There is a version of red bean pastry that takes all day — laminated dough, hand-made bean paste, resting between folds. And then there is the version a xiachufang cook posted from a European supermarket, which takes about thirty minutes and uses two of the best convenience foods ever invented: canned red beans and a sheet of store-bought puff pastry. It is the kind of recipe that makes me want to cheer for home bakers everywhere.
The filling is the clever part. Instead of opening a can of ready-made sweet bean paste, the cook drains a can of red kidney beans (the kind you find in any Danish supermarket), rinses them, and stir-fries them with a little oil and sugar until they collapse into a coarse, fragrant red bean paste. Then the pastry is cut into squares, each one topped with a spoonful of the paste, folded, brushed with egg, and baked at 200°C (400°F) for fifteen minutes until golden and shattering.
What Are Red Bean Puff Pastry Bites (红豆酥)?
Red bean puff pastry bites are small squares of flaky puff pastry wrapped around a sweet red bean filling and baked until puffed and golden. The classic 红豆酥 is a Chinese pastry with a crisp, layered shell; this shortcut version builds the layers with store-bought puff pastry and the filling with canned beans cooked down into a rough red bean paste.
This recipe is a celebration of practicality. The bean filling keeps some texture — the cook notes that a slightly coarse paste is actually nicer than a perfectly smooth one — and the puff pastry does all the lamination work for you. Cut, fill, fold, brush, bake: fifteen minutes later you have warm, flaky pastries that taste like they came from a Chinese bakery.
If you enjoy flaky Chinese pastries, my Huangzhuang mooncakes are a made-from-scratch layered pastry worth trying next.
1Flaky Huangzhuang Mooncakes (黄庄月饼): Crumbly Golden YolkNorthern-style flaky Huangzhuang mooncakes with corn-oil pastry layered around a golden salted-egg yolk and sweet white bean filling.Check out this recipe
Why This Recipe Works
- Store-bought puff pastry does the hard work. The layers come ready-made; you only cut, fill, and bake.
- Canned beans become real paste in minutes. Rinsed and stir-fried with oil and sugar, canned red beans collapse into a fragrant, slightly coarse filling.
- A little texture in the paste is a feature. The cook says a few coarse bits are delicious — the opposite of the usual quest for perfect smoothness.
- Egg wash and sesame give a bakery finish. A quick brush and a sprinkle turn plain pastry golden and glossy.
- Fifteen minutes at 200°C (400°F) is all it takes. The high heat puffs the layers quickly before the filling dries out.
Equipment Needed
- Baking sheet lined with parchment
- Skillet for the bean filling
- Pastry brush
- Knife or pizza cutter
Ingredients
- 1 can cooked red beans (red kidney beans), drained and rinsed
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) oil
- 30 g (2.5 tbsp) sugar
- 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry (butterdej / pâte feuilletée)
- 1 egg, beaten, for the egg wash
- White sesame seeds, for sprinkling
Ingredient Notes
Canned red beans. The cook used a can of red kidney beans from a Danish supermarket — any plain cooked red bean works. Rinse them well before cooking so the paste is not salty or tinny.
Puff pastry. A sheet of all-butter puff pastry (labeled butterdej in Denmark, pâte feuilletée in France) gives the flakiest result. Thaw it in the fridge if frozen and keep it cold while you work.
Sugar. The recipe uses 30 g for one can of beans, which makes a mildly sweet paste. Taste and add more if you like a sweeter filling, or use brown sugar for a deeper flavor.
Prep & Mise en Place
Drain and rinse the canned beans thoroughly. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Take the puff pastry out of the fridge and let it sit for 5 minutes so it rolls without cracking — but do not let it get warm and sticky. Beat the egg for the wash and line a baking sheet with parchment before you start the filling.
Cooking Process
Step 1 — Rinse and Cook the Beans Into Paste
Drain the canned beans, rinse them several times, and add them to a pan with the oil and sugar. Stir-fry until the beans break down into a coarse red bean paste — a few rough bits are fine and actually tasty.
Step 2 — Cook Down the Paste
Keep cooking and mashing until the paste thickens and darkens slightly. (The cook made a double batch from two cans — one can is plenty for a single sheet of pastry.)
Step 3 — Cut the Pastry Into 18 Squares
Unfold the puff pastry and cut it into a 3 by 6 grid — 18 small squares. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Step 4 — Top Each Square With a Little Paste
Place a small spoonful of red bean paste in the center of each pastry square.
Step 5 — Fold, Brush, and Sprinkle Sesame
Fold each square over the filling, press the edges to seal, and turn the parcels seam-side down. Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with white sesame seeds.
