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:
Made this? Tag me on Instagram @thekiwicountrygirl and hashtag it #thekiwicountrygirl.
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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Simone Edwards says
The problem with these is that they are SO fantastic that I will never go back to storebought again! I have always made my own bread loaves and been reluctant to move from surebake yeast but have now made these with both and will stay with the active dried yeast (plus it's often the only one available during lockdowns). Thanks so much for all your recipes.
Adanna says
Great recipe! The buns were light and fluffy.
Josh says
I think our oven was a little hot but otherwise they turned out pretty bloody good.
Wondering if I use Surebake instead of just yeast I would get more rise?
Our mates gave us this website and will definitely use it again. Tops.
Laura says
Hi Josh, you can definitely use Surebake but you will need to double the amount used as it also contains bread improvers which mean the concentration of yeast is lower. Instant yeast will give you a quicker rise and you can use the same amount of that as active dry, so would be worth a try! Laura
Ken "Heavy Art" Tillery says
I'm wanting to make this, but it doesn't say how big each bun should be. I have an idea how big I want, 4 to 5 inches in width, but how big are the ones here to be?
Laura says
Hi Ken, that is roughly how big the buns are once baked - if you are wanting to make them bigger, you could make 6 buns instead. Laura
Lindsay Weber says
Really good with olive oil (1/4 cup) instead of butter, and unsweetened almond milk! I also halved the sugar, and they worked out beautifully. So soft, so delicious!
Renee says
Such a great, easy and yummy recipe! Thanks for sharing it!
Jess says
Love this recipe - I just made a half batch and it worked perfectly! Tasted great too 🙂
Nicole says
I tried these today and I must have done something wrong mine turned out a little more dense than fluffy . Do you know what I may have done wrong ? Other than that they still tasted amazing and we still made burgers with them 😁
Laura says
Hi Nicole! There are a number of things it could be but it's usually something simple like kneading a bit more, letting them rise for a little bit longer or even baking them for 2 or 3 more minutes. It's definitely a little bit of trial and error but if it makes you feel better, I've definietly made my fair share of dense buns!
Kudzai says
Great recipe, thank you Laura.
I didn't have bread flour so I used Cake flour. I also added an egg for some extra richness and they came out so fluffy and delicious.
Karolina says
Really nice recipe! I always swap the sugar for honey when I make bread. Feels more safe with the yeast, easier to mix 🙂
Laura says
I've been doing a bit with honey lately too and I like the flavour you get from it! Laura
Lauren says
Hi, I’d like to make these today but don’t have “strong flour” just “plain/all purpose”. Will this work ok?
Thanks 🙂
Laura says
HI Lauren, that will be fine. Laura
Heidi Wruck says
Any tips for adjusting this recipe for a bread machine?
Laura says
Hi Heidi, I haven't done it in the bread machine but I would either use Surebake yeast and use twice the amount and just throw it all into the machine on the dough setting then shape, rise and bake as per the recipe or use active dry yeast but just activate it in the bread maker bowl before adding the other ingredients and continuing with the dough setting! Laura
Rebecca says
So easy and yummy!
Linda says
Absolutely delicious,can't wait to try other recipes .I use my wiz for the kneeding,works really well and saves time.Cheers linda
Lisa McLachlan says
I just made these, YUM! Great recipe and fun to do with the kids to beat lockdown boredom! Thanks Laura
Laura says
Awesome Lisa, so glad you and your kids had fun with these!
Sheri says
Are you sure it’s 200 for a bake temp? That seems really low!
Laura says
Hi Sheri, 200 degrees celsius! Which is 392F. Hope that helps! Laura
Julie G says
These are GREAT!!!! Awesome recipe and perfect directions! I had to pay attention to the 200 degrees C, we use F. They are delicious
Bridget says
I made these tonight and they came out brilliantly. I only had 1.5 cups of high grade flour left so used wholemeal flour for the rest and they worked out fine.
Thanks for your great recipes. I discovered your page about a year ago and I always check here first for recipes 🙂
Laura says
That's great to know they work well with wholemeal flour too! So glad you enjoy my recipes, I appreciate your comment Bridget! Laura
Judy McPherson says
If your not comfortable using regular yeast try the Fleishmann' Quick-Rise Instant Yeast,
Takes all the guess work out of bread making, Happy baking girls and boys.
Laura says
Great tip, thanks Judy! We have those packets here in NZ too but the brand is Edmond's - so simple!
the blonde gardener says
I've always wanted to try this but I'm kinda afraid of yeast..
Brenda
Laura says
Yeast can be scary! I've only ever used active dried yeast but all you need to do is mix it with the warm water and sugar to get it going and within 5-10 minutes you can see if it's activated or not. Once it's bubbling you're good to go and shouldn't go wrong! I found this really useful also...http://www.girlversusdough.com/tips-tricks/...she knows what she's talking about! If I come across any other great (and easy) bread recipes, I'll be sure to share! 🙂
the blonde gardener says
Thanks, Laura! I'll check that out. I think my water is either too hot or cold and I kill the yeast. I just need to buck up and give it another try.
Laura says
Good luck Brenda! I think my water is usually around 30°C/80°F...I'll take an actual temperature next time I make bread and let you know! =)
2boys1homestead says
Reblogged this on 2 Boys 1 Homestead and commented:
Definitely gonna try this!