Homemade Hamburger Buns - a simple recipe for the best hamburger buns you will ever eat - soft, pillowy and perfect for burgers!
If there is one thing that ruins a great burger more than anything, it's putting it in an average bun, am I right? So because we are coming into summer, prime burger making and eating time, I thought it was only appropriate to make the bread baking challenge recipe for this month the most delicious, soft and fluffy homemade hamburger buns ever!
I've been making burger buns for years but I've never been 100% happy with any recipe. So in the name of perfecting them for this month, I have made dozens and dozens of burger buns - they are now a compulsory meal each week until we get through them all! But the good news for you is that the recipe is now perfect, and you won't need to look for another one again.
As always, there are step by step photos in the post and a video at the bottom showing you exactly how to make them.
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Step 1: Make the dough and first rise
The dough is simple – add water, yeast and sugar and leave it for 5 minutes for the yeast to activate. I love this step as you know for sure that the bread will rise if your mixture gets all bubbly and foamy! If this doesn’t happen, your yeast may be old or expired, so you will need to ditch it and start over. It’s great that you can figure this out at the start, rather than going through the whole bread making process to be disappointed! Add the flour, salt, and melted butter and milk (I like to melt them together in the microwave so that the milk is warm too)
Mix together until a dough forms and then knead either by hand for 7 minutes or in a stand mixer for 5 minutes. Place back in a clean bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave somewhere warm to rise until doubled in size. This usually takes about an hour.
Step 2: Shape & second rise
Once the dough has doubled in size, tip it onto a lightly floured surface and split the dough into 8 even pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper or a silicone liner. Leave the dough uncovered and put back in a warm place to rise for another 45 minutes – the buns will almost double in size again and will go puffy.
Step 3: Baking
Whisk together an egg wash - 1 egg with 1 Tablespoon of water and brush it over the risen buns. This is what gives them that glossy golden brown look. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 14 minutes until golden brown all over.
Now either eat them immediately (I would definitely suggest making Josh's famous homemade burger patties to go in them!) or they also freeze really well, so place in a snaplock bag once they've cooled down, freeze and just pull out as many as you need!
Happy burger making!
Other bread recipes to try:
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Homemade Hamburger Buns
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water (43°C/110°F)
- 2 ½ teaspoons active dried yeast
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup (125ml) milk
- 75 grams butter
- 4 ½ cups high grade flour (bread flour)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
Egg wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Optional
- Sesame seeds for sprinkling
Instructions
- In large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine water, yeast and sugar. Let it rest for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add the milk and the butter to a small microwavable jug and heat until the butter has melted.
- Add flour, salt and milk/melted butter to the yeast mixture and using either a wooden spoon or the dough hook attachment on your stand mixer, mix on low speed until a dough forms.
- Continue to knead by hand for 7 minutes or with the stand mixer for 5 minutes on medium speed until the dough is soft and springs back when lightly touched.
- Shape the dough into ball and place in a large lightly greased bowl (or leave in the bowl of your stand mixer). Cover with a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Lightly punch down the dough and turn out onto a clean work surface. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll into smooth balls. Arrange them on 2 baking trays lined with baking paper or a silicone liner, leaving plenty of room between each bun and leave to rise in a warm, draught free place for about 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size again and puffy.
- Whisk egg wash ingredients together and lightly brush over the buns and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 200°C for 14 minutes until golden brown on top and underneath.
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If you tried and loved this recipe, please leave a comment and a rating below!
Sarah says
Hi Laura!!! I love this recipe, I have made it so many times, but I think it's time for the ultimate question. Do you think I could cook these on the BBQ? Have you ever done it before? Thanks so much for all your amazing kiwi recipes!
Sarah
Sarah says
Hi, I love your recipes and how versatile they are! Last night, I was halfway through making these Hamburger Buns and I realized I only had whole meal flour. In the end I used it and it turned out soo good! Best hamburger buns I have ever had. Thanks.
Abigail says
Hi these look amazing and I can't wait to try them. Just a question about the egg wash...is there something else we can use as we don't often have eggs or even just leave the egg wash off? Thanks