Make a batch of homemade hamburger buns today. They're soft, tender, and perfect for burgers, pulled pork, and more.
Heather's recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Classic, soft hamburger buns enriched with whole milk and butter, topped with sesame seeds.
Yield: 8 buns
Similar to: Soft Dinner Rolls
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Yeast - I use instant yeast in this recipe but dry active yeast will also work. If you're using dry active yeast, your rise times will be longer. I include an activation step no matter what yeast you're using (this ensures your yeast is fresh and active, preventing potential wasted ingredients if your yeast doesn't activate properly).
- Sesame seeds - Optional, but add a nice crunch and texture on top of your hamburger buns.
How to make hamburger buns
- Microwave milk and butter until they reach 110F, then whisk in sugar and yeast.
- Allow mixture to rest for 5 minutes until foamy (like above).
- In a large bowl, add dry ingredients, egg, and yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms.
- Turn out onto a floured surface and knead, adding more flour as needed, until dough looks smooth and slowly springs back when pressed.
- Transfer dough to a greased bowl and cover.
- Allow to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Divide into 8 equal pieces (use a scale and bench scraper for easy dividing).
- Roll each piece into a round, smooth ball.
- Place onto a parchment lined sheet pan, brush with egg wash, and top with sesame seeds.
- Bake until buns are golden brown and they reach 195F in the center.
Heather's Top Tip
For accurate results every time, use a kitchen scale to measure flour by weight. If you don't have a kitchen scale, use the spoon and level method. Stir the flour (especially if it's been packed down in a bag/container), then gently spoon into the measuring cup, leveling off the top with a knife. Scooping with a measuring cup compacts flour into the cup and adds up to 25% extra to the recipe, resulting in dry, bland baked goods.
Tips and tricks
Activate your yeast - Normally, only active dry yeast requires an activation step (whisking into warm milk with sugar and resting until foamy), but we're using instant yeast. I like to include this step to ensure your yeast activates. This helps prevent wasted ingredients several steps (and hours) in when your rolls don't rise and you realize your yeast is expired. Also, if you've accidentally used active dry yeast instead of instant, the recipe will still work for you!
Dough looking sticky? - Does your dough look wet and sticky while kneading? Add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together into a ball. If your home is humid (maybe it just rained or it's summertime), you'll need a bit of extra flour to bring the dough together.
Use an instant-read thermometer - It can be hard to tell when yeast rolls are done baking using visual cues alone so I use an instant-read thermometer. Dinner rolls are done when they reach 195F in the center. A thermometer prevents doughy or dry rolls and ensures they turn out perfectly every single time.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, they freeze well for up to 3 months and thaw in a few hours when placed on the countertop.
Yes, this recipe works with active dry or instant yeast. If you're using active dry yeast, your rise times will take slightly (maybe 15-20 minutes) longer.
Yes. Your buