Super soft, buttery, and rich burger buns made completely from scratch! No bread machine and no stand mixer required, this dough is simple to make and you’ll never want store-bought hamburger rolls again! Recipe includes a how-to video!
It’s grilling season but if you’re still buying your hamburger buns from the supermarket, your burgers are seriously missing out. They deserve something better.
Today I’m sharing my recipe for homemade burger buns. They’re buttery, rich, super soft and fluffy (similar to a brioche!), and easier than you probably think.
If this is your first time working with yeast or making bread, I recommend you watch my how-to video in the recipe card, I think that could be helpful!
What You Need:
This recipe is a cross between my homemade bread (but enriched to be a bit more like a brioche) and my dinner rolls. They’re soft, fluffy, and buttery, and the ingredients play a key roll in this.
- Water & milk. We’re using mostly water, but a splash of milk to enrich the rolls and make them more tender. You’ll combine the two liquids and heat to 105-115F, just the right temperature for activating your yeast.
- Yeast. I use active dry yeast, but instant could be substituted. You will not need to proof the yeast if you use instant. Keep in mind the dough will rise faster.
- Sugar. A pinch of granulated sugar helps feed the yeast and activate it faster, but we’ll also use some in the actual dough. This doesn’t make the rolls sweet, but does makes for a better flavor.
- Salt. for flavor.
- Eggs. We’ll use one egg and one egg yolk to enrich the dough, it makes it similar to a brioche dough. Save your egg white, you can use it to brush over the burgers before baking for shiny tops!
- Butter. You guessed it, to enrich the dough. This also gives our rolls incredible flavor.
- Flour. While all-purpose flour would work, I highly recommend using bread flour. I talk about this a bit more below.
You can make this recipe in either a stand mixer or by hand. I generally recommend a stand mixer since the dough is fairly sticky, but in my video I demonstrate making the recipe without a mixer.
Tips
- Watch your yeast! Your water needs to be warm, but not too hot or it will kill the yeast. A pinch of sugar helps the yeast to activate faster. If you don’t get a foamy cap after 5-10 minutes (see video for visual), discard your mixture and start over; your yeast is likely dead and your burger buns won’t turn out properly.
- Sticky dough = soft buns. This recipe yields a much stickier, softer dough than many other yeast recipes (like my pizza dough). You want the dough to be manageable, but don’t add so much flour that it’s no longer a bit sticky, or the rolls will be denser and tougher than is desirable.
- Bread flour > all-purpose flour. Bread flour lets the rolls rise higher for a fluffier and more rounded burger bun, better for slicing in half and for your hamburger needs! All the wonderful, flavorful ingredients that we’re adding for rich rolls (butter! eggs! sugar!) weigh down the bread, so a high gluten bread flour really helps give them lift.
- Brushing your burgers with egg white yields a shiny, golden exterior. You can sprinkle poppy seeds or sesames seeds over the egg white and they’ll stick perfectly. Brushing the rolls with butter instead yields a softer, not-shiny exterior that seeds won’t stick to. Not as pretty, but my taste testers liked the butter-brushed buns best (say that 5 times fast).
If you’re more of a visual learner or are nervous about baking with yeast, watch my how-to video in the recipe card!
Making in Advance
This dough may be made in advance. To do so, after kneading the dough, placing it in the oiled bowl and covering, transfer to the refrigerator for it to complete its first rise overnight. Return the dough to room temperature before deflating and continuing as instructed in the recipe.
Storing and Freezing
For freshest taste, I recommend serving these buns within 3 days of making them. Allow them to cool completely then store in an airtight container until ready to use. They may also be frozen. Allow to cool completely and then freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Summer Salads To Accompany Your Cookout:
If you try your hand at making homemade hamburger buns, I’d love to know what you think of them! Please leave me a comment or share a photo of your creation on Instagram and tag me @sugarspun_sam!
Enjoy!
Burger Buns Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup water (236ml)
- ¼ cup whole milk (60ml)
- 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar plus a pinch for activating the yeast
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk lightly beaten, room temperature preferred (save the white for brushing on top)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 4 cups bread flour² (500g) + additional as needed (I often need ½ cup additional or more, but your mileage will likely vary.)
- 1 ½ teaspoons cornmeal optional
- Sesame seeds for sprinkling (optional)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Combine water and milk in a microwave-safe bowl and heat to 105-115F (40-46C). Be sure to stir before checking the temperature as sometimes the microwave heats unevenly.
- Pour warmed water/milk into large bowl (or you may use a stand mixer) and add yeast and a generous pinch (about 1 teaspoon) of granulated sugar. Stir briefly and allow mixture to sit until foamy (about 5-10 minutes). If yeast does not become foamy, it may be dead or your liquid may have been too hot or not hot enough. You will need to discard and start over.
- Once yeast is foamy, add 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, melted butter, egg, egg yolk, and salt. Stir until well-combined. Gradually add flour and stir (use a spatula or wooden spoon or the dough hook attachment on your mixer) until you have a soft, slightly sticky/tacky, but still manageable dough. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface and knead for several minutes until you have a smooth, elastic ball. If dough is too sticky to manage you may add more flour, but do so sparingly. You want the dough to be somewhat sticky! (If using a stand mixer, you can knead with the dough hook and your mixer on a medium-low speed for several minutes.)
