ

What kind of bread is used for a panini?

In Italy, Panini is the name for sandwiches; they are not necessarily grilled. They are made with whatever bread roll is typical in the region: Ciabatta, Rosetta, Michetta, Ciriola. Most of the Italian bread rolls have a crunchy crust, so if they are fresh they do not need to be grilled. If you want to make a grilled panino, you need to use a soft type of bread roll like ciabatta, or a sliced bread loaf. In Italy we grill a panino made with a bread roll from the previous day as their crust gets too soft the next day.

Is panini a bread or a sandwich?

Panini is the Italian name for bread roll use for sandwiches. They are usually filled with meat (ham, prosciutto, salami) and/or cheese. In Italy they are not necessarily grilled.

What is the difference between a panini and a grilled sandwich?

Panini is the Italian name for sandwiches, they are not necessarily grilled. Often eaten on the go, they are made with fresh bread in the morning and packed for lunch. When on the road, you cannot grill a Panino that is why Panini in Italy are rarely grilled. You can get a grilled Panino at a street cafe in Italy called Bar. When a Panino is grilled in Italy we often refer it as Toast.

Are Paninis and Panini the same?

Italian Panini bread are very different from the grilled sandwiches everyone knows as Paninis. Panini (plural) is the Italian word for sandwiches, and they are not necessarily toasted or grilled.
Panini is commonly referred to as a grilled sandwich in English, but in Italian Panino (panini for plural) is just a bread roll filled with cheese and some type of meat - ham, salami, prosciutto, mortadella.
Whether grilled or not is irrelevant from an Italian perspective; it is always a Panino.
They are made with whatever bread roll is typical from the Italian region: Ciabatta, Rosetta, Michetta, Ciriola.
Most Italian Panini already have a nice crunchy crust and a soft inside. Therefore if the bread is fresh, it doesn't need to be toasted.

For more Fake Italian Recipes on the web check out my Web Story: This Is Why You Should NEVER trust Italian recipes online

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homamade Italian panini bread recipe

📋Italian Milk Bread Rolls Recipe (Panini Al Latte)

This Italian milk bread rolls recipe is a slightly sweet, soft, and small dinner roll called Panini al Latte. The dough of these fluffy buns is made with flour, milk, egg, and butter. They are golden brown and served fresh with gourmet filling at buffets or children's parties. This milk bread recipe is easy; it is a fun activity to do with the children.
Prep Time 3 hours hours
Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
⏲️Total Time 5 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 Rolls
Print Rate SaveSaved!
Author: Laura Tobin

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 tablespoon melted butter
  • 1 fresh eggs
  • 3 cup flour
  • ⅓ cup caster sugar
  • 1.5 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pkg yeast 2 tsp
  • 1 extra egg for brushing
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Equipment

  • Silicone Basting Brush
  • Bread machine
  • Mini Measuring Set
  • Measuring mugs
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Instructions

Making the dough with a bread machine

  • Prepare the wet ingredients: melt the butter with the milk in the microwave for 1 minute at low power
    1 cup milk, 3 tablespoon melted butter
  • Let them cool down before you add the egg otherwise, the egg will cook. Add the egg and mix until all the wet ingredients are combined
    1 fresh eggs
  • Prepare the dry ingredients: mix the flour with the salt and the sugar and stir with a fork
    3 cup flour, ⅓ cup caster sugar, 1.5 teaspoon salt
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the bread machine bucket
  • Add the dry ingredients
    add the dry ingredients
  • Put the dry yeast
    1 pkg yeast
    place the ingredients in the bread machine
  • Place the basket in the bread machine with the cycle "Dough". The dough will be ready in 1.5 hours
    make the dough in the bread machine
  • Before you take out the dough from the bread machine basket, make sure you have sprinkled the surfaced of the board with plenty of flour. The dough will be sticky so you need to coat it with flour immediately to stop it from sticking to your hands.

If you don't have a bread machine

  • To activate the yeast mix the Dry Active Yeast with ¼ cup of the milk needed for the recipe. The milk should be lukewarm. Add ½ teaspoon of sugar, and let it rest until it becomes foamy.
  • In the meantime, strain the flour along with the sugar and the salt into a bowl, ensuring they are completely mixed. Make a ‘well’ in the centre of the flour mix.
  • Combine all the wet ingredients together: milk, butter, eggs and the frosty yeast. Slowly pour them in the ‘well’ of the flour and mix it with the wet ingredients gradually, using your fingers.
  • Once they are thoroughly mixed, you can either continue mixing the flour with your hands, or put it into an electric mixer with a dough hook. Mix it until the dough becomes a ball that comes away easily from the side of the bowl.
  • Take the dough out of the bowl and knead it on a flat surface. Shape it into a smooth ball and place it into an oiled bowl covered with a wet towel to rest. Let it rise for 2 hours.

Making the Buns

  • Once the dough is ready, you can start making the buns. To make sure they are all the same size cut the dough in half, and cut each part in half again until you reach the size and number of buns you want.
  • If you want a shine look, brush them with an egg wash (1 egg and some milk).
    1 extra egg for brushing
  • If you are making Panini, the rolls should fit inside the palm of your hand, as they have to rest for another 30 minutes they will double in size. It does not matter if they do not look perfect, they will automatically develop into nice, round and smooth buns once they have levitated.
  • If you are making Hamburger Buns cut the dough in 6 equal pieces to make 6 nice large buns.
  • Once the Buns have rested for 30 minutes, you can cook them in a hot oven at 350 F - 180C for 20 minutes.

