These Homemade Fresh Spring Roll Wrappers are pliable thin sheets made from a simple mixture of flour, salt, water and oil. They are versatile and can be enjoyed in fresh (unfried) spring rolls (popiah) or deep fried Vietnamese spring rolls (cha gio).
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What are spring roll wrappers?
Spring roll wrappers (or pastry wrappers) are thin sheets made from a dough of wheat flour, salt, water and oil.
They are typically used to wrap a mixture of meat and vegetables, which is known as a spring roll.
Spring rolls originated in China, with many variations spanning all of Asia.
In the Philippines, spring rolls are known as lumpia.
The wrappers are versatile and can be used for foods other than spring rolls, such as samosas.
What do they taste like?
When freshly steamed, they taste like soft and chewy, similar to a very thin tortilla.
In a deep-fried spring roll, the wrappers are light, crisp and crunchy.
What's the difference between rice paper wrappers and spring roll wrappers?
Rice paper wrappers (Vietnamese banh trang) are thin sheets (usually sold dried) made from a rice flour and water mixture.
They are different from Chinese rice noodle rolls (cheong fun), which are steamed from a batter and served rolled up with a filling.
Rice paper wrappers are used heavily in Vietnamese cuisine in fresh spring rolls (goi cuon), as well as crispy deep-fried spring rolls (cha gio) -- the latter of which can feature rice paper or spring roll wrapper as the exterior skin.
Egg roll wrappers vs. spring roll wrappers
Egg roll wrappers contain egg, wheat flour and water.
They're similar to wonton wrappers, except they are much thicker and are used to roll American-style Chinese egg rolls.
When fried, egg roll wrappers have a crunchy, thick, bubbly, rough texture.
Spring roll wrappers yield a smooth, thin and crispy texture when fried.
Wonton wrappers vs. spring roll wrappers
Wonton wrappers are smaller, square, thin sheets made with wheat flour, egg and water, which is the basis for Chinese egg noodles.
Why you'll love this recipe
This recipe from my Mom is straightforward to make, although there are quite a number of steps to it.
The good thing is that there are only 4 ingredients in it!
Store-bought wrapper skins usually contain preservatives, so making them at home is a better alternative.
Using a tortilla press helps flatten the dough discs with ease.
They're thin, chewy and a versatile wrapper that can be used in many dishes such as popiah, samosas, and spring rolls.
Special equipment you'll need
- tortilla press: if you don't have one, you can use a heavy frying pan to help press and flatten the dough discs
Ingredients you'll need
You'll need only 4 ingredients to make these homemade spring roll wrappers:
- all-purpose flour: regular flour will work best here
- sea salt: for flavouring the wrappers
- lukewarm water: to help the dough be more pliable
- vegetable oil: you can use any neutral oil such as avocado oil or refined coconut oil; to layer the dough for easy peeling
How to make them
Make the dough
In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour and salt.
Pour in warm water and mix together with a pair of chopsticks until a dough forms.
Knead until the dough becomes very smooth.
Divide dough into 12 equal portions, about 21g each (Step 1 below).
Flatten each piece into flat discs. Dust with some flour over top.
Cover with a damp clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
Dust a little extra flour onto the dough discs.
Line a tortilla press with parchment paper and add a dough disc (Step 2 below).
Use the tortilla press to flatten the dough into a 4" round diameter. (Or use a heavy frying pan to flatten).
Lay dough disc on a baking tray (Step 3 below).
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Take one piece of dough disc and generously spread oil on it (Step 4 below).
Place another piece of dough on top, spreading oil the dough and stacking until 6 pieces are in a pile (Step 5 below).
Repeat with the remaining discs, making 2 separate piles with 6 pieces each.
Take one pile of dough and pinch around the seams.
Flatten the disc with your palm by pressing the disc while rotating it, to expand it in size.
Turn it over and flatten the same way.
Keep pressing the dough on both sides, alternating until it reaches a size of about 6" in diameter. Note: make sure the edges line up.
Repeat with the other pile of dough discs.
Now use a rolling pin to roll it out further to a diameter of about 9" (Step 6 below).
Repeat with the other dough. You'll end up with 2 pieces of dough with a diameter of 9".
Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for 15 minutes.
How to cook the wrappers
Add water to a wok or large pot for steaming. Heat the water until it comes to a rolling boil.
Place one piece of dough on parchment paper and carefully transfer to the wok (Step 7 below).
Cover with a glass lid and steam for 10 minutes at high heat.
If you see the dough is puffing up, it is ready.
Remove from the wok and repeat with the second piece of dough.
Place the cooked dough onto a clean cutting board.
Use an 8" round lid or plate as a guide and place onto the cooked dough.
Use a sharp knife to cut around the edge of the lid or plate, to yield an 8" round dough (Step 8 below).
Remove the exterior rim (you can snack on it).
Gently peel the wrapper skins to separate each sheet while still hot (Step 9 below).
Cover the peeled wrappers with a kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out.
Let cool completely.
Use in fresh spring rolls (popiah) or as a wrapper for deep fried spring rolls (cha gio).
How to store
Store the freshly made spring roll wrappers tightly covered (or in an airtight container) at room temperature for up to 2 days.
