Pangoccioli (Italian Chocolate Chip Milk Buns)
These homemade pangoccioli are soft, fluffy Italian milk buns packed with mini chocolate chips.
The dough is rich like a brioche but light as a cloud, and your stand mixer does most of the work.
Bake a batch on the weekend and you'll have the best chocolate buns ready for breakfast, lunch boxes and afternoon snacks all week!
Growing up in Italy, merenda was the best part of my afternoon. Merenda is the little snack Italian kids eat after school, and in my house pangoccioli were a must-have, together with my mum's Italian honey cookies.
There was always a bag in the kitchen cupboard, and I loved tearing the soft bun apart to hunt for every last chocolate chip.
Today I make them from scratch, and they taste just like the ones I remember, only better. If you're looking for a fun baking project to share with your kids, this is it!
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What are pangoccioli?
Pangoccioli are soft Italian buns filled with tiny chocolate chips. The name joins two Italian words: pane (bread) and gocce (drops), as in drops of chocolate.
In Italy you'll find the famous Mulino Bianco version in every supermarket, and this recipe is my homemade take on it.
They sit somewhere between milk buns and Italian brioche buns.
The dough is made with milk, butter, egg and a little sugar, so it's softer and sweeter than bread but lighter than a classic French brioche.
The result is a golden, shiny bun with a fluffy inside that pulls apart in soft strands.
Want them extra indulgent? Slice the buns in half and fill them with a spoonful of my homemade Italian chocolate hazelnut spread.
Why you'll love these chocolate buns
- Super soft and fluffy. Milk and butter keep the buns tender for days.
- Kid-approved. They're the perfect merenda, school snack or quick breakfast.
- Freezer-friendly. Bake once and you'll have a sweet snack ready whenever you need one.
- Better than store-bought. Simple ingredients, and you pick the best quality.
- Easy, mostly hands-off. The stand mixer does the kneading, and the dough does the rest while it rises.
Ingredients you'll need
You only need a few simple pantry ingredients to make pangoccioli.
Here's what each one does, plus my tips for picking the best. You'll find the exact amounts in the recipe card below.
- Milk. Whole milk gives you the softest, richest milk buns. Warm it until it feels just lukewarm on your finger. If it's too hot, it can kill the yeast.
- Bread flour. Bread flour has more protein than regular flour, so it builds a strong dough that holds the butter and chocolate and rises tall. In Italy I use tipo 0 flour. All-purpose flour works too, but your buns will be a little less fluffy.
- Fresh yeast. It gives the buns a lovely flavor and a great rise. Crumble it into the warm milk and whisk until it dissolves. No fresh yeast? Use dry yeast instead (see the FAQs).
- Sugar. Just a little regular white sugar sweetens the dough gently and helps the buns turn golden in the oven.
- Egg. The egg makes the dough rich and gives the inside a warm, yellow color. Use it at room temperature so it doesn't slow down the yeast.
- A pinch of salt. Don't skip it! Salt balances the sweetness and makes the chocolate taste even better.
- Butter. Use soft unsalted butter cut into small cubes. It goes in after the first kneading, so the dough can get strong before the butter makes it tender.
- Chocolate chips. Use mini chocolate chips if you can find them. They spread evenly through the dough.
How to make pangoccioli
Making these Italian brioche buns takes about 30 minutes of hands-on time. The rest is just waiting while the dough rises.
Scroll down for the full printable recipe.
- Make the dough. Add the flour, sugar and salt to your stand mixer bowl. Whisk the fresh yeast into the lukewarm milk, then pour it in with the egg. Knead then add the soft butter, knead until the dough is smooth.
- Add the chocolate chips. Tip the dough onto the counter and flatten it with your hands. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top, then fold and knead the dough until they're spread evenly. Put it back in the bowl, cover and let it rise.
- Shape the buns. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll into smooth balls. Place the buns on a lined baking tray, cover with a kitchen towel and let them rise for 1 hour and 30 minutes, until puffy.
- Brush and bake. Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) with the fan on. Whisk the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of milk and gently brush it over the buns. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden, then let them cool on a wire rack.
Tips for the softest Italian brioche buns
- Keep the milk lukewarm. Warm, not hot. Hot milk can kill the yeast, and your buns won't rise.
- Be patient with the butter. Add it only after the first 5 minutes of kneading, and a little at a time. The dough needs to get strong first.