Video

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Notes

  • IMPORTANT: in the bread machine the ingredients should be placed in the exact order as listed above, liquids first.
  • Before you take out the dough from the bread machine basket, make sure you have sprinkled the surfaced of the board with plenty of flour. The dough will be sticky so you need to coat it with flour immediately to stop it from sticking to your hands.
  • To make sure they are all the same size cut the dough in half, and cut each part in half again until you reach the size and number of buns you want.
  • If you are making Panini, the rolls should fit inside the palm of your hand, as they have to rest for another 30 minutes they will double in size.
  • It does not matter if they do not look perfect, they will automatically develop into nice, round, and smooth buns once they have risen.

Nutrition

Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 661mg | Potassium: 130mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 3mg
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amanda Wren-Grimwood

    September 02, 2017 at 11:33 am

    5 stars
    These look so soft and delicious. I don't normally make rolls but I'm trying these!

    Reply
  2. Corina Blum

    September 05, 2017 at 6:25 am

    5 stars
    These rolls look gorgeous! There's nothing better than homemade bread. I also love to use my breadmaker to make dough and then bake it in the oven afterwards.

    Reply
  3. Louise Loubser

    June 27, 2018 at 11:43 am

    Do you use Active Dry Yeast in the bread machine too? Myst it first be prepared (the recipe contains milk, not water), or do you just put the yeast in as is?

    Reply
    • Laura

      June 27, 2018 at 11:47 am

      Yes, I put it in the bread machine as it is and there is no need to prepare it. It will dissolve in the milk as the bread machine will warm it up at the right temperature.

      Reply
      • Louise Loubser

        June 27, 2018 at 11:55 am

        Thank you so much Laura. Going to make it for my husband just now. Greetings from a cold South Africa.

        Reply
        • Laura

          June 27, 2018 at 11:57 am

          You are very welcome. Let me know how he likes them

          Reply
          • Louise Loubser

            June 27, 2018 at 12:11 pm

            Will do so ♡

  4. Louise Loubser

    June 27, 2018 at 3:54 pm

    Laura,,sorry for bothering you again... Must the dough be knocked down and kneaded after the first rise?

    Reply
    • Laura

      June 27, 2018 at 4:04 pm

      The bread machine should do all the processes, once you shape the dough into rolls, you need to wait another 30 minutes for the dough to rise again

      Reply
  5. Lindie Espach

    October 31, 2018 at 11:29 am

    How much dry yeast must I use on this recipe?

    Reply
    • Laura

      October 31, 2018 at 4:12 pm

      1 package of dry yeast is usually 1 tsp of dry yeast. If you use fresh yeast, use 1 cube

      Reply
  6. Karen Grogan

    December 07, 2018 at 10:21 am

    Hi Laura, I do not have a bread maker so would like to try this recipe by hand, should I activate the yeast in some warm water and if so how much? How long would you suggest kneading the dough for I usually do 10 mins will that be enough and will 1 knead be sufficient or should I knock back and knead again, if so how long should I leave the second rise for? Sorry for all the questions but this is my first time making panini and want to get it right first time 🙂

    Reply
    • Laura

      December 10, 2018 at 1:35 pm

      Hello Karen, happy to help.
      In the post, I share the link with the instructions on how to make Panini if you don't have a bread machine.
      The link is here, follow the instruction for bread roll:
      https://yourguardianchef.com/brioche-bread-rolls-dough-without-a-bread-machine/
      To answer your questions:
      1. yes, use lukewarm water.
      2. 10 minutes should be enough, the dough should be smooth.
      3. The second rise is done once you form the panini. 30 minutes will be enough.
      Hope you enjoy making them. Let me know how they came out.
      Good luck

      Reply
  7. Douglas

    December 30, 2018 at 12:33 am

    5 stars
    I just made these tonight and they were an absolute hit. Thanks

    Reply
    • Laura

      January 09, 2019 at 8:39 am

      I am delighted to hear

      Reply
  8. DEIDRE

    February 07, 2019 at 9:28 am

    my packets of yeat comes in 10g

    Reply
    • Laura

      February 08, 2019 at 5:03 am

      Yes, that is the right size

      Reply
  9. Dalene

    May 20, 2019 at 5:36 pm

    Cann i put it in a breadpan and bake a bread

    Reply
    • Laura

      May 20, 2019 at 6:44 pm

      Yes, you can. It will be like a brioche

      Reply
  10. Tracey Holdsworth

    October 09, 2019 at 5:07 pm

    5 stars
    I made these today. I am in the UK. I haven't made bread before. They are delicious. I used a 7g sachet of quick acting yeast. I didn't use a bread machine but mixed the dough briefly with the dough hook in my Kenwood chef. It seemed very wet so I added a bit more flour til it came away from the sides of my mixer bowl. I thought I might have made a mistake doing that, messing with the recipe but they were fine. These are really great. I will deffo be making these again and so very easy to do. Thank you

    Reply
    • Laura

      October 09, 2019 at 5:09 pm

      Thank you so much for letting me know. I am delighted to hear feedback on the recipes. You made me happy

      Reply
  11. Vincent

    November 24, 2019 at 3:33 pm

    Hello Laura, I tried but it didn't come out like the hard ones I used to enjoy in Italy. It came out too soft. Please let me know what I did wrongly. Am also interested in pizza making. Bella, grazie!

    Reply
    • Laura

      November 24, 2019 at 3:56 pm

      Vincent, thank you for reaching out. The classic Italian panini are soft, so you didn't do anything wrong. They are so-called panini al latte. The hard one you would normally buy in the Forno will require a madre yeast, which is a yeast you keep alive for months. I haven't made these yet. If you are interested in pizza making, I would recommend visiting my recipe category: pizza. You will have a blast:
      https://yourguardianchef.com/category/recipes/pizza/

      Reply
  12. GILDA GIUNTA

    April 24, 2020 at 6:11 am

    5 stars
    delicious!

    Reply

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