There are times you can’t help yourself, you just have to make a recipe – and this is one of those times! This is Kindred Milk Bread, and it’s served at Kindred Restaurant in Davidson, North Carolina to every dinner table. It’s a beautiful thing, this bread.  Make it – I promise you you’ll love it!

Kindred Milk Bread – recipe from the famed North Carolina restaurant

I’ve made it twice in three days. To say it’s a bit addictive is an understatement! The first time, the folks (that’s my Dad and Pat, who I’m helping out) and I ate so much, we skipped dinner! It’s something special, Japanese Milk Bread, using the tangzhong method. (More on that, below.) Of course, any time you make homemade bread, it’s budget-friendly, make-ahead, and additive-free. And so delicious!

⭐ Why You’ll Want to Make This Bread

I mentioned the  Kindred Milk Bread uses the Japanese tangzhong method. The recipe starts by cooking a mix of flour and water to form a paste, then goes from there. It makes this bread incredibly soft and delicious with only a few extra minutes devoted to making it. It’s a fast rise, and the recipe has instructions for rolls, pull-apart loaves, and split top buns.

Why You’ll Love The Kindred Milk Bread

• Budget-friendly, although a little higher than basic bread

• Uses pantry items plus milk and butter; some you may need to pick up

• Easy to make and is very forgiving

• One of the best bread recipes

Basic Ingredient Snapshot

This recipe can be made with higher-end or basic ingredients, and my shopping tips are at the bottom of the page, as usual:

• Bread Flour: When we ran through our bread flour, I tested All Purpose; it was still fabulous.

• Cream: The original recipe calls for cream, and it’s a thing of beauty, but milk, preferably whole, works well, too.

• Dry Milk Powder: Often used in bread making, it tenderizes the crumb, adds flavor, and improves structure and rise. I keep it on hand for baking, like these Original Cheese Zombies and copycat items like these Cheesy Noodles.

• Active Dry Yeast: This bread uses quite a bit, but if you bake often, consider buying it in jars.

• Honey: Any mild honey is fine. May substitute Agave.

• Kosher Salt and Sea Salt: I’ve given a conversion chart for the Kosher Salt in the recipe, and Sea Salt is optional.

• Eggs: Large eggs work best. Leave at room temp for an hour or place in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.

• Butter: Room temperature; it’s added to the bread dough tablespoon by tablespoon, much in the same way as brioche

👉 Flavor boost for pennies with:

• Sea salt flakes. The flakes give a little pop of flavor and a delightful texture to the top of the rolls. Flakes are usually used as a finishing touch on a food.

Kindred Milk Bread – recipe from the famed North Carolina restaurant

How to Make Kindred Milk Bread:

For best results, you’ll want a stand mixer for this recipe.

1. Cook flour and water to form a loose paste. Remove from heat and whisk in cream or milk.

2. Add to mixer bowl. Add powdered milk, eggs, salt, yeast, and flour. Knead till smooth, then whip in the butter bit by bit.

3. Let rise, shape, let rise again. Brush with egg, sprinkle with salt, bake.

⏱ Time & Cost Snapshot for Kindred Milk Bread

• Making the Dough: 20 to 25 minutes

• First Rise: 30 minutes to an hour

• Shaping : 15 minutes

• Second Rise: 30 minutes to an hour

• Baking: 22 minutes to an hour

• Cost 2026 pricing under $3.00. Honestly, so much higher than I thought it would be (this is using milk and AP flour.) But it is still so worth it!

Make-Ahead/Leftover Instructions

• While this bread is irresistible out of the oven (I can’t wait for any bread to cool), it can be reheated in the microwave, wrapped in a barely damp cloth or paper towel.

• Bread freezes well for short periods of time; I find the best results are had when it’s thawed, upside down, in the refrigerator. The moisture, which can appear on the top of the loaf as it’s thawed, evens out.

How to Serve Kindred Milk Bread:

This bread will go with any meal, before or during:

• Butter: nothing but real butter will do.

• Jam or Jelly: of course!

• Gifts: There’s nothing better to give to a new family, friends, or anyone needing comfort.

🔗 If You Like This Recipe, You Might Also Like

👉 Crusty Overnight Bread

A sensation when recipes started appearing around 2012, this bread will never lose its appeal. Mix flour, water, and yeast together the night before by hand, and bake the next day.

Crusty Bread

👉 Super Easy Flat Bread

This classic bread is older than time. Easy to make with a few hints to speed you on your way.

Super Easy Flat Bread with my Spicy Tomato Jam

FAQ

Can I make Kindred Milk Bread ahead?
Yes: Like most bread, it’s fabulous out of the oven, but can also be served at room temperature or easily warmed.

Can I freeze Bread?
Yes, freeze tightly wrapped for two to three months. Thaw upside down in the fridge.

Can I use other kinds of flour?
Yes, bread flour or All Purpose will both do well; this has not been tested with other flours.

Saving Money on Groceries:

What you pay for groceries depends not only on WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.

