welcome! 欢迎光临
Hi friends! Welcome to Modern Asian Baking, home of Dr. Kat Lieu’s innovative, fun, modern Asian baking and cooking recipes. Kat has authored three cookbooks and her recipes are perfect for home cooks, new and avid bakers, and people who appreciate vibrant flavors. Kat and a team of recipe testers have tested all these recipes here. They’re recipes Kat makes every week, so join her in celebrating Asian cuisine. The best way to find all of our great recipes is through the search above or below. For example, type in “Japanese cheesecake” or “gochujang basque cheesecake” for the recipes, or simply search an ingredient like ube, pandan, or black sesame. Happy baking, Fam!
Freezing sweet potatoes before roasting makes them creamy and self-mashing — no holes, no foil. Kat Lieu's go-to trick for perfect Japanese sweet potatoes.
This is an easy Dot Cake recipe anyone can master at home! Small-batch black sesame cupcakes loaded with rainbow sprinkles and vanilla buttercream. Fun, fast, and made in under an hour, so skip waiting in line, and just make the perfectly pretty and not-too-sweet dot cakes at home!
This vegan matcha shortbread recipe is the only one you'll ever need. Buttery, delicate, and naturally dairy-free, it works with matcha, pandan, black sesame, ube, or classic plain, and can easily be made gluten-free. Ready in under an hour with 5 simple ingredients.
The best chocolate muffins recipe: moist, bakery-style chocolate muffins made with cocoa powder, chocolate chips, Greek yogurt, and dark rye flour for a rich, tender, not-too-sweet crumb. Easy homemade muffins that taste and look like Costco-style chocolate muffins.
This easy chocolate ganache cake recipe is rich, soft, and deeply chocolatey, topped with a silky, glossy ganache frosting. Made in under two hours with simple ingredients, it’s a foolproof dessert perfect for cozy nights, celebrations, or sharing with friends.
These not-too-sweet miso pancakes are fluffy, tender, and easy to make in one bowl. A splash of rice vinegar and baking powder creates a light texture, while a touch of miso adds subtle depth and umami. Perfect for a cozy breakfast or brunch.
These crispy, buttery mochi muffins are inspired by viral Shanghai butter tteok, with a crunchy exterior and soft, chewy center. Made with simple ingredients and a clever baking trick, this might just be the best mochi muffin recipe yet.
This viral Korean crispy butter mochi (butter tteok) is chewy, crispy, and not too sweet. A simple gluten-free recipe made with just 6 ingredients in under an hour.
This Mochi Soufflé French Toast or fluffy mochi pancake recipe delivers the airy, jiggly texture of Japanese soufflé pancakes without whipping egg whites or complicated folding. Made with kirimochi (Japanese dried rice cake), they’re naturally gluten-free, fluffy, and filled with chewy bites. An easy, cozy breakfast that looks impressive but takes minimal effort.
If you replace the eggs with flax-seed eggs or egg replacer, this recipe can be suitable for vegans as well.
This easy bibingka recipe is a modern Filipino coconut rice cake baked in a muffin tin and lined with banana leaves for authentic flavor. Topped with grated cheese, brushed with butter, and sprinkled with sugar, these tender, slightly bouncy cakes are perfect for Christmas, Simbang Gabi, or anytime you’re craving classic Filipino bakery-style bibingka at home. Have them for breakfast or as a snack, or even as a dessert!
Japanese salt bread (shio pan) is a popular Asian bakery bread known for its crispy, buttery crust and chewy interior. This salt bread recipe explains why melted butter fries the bottom of the bread, how steam baking creates a crunchy top, and how to make salt bread at home using simple ingredients. Learn how to eat salt bread, flavor variations like ube, matcha, black sesame, and pandan, and tips for turning salt bread into breakfast, snacks, sandwiches, or dinner rolls.
Ma Lai Gao is a traditional Hong Kong steamed sponge cake enjoyed at dim sum and Lunar New Year. This small-batch recipe makes fluffy cupcakes.
