Buns

The word "Bun" now has many definitions to it. In North America, people would be hard-pressed to tell you what the difference is between a bun and a roll, with the bottom line being that the difference often just comes down to common usage for a particular item for that region.

Britain has (or had) the clearest definition.

Buns in British English

Small, hand-sized, sweet bakery items usually made from a flour, often with a leavener, either yeast or a chemical leavener.

Buns are usually dome-shaped, with a flat bottom, and may or may not be iced. They are usually round, though, they can be longish instead.

Whatever the shape, though, long or round, buns are sweet items, and rolls are not sweet. In British English, a roll is a small bread, unsweetened. Consequently, instead of hot dog bun, they might say hot dog roll, or a sandwich roll if filled with something like chopped egg. That being said, the North American confusion between bun and roll has started to cross over. In England, hamburger buns are called hamburger buns, not rolls (or just as likely, "burger buns.")

If there were confusion before, it was between "cake" and "bun" or "roll" -- consider Sally Lunn Cakes, which are actually unsweetened bread rolls.

North American English

Small, hand-sized bakery items usually made from a flour, often with a leavener, either yeast or a chemical leavener.

Can be sweetened or unsweetened, round or square or long.

Take Cinnamon Rolls. A Brit would look at those and say "Cinnamon Buns" (or more likely, "Sticky Buns.") Americans would say Cinnamon Rolls. Except in Philadelphia: "Sticky buns belong to Philadelphia as much as Independence Hall and the 12th Street Market. Not just any cinnamon bun, this bun of the Quaker City, but a bun unique of flavor, of a stickiness incarnate." [1]


Most North Americans refer to Hot Dog Rolls as Hot Dog Buns, whereas a Brit would say Hot Dog Rolls. In New England and eastern Canada, you are just as likely to come across them called, and store labelled, as Hot Dog Rolls. After all, in New England the same (top-split) bread item used as a Hot Dog Roll is also used for a Lobster Roll.

The Oregon State Statutes reflect the confusion: "As used in this subsection, 'rolls" or “buns” include doughnuts, sweet rolls or sweet buns made with fillings or coatings, such as cinnamon, the soft rolls, such as Parker House rolls, hamburger buns, hot dog buns and the hard rolls, such as Vienna rolls or Kaiser rolls. However, rolls or buns shall not include foods made with specialty flours, such as cake flour." [2]

In Newfoundland, Pork Buns have salt pork in them -- but in addition to the pork, can also have raisins and molasses.

"Chinese English"

By "Chinese English", we mean how Chinese food item terms get translated into English. Usually mass confusion results all round. Take for instance the term "Chinese Cabbage", which can mean about ten different plants.

Most small, flour-based (wheat or rice flour) items get translated just as "buns", whether they are savoury or sweet -- and bear in mind that as an ancient cuisine, Chinese cooking still blurs the boundaries between sweet and sour to start with.

The word in Chinese for bun is "bao."

Steamed Buns (such as "baozi" or "mantou") can be sweet or savoury, filled or unfilled. "Xiao Long Bao", dumplings with a filling and a small amount of broth inside, are sometimes translated in English as "Juicy steamed buns with pork."

One thing is for certain now about Chinese "buns." In January 2008, new national laws came into effect in China stating that Steamed Buns had to be circular or crescent shaped, to the outrage of those who made square-shaped buns. [1] Clementine Paddleford, "The Recipes that America Loves". in The Post Standard, Syracuse, New York. September 11 1960, page 25.

[2] Oregon State Statutes  625.212 Definitions for ORS 625.215.

Bath Buns, Belgian Buns, Black Bun, Chelsea Buns, Hot Cross Buns, Plum Shuttles, Sticky Buns

Bread Crumbs, Flat Breads, French Breads, Quick Breads