Homemade Hamburger Buns
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Is there anything better than the smell of freshly baked homemade hamburger buns? Well, who am I kidding? Freshly baked bread in any shape is truly irresistible! 🍞🥖
But these hamburger buns are no exception. 🍔 They are made from scratch using simple pantry ingredients like instant yeast, flour, sugar, and salt, and are superior in flavor compared to store-bought buns.
They have a rich, buttery taste with just the right touch of sweetness. They are soft, fluffy, and tender on the inside, with a light chew and golden crust exterior. No dry, crumbly, or overly squishy texture here!
They are surprisingly easy to make—it just takes a little time. I created an approachable recipe for you, and the payoff is impressive. Whether making these for a classic hamburger, a grilled chicken sandwich, or a plant-based burger, a homemade bun instantly makes the meal feel gourmet. I know you’ll love these! 🤗
If you’re looking for sides to go along with your burger or sandwich, try my Healthy Potato Salad, Italian Pasta Salad, Broccoli Salad, Macaroni Salad, or my Watermelon Basil Salad.
Table Talk with Tawnie
I knew I wanted to make homemade hamburger buns after perusing the bread isle at the grocery store looking at all of the hamburger bun options but not finding any that truly stood out. I grew up on store bought buns (I mean, who didn’t??) but now that we can make them at home, and make them 1000x better, I am really not looking back and only making these beauties from here on out! The preparation is simple, the dough rises beautifully, and they bake into these soft, pillowy, golden-brown buns every time. You’ll be in burger bun heaven!
- Flour: All-purpose flour provides structure while keeping the buns soft and tender. Be sure to spoon and level or measure with a food scale for accuracy—too much flour can lead to dense buns.
- Yeast:
- Water: Warm water hydrates the flour and activates the yeast. Aim for a water temperature of 105-110° (anything over 130°F will kill the yeast, and too cold will slow fermentation).
- Sugar: Sugar feeds the yeast, promoting a better rise, and it also balances and enhances the overall flavor of the buns.
- Yeast: I like to use instant yeast (rapid rise) for this recipe but you can use active dry yeast as well. You’ll just need to combine the yeast, water, and sugar and let it sit for about 5 minutes or until foamy, then combine with the other ingredients and follow the recipe as written. Easy peasy!
- Butter & oil: In my testing, I found that using a combination of butter and oil made the perfect bun. The butter adds richness and softness while the oil helps create a soft, light crumb.
Step-by-Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Mix the dough
Just mix it all the dough ingredients together in a bowl – couldn’t be easier!
Knead & Rise
Knead until soft and smooth, ~6-8 minutes. Allow to rise for 1 ½ – 2 hours. It should double in volume!
Shape the dough & rise again
This recipe will make 8 cutie hamburger buns! Shape them, then allow to rise again for 1 hour.
Bake!
Add melted butter, egg wash & sesame seeds, then bake until golden and delicious. So good, right?!
Success Tips
- Weigh the Flour: using the proper amount of flour is important because using too much can make a dry, crumbly burger bun. Weigh the flour or spoon and level into your measuring cups.
- Don’t rush the rise: allow the dough to rise properly for the listed amount of time, and it can be beneficial to rise in a warm, draft free spot (75°F ideal) – I like to use the proof setting in my oven!
- Egg wash: use the egg wash not only for a gorgeous glossy finish, but to help the sesame seeds stick!
- Slice when ready to use: to prevent the hamburger buns from drying out, slice them just before you’re ready to use.
Variations
- 🌾 Replace 50% of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour.
- Make seeded buns with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, flaxseeds, or sunflower seeds.
- 🧀 Add cheese: Fold in shredded sharp cheddar or parmesan into the dough. Sprinkle extra cheese on top before baking for a cheesy crust.
Storage / Freezing
- Store in an air-tight container or baggie for 1-3 days at room temperature. Storing in the fridge will dry them out.
- Freeze: freeze in a baggie for 2-3 months and thaw at room temperature prior to using.
FAQs
Why are my hamburger buns dense and not fluffy?
This could be for many reasons, but most likely from using too much flour. Other reasons could be the dough is overprooofed, or overkneaded.
Do I have to knead using a stand mixer or can I knead by hand?
Kneading by hand is totally doable, it just takes a little more time. 👐
How do I shape them to be perfectly round?
Use a kitchen scale to make sure they are all relatively the same size, cup your hand over each dough ball like a claw, and move in a small circular motion on your work surface, letting the dough spin and tighten into a smooth ball beneath your palm. Gently press each ball with your palm to slightly flatten. This gives them that wide, classic burger bun shape (so they’re not too tall).
Can I use bread flour?
Yes. it’s important to note that bread flour absorbs more liquid than all-purpose, so if the dough feels dry, add 1–2 teaspoons of extra water as needed. The bread flour will create a chewier, more structured bun.
Why is my dough so wet and sticky?
Wet dough isn’t always a bad thing, but if it’s overly wet and super sticky, then you may not have used enough flour or under-kneaded the dough.
Why didn’t my dough rise?
It could be from inactive or dead yeast, the environment the dough is trying to rise in is too cold, or you just didn’t give it enough time to rise.
Can I use this recipe to make slider buns?
Yes! You can make 16 smaller 50-gram buns, and bake for a little less time, ~12-14 minutes.
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Homemade Hamburger Buns
Ingredients
For the dough
- 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 3/4 cups water, heated to 105°F
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp. instant yeast (rapid rise)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp. table salt
For brushing before baking
- 3 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter
- 1 egg mixed with 1 Tbsp. water
- sesame seeds or Everything But The Bagel Seasoning
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Combine dough ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix all dough ingredients together. Yep, just add it all in!3 1/4 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 3/4 cups water, heated to 105°F, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature, 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, 1 Tbsp. instant yeast (rapid rise), 1 large egg, room temperature, 1 1/2 tsp. table salt
- Knead: add the dough hook and knead for ~6-8 minutes or until it is soft, yet smooth. Tacky is okay but it shouldn’t be overly sticky.
- Rise: Add the dough to a lightly greased or oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for 1 ½ – 2 hours. It should double in volume.
- Divide the dough: Gently punch down the dough and turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into 8 sections, ~100 grams each.
- Shape the dough: To shape, pinch the dough at the bottom, and roll it on the counter under the palm of your hand to form a smooth ball. (see photos or video for guideance).
- Place on baking sheet: place each dough ball, seam side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. They should be a few inches apart from each other, not touching.
- 2nd rise: pat each ball down into a 3 inch diameter with the palm of your hand. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and rise again for 1 hour.
- Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush the buns with melted butter (you will have some leftover). Whisk together the egg and water in a small bowl. Brush the buns with the egg wash too (this helps the seeds stick) and sprinkle sesame seeds or everything bagel seasoning on top of rolls.3 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter, 1 egg mixed with 1 Tbsp. water, sesame seeds or Everything But The Bagel Seasoning
- Bake: bake prepared buns for 15-18 minutes or until they look golden and pretty!
- Cool, slice, and enjoy: brush the buns with any remaining melted butter (you may need to pop it in the microwave again for a few seconds), be careful not to brush off the seeds. Cool buns on a wire rack, when ready to enjoy slice horizontally with a serrated bread knife.
Video
Notes
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- Store in an air-tight container or baggie for 1-3 days at room temperature. Storing in the fridge will dry them out.
-
- Freeze: freeze in a baggie for 2-3 months and thaw at room temperature prior to using.
- Sliders: You can make 16 smaller 50-gram buns, and bake for a little less time, ~12-14 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
📸 Photography by Creating Kaitlin