These easy, gluten-free mochi muffins come together in minutes using Mochiko or glutinous rice flour and a blender. Soft, chewy, and not too sweet, they’re perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert, with endless flavor variations like pandan, ube, and black sesame.
Looking for an easy, repeatable dinner for busy weeknights? This creamy Seattle-style teriyaki chicken is Kat Lieu’s cozy, one-pan twist on a classic: sweet-savory, umami-rich, and just indulgent enough without being fussy. Tender chicken thighs are pan-seared until golden-brown, then finished in a silky teriyaki cream sauce with mushrooms and spinach. It’s comforting, flexible with any protein, and made for real life. Busy mama approved!
These soft, gently spiced cookies that pack a bit of heat at the end, are best shared with friends, especially the ones who appreciate a little heat and a whole lot of cheek. Kat Lieu’s recipe will bring a smile to anyone’s face this holiday season!
Make delicious mini mock apple pies with a genius Ritz-cracker “apple” filling—no apples needed. Inspired by a vintage Great Depression recipe and made not-too-sweet, this quick 30-minute dessert tastes just like McDonald’s apple pie. Perfect for potlucks and holiday baking.
Make ghost mochi cookies that everyone will love this Halloween. These vegan and gluten-free cookies come together in one bowl with simple pantry ingredients. Each bite tastes soft, chewy, and slightly crisp on the edges. You can add your favorite mix-ins like chocolate chips, blueberries, or nuts to make them your own. Bake them fresh, let them cool on a wire rack, and enjoy a not-too-sweet treat that feels playful, cozy, and full of childhood joy.
Bring fall’s favorite drink, pumpkin spice latte, to your cookie table with these soft and lightly spiced Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies. Made with real pumpkin puree, warm cinnamon, and a creamy mascarpone-whipped cream frosting, these delicious cookies are not too sweet, perfectly cozy, and easy to make for autumn gatherings and holiday parties. Like a warm sweater and hug with each bite, you might want to make these year-round, though we wait all year to make them!
Did you know you can make 2-ingredient cookies and pancakes with just ice cream and glutinous rice flour? This quick and easy recipe works for both chewy cookies and fluffy gluten-free pancakes—perfect for creative snacking. Customize with your favorite ice cream flavors, add baking powder for extra fluff, and enjoy endless variations from matcha to cookies-and-cream.
Discover the truth about China’s viral “stretchy yogurt” trend taking over TikTok and Instagram. Spoiler: most so-called stretchy yogurts, like Mamie’s in NYC, aren’t really stretchy at all—they’re just thick, creamy, and silky yogurts that have been cleverly marketed. In this article, bestselling cookbook author and recipe developer Kat Lieu breaks down why Mamie’s stretchy yogurt doesn’t bounce like mochi or pull like melted cheese, explains the food science behind true stretchiness (hint: tapioca starch), and shares an easy 3-ingredient homemade stretchy yogurt recipe you can make right in your kitchen. Perfect for yogurt lovers, food trend chasers, and anyone curious about Asian snacks, Kat’s DIY stretchy yogurt is fun, kid-friendly, and actually pulls and stretches. Learn how to make authentic stretchy yogurt at home with milk, Greek yogurt, and tapioca starch—vegan swaps included.
If you love classic banana pudding but want something lighter, fresher, and with a tropical twist, this coconut lime banana pudding is for you. Inspired by the comforting Southern dessert and reimagined with Asian flavors, this version skips boxed pudding mixes and overly sweet wafers. Instead, it uses real lime juice, coconut milk, and Lotus Biscoff cookies for layers of tangy, creamy, and caramelized flavor.
Bake this airy pandan chiffon cake, a pillowy family recipe passed down for generations. Perfect for birthdays, tea, or any celebration.
Make the viral Dubai chocolate cookies at home with this easy recipe! These not-too-sweet cookies are rich, fudgy, vegan, and gluten-free, made with mochiko, cocoa, pistachios, and your choice of cornflakes or kataifi for crunch.
These easy, one bowl vegan miso chocolate cookies are gluten-free, chewy on the inside, crisp on the edges, and perfectly balanced with a touch of savory umami. A simple recipe made with red miso, cocoa, and dairy-free chocolate chips, it is ideal for holiday cookie boxes, bake sales, or anytime you need a not-too-sweet treat.
