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!
Robin McArthur says
Made them without the egg-wash or sesame seeds and loved them.
Thanks Laura
Charlotte says
Hey just wondering if they could be done in the breadmaker ?
Laura says
Hi Charlotte, I haven't tried in the breadmaker but I'm sure you could make the dough in there!
Claudia says
Hi I'd love to make these but can't find high grade flour (damn covid), can I use regular plain flour and how much do I put in?
Laura says
Hi Claudia, yes you can substitute it directly for plain flour (same amount) and they should be just fine.
Lizbeth Lopez says
I love this recipe! But I have a question. After letting rise, I started adding the egg wash and the buns deflated …. They lost their nice round bun shape. What do I do? For next time. I don’t want that to happen again.
Cherie says
Mine did the same and unsure why
T says
I put egg wash on mine 5-10minutes in to rising and they look gorgeous. You could probably even get away with egg washing the buns before letting them rise for the 45minutes 😊
Holly says
My buns are quite *solid* but I’m going to blame user error rather than the recipe. Any tips for improving lightness & fluffiness? I’d say they came out more like scone consistency than bread.
Laura says
Oh no, that's always disappointing! 1. Check that your yeast isn't expired. 2. Make sure the dough has kneaded for long enough - you want it to be super soft and smooth when it's done. 3. Let it double in size when rising, worry less about the time and more about how much it rises. These are the main things that will help them stay nice and soft! If you are still having trouble, let me know!
Gina-Rose Morris says
Super easy recipe to follow and with great results. What more could we ask for? Thank you!
Tiana says
Tried these today, the first recipe I’ve used that actually turns out amazing!
Thank you so much!
Hine says
Tried this recipe today. Thank you. I think maybe next time I will make 6, which means I will have to make triple the bach as I have a big family.
Darta says
Hey! Do you know approximately how many grams of yeast this recipe asks for (instead of spoon measurements)?
Laura says
Hi Darta, about 7 grams of yeast
Anna says
I just made these this evening for dinner and they were fantastic! I set the oven to 395F and after 14 minutes they were a perfect golden brown. Will definitely be my go to!
Ashleigh says
Love this recipe! They always turn out delicious and it’s nice and easy to make with a 3yo too
Will says
Hello, how would you go about making these buns Gluten Free? Would love to surprise wife with some fresh cooked burger buns!
Laura says
Hi Will! Oh what a lovely husband you are! I wish I could help but GF baking (especially bread baking) is not my area of expertise! Laura
Shelly says
Omgosh! I’ve never made homemade hamburger buns and this recipe was easy, awesome and very delicious!!! A big hit that my hubby ate 1 1/2 alone with butter. I had the other 1/2 and then we had burgers on warm buns. So yummy and now that I’m retiring I will no longer have to buy buns I will have the time to make these delicious buns. Thank you for sharing the recipe Laura
Lisa says
Followed the recipe to a ‘T’ and sadly they turned out super cakey - very dense and not very nice to eat. Such a shame :(.
Laura says
Hi Lisa, sorry you didn't have success! Sometimes bread can be a bit finicky and even following the recipe exactly rather than knowing what the dough is supposed to be doing can be the undoing! Don't let one time put you off, next time go on the look and feel of the dough rather than the timings and maybe try baking them for a little longer. Laura
Zahraa says
Hello! I’ve made this recipe three times so far and I love it! Yet I feel it is a bit condensed, I would prefer it lighter. In what step would have I gone wrong?
Laura says
Hi Zahraa. I would try letting the dough rise just slightly longer in the first stage. Or sometimes, an extra 1 or 2 minutes baking time can make the difference too. Laura
Vanessa says
These are the best ever burger buns! So delicious 😋 I use full fat dark blue milk to brush the tops instead of egg and it makes them go super brown.
Grace Clouston says
These are awesome! I've been looking for a good burger bun recipe for so long and have always been disappointed. I made a batch and froze the extras and they've been a great last minute meal, together with pre-cooked, frozen home made patties. Thanks for doing all the trial and error, it was definitely worth it! So much better (and cheaper!) than bought!
Vanessa says
Can this dough be frozen before baking. If so after which step do you put in freezer. Regards
Laura says
Hi Vanessa! Yes, I would do the first rise, shape and then freeze. When ready to bake, put the frozen buns on a tray and let them thaw/rise overnight and then bake. They also freeze really well already baked 🙂 Laura
Melissa says
Good recipe! Nice and soft!
Julie says
Best buns.
Make them about twice a month shaped unit 4 hamburger and 4 hotdog buns.
Hubby won’t buy them anymore.
JennT says
The best buns I’ve EVER made. Thank you so much. And you know what? They’re super easy and not thank time consuming. I whipped them up this afternoon for the kid’s late “we want burgers for dinner” request/directive.
I’ve also cooked Justin’s secret recipe for the burger patties!