If you’re a fan of crispy, savory pastries, then this oven-baked Cong You Bing is a must-try! I love making these at home because they’re so easy to prepare, and they come out perfectly crispy, flaky, and full of flavor every time.
Chinese pancakes
I’ve shared plenty of Chinese pancake recipes on this blog, from the famous Scallion Pancakes to Daikon Pancakes, Savory Sauce Pancakes, and Crispy Chinese Pancakes (Shou Zhua Bing).
I’ve also posted about Yeasted Scallion Pancakes, each with its own unique twist.
Recently, some of my readers asked if I could share an oven-baked version of the classic Scallion Pancakes, and I’m so excited to finally bring this recipe to you!
Oven-baked pancakes offer a healthier alternative without losing the crispy, golden layers that make scallion pancakes so irresistible.
I’m confident you’ll love this oven-baked version, and it’s so easy to make!
Oil Paste (the Scallion Pancake filling)
For the oil paste in this recipe, I use cooked oil, which is hot oil that’s been cooled down.
If you’re wondering how to make it, here’s a quick guide: you can heat oil until it’s hot, then let it cool down to room temperature.
I also include five-spice powder, a common ingredient in Chinese cooking. If you don’t have it on hand, feel free to substitute it with a little bit of cinnamon, cloves, or an allspice mix for a similar flavor profile.
Semi-Hot Water Method
For the dough, I use the semi-hot water method, a traditional technique in Chinese cuisine that results in soft, pliable dough.
By combining half boiling water and half room temperature water to hydrate the flour, this method ensures the dough is smooth and elastic. It’s especially great for recipes like pancakes, dumplings, and buns, where you need a dough that’s easy to roll and stretch.
I’ve mentioned this technique before in my Peking Duck Pancakes recipe as well, and it’s the secret behind a dough that’s smooth, elastic, and incredibly tender.
Tips for the Perfect Oven-Baked Scallion Pancakes
Oven Temperature: The key to crispy and golden scallion pancakes is getting the right oven temperature. I recommend baking at 210°C (top and bottom heat) for 12 minutes. However, every oven is a bit different, so keep an eye on your pancakes as they bake. If they start to brown too quickly or unevenly, you can rotate the tray midway through to ensure even baking.
Using an Electric Griddle or Pan: If you don’t want to use the oven, you can also cook these pancakes on an electric griddle or in a pan. While this method is quicker, the pancakes won’t be quite as crispy as they would be from the oven. You can check out my Green Onion Shao Bing recipe for pan-frying instructions, which will give you a slightly different, but still delicious, result.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 300g all-purpose flour
- 3g salt
- 3g white sugar
- 90g boiling water
- 90g room temperature water
- 20g cooking oil
For the Oil Paste:
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp five-spice powder
- 3 tbsp cooked oil (cooled)
Other Ingredients:
- White sesame seeds (as needed)
- Chopped green onions (as desired)
Instructions
Making the Dough:
In a large container, combine 300g of flour, 3g of salt, and 3g of sugar. Use chopsticks to stir evenly.
Using chopsticks, roughly divide the flour mixture into two portions.
Pour 90g of boiling water into one portion of the flour, stirring quickly with chopsticks until the mixture becomes crumbly. In the other portion of the flour, add 90g of room temperature water and stir again with chopsticks until the mixture becomes flaky.
Add 20g of cooking oil and knead the dough by hand until smooth (you can transfer it to a work surface to knead). Place the dough in a container, cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth, and let it rest for 30 minutes. This resting period will make the dough more elastic and easier to work with.
Making the Oil Paste:
In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp five-spice powder.
Slowly pour in 3 tbsp of cooled cooked oil, stirring with chopsticks until it forms a thick paste.
Preparing the Pastry:
Spread a layer of cooking oil on your work surface. Take the rested dough and place it on the surface to prevent it from sticking. Roll the dough into a long strip and divide it into 6 even portions.
Take one portion of dough and roll it out thinly with a rolling pin, aiming for a length of about 20-30 cm.
