These homemade hamburger buns are soft, buttery, tender, and perfect for burger night. Made with simple pantry ingredients, this burger bun recipe gives you fluffy, flavorful buns that taste fresher and richer than store-bought.
Homemade bread always brings something special to the table, and these homemade hamburger buns are a perfect example. They are light, fluffy, and sturdy enough to hold a juicy burger without falling apart. The texture is soft, the flavor is buttery, and the golden tops make them look just as good as they taste.
This hamburger bun recipe is simple enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for cookouts, family dinners, and weekend meals. Once you learn how easy it is to make burger buns from scratch, you may not want to buy packaged buns again. They are made with basic ingredients like flour, milk, butter, egg, yeast, and a little sugar, and the result is a batch of fresh buns that can be used in many different ways.
Use these buns for classic hamburgers, chicken burgers, turkey burgers, pulled chicken sandwiches, egg salad, chicken salad, veggie burgers, or any sandwich that deserves a soft homemade roll. They also freeze well, so you can make a batch ahead of time and keep extras ready for your next meal.
Burger Buns: Ingredients & Substitutions
These homemade burger buns are made with familiar ingredients. Each one helps create the soft texture, rich flavor, and light rise that makes these buns so delicious.
- Granulated sugar. Sugar helps activate the yeast and encourages the dough to rise properly. It should not be omitted. Honey may be used as a substitute if desired.
- Whole milk. Whole milk gives the buns a rich, tender crumb. Other milk percentages can work, but fat-free milk is not recommended because it will not provide the same softness.
- All-purpose flour. All-purpose flour gives these buns the best soft and fluffy texture. Bread flour can also be used with good results. Up to half of the flour can be replaced with whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour, but the buns are at their best when made with all-purpose flour.
- Salted butter. Butter adds flavor and softness to the dough. Unsalted butter also works well.
- Egg. The egg helps enrich the dough and improves the structure of the buns.
- Active dry yeast. Yeast is essential for creating a light, risen bun. Be sure the liquid ingredients are not too hot, or the yeast may not activate correctly.
How to Make Hamburger Buns
You can make these hamburger buns with a stand mixer or by hand. A stand mixer fitted with a dough hook makes kneading easier, but a large bowl, wooden spoon, and your hands will also work.
Start by combining warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl. Let the mixture rest for 5 to 10 minutes, until it becomes foamy. This step shows that the yeast is active and ready to help the dough rise.
Add the melted and cooled butter, room-temperature milk, and egg to the yeast mixture. Stir gently with a spatula or mix on low with the dough hook until the wet ingredients are combined.
Ingredient Temperature
Make sure the melted butter is cooled before adding it to the yeast mixture. If the butter, milk, or water is too hot, it can damage the yeast and prevent the dough from rising. For best results, keep the liquid ingredients warm but not hot.
Add 3 cups of flour and the sea salt, then mix until the dough begins to come together.
Continue adding flour, ¼ cup at a time, until the dough forms a smooth ball. The finished dough should be soft and slightly tacky, but not overly sticky. If you are mixing by hand, stir with a wooden spoon or spatula at first, then knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth.
Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 60 minutes.
Once the dough has doubled, punch it down gently. For evenly sized buns, weigh the dough and divide the total weight by 12. If you do not have a kitchen scale, divide the dough as evenly as possible by sight.
Shape each piece of dough into a flat, round disc about 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Flattening the dough slightly helps create buns that are wide enough for burgers and not too tall to bite into comfortably.
Place the shaped buns on a baking sheet. Cover them with a damp towel, making sure the towel does not touch the dough, and let them rise again until doubled in size. This second rise usually takes 30 to 60 minutes.
Bake & Serve
Near the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the buns for 15 minutes, or until they are golden and cooked through.
As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush the tops with melted butter. This gives them a beautiful shine and adds extra buttery flavor.
Sprinkle the buttered tops with sesame seeds or coarse sea salt while they are still warm.
Serve
Let the homemade buns cool slightly, then slice them in half and serve with your favorite fillings. They are ideal for classic hamburgers, but they are also excellent for sandwiches and other hearty meals.
- Use them for turkey burgers or chicken burgers.
- Fill them with BBQ chicken for a soft and satisfying sandwich.
- Serve them with chicken salad or avocado chicken salad.
- Use them for egg salad sandwiches.
- Pair them with veggie burgers for a homemade-style meal.
- Turn them into a turkey cranberry sandwich.
Burger Buns Recipe FAQs
Store leftover hamburger buns in an airtight container or sealed bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Let the buns cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe plastic bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 1 month.
For crisp buns, slice each bun in half first. Place the halves facedown on a baking sheet and warm in a 350 degrees F oven for about 5 minutes, toast them in a toaster until crisp, or place them cut-side down on a grill for 30 to 60 seconds.
These soft homemade hamburger buns are a wonderful recipe to keep on hand for burgers, sandwiches, and casual family meals. They are rich, fluffy, and easy to customize with sesame seeds, coarse salt, or a simple buttery top.
Homemade Hamburger Buns (Burger Buns)
Laura
Equipment
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Stand mixer or large mixing bowl
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Measuring spoons
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Measuring cups
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Spatula
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Baking sheet
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Parchment paper
Ingredients
Burger Buns:
- ½ cup warm water
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter (melted and cooled)
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk (room temperature)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 ½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour
Topping:
- 2 Tablespoons butter (melted)
- 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds or coarse sea salt
Instructions
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, or in a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, until foamy.
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Add the melted and cooled butter, milk, and egg. Stir gently until combined.
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Add 3 cups of flour and the sea salt, then mix with the dough hook or stir by hand.
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Add more flour, ¼ cup at a time, and knead until the dough forms a smooth ball that is slightly tacky to the touch.
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Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let rise until doubled, about 60 minutes.
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Punch down the dough. Divide it into 12 equal pieces and shape each piece into a flat, round disc about 2 to 3 inches in diameter.
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Place the buns on a baking sheet. Cover with a damp towel without letting the towel touch the dough, and let rise again until doubled, 30 to 60 minutes.
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Near the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
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Bake for 15 minutes, or until the buns are golden and baked through.
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Brush the tops with melted butter, then sprinkle with sesame seeds or coarse sea salt.
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Serve warm or cooled with burgers, shredded chicken, salads, or sandwich fillings.
Notes
Store buns in an airtight container or sealed bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freeze
Freeze extra buns in an airtight container or freezer-safe plastic bag for up to 1 month.
How to Crisp Buns
Slice the bun in half, then warm the halves facedown on a baking sheet in a 350 degrees F oven for about 5 minutes. You can also toast them in a toaster or place them cut-side down on a grill for 30 to 60 seconds.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Granulated sugar. Honey may be used, but a sweetener is needed to help the yeast rise.
- Whole milk. Whole milk gives the best texture, though other milk percentages can work. Fat-free milk is not recommended.
- All-purpose flour. Bread flour works well. Whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour may be used for up to half of the flour, but all-purpose flour gives the softest result.
- Salted butter. Unsalted butter can be used instead.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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