Making your own hamburger buns is a great way to control the ingredients inside of your hamburger bread and they’re pretty easy to make too!
The recipe below takes about 40 minutes from start to finish, and the results are delicious.
You can make these buns ahead of time, or even the night before you need them.
Why should you make homemade hamburger buns?
When you make hamburger buns at home, you can control the ingredients, which is really key to healthy living.
This recipe uses simple, wholesome ingredients like flour, yeast, sugar, salt, butter, and milk.
And because you’re in control of the ingredients, you can also control the nutrition.
For example, if you want to make a lighter bun, you could use whole wheat flour or swap out some of the butter for olive oil.
Another great reason to make hamburger buns at home is that they taste so much better than store-bought buns.
Homemade hamburger buns are soft and fluffy, with a slightly sweet flavor.
They’re the perfect complement to any burger, whether it’s a veggie burger or a juicy beef burger.
And if you need to make them ahead of time, no problem! Just let them cool completely after baking, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge.
They’ll stay fresh for up to 2 days.
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
Instructions
1. Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it’s warm to the touch.
You don’t want it to be too hot, or it will kill the yeast.
Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the butter and rub it into the flour with your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the milk mixture. Stir until everything is combined.
3. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. The dough will be sticky, but resist the temptation to add more flour.
4. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and set aside in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and press down slightly to flatten each ball of dough.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the hamburger buns are golden brown.
8. Let cool on a wire rack before serving.
Enjoy!
Storage
Hamburger buns are best eaten the day they’re made. However, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
If you want to make them ahead of time, you can also store them in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition facts
(Per hamburger bun):
Calories: 204
Fat: 7 g
Saturated fat: 3.5 g
Cholesterol: 16 mg
Sodium: 418 mg
Carbohydrates: 28 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 5 g
Protein: 5 g
Tips for making amazing homemade hamburger buns
- Use Instant Yeast: This recipe uses instant yeast, also called RapidRise yeast or Bread Machine yeast.
If you can’t find it, you can use active dry yeast, but you’ll need to proof it first. To do that, add the yeast to the milk mixture in Step 1 and let it sit for 10 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
- Don’t Overmix: Be careful not to overmix the dough. Mix just until everything is combined, then turn out onto a floured surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes.
Overmixing will result in tough hamburger buns.
- Use a Stand Mixer: If you have a stand mixer, you can use it to mix and knead the dough.
Just mix on low speed until everything is combined, then increase the speed to medium and mix for 5 minutes.
- Bake Until Golden Brown: Be sure to bake the hamburger buns until they’re golden brown.
They might look done before they actually are, so resist the temptation to take them out of the oven too early.
- Let Them Cool Completely: This is a crucial step! If you try to slice the hamburger buns while they’re still warm, they will fall apart.
Let them cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Final thoughts
Making hamburger buns from scratch is easier than you might think, and the results are well worth it.
These soft, oven-baked buns can be made a day ahead of time, or even the night before.
Plus, they store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Enjoy!
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