After 2 days, place the wrappers in the fridge for up to 1 week.
You can freeze the wrappers in a well sealed freezer bag for up to 3 months.
How to reheat
Note: Spring roll wrappers can dry out very quickly.
It's important to keep the wrappers covered with a damp cloth to keep them pliable.
To reheat and soften the spring roll wrappers, you can steam covered over simmering water for 5 minutes, until soft and pliable.
If steaming from frozen, add an additional 2-3 minutes.
Ways to use
Use the homemade fresh spring roll wrappers in cha gio (fried spring rolls), or popiah fresh spring rolls.
You can use them as Peking duck wrappers.
Try lining them in a muffin tin and bake them to make little cups for various fillings.
Or if you're like my kids, just eat them freshly steamed like a large wheat noodle. 😉
Filling ideas
You can use a variety of fillings in these wrappers.
For fresh popiah, you can add your choice of fresh vegetables such as jicama, bean sprouts, lettuce and herbs such as cilantro and mint.
Or add cooked protein such as tofu, shrimp, egg omelette.
For fried spring rolls, try adding:
- shrimp
- meat: pork or chicken
- veggies: cabbage, carrot, mushrooms, taro, jicama
Pair the finished spring rolls with a dipping sauce, soy sauce, or chili oil.
FAQs
Can I bake spring roll wrappers?
Yes, if you don't want to shallow fry or deep-fry the wrappers, you can bake them or air-fry them instead.
Do spring roll wrappers contain yeast?
No, there is no leavening in the wrappers.
Can I use them for egg rolls?
In a pinch, they can be used for egg rolls, but they will not yield the same bubbly, rough texture as egg roll wrappers.
Are the wrappers gluten-free?
No, they are no gluten free as the main ingredient is wheat flour.
Are the wrappers vegan?
Yes, the wrappers are naturally vegan.
Other recipes you may like
Be sure to check out these recipes:
Homemade Fresh Spring Roll Wrappers
Vietnamese Rice Vermicelli Noodles with Spring Rolls (Bun Cha Gio)
Gỏi Cuốn (Vietnamese Spring Rolls)
Do Chua (Vietnamese Pickled Daikon & Carrot)
Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)
Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!
Homemade Fresh Spring Roll Wrappers
Equipment
- tortilla press
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
Dough:
- 160 g all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 100 g lukewarm water 35ºC or 95ºF
Oil spread:
- 1½-2 tablespoon avocado oil or vegetable oil
Instructions
For key visual step-by-step photos, refer to the body of the post.
Make the dough:
- In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour and salt.
- Pour in warm water and mix together with a pair of chopsticks until a dough forms.
- Knead until the dough becomes very smooth.
- Divide dough into 12 equal portions, about 21g each.
- Flatten each piece into flat discs. Dust with some flour over top.
- Cover with a damp clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Dust a little extra flour onto the dough discs.
- Line a tortilla press with parchment paper and add a dough disc.
- Use the tortilla press to flatten the dough into a 4" round diameter. (Or use a heavy frying pan to flatten).
- Lay dough disc on a lined baking tray.
- Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Take one piece of dough disc and generously spread oil on it.
- Place another piece of dough on top, spreading oil the dough and stacking until 6 pieces are in a pile.
- Repeat with the remaining discs, making 2 separate piles with 6 pieces each.
- Take one pile of dough and pinch around the seams.
- Flatten the disc with your palm by pressing the disc while rotating it, to expand it in size.
- Turn it over and flatten the same way.
- Keep pressing the dough on both sides, alternating until it reaches a size of about 6" in diameter. Check the edges to see if they are lined up.
- Repeat with the other pile of dough discs.
- Now use a rolling pin to roll it out further to a diameter of about 9".
- Repeat with the other dough. You'll end up with 2 pieces of dough with a diameter of 9".
- Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for 15 minutes.
Cook the wrappers:
- Add water to a wok or large pot for steaming. Heat the water until it comes to a rolling boil.
- Place one piece of dough on parchment paper and carefully transfer to the wok.
- Cover with a glass lid and steam for 10 minutes at high heat.
- If you see the dough is puffing up, it is ready.
- Remove from the wok and repeat with the second piece of dough.
- Place the cooked dough onto a clean cutting board.
- Use an 8" round lid or plate as a guide and place onto the cooked dough.
- Use a sharp knife to cut around the edge of the lid or plate, to yield an 8" round dough.
- Remove the exterior rim (you can snack on it).
- Gently peel the wrapper skins to separate each sheet while still hot.
- Cover the peeled wrappers with a kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out.
- Let cool completely.
- Use in fresh spring rolls (popiah) or as a wrapper for deep fried spring rolls (cha gio).
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
David @ Spiced
Interesting! I've never really thought about the differences between Vietnamese and Chinese egg roll wrappers. Great post describing the differences here, Michelle! I've also never thought about making them at home. I'm intrigued!!
Linsey
So happy to see there is a clear direction on how to make these spring roll wrappers. I don't like the commercial spring roll wrappers as there are lots of additives and preservatives. And there are always left over wrappers, after freezing them, they become brittle and no longer in good use. This home made one I can have, just enough for that serving. Thank you so much for the posting, Michelle!