Discover a smoky, savory twist on the classic burnt Basque cheesecake made with SPAM. Inspired by Hong Kong chiffon cakes and Jinhua ham mooncakes, this creamy, custardy cheesecake is not too sweet, easy to make in a blender, and unforgettable.
These Ube Mochi Crinkle Cookies are chewy, coconutty, lavender-hued, and made with Trader Joe’s Ube Mochi Pancake & Waffle Mix. Just 4 ingredients, naturally vegan and gluten-free!
These ube crinkle cookies are a showstopper—crispy on the outside, soft and tender inside, with vibrant purple color and sweet nutty flavor. Made with ube halaya, miso, and lemon zest, they’re easy to make, not too sweet, and perfect for holiday cookie boxes or potlucks.
Give classic Rice Krispies treats a vibrant Filipino twist with ube extract, ube halaya, and a hint of red miso for balance. These no-bake bars are chewy, colorful, and irresistibly flavorful. They are perfect for quick desserts, potlucks, and summer snacking, or anytime you’re in need of something comforting and not too sweet.
Make delicious mini mock apple pies with a genius Ritz-cracker “apple” filling—no apples needed. Inspired by a vintage Great Depression recipe and made not-too-sweet, this quick 30-minute dessert tastes just like McDonald’s apple pie. Perfect for potlucks and holiday baking.
These bright purple cookies come to us from Kat Lieu’s book Modern Asian Baking at Home. The cookies get their distinctive color and aroma from the Filipino purple yam ube (specifically, in the form of ube extract and ube halaya, a sweet jam). The ube gives the cookie dough a fruity, coconutty flavor with notes of vanilla, and the chewy, stretchy mochi centers hiding beneath the surface take these treats to the next level.
Swiss roll cakes from Chinese bakeries are soft and light as air, not too sweet, and perfect for my taste buds. The cake is airy chiffon that melts in your mouth, as does the fresh cream within. I love matcha anything, so we’ll be making a matcha sponge cake.
Let’s make a delicious ugly-beautiful miso pumpkin pie, fam!
Before Karen met her husband, she had never had a dragon fruit. The brightly pink fruit perplexed her at first, then mesmerized and inspired her! She had to do something with the juicy, vibrant flesh, and soon, this beautiful flower fruit tart was born. Easy to make, refreshing, and sure to delight tastebuds and wow friends and family on any occasion! Let Karen know what you think of her great recipe!
Here is Kat Lieu and her Ah Ma, paternal grandma
About Dr. Kat Lieu
Hi friends. Kat here. Growing up, I thought Asians didn’t bake. Pots and pans took up permanent residency in my childhood home’s oven. While other children frosted cupcakes, baked brownies, or used cookie cutters and sprinkles, I steamed, fried, boiled, and microwaved Asian desserts with my mother. These desserts include sweet soups, mochi, sweet egg custards, and sweetened sticky rice.
Of course, I eventually realized Asians did bake and own bakeries all around the world. In fact, Asian baking is a culinary world full of innovation, excitement, and adventure thanks to amazing flavors (ube, matcha, pandan, black sesame, miso, and more), special techniques, and unique textures like chiffon-airy and QQ chewy. Once you have feathery milk bread, an airy Asian cake, flakey Hong Kong egg tarts, or bouncy mochi-anything, you simply can’t go back.
By the way, I was a Doctor of Physical Therapy for over 13 years, and a Certified Lymphedema Therapist. I have a doctorate and master's degree in Physical Therapy and a Bachelor's Degree in Health Science. In 2024, I completed an 8-week certificate course with Harvard University: Health and Wellness: Designing a Sustainable Nutrition Plan. Also in 2024, I won the IACP Toni Tipton-Martin award. <3
“Subtle Asian Baking is no longer just a small community of bakers swapping recipes, but a movement for culinary innovation.” Jessica Wei, eater.com
In 2020, the Subtle Asian Baking (SAB) was born. Along came this website, modernasianbaking.com, and a SAB community-inspired cookbook, Modern Asian Baking at Home! My third cookbook, 108 Asian Cookies is on the way, set to launch on October 2025.