• The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Use these sales not just for your holiday, but to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
• Take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality; be selective.

The best way to save money on this or any recipe is to have a well-stocked pantry, fridge, and freezer full of sale-priced items.

General Baking Items:

• Never buy baking items when needed and never pay full price. Instead, stock up during your grocery holiday sales, especially before Easter and the Winter Holidays. Many items are up to half off.
• Discount stores have good pricing on baking items year-round, as does your buyer’s club, although quantities are larger.
• Immediately upon arriving home, freeze items containing flour for three days.

Yeast:

The two commonly used are Active Dry & Instant Yeast. Active Dry is mixed with warm liquid and allowed to “proof,” while Instant is normally added to dry ingredients. Yeast is sold in sets of 3 packets or in jars. Jars are the best value, unless yeast is bought in bulk. Buy before Easter & the Winter Holidays when on deep sale; keep in the freezer indefinitely.

• Yeast packets have 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast and weigh 1/4 ounce. A set of three packets contains 6 3/4 teaspoons (two tablespoons plus 3/4 teaspoon) or 3/4 ounce of yeast.
• Yeast in jars usually comes in 4 ounces and contains an equal amount of yeast to 16 packets or about 36 teaspoons (12 tablespoons).

Cream:

• Cream is always cheaper at discount groceries like Aldi & Lidl. Their everyday price usually beats out the buyer’s club and the best grocery store holiday sales price.
• Cream keeps for weeks, so if the standard grocery is the only option, get in the habit of picking up at a low price before holidays.

Powdered Milk:

• Comes in different varieties, but is commonly found as Non-Fat Dry Milk.
• Prices vary wildly from store to store, and typically won’t be found at discount stores. Check online and compare pricing.
• Powdered milk lasts for years unopened, but once opened, if stored at room temperature is best used within three to four months. Transferred to an airtight bag and frozen, use within three years for optimum quality.

I’m so glad to see you here, and I’m sure you’re gonna love the Kindred Milk Bread as much as the folks and I did. If you make it, I’d love to hear back from you. Until next time,

Mollie

Kindred Milk Bread – recipe from the famed North Carolina restaurant

Kindred Milk Bread

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• Author: only very slightly adapted from Kindred
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: varies
• Total Time: 2 to 3 hours
• Yield: Bread, Rolls Or Pans Vary
• Category: Breads
• Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 5 1/3 cups bread flour, divided, plus more for surface (all-purpose may be used)
• 1 cup heavy cream (milk works)
• 1/3 cup mild honey (such as wildflower)
• 3 tablespoons non-fat dry milk powder
• 2 tablespoons active dry yeast (almost 3 envelopes)
• 1 tablespoon Morton’s kosher salt (see conversion table if you don’t wish to use kosher)
• 3 large eggs (2 for dough, one to brush rolls)
• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
• Non-stick vegetable oil spray
• Flaky sea salt (optional)

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Instructions

Cook 1/3 cup flour and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a thick paste forms (almost like a roux but looser), about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add cream (or milk) and honey. Whisk till dissolved.

Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (note: make sure the flour mixture isn’t too hot for the yeast – it should be between 100 to 115 degrees F.) and add milk powder, yeast, kosher salt, 2 eggs, and 5 cups flour.

Knead on medium speed until dough is smooth, about 5 minutes. If the dough is climbing up the dough hook, add water, about a teaspoon at a time. If the dough is not forming a ball, add flour, a teaspoon at a time.

Add butter, a piece at a time, fully incorporating into the dough before adding the next piece, until the dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic, about 4 minutes.

Coat a large bowl with non-stick spray and transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

If making rolls, lightly coat a 6-cup jumbo muffin pans or small casseroles with non-stick spray. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and divide into 6 pieces. Divide each piece into 4 smaller pieces (you should have 24 total). They don’t need to be exact; just eyeball it. Place 4 pieces of dough side-by-side in each muffin cup.
 (No need to shape into balls, although you can.)

If making loaves, lightly coat two 9 x 5″ loaf pans with non-stick spray. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and divide into 4 pieces. Nestle pieces side-by-side to create a row down the length of pan.

If making split-top buns, lightly coat two 13 x 9″ baking dishes with nonstick spray. Divide dough into 12 pieces and shape each into a 4″-long log. Place 6 logs in a row down length of each dish.

Let shaped dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size (dough should be just puffing over top of pan), about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

While dough is rising, preheat oven to 375°.

Beat remaining egg with 1 teaspoon of water in a small bowl to blend. Brush top of dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until bread is deep golden brown, starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, and is baked through,

22–35 minutes for the small pans of rolls, 50–60 minutes for loaf, or 30–40 minutes for the split top buns. If making buns, slice each bun down the middle deep enough to create a split-top before putting in oven.

When finished cooking, let milk bread cool slightly in pan on a wire rack before turning out; let cool completely or serve warm.

Do Ahead: Bread can be baked 5 days ahead; store tightly wrapped at room temperature.