Nothing says cozy like Goguma Ppang—Korean sweet potato bread that looks just like a roasted goguma. Soft, creamy, and filled with sweet potato goodness, it’s the perfect blend of comfort and charm in every bite.
What is Goguma Ppang?
If you’re in a hurry and just want to get cooking, feel free to jump into the recipe card.
Koreans love sweet potatoes so much that they’ve even turned them into bread—and that’s how Goguma Ppang (고구마빵) was born. True to its name, it’s a soft bun with a creamy sweet potato filling, often shaped to look just like a roasted goguma.
Some bakeries even use purple dough or a dusting of purple sweet potato powder to give it that rustic, earthy look.
The “skin” can differ—sometimes it’s soft, fluffy yeast dough, other times a chewy, mochi-like dough. I personally lean toward the mochi version: it’s quicker, has that satisfying chew, and reminds me of the viral H Mart’s sweet potato bread on TikTok.
Ingredients
For the skin:
- Tapioca starch
- All-purpose flour
- Glutinous rice flour
- Egg
- Sugar
- Milk
- Butter
- Purple sweat potato powder
For the filling:
- Japanese sweet potato (the yellow-fleshed kind, not yam)
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Butter
- Mozzarella cheese (optional)
Instructions
Step 1. Make the filling
- Peel and cut the sweet potato into chunks, then steam until soft. While still hot, mash it together with butter and condensed milk until creamy.
- Take a portion of the filling, tuck mozzarella inside, and shape it into a long oval—kind of like a sweet potato. If you’re skipping the cheese, just use a bit more mashed sweet potato so each portion is about the same size.
Step 2. Make the dough
- In a saucepan, mix flour, milk, and sugar. Add butter and cook over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens. While it’s still very hot, stir in the tapioca starch and mix quickly—at this stage the dough will be half-cooked, half-raw.
- Remove from the heat, then add sugar, glutinous rice flour, and egg. Mix well and knead until the dough becomes smooth. Divide the dough into portions.
Step 3. Shape the buns
- Roll each portion into a thin sheet, about 2–3 mm thick (0,1 inch), then wrap it around the filling and pinch the ends to form a sweet potato shape. The thinner the skin, the better it tastes—though it does get trickier to wrap.
- Roll each bun in purple sweet potato powder, shaking off any excess. For a realistic touch, poke a few holes on the surface so it looks just like a roasted goguma.
Step 4. Bake or Air Fry
- Preheat the oven to 356 °F (180 °C) for 10 minutes. Bake the buns for about 12 minutes, until set. Or cook them in an air fryer at 320 °F (160 °C) until fully cooked.
- Enjoy your Goguma Ppang warm, when the filling is at its gooey, melty best.
Serve these Korean Sweet Potato Buns warm by popping them in the air fryer for 3–5 minutes at 356 °F (180 °C). For more tasty ideas, explore our Asian Air Fryer Recipes or browse our full Air Fryer Recipes collection for quick and delicious bites!
Storing
Room temperature: If you plan to eat them the same day, just keep the buns in an airtight container once they’ve cooled. They’ll stay soft for about 6–8 hours.
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 20–30 seconds or in the oven / air fryer at 356 °F (180 °C) for 5 minutes to bring back the softness.
Freezer: For longer storage, wrap each bun tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature, then reheat before serving.
What to Serve Goguma Ppang With
- Hot coffee or latte. I’m a big fan of Vietnamese coffee, so I often enjoy these buns with a cup of cà phê sữa đá (iced coffee), a frothy egg coffee, or even salt coffee. The rich, bold flavors pair perfectly with the sweet potato filling.
- Korean sweet potato latte (goguma latte). For double the cozy factor, try this creamy, sweet drink—it’s like a warm hug in a cup.
- Matcha latte. The earthy, slightly bitter notes of matcha balance out the naturally sweet and creamy filling beautifully.
If you want to make it feel like a mini bakery spread at home, pair Goguma Ppang with other Asian-style breads or buns—think Chinese hot dog buns, Japanese Shokupan, pandan bread, fluffy chiffon cake or even savoury Vietnamese Pâté Chaud.
Variations
Real Potato Bread: Shape the dough like a potato and roll it in a mix of cocoa and milk powder.
Real Chestnut Bread: Shape it like a chestnut and swap the sweet potato filling for chestnut filling.
Ube Bread: Replace the mashed sweet potato with ube halaya for the filling.
Easy Korean Dishes to Try
(Korean Stir-fried Pork with Kimchi)
Korean Sweet Potato Bread (Goguma Ppang)
Equipment
- 1 kitchen scale (highly recommended for accurate measuring of ingredients)
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 cups sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks (about 10.5 oz / 300 g)
- 2 tbsps condensed milk (1 oz / 30 g)
- 2 tbsps unsalted butter (1 oz / 30 g)
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese (shredded or cut into small pieces) (5 oz / 140 g)
Dough
- 1 cup tapioca starch (4.2 oz / 120 g)
- ¼ cup glutinous rice flour (1.2 oz / 35 g)
- 2 tbsps all-purpose flour (0.5 oz / 15 g)
- ⅓ cup milk (2.8 oz / 80 g)
- 1 ½ tbsps unsalted butter (0.7 oz / 20 g)
- 1 ½ tbsps granulated sugar (0.7 oz / 20 g)
- 1 egg
- Purple sweet potato powder
Instructions
Make the Filling
- Peel and cut sweet potatoes into chunks. Steam until soft.
- While still hot, mash with butter and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
- Divide the mashed sweet potato into 7 portions (about 2 oz / 51-53g each) and the mozzarella into 7 portions (about 2 tbsp or ¾ oz each).
- Spread the mashed sweet potato, place the mozzarella in the center, and shape into a long oval like a sweet potato. If skipping the cheese, simply use a bit more mashed sweet potato to compensate.
Make the Dough
- In a saucepan, mix flour and milk. Add butter and cook over medium-low heat until thickened.
- While very hot, stir in tapioca starch quickly (dough will be half-cooked, half-raw).
- Remove from heat. Add glutinous rice flour, sugar, and egg. Mix and knead until smooth. Divide the dough into 7 portions (about 1.75 oz / 50 g each).
Shape the Buns
- Roll each portion into a thin sheet, roughly 0,1 inch (2–3 ,m) thick.
- Wrap dough around filling, pinch ends to form a sweet potato shape. Thinner skin = better taste but trickier to wrap.
- Roll each bun in purple sweet potato powder and shake off excess. Poke a few holes for a realistic roasted look.
Cook & Serve
- Preheat oven to 356°F (180°C ) for 10 minutes. Bake buns for 12 minutes, until set.
- Or air fry at 320°F (160°C) until cooked through.
- Enjoy warm for the best gooey, melty filling!