Friends, we hope you’re ready to add exciting new recipes to your repertoire and to start baking the Asian way. The best part? No passports or packing are required! So won’t you stay awhile and bake with us? Be sure to share a recipe! <3
Happy baking, friends!
xoxoxo,
Kat Lieu and the Subtle Asian Baking (SAB) Community
Japanese salt bread (shio pan) is a popular Asian bakery bread known for its crispy, buttery crust and chewy interior. This salt bread recipe explains why melted butter fries the bottom of the bread, how steam baking creates a crunchy top, and how to make salt bread at home using simple ingredients. Learn how to eat salt bread, flavor variations like ube, matcha, black sesame, and pandan, and tips for turning salt bread into breakfast, snacks, sandwiches, or dinner rolls.
Turn milk bread into an adorable Labubu-inspired toast with just 4 ingredients.
This vegan and gluten-free rice bread recipe by Kat Lieu is soft, chewy, and delicious, made with simple pantry ingredients like rice, miso, and maple syrup. Perfect for those craving a gluten-free bread that stays moist and tender. Bake it fresh, or store it in the fridge for a few days. Easy to make, with a delightful mochi-like texture that’s perfect for sandwiches or toasting.
This bread is dedicated to everyone who is looking for a gluten-free and vegan bread recipe! You’ll be making a soft, chewy, and delicious bread in no time, using pantry ingredients such as rice, miso, and maple syrup. The best part? This bread stays moist and tender and the recipe is a simple one. Simply blend all the ingredients in a blender and bake! Once baked up, you’ll have great bread that you can use for sandwiches, toast, or simply to enjoy fresh out of the oven!
What’s better than fresh homemade milk bread? Matcha milk bread of course! If you’re time-poor, you can make this bread dough like I did the night before and allow it to rise in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, shape and then proof for about an hour in warm room temperature. You can also use any standard bread pan. I chose a cute neko (cat) bread pan and turn the slices into a frog and a kitty. I highly recommend you try this easy milk bread recipe. It requires neither the tangzhong nor yudane methods, and I bet you’ll be matcha in love with it! Happy baking! Xoxoxo, Kat Lieu Note: For added umami, instead of salt, add 1/2 teaspoon of any miso to the bread dough.
Let’s make gluten-free ube cheese pandesal that can also be made vegan with a fun recipe by Kat Lieu, as we continue our month-long AAPIHM celebration at Subtle Asian Baking!
Let’s make gluten-free milk bread with this perfect gluten-free milk bread recipe by Kat Lieu!
Let’s make delicious gluten-free mochi muffins with this versatile and simple recipe by Kat Lieu
Let’s make umamiful blue Cheese Miso Garlic Milk Bread Buns With Crispy Arugula with an amazing recipe by Kat Lieu
Let’s make chewy, QQ, gluten-free ube mochi waffles with this quick and simple recipe by Kat Lieu, the founder of Subtle Asian Baking and Modernasianbaking.com. You can make these waffles vegan as well!
Let’s make miso garlic pesto milk bread rolls!
These buns are soft, fluffy, and almost too decadent. They can be made entirely vegan (use plant-based milk instead of dairy milk, and use tofu instead of an egg as the dough's binding agent). And only because someone had an argument with me about this, yeast is 100% vegan. They are fun-guys like a mushroom. Get it? Fungi, fun-guy? Har, har, har.
If you love spicy foods, add some crispy garlic spicy chili oil for an added kick.
If you bake these beauties, be sure to let me know what you think and tag #subtleasianbakes ! <3
Let’s make gluten-free mochi waffles that taste like boba!
Let’s make the best ube cheese pandesal (milk bread style) and give your mouth an O it deserves!
Let’s make a beautiful Matcha Milk Bread Christmas Tree that requires little kneading and no yudane or tangzhong. This is a super fun bread recipe for the holidays, especially with kids!
