Tianjin flaky sesame bread: Ingredients & taste

At the table

How to enjoy it

Tear off small pieces and eat as a bread or snack, optionally alongside soup. Ask for the unfilled five-spice oil-paste version, and check the oil and any fillings before ordering.

A useful check

Contains wheat/gluten and sesame. Five-spice blends and added fillings vary. Fresh bread can be hot and crumbly.

How it may vary

Contains wheat/gluten and sesame. Five-spice blends and added fillings vary. Fresh bread can be hot and crumbly.

GET TO KNOW THE DISH

What goes into it?

Explore some key ingredients below. Preparations may use additional seasonings and ingredients.

Contains wheat/gluten and sesame. Five-spice blends and added fillings vary. Fresh bread can be hot and crumbly.

Typical ingredients

Wheat flour小麦面粉

Generated guide illustration of yeast; not a restaurant photograph or physical product evidence.

Baking yeast酵母

AI-generated ingredient illustration: pale golden liquid cooking oil in a bowl, shown as one possible appearance.

Cooking oil食用油

Generated guide illustration of salt; not a restaurant or product photograph.

Salt食盐

Fine brown five-spice powder in a small plain dish.

Five-spice powder五香粉

Generated guide illustration of sugar; not product evidence.

Sugar糖

Generated guide illustration of sesame seeds.

Sesame seeds芝麻

Recipes vary by restaurant.

How does it taste?

This savory, unfilled yousu version has a golden sesame crust and soft, flaky wheat layers scented with five-spice. Tianjin also has sesame-paste and sweet-filled shaobing, which are different versions.

Chili heat
Texture: This savory, unfilled yousu version has a golden sesame crust and soft, flaky wheat layers scented with five-spice. Tianjin also has sesame-paste and sweet-filled shaobing, which are different versions.
How it’s made: Make a lightly risen wheat dough with yeast, water, salt and oil. Spread with a paste of flour, hot oil, salt and five-spice; roll, portion, shape and briefly proof again. Brush with sugar water, coat with sesame and bake until cooked and golden.

Contains wheat/gluten and sesame. Five-spice blends and added fillings vary. Fresh bread can be hot and crumbly.

A CONNECTION TO PLACE

Origin & regional roots

Explore regional food

Associated with Tianjin.

About this regional connection

Tianjin: Tianjin; unfilled five-spice oil-paste representative version, not every local shaobing.

Ask if they have it first

ASK IF IT'S AVAILABLE

请问你们有天津油酥烧饼吗？

Do you have this item?

A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ

Story & history

Tianjin flaky sesame bread

Tianjin's shaobing tradition includes oil-paste layers, sesame paste and varied fillings. This unfilled oil-paste version emphasizes rolling and layered dough, while the breads accompany both breakfast and full meals.