Medium 40 min serves 4

Sesame Oil Cracker (油酥火烧)

Name: Sesame Oil Cracker (油酥火烧)
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Northern Chinese Home Cooking
Ingredients: All-purpose flour; Vegetable oil; Warm water; Salt; White sesame seeds; Flour (for oil paste)

油酥火烧 · yóu sū huǒ shāo

家庭快手版 · Home version: 家庭版：油酥多层，酥脆掉渣

Huoshao is Hebei's answer to the French baguette — everyday bread that's crispy outside, chewy inside. The oil paste (油酥) creates hundreds of paper-thin layers. My father's morning huoshao was dipped in congee, never fried.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

Ingredients

All-purpose flour中筋面粉🛒 local300 g
Vegetable oil植物油🛒 local60 g
Warm water温水🛒 local160 ml
Salt盐🛒 local5 g
White sesame seeds白芝麻🛒 local25 g
Flour (for oil paste)面粉（油酥用）🛒 local60 g

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

Pick a level and we'll show exactly how much to change — no more "适量".

Spice level

Saltiness

Oiliness

Make it vegetarian

Instructions

1Make dough: mix flour, salt, 30ml oil and warm water. Knead 8 minutes. Rest 25 minutes covered.
🔍 Look for
Visual: 面团应光滑按压回弹Dough should be smooth and spring back when poked
You know it's right when: 面团光滑有弹性
2Make oil paste: mix 60g flour with 30ml hot oil until smooth paste forms.
🔍 Look for
Visual: 油酥应厚但可涂抹，如浓奶油Paste should be thick but spreadable, like thick cream
You know it's right when: 油酥顺滑无粉粒
3Roll dough into large rectangle (40x30cm). Spread oil paste, leaving 2cm border.
🔍 Look for
Visual: 油酥应均匀无露白Oil paste should be even, no gaps showing flour
You know it's right when: 油酥层完整
4Cut into 3 long strips. Stack strips, press down with palm. Cut into 4 pieces.
🔍 Look for
Visual: 叠层应整齐不滑动Stack should be neat, not sliding
You know it's right when: 切面层次可见
5Stretch each piece, coil, flatten. Brush water, coat sesame. Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes.
🔍 Look for High heat 约20分钟
Visual: 酥皮应膨胀，层间微分离Pastry should puff and layers should separate slightly
You know it's right when: 敲底清脆空响

Tips

· Hot oil for paste activates the flour's starch for better layering
· Don't skip the resting — under-rested dough shrinks and tears
· For extra crispiness, brush with oil after baking while still hot
· Store in paper bag, not plastic — plastic makes them soggy

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Can I reduce the salt/soy in this recipe?

Yes — soy sauce is the main sodium source. Use light soy at 2/3 amount and finish with salt only to taste. Rinse canned/doubanjiang components if possible. Note: reducing soy also reduces color; a drop of dark soy or a pinch of sugar can restore depth without salt.

Source: HǎoWèi diet guide

Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?

Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

My dish came out too salty. Can I fix it?

Quick fixes: add a squeeze of lemon/vinegar (acidity masks salt), stir in a few potato chunks or rice (they absorb salt — remove before serving), or bulk it out with more rice/vegetables. Next time: add soy sauce in two stages, taste in the middle, and remember light soy + a pinch of salt is often enough.

Source: HǎoWèi cooking science