Homemade Hamburger Buns Recipe

If you're looking for a way to elevate your homemade burgers to the next level, making your own hamburger buns is a great place to start. Not only does it give you control over the ingredients, but also allows you to customize the buns to your personal taste preferences. Plus, there's something incredible about the aroma of freshly baked bread that fills your kitchen. 

Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "Making homemade hamburger buns may seem intimidating, but it's actually quite simple. It only involves a few simple ingredients and doesn't include a lot of kneading and rise cycles. I also like these buns so much better because they are a little denser than store bought buns and hold up better when you are piling on toppings." Whether you are serving a classic cheeseburger, veggie burger, sloppy joes, or a portobello burger, you are going to want to take up your burger game with these homemade buns.

To make this recipe we'll need some baking basics like all-purpose flour, active dry yeast, oil, sugar, salt, and an egg. "If you are on a sugar restricted diet you can easily omit the sugar or reduce it to 1 tablespoon and the same goes for salt," Hahn explains. "Avocado oil is usually my oil of choice when using a neutral oil, but olive oil works well here also," Hahn goes on to say.

Our first step is to activate the yeast and make the dough. Because it's a pretty quick process you can go ahead and preheat the oven to 425 F. Pull out a large bowl and add the warm water. "Make sure the water is warm and not hot. You want to be able to put a finger into the water comfortably without it being too hot to keep it in," Hahn says. Then spread the yeast on top and let the bowl sit for 10 minutes. You will see tiny bubbles on the surface which tells you the yeast has been activated. Then add the oil, sugar, beaten egg, and salt and stir. Now add the flour a cup at a time. Stir it to form a dough, then remove it from the bowl and place it on a floured work surface and knead it for 5 minutes. It will be soft and easy to knead.

After you have kneaded the dough, we'll need to divide it into portions. Slice it in half and form each half into a small log. Then divide that into 4 equal portions to make 8 sections. "You have the option here to make 8 medium sized buns or 6 large buns. If you are making large burgers, go for the larger size. I typically make veggie burgers which are on the smaller size," Hahn shares. Roll each portion into a smooth ball and place it on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Cover this with a clean dish towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Now you are ready to pop the baking tray into the oven. Bake for 8 minutes or until the buns are getting nicely browned. When you take them out of the oven, you'll want to cool them for at least 15 minutes before slicing. "I use a sharp serrated knife when slicing the buns," Hahn explains. Try these buns with your favorite burger of choice and savor the flavor of homemade bread. The buns are best eaten when freshly made but will be good for a few days if kept in a sealed container in the fridge. "I usually just put them into the toaster on day 2 or 3 and they are as good as ever!" Hahn remarks.