Postpartum is a time of recovery and bonding. In these early weeks, my world revolved around caring for a tiny, fragile human while running on very little sleep. Cooking, baking, and cleaning quickly fell to the bottom of the list—but eating certainly didn’t. Between breastfeeding sessions, late-night wake-ups, and the sheer energy it takes to heal, I found myself constantly hungry and reaching for something warm, comforting, and nourishing.
That’s where these Goji Berry & Walnut Milk Bread Rolls come in. Soft, fluffy, and lightly sweet, they’re the perfect grab-and-go snack that feels both satisfying and restorative. Having a batch of them within arm’s reach made those long nights and early mornings so much more manageable.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), postpartum care emphasizes three pillars: warmth, rest, and nourishment. This period—often referred to as “坐月子” or the “sitting month”—is all about supporting the body as it rebuilds and replenishes itself. Certain ingredients are considered especially beneficial during this time, and one of the most iconic is the humble goji berry.
Goji berries are valued in TCM for their ability to support liver and kidney health, replenish jing (essence), and gently strengthen the body. They’re often used in soups, teas, porridges, and sweet tonics. Naturally, as soon as my mom heard I had given birth, she sent a care package overflowing with postpartum essentials: goji berries, red dates, longan, and plenty of other warming, “heaty” foods meant to boost circulation and recovery.
But there are only so many pots of herbal tea, soups, and sweet rice I can finish—especially in the haze of new parenthood. So I started thinking of how else I could incorporate these nourishing ingredients into everyday snacks. That’s how these milk bread rolls came to life.
Incorporating goji berries into a soft milk bread dough gives them new texture and purpose. They become tender and chewy after baking, offering gentle sweetness without overpowering the bread. Adding walnuts brings a satisfying crunch and a dose of healthy fats—great for energy, mood support, and that little boost you need when you’re running on minimal sleep.
Whether you’re in the postpartum period yourself, preparing care-package staples for a new parent, or simply looking for a wholesome, comforting bake, these Goji Berry & Walnut Milk Bread Rolls make a beautifully nourishing treat. They’re soft, portable, and easy to reheat—perfect for one-handed snacking during feeding sessions, pumping sessions or with a quiet morning cup of tea (if the baby lets you have one!).
Warm, comforting, and rooted in tradition, these rolls combine practicality and nourishment in every bite—and in a season where every moment counts, that’s exactly what I need.
Looking for more bread roll recipes? Check out these posts:
- Overnight Sourdough Orange Sweet Rolls
- Pandan Coconut Milk Bread Rolls
- Soft Raisin Yogurt Buns
- Sourdough Ube Crumble Sweet Rolls
Goji Berry & Walnut Milk Bread Rolls
Equipment
- stand mixer & mixing bowl
- 10×10 square baking dish or equivalent
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- 24 g all purpose flour
- 120 g milk
Bread dough
- 6 g active dry yeast
- 64 g milk warm
- 40 g cane sugar
- 1 egg
- all tangzhong (from above)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 290 g all purpose flour
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp goji berries
- 4 tbsp walnuts
Egg wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Make the Tangzhong: combine flour and milk in a pan and heat it on medium heat, constantly mixing until a paste with the consistency of pudding or mashed potato forms. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Heat up milk for the bread dough into a microwave for 30s. It should be warm but not too hot to the touch. Pour the warmed milk into a mixing bowl and sprinkle a tsp of cane sugar (from the 40h cane sugar) on top. Then sprinkle on the active dry yeast. Allow the yeast to bloom, about 5-10 minutes.
- While you wait for the yeast to bloom, measure out the goji berries and rinse it under cool water to clean it. Set aside. Measure out the walnuts and set aside.
- Combine the remainder of the dry ingredients together: sugar, flour and salt in a separate bowl.
- After the yeast has bloomed, stir in the Tangzhong and egg. Mix until well combined.
- Attach your mixing bowl to your stand mixer and put it on speed 2 (or knead setting). Slowly add in your dry ingredients and allow it to knead for about 3-5 minutes or until the dough comes together in a rough ball.
- While the dough is kneading, add the butter a little at a time. Once fully incorporated, keep kneading until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test. To check, gently stretch a small piece of dough — it should stretch thin enough for light to pass through without tearing easily.
- Add in the goji berries and walnuts and allow the mixer to knead the dough until they are well incorporated. The goji berries should have broken down and give the dough a yellow color.
- Shape the dough into a ball, cover and allow it to proof at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Once the dough has proofed, transfer it to a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 9 even pieces about 70g each.
- Roll out each piece into a ball and place it in a prepared baking dish. Cover and allow the dough to proof for 45min-1hr at room temperature. Alternatively, you allow the bread rolls to rise overnight in the fridge, covered, overnight and bake it the next day.
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Make the egg wash by mixing together egg and water. Brush the top of the proofed rolls evenly with the egg wash. Bake the rolls for 25 minutes or until the tops have turned golden brown.
- Allow the rolls to rest in the baking dish for 15 minutes. Then, transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
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