Sealing the parcels seam-side down is not just for looks. As the pastry bakes, trapped steam pushes against the layers; a weak seal lets that steam escape through the seam and burst the pastry open, while a properly sealed parcel traps it and rises into clean, even flakes.
Step 6 — Bake at 200°C for About 15 Minutes
Bake the parcels in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and deeply golden.
Step 7 — Enjoy the Warm, Flaky Pastries
Pull the pastries out when the color looks right and eat them warm — crisp, flaky, and filled with sweet red bean. The cook calls it “the taste of happiness.”
Common Mistakes When Making Red Bean Puff Pastry Bites
1. The filling is watery and soaks the pastry. Cause: beans not cooked down enough. Fix: stir-fry the paste until it thickens and holds its shape before filling.
2. The pastry tears when folded. Cause: pastry too cold or too warm. Fix: let it sit 5 minutes at room temperature, then work quickly and keep unused squares chilled.
3. The parcels leak. Cause: overfilling or weak seals. Fix: use a modest spoonful and press the edges firmly, placing the seam side down.
4. The bottoms burn. Cause: the pan too low or the oven too hot. Fix: bake at 200°C (400°F) on the middle rack and check at 12 minutes.
5. They are pale, not golden. Cause: skipping the egg wash. Fix: brush generously — the egg is what gives the bakery gloss and color.
Variations
Other fillings. Use the same shortcut with taro, durian, or black sesame paste — my durian puffs use a similar idea with a different filling.
Round parcels. Fold the pastry into rounds and crimp like a mini taro star bun for a different look.
Sweet soy or honey drizzle. Brush the warm pastries with a little honey for extra gloss, or serve with red bean porridge for a double red-bean dessert.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ready-made sweet red bean paste? Yes — skip the pan step entirely and use canned sweet azuki paste (红豆沙) directly.
Can I make these ahead? The baked pastries are best the day they are made; unbaked parcels freeze well for up to a month and can be baked straight from frozen, adding 3 to 4 minutes.
Do I have to use kidney beans? The cook used red kidney beans from a European supermarket; any plain cooked red bean works, and azuki beans give the most authentic flavor.
Can I use filo instead of puff pastry? Filo will be crisper but not flaky; puff pastry is the right choice here.
How sweet is the filling? With 30 g of sugar per can it is mildly sweet; taste and add more if you prefer a dessert-level filling.
How to Serve
Serve the pastries warm as an afternoon snack with tea, alongside butterfly pastry or Chinese shortbread cookies for a pastry plate. They are also lovely with pumpkin steamed buns for a mixed sweet-and-soft dessert spread, or with a bowl of red bean porridge to double down on the red bean theme.
Storage & Reheat
Store baked pastries in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days; re-crisp in a 160°C (325°F) oven for 5 minutes. Freeze unbaked parcels for up to 1 month and bake from frozen at 200°C (400°F) for 18 to 19 minutes.
Allergen Notice
Contains wheat (puff pastry), egg (egg wash), and possibly dairy (all-butter puff pastry). Sesame seeds are sprinkled on top.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
About the Author & Recipe Development
I am Lin, and I grew up in my parents’ restaurant kitchen in Chengdu, where red bean paste was made by hand from dried azuki beans — a slow, patient job. This xiachufang recipe from a cook living in Europe delighted me because it solves the same problem with a can of beans and a sheet of puff pastry, which is exactly the kind of adaptation I love to see. I tested it twice: the first batch I did not cook the paste down enough and it soaked the pastry; the second, drier filling baked into crisp, clean parcels. Store-bought puff pastry never felt like cheating once I tasted the result.
Authoritative References
King Arthur Baking on working with puff pastry for handling and baking tips, and USDA Safe Temperature Chart for storing egg-washed baked goods safely.
Red Bean Puff Pastry Bites (红豆酥): Easy Sweet Pastry
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Skillet
- Pastry Brush
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 1 can cooked red beans (kidney or azuki), drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp oil 15 ml
- 2.5 tbsp sugar 30 g, adjust to taste
For the Pastry
- 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry thawed
- 1 egg, beaten, for the egg wash
- 1 sprinkle white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the canned beans, then stir-fry with the oil and sugar until they break down into a coarse red bean paste.
- Cook the paste until it thickens and darkens slightly.
- Cut the puff pastry into an 18-square grid (3 by 6) and preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Place a small spoonful of red bean paste in the center of each square.
- Fold each square over the filling, seal the edges, and place seam-side down. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame.
- Bake at 200°C (400°F) for about 15 minutes until puffed and golden.
- Eat warm — crisp, flaky, and sweet with red bean.
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