Let’s make a cute pandan bubble bread holiday tree! This is a no-knead bread recipe for pandan chigiri pan or chopped bread.
Let’s make delicious umami-packed scallion parmesan scones with this simple recipe by baker Phoebe Wan
Bet anyone will fall in love with these kawaii (cute) turtle melon pan buns, and baker Herman Huang has a simple recipe for you. You’ll be making soft, delicious, and addictive turtle melon pan in no time, and impress all your friends! Melon pan is named for the way they look, and usually does not use any melon in the recipe.
Let’s make a delicious milk bread, using a method that does not require tangzhong or yudane. We will activate the yeast using warmed milk (about 110F which is slightly warmer than body temp) and a sprinkling of sugar. Do not add salt directly to the yeast and milk. This bread will require at least 2 hours (1 hour to rise, 1 hour to proof). It will be worth it. The bread will be so soft, fluffy, light, savory and addictive. You will want to make it again and again!
When fall arrives, it's pumpkin spice season. We’re so excited to present to you a pumpkin spice milk bread, shaped into a pretty wool bread, using a standard bundt pan. You can use regular tube pans for this bread.
Make fluffy milk bread buns into pandan frogs! You can change up the recipe and make them matcha instead.
Looking for an easy, repeatable dinner for busy weeknights? This creamy Seattle-style teriyaki chicken is Kat Lieu’s cozy, one-pan twist on a classic: sweet-savory, umami-rich, and just indulgent enough without being fussy. Tender chicken thighs are pan-seared until golden-brown, then finished in a silky teriyaki cream sauce with mushrooms and spinach. It’s comforting, flexible with any protein, and made for real life. Busy mama approved!
These crispy, juicy air fryer Taiwanese popcorn chicken wings are packed with bold, peppery flavor and fragrant basil—just like the beloved street food, but no need to deep fry with buckets of oil. Marinate, coat, air fry, and shake with seasoning for an irresistible snack or appetizer.
The brilliance and versatility of convenience stores in Taiwan is truly unmatched. While our local 7/11’s in the states have soggy taquitos, broken slurpee machines, and rubbery hotdogs, the 7/11’s of Taiwan have chewy tea-infused eggs, fancy bento boxes, and loaves of bread that look buoyant as clouds. They have the silkiest of yogurts and the most luxurious assortment of soy, rice, and nut milks among anything you ever might need…
this is your sign to make Kat Lieu’s trending, viral and easy scissor cut noodles or knife-cut noodles, inspired by Shanxi the noodle heaven, at home with her homemade umami bomb sauce! Enjoy chewy, QQ delicious homemade noodles at home for lunch, dinner, this is the perfect meal for busy parents this summer and remote workers!
Hi friends! We recently had three-cup chicken flavored hot pot at a restaurant called Boiling Point. My husband loved the flavor of three-cup chicken and he mentioned how it reminded him of one of his favorite Filipino dishes, chicken adobo. I did some research and played around with some flavor combinations and came up with a super easy claypot Taiwanese Three-Cup Chicken recuoe to make at home. Now, don't worry if you do not have a claypot at home. You can use a wok (which will give the dish a bit more wok-hei or a frying pan, and of course you can bake the chicken as well! Experiment with a three-cup chicken dish to call your own, and happy cooking!
PS: This dish is called three-cup chicken because of its three main ingredients and their matching ratios: sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, and soy sauce. Fret not; we will not be using cups for each of these ingredients.
If you’re from the Pacific Northwest, chances are you love Ding Tai Fung’s delicious soup dumplings and unforgettable pan-fried Shanghai rice cakes. Now you don’t have to wait in those long lines to enjoy their rice cakes because my DTF-inspired recipe will show you how to make this addictive dish at home, very quickly and easily! This is also a great dish to eat to celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year, as nian gao (or rice cakes) is an auspicious food to eat during the new year!
Let’s make miso black sesame pasta with Kat Lieu!
Make the best lemon bars with a brown butter shortbread crust and a touch of miso. Easy, one-bowl recipe with just 7 ingredients. Doubles easily for a crowd.