- Chill the chocolate chips. Pop them in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before adding them. This stops them from melting and streaking the dough while you knead.
- Find a warm spot. Yeast loves warmth. On cold days, let the dough rise in the oven with just the light on.
- Do the poke test. Before baking, gently press a bun with your finger. If the dent slowly springs back, they're ready. If it pops back right away, give them a little more time.
- Don't overbake. Take them out as soon as they're golden. A few extra minutes can dry them out.
- Cover while they cool. Lay a clean kitchen towel over the warm buns. This keeps the crust soft, just like the store-bought ones.
How to store and freeze pangoccioli
- At room temperature. Keep the buns in an airtight container or a sealed bag for up to 3 days. They stay soft thanks to the milk and butter.
- In the freezer. Once they've cooled completely, put them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To thaw. Take one out of the freezer in the morning and pop it in a lunch box. By snack time, it will be soft and ready to eat. You can also warm a frozen bun in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.
Once thawed, warm them for a few seconds and serve with a cup of thick Italian hot chocolate for a cozy winter snack.
This is my favorite trick for busy weeks: bake one batch, freeze it, and you'll always have a fresh merenda ready for school.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Use 4 g (1 ¼ teaspoons) of instant dry yeast instead of 10 g of fresh yeast. Mix it straight into the flour, then add the milk and egg as usual.
Yes, you can knead the dough by hand. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes of kneading, and the dough will be sticky when you add the butter. Keep going and resist adding extra flour; it will come together.
Yes. After shaping the buns, cover the tray and put it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, leave the buns at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, until puffy, then brush and bake.
The most common reasons are old yeast, milk that was too hot, or a cold kitchen. Check the date on your yeast and keep the dough somewhere warm.
More Italian treats for your merenda
If these pangoccioli have won you over, here are a few more of my family favorites to bake next.
For an even more chocolatey merenda, slice a bun open and spread it with my homemade Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Spread. It was my favorite after-school snack growing up.
On cold afternoons, serve your buns with a mug of Best Italian Hot Chocolate for dunking.
Love a slow Italian breakfast? Try my soft Ciambellone - Olive Oil Bundt Cake or my mum's Italian Honey Cookies, both perfect with a glass of milk.
And for chocolate lovers, these 3-ingredient Nutella Thumbprint Cookies (just Nutella, flour and an egg) are just as fun to make with the kids!
DID YOU TRY THIS RECIPE?
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Recipe
Pangoccioli (Italian Chocolate Chip Milk Buns)
Ingredients
For the dough
- 500 g bread flour, 4 cups
- 50 g granulated sugar, ¼ cup
- 3 g fine salt, ½ teaspoon
- 10 g fresh yeast, or 4 g / 1 ¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast
- 270 g whole milk, lukewarm (1 cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 50 g unsalted butter, softened and cubed (3 ½ tablespoons)
- 150 g mini chocolate chips, 1 cup
For the topping
- 1 egg yolk
- 1½ tablespoons milk
- powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Add the flour, sugar and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. If you're using dry yeast, add it now.
- Whisk the fresh yeast into the lukewarm milk until dissolved. Pour it into the bowl with the egg and knead on medium-low speed for 5 minutes.
- Add the softened butter a few cubes at a time and knead for 5 more minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Tip the dough onto the counter and flatten it with your hands. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top, then fold and knead until they're spread evenly.
- Put the dough back in the bowl, cover and let it rise in a warm spot for 40 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (about 90 g each) and shape into smooth balls. Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 1 hour 30 minutes, until puffy and almost doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) with the fan on. Whisk the egg yolk with the milk and gently brush it over the buns.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden. Let cool on a wire rack, then dust with powdered sugar if you like.
Notes
- Oven: 160°C fan is the same as 180°C (350°F) in a conventional oven without fan.
- Dry yeast: use 4 g (1 ¼ teaspoons) instant dry yeast and mix it straight into the flour.
- Flour: in Italy, use tipo 0 or tipo 1 medium-strength flour. All-purpose flour also works, but the buns will be a little less fluffy.
- Chocolate chips: mini chips work best. Chill them in the freezer for 10–15 minutes so they don't melt while you knead.
- Make ahead: shape the buns, cover and refrigerate overnight. Leave them at room temperature for 1–2 hours before brushing and baking.
- Storage: keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave for 10–15 seconds.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