- Transfer dough to a large, clean, lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat the dough with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled (this could take 1-2 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen).
- After rising, gently deflate the dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Divide into 8 even pieces (see note 1. I form the dough into a ball, divide the dough in half and repeat until I have 8 even pieces). Form each piece into a smooth ball.
- Line a standard-sized cookie or baking sheet with parchment paper, dust the parchment lightly with corn meal (this will keep the rolls from sticking), then transfer rolls to prepared sheet, spacing them evenly. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise until increased in size 50%. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375F (190C).
- Once rolls have risen (it’s OK if they’re lightly touching each other, you’ll just cut them apart after baking) and oven is preheated, remove plastic wrap and lightly brush rolls with reserved egg white³ and sprinkle with sesame seeds. If you notice any bubbles forming on the surface of the buns, take a toothpick and gently pierce the bubbles so they deflate.
- Transfer to oven and bake on 375F (190C) for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Allow rolls to cool completely and then use a sharp serrated knife to cut in half lengthwise. Enjoy!
Notes
Storing
Store leftover buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Baked buns may also be frozen for up to 3 months. For best results warm or toast buns before using. Please see "Making in Advance" section in post for information on making the dough in advance.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Barbra-Anne
I made these tonight, my first time ever making burger buns and they were fantastic! The entire family loved them. I used bread flour as suggested and I made 10 for a little bit smaller of a bun. The recipe was a breeze to follow – I will definitely be making them again! Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes with us!
George Moffat
May I ask why unsalted butter when salt is added? Can I not just use salted butter and omit the extra 1¼ teaspoons of salt?
Sam
Hi George! The unsalted butter gives you better control of the amount of salt in the recipe. If you use salted butter you will just want to reduce the salt by 1/4 teaspoon. 🙂
KT
I made these buns last night and boy, the were FANTASTIC!! Easy to make with standard pantry ingredients. I took Sam’s advice and used bread flour. The buns were super soft and delicious! This recipe will definitely become my new go-to for homemade hamburger buns.
Thanks for sharing this great recipe, Sam!
Terry
Hi Sam! Looks like a fairly easy yet great recipe.
I must admit I LOL when reading thru the ingredients list: 4 cups bread flour…(I often need 1/2 cup additional or more, but your mileage will likely vary.)
Say what now? MILEAGE??? Did I miss something?
I needed a good giggle!
Have a great Saturday, from Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦
Amy Howell
nice easy recipe, thanks!
Terri White
Hi Sam, I made these and they were a huge success. I did the melted butter tops and sprinkled with garlic salt (not homemade). I’m making another batch right now to take to a friend tomorrow. As always, thanks for all the details and video.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
That’s wonderful, Terri! Love the garlic salt addition 😊
Frauke
Moin! (As we say in northern Germany). 🙂
Thanks a lot for this recipe. I just made it for my husbands birthday. I took about 15 g of fresh yeast (as I always use) and let the dough rise over night in the fridge, second rise about 1 h at room temperature. They came out perfectly tender and fluffy and had a wonderful colour. The whole family loved them in combination with homemade patties. Although next time I will make 10 instead of 8, they were really BIG! And maybe try with part whole wheat flour…
I already tried your WORST chocolate chip cookies and those were really the best I have ever done. Probably your secret ingredient. 😉 My kids already ordered another batch…
Let me add that I really enjoy reading your blog since I’ve found it a few weeks ago.
Greetings from Bremen!
Sam
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed the buns so much. I haven’t ever used fresh yeast so I appreciate the feedback on how you use it. 🙂 Those cookies are hard to stop eating so I understand why the kids are looking for more! 🙂
Emma
Delicious and simple to make
If you want the seeds to stick with out the eggwash I’ve got s foolproof way for you:
Mist the buns with water just before baking and sprinkle with whatever seeds. I used black sesame and poppy and a mixture on some buns. Stuck on perfectly.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Emma! Thank you for the tip! 🙂
Mandy
Can I make this in a bread machine ?
Sam
Hi Mandy! I haven’t tried making it in a bread machine so I’m not sure how it would go. If you do try it I would love to know how it goes. 🙂
Davs
Came out perfect! I Love how your recipes are easy to follow and how you explain them so well with notes, directions plus videos. I made these buns and don’t think I’ll ever buy store bought ones again… these are soooo much better and hold everything perfectly.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much! 🙂
Susan Trede
Mine came out great! This recipe is a keeper!
Andres
Is the amount of yeast you used, one packet of yeast.
Sam
Hi Andres! It is 1/4 teaspoon more than a standard packet. 🙂
Tracy Gabriele
Oh no, I just put my buttons in the oven and I only used one packet of yeast 🤦🏻♀️
Sam
I hope they still turned out!
Debbie S
I did the same thing last night. I only had packets on hand. They still turned out amazing.
Luke
Great Buns. The second time I made them I did egg whites rather than butter. But I got cracks on the top and side. Any idea what I did wrong. The 1st time it didn’t crack.
Thanks
Sam
Hi Luke! Could the buns have had a bit of excess flour dusted on top the second time? That’s usually what causes cracks (if the surface of the dough is dry). Glad you enjoyed overall!
Cheryl
I don’t care for seeded bread. Would dried onion flakes work?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Cheryl! You can just skip the seeds, but that should also work fine 🙂