These hollow Vietnamese donuts are super tender and coated with crispy sesame seeds! A classic snack you can find sold as a street food in Viet Nam. Learn how to make your own at home!
Here we go again with another Vietnamese inspired recipe! And this time it's a sweet one!
Introducing these super soft sesame "donuts"! What is so special about these is that they have a hollow inside, making it perfect to fill with chocolate spread, caramel sauce, or even a salty filling!
📘 What is Bánh Tiêu
Bánh Tiêu is a type of Vietnamese donut. It consists of a dough made of flour, salt, and sugar coated with sesame seeds and fried until golden brown. It is often sold as a street food and enjoyed as a sweet snack.
🥣 How to Make Bánh Tiêu
The ingredients and methods are pretty simple. You start by kneading a dough made of flour, almond milk, yeast, sugar, and baking powder. I also added a pinch of salt and vanilla extract for more flavor. If you plan on using these for a salty recipe, simply omit the vanilla.
Once your dough is smooth, cover with plastic film to touch and let it proof for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
Next, divide your dough into 6 balls, roll into white sesame seeds and flatten using a rolling pin to make thin discs. The thinner your discs, the more hollow your donuts will be. You do not want them too thin though, I usually go for about 3-4 mm thick.
Finally, fry one donut at a time for a couple of minutes, flipping regularly. They will puff up and get a balloon shape!
Transfer to a plate lined with a kitchen paper towel to remove excess oil and enjoy warm!
While these Vietnamese donuts are usually enjoyed as is, without any filling, you can definitely fill them with chocolate spread, nut butter, or with a salty filling like tofu, salad, and a sauce, like you would fill pita pockets!
These donuts have it all, they are not-to-sweet, tender, fluffy, and are coated with crunchy toasted sesame seeds! Enjoy on their own, or fill with your favorite chocolate spread!
🇻🇳 More Vietnamese-Inspired Sweets
Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!
📖 Recipe
Bánh Tiêu (Vietnamese Donuts!)
Ingredients
- 1 and ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoon almond milk at room temperature (or other plant-based milk)
- 2 and ½ tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dry yeast
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup white sesame seeds
- About 1 and ½ cup of oil for frying
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoon of almond milk, sugar, dry yeast, and vanilla extract. Once fully combined, transfer to the bowl of flour and add the rest of the almond milk and the vanilla extract.
- Knead for 5-7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and just slightly sticky. If it's too sticky add one tablespoon of flour at a time. If it's too dry, add more almond milk.
- Cover the dough with plastic film to touch and proof in a warm place for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Deflate the dough and divide into 6 balls. Roll each ball into the white sesame seeds and then flatten into a 3-4 mm thick disc. Repeat with the remaining balls.
- Heat the oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, fry one disc at a time, flipping it using two wooden spatulas (or chopsticks) every 5-7 seconds. The disc will start to take a golden brown color and puff up like a balloon. Once golden brown, remove from the oil and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper towel to remove excess oil. Repeat with the remaining discs.
- Enjoy warm as is, or make a cut to fill with chocolate spread or caramel sauce! These donuts are best served the same day but will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Can't wait to try it 🙂 Tried your vegan gf fudgy brownies and they were amazing. So happy to have found your blog. Keep up the great work and thank you for sharing these lovely recipes. Love to learn from you 🙂 Love from India
Thanks so much for your kind words Meher! 🙂
Made this tonight! Fun, easy little treat for the kids. My dough was super wet using the amounts as above though. I probably should have added more flour, but wasn't really sure if the dough was supposed to look like a traditional dough or if it was supposed to be a super wet dough. Either way, I was able to make it work after it proofed.
Thanks for your feedback Dor! It is supposed to be slightly softer than a pizza dough.
These are great! I found that mine didn't balloon like yours did, but they tasted so good anyway! Should I have made them thinner?
Try making them a bit thinner next time, and flip them a few times when frying, it really helps making them puff.
Hi Thomas, Another brilliant recipe, as always! I ahve 2 questions: can these donuts be made with all-purpose 1-to-1 gluten-free flour for those of us who can't have gluten? Also, can they be baked instead of fried? If so, will they still puff up & be hollow inside, same as pita breads get when baked? Thanks very much & have a nice day! 🙂
Hi Andrea,
I have to admit I have no idea regarding the use of gluten-free flour as I have never tried it myself.
Regarding baking, unfortunately that won't work, the shape and texture will be very different and I highly doubt they would puff up. Frying is necessary for this recipe.
I used to get these in Toronto Chinatown. I ADORE them!
Quick-rising yeast?
Thank you!