Evenly spread a layer of the oil paste over the rolled-out dough, making sure to cover the edges as well. Sprinkle with chopped green onions.
Starting from one end, roll the dough tightly into a long strip.
Fold both ends of the strip toward the center, then gently press it down and shape it into a rectangular dough block.
Repeat the above steps for the remaining portions of dough.
Take the first rolled dough ball and flatten it into a rectangular pancake using a rolling pin, aiming for a thickness of 0.3 – 0.5 cm.
Place the scallion pancake onto the baking tray. Brush a layer of cooking oil on the surface of the pancake. This will help the pastry become extra crispy when baked. After brushing with oil, evenly sprinkle a layer of white sesame seeds on top.
Baking the Pastry:
Preheat the oven to 210°C (top and bottom heat) for about 10-15 minutes.
Place the prepared pastry into the preheated oven and bake at 210°C for 12 minutes. You can monitor the baking process through the oven’s glass door. When the surface of the pastry turns golden brown and begins to puff up, it’s almost done. If the surface browns unevenly, rotate the baking tray halfway through the baking time.
Once baked, use oven mitts to remove the tray from the oven. Place the pastries on a cooling rack and allow them to cool slightly until they are no longer too hot to handle. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use a different filling?
A: Absolutely! While the classic scallion filling is the most popular, you can experiment with other ingredients like garlic, chili flakes for variety.
Oven Baked Cong You Bing (Scallion Pancake)
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 3 g salt
- 3 g white sugar
- 90 g boiling water
- 90 g room temperature water
- 20 g cooking oil
For the Oil Paste:
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp five-spice powder
- 3 tbsp cooked oil cooled
Other Ingredients:
- White sesame seeds as needed
- Chopped green onions as desired
Instructions
Making the Dough:
- In a large container, combine 300g of flour, 3g of salt, and 3g of sugar. Use chopsticks to stir evenly.
- Using chopsticks, roughly divide the flour mixture into two portions.
- Pour 90g of boiling water into one portion of the flour, stirring quickly with chopsticks until the mixture becomes crumbly. In the other portion of the flour, add 90g of room temperature water and stir again with chopsticks until the mixture becomes flaky.
- Add 20g of cooking oil and knead the dough by hand until smooth (you can transfer it to a work surface to knead). Place the dough in a container, cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth, and let it rest for 30 minutes. This resting period will make the dough more elastic and easier to work with.
Making the Oil Paste:
- In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp five-spice powder.
- Slowly pour in 3 tbsp of cooled cooked oil, stirring with chopsticks until it forms a thick paste.
Preparing the Pastry:
- Spread a layer of cooking oil on your work surface. Take the rested dough and place it on the surface to prevent it from sticking. Roll the dough into a long strip and divide it into 6 even portions.
- Take one portion of dough and roll it out thinly with a rolling pin, aiming for a length of about 20-30 cm.
- Evenly spread a layer of the oil paste over the rolled-out dough, making sure to cover the edges as well. Sprinkle with chopped green onions.
- Starting from one end, roll the dough tightly into a long strip.
- Fold both ends of the strip toward the center, then gently press it down and shape it into a rectangular dough block.
- Repeat the above steps for the remaining portions of dough.
- Take the first rolled dough ball and flatten it into a rectangular pancake using a rolling pin, aiming for a thickness of 0.3 - 0.5 cm.
- Place the scallion pancake onto the baking tray.Brush a layer of cooking oil on the surface of the pancake. This will help the pastry become extra crispy when baked. After brushing with oil, evenly sprinkle a layer of white sesame seeds on top.
Baking the Pastry:
- Preheat the oven to 210°C (top and bottom heat) for about 10-15 minutes.
- Place the prepared pastry into the preheated oven and bake at 210°C for 12 minutes. You can monitor the baking process through the oven's glass door. When the surface of the pastry turns golden brown and begins to puff up, it's almost done. If the surface browns unevenly, rotate the baking tray halfway through the baking time.
- Once baked, use oven mitts to remove the tray from the oven. Place the pastries on a cooling rack and allow them to cool slightly until they are no longer too hot to handle. Enjoy!
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