- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 4.1 × 3.7 in (10.4 × 9.4 cm)
This chubby bao bun paper squishy has soft cream shading, pleated folds at the top, rosy cheeks, and a tiny pink heart by its eye. Download the free printable template in US Letter or A4 with 3 options: pre-colored, a black-and-white coloring page, or a blank outline for your own face design. Pair your finished bun with a dim sum basket squishy or a panda bun paper squishy for a full steamer set.
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your bao bun sheet at 100% scale on plain printer paper—make sure to turn off “fit to page.” Check the scale line in the top corner to see that it measures exactly 2 inches (50 mm on A4). If you picked the coloring page, shade the bun with warm cream tones and pink cheeks now, then let any marker ink dry completely.
2Tape the pieces
Laminate just the front and back bao bun shapes with wide clear packing tape rather than covering the whole page. Smooth each strip down from the middle of the bun outward without pulling or stretching, because stretched tape will wrinkle later. This glossy layer makes your paper squishy shiny, strong, and extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Cut out the front and back bun pieces right along the solid outer black line, keeping the narrow white border intact. Take your time steering the scissors around the wavy pleated tip at the top so the curves stay smooth and match up nicely.
4Add a tape border to the back
Place the back piece printed side down onto strips of regular clear tape with the sticky side facing up. Trim the tape about 1 cm (½ inch) outside the paper edge, then snip into that tape margin every 2 cm (1 inch) right up to the paper. These little flaps will hold your round bun shape together.
5Join front and back
Lay the front piece on top of the back piece with the white unprinted sides together, lining up the top pleats. Fold the sticky flaps over the front edge one by one and press them down. Leave a 4 cm (1½ inch) gap open along the flatter bottom curve, just like the pink line in the picture shows, for your stuffing.
6Stuff it
Tear your plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small pieces and push them in through the bottom gap. Fill the far corners and the peaked top of the bao bun first, then work out into the round sides. Stop once the bun feels soft and puffy—packing in too much stuffing makes the taped seams pop.
7Close the gap
Fold the last tape flaps over the bottom edge and tape the gap shut with an extra strip of clear tape. Run your finger firmly along all the curved edges and the top pleats to press the tape down well.
8Squish!
Done! Squeeze your puffy bao bun and watch it puff back up into shape. Want a slow-rising squishy? Prick 1 tiny pinhole into the back of the bun so the air escapes gradually.
Free Bao Bun Squishy Template
- Color
- Coloring page
- Blank, design your own
- Step-by-step guide
One free PDF: the template in three versions (pages 1–3) and the step-by-step guide (pages 4–5). Print the template at 100% on plain printer paper.
Tips for the perfect squish
- My bao bun feels too hard. It has too much stuffing inside the round belly. Open the bottom gap, take some filling out, and tape it shut again.
- Tape wrinkles on the face. Use shorter strips of packing tape and lay them across the bun without pulling, smoothing from the center outward.
- A seam splits on the curves. Put a new short strip of tape right across the split edge, overlapping the old flaps.
- Blush or outline colors smeared. Let marker ink on the cheeks and dough shadows dry fully before taping; printer ink is fine to tape right away.
Questions
How do you make a bao bun squishy out of paper?
Print our free template on plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb), laminate the front and back pieces with wide packing tape, and cut them out. Join the edges with a snipped tape border, stuff the bun with plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill through a 4 cm (1½ inch) gap, and tape the opening shut.
What paper works best for a paper squishy?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) works best because it folds easily into a soft, plump bun shape. Cardstock makes the squishy too stiff and it won’t squish as nicely.
What can I stuff my bao bun squishy with?
Tear up plastic grocery bags for a crinkly, light feel, or use cotton balls or fiberfill for a soft pillowy bun. You can also use small pieces of memory foam if you want a slow-rising squishy.
Can I use glue instead of tape on the edges?
Not for the edges. Glue doesn’t stick to tape-covered paper, so the rounded seams would open up; the snipped tape border folded over the edge holds best.
Can I make these with a class or group?
Yes! Print 1 sheet per person, cut the tape strips in advance, and plan about 30 minutes so kids can color the coloring page while you help with taping.
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