Flaky, layered sesame-crusted flatbread split and stuffed with scallion and egg — a night-market breakfast staple across Taiwan.
Shao bing is a laminated flatbread coated in sesame seeds, baked until the outside turns deeply golden and crackly while the inside stays flaky in distinct layers, achieved through a lamination technique of folding oil and dough repeatedly, similar in principle to puff pastry but with a chewier bite. Sold from breakfast carts and bakeries across Taiwan, it's often split open while still warm and stuffed with a fried egg, scallion, and sometimes a crawler of youtiao (fried dough stick) for a genuinely substantial breakfast sandwich. The lamination is what makes or breaks the dish: dough is rolled thin, brushed with a scallion-oil paste, rolled up like a cinnamon bun, then flattened and rolled again so the layers separate cleanly when baked, giving the distinctive shattering, flaky texture. A generous coating of sesame seeds pressed onto the surface before baking toasts in the oven's heat, adding a nutty crunch to the crust. Home versions rarely nail the bakery-level lamination on the first try, but the payoff — genuinely flaky layers threaded with scallion, wrapped around a soft fried egg — makes it worth the practice, and it remains one of the most recognizable breakfast foods across Taiwan.
Serves 4
Combine flour, warm water and salt into a smooth dough, kneading 8-10 minutes. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
Heat 3 tbsp oil until warm, whisk in 3 tbsp flour to form a smooth paste. Cool slightly.
Roll the dough into a large thin rectangle. Spread the oil paste evenly, scatter scallions over the top, then roll up tightly like a jelly roll.
Rolling tightly and evenly is what creates the distinct, shattering layers once baked.
Cut the roll into 4 pieces, flatten each with the cut side facing up, then roll out into flat ovals. Brush tops with water and press firmly into sesame seeds.
Place sesame-side up on a lined tray and bake at 220°C (425°F) for 18-22 minutes until deep golden and crackly.
Split the warm shao bing open and stuff with a fried egg, serving immediately while flaky and hot.
Roll the dough as thin as possible before applying the oil paste — thicker dough won't produce distinct, flaky layers.
Press sesame seeds firmly into the dough surface so they don't fall off during baking.
Let the dough rest fully before shaping — skipping the rest makes it spring back and difficult to roll thin.
Add a crispy youtiao (Chinese fried dough stick) inside for the classic full breakfast sandwich combination.
Make a sweet version by omitting scallion and adding a sugar-sesame paste instead.
Add chili oil or pickled vegetables inside for a spicier, more savory filling.
Best eaten fresh and warm. Store unfilled shao bing in an airtight container up to 2 days and reheat in a toaster oven to re-crisp before filling.
Shao bing traces back to northern Chinese flatbread traditions brought to Taiwan by mainland Chinese immigrants after 1949, where it became deeply integrated into Taiwanese breakfast culture alongside soy milk and youtiao. The lamination technique reflects a broader Chinese pastry tradition of building flaky layers through folding oil and dough, seen across many regional Chinese baked goods.
This usually means the dough wasn't rolled thin enough before the oil paste was applied, or it wasn't rolled tightly enough — both steps need to be done carefully for the layers to shatter apart when baked.
Yes — the dough can rest in the refrigerator overnight after the first knead; bring it to room temperature before rolling and shaping.
A fried egg is most common for breakfast, often alongside a youtiao (fried dough stick), though savory versions with pickled vegetables or even braised meat also appear at some vendors.
Per serving (220g / 7.8 oz) · 4 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.
