Melon Pan Muffins (Japanese Cookie-Topped Muffins)
メロンパンマフィン（乳なし） · Melon Pan Muffin
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Melon pan is a beloved Japanese bakery bun: a soft, fluffy bread wearing a thin cookie crust scored in a crosshatch pattern that looks like the netted skin of a melon. These muffins capture that same charm in a much easier form. A quick pancake-mix batter goes into the cups, and a little disc of cookie dough is simply laid on top before baking, so children get the fun of that crisp, sugary lid without any kneading or proofing. Sweetened soy milk stands in for milk, making this a dairy-free treat that fits right into a preschool snack time.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 37.5 gpancake mixJapanese 'hotcake mix' is a sweetened pancake mix of flour, sugar, and leavening, often used as a shortcut baking mix. Brands differ, and some contain milk or egg, so check the label if you are cooking for a food allergy. Substitute: Sweetened pancake mix, or self-rising flour plus about 2 tablespoons sugar per 100 g.
- 22.5 gsweetened soy milk (Japanese chosei tonyu)Japanese 'prepared' soy milk that is lightly sweetened and flavored to taste milder than plain soy milk. Substitute: Regular (original, lightly sweetened) soy milk from the supermarket.
- 18.8 gpancake mix (for the cookie dough)Japanese 'hotcake mix' is a sweetened pancake mix of flour, sugar, and leavening, often used as a shortcut baking mix. Brands differ, and some contain milk or egg, so check the label if you are cooking for a food allergy. Substitute: Sweetened pancake mix, or self-rising flour plus about 2 tablespoons sugar per 100 g.
- 3.8 gsweetened soy milk (for the cookie dough)Chōsei tōnyū is Japanese soy milk lightly sweetened and flavored for drinking, milder than plain unsweetened soy milk. Substitute: Regular 'original' or lightly sweetened soy milk.
Seasonings
- 10.5 gvegetable oil
- 1.5 gsugar
- 3.8 goil (for the cookie dough)
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- pancake mix (ホットケーキミックス)
- Japanese 'hotcake mix' is a sweetened pancake mix of flour, sugar, and leavening, often used as a shortcut baking mix. Brands differ, and some contain milk or egg, so check the label if you are cooking for a food allergy. Substitute: Sweetened pancake mix, or self-rising flour plus about 2 tablespoons sugar per 100 g.
- sweetened soy milk (Japanese chosei tonyu) (調製豆乳)
- Japanese 'prepared' soy milk that is lightly sweetened and flavored to taste milder than plain soy milk. Substitute: Regular (original, lightly sweetened) soy milk from the supermarket.
- pancake mix (for the cookie dough) (ホットケーキミックス（クッキー生地）)
- Japanese 'hotcake mix' is a sweetened pancake mix of flour, sugar, and leavening, often used as a shortcut baking mix. Brands differ, and some contain milk or egg, so check the label if you are cooking for a food allergy. Substitute: Sweetened pancake mix, or self-rising flour plus about 2 tablespoons sugar per 100 g.
- sweetened soy milk (for the cookie dough) (調製豆乳（クッキー生地）)
- Chōsei tōnyū is Japanese soy milk lightly sweetened and flavored for drinking, milder than plain unsweetened soy milk. Substitute: Regular 'original' or lightly sweetened soy milk.
Directions
- 1
First, make the muffin batter for the cups. Combine the pancake mix, soy milk, and oil in a bowl and mix well. Divide the batter evenly and pour it into the cups.
- 2
Next, make the cookie dough for the topping. In a separate bowl, mix together the pancake mix and sugar. Add the soy milk and oil, mix, and bring the dough together into a single ball.
- 3
Divide the dough from step 2 evenly and roll into balls, then flatten each one thinly until it matches the diameter of the cups from step 1 (think of a gyoza wrapper).
- 4
Score a crosshatch pattern on the surface of each dough disc with a rubber spatula or the back of a knife, just like a melon pan (press firmly, but take care not to cut all the way through).
- 5
Lay the cookie dough from step 4 over the top of the cups from step 1 (there is no need to press it on; simply draping it over the batter is fine).
- 6
Place the cups on a baking sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F) for about 15 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil so the tops do not burn, then bake for about 5 minutes more.
This recipe comes together in two stages:
1. Make the muffin batter and pour it into the cups.
2. Make the cookie dough and lay it over the batter from step 1.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 351 kcal | 702 kcal | 351 kcal |
| Protein | 5.4 g | 10.8 g | 5.4 g |
| Fat | 17.4 g | 34.8 g | 17.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 44.6 g | 89.1 g | 44.6 g |
| Fiber | 1.4 g | 2.7 g | 1.4 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.6 g | 1.2 g | 0.6 g |
| Calcium | 66 mg | 132 mg | 66 mg |
| Iron | 0.6 mg | 1.2 mg | 0.6 mg |
| Potassium | 175.5 mg | 351 mg | 175.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 351 kcal | 5.4 g | 17.4 g | 44.6 g | 1.4 g | 0.6 g | 66 mg | 0.6 mg | 175.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 702 kcal | 10.8 g | 34.8 g | 89.1 g | 2.7 g | 1.2 g | 132 mg | 1.2 mg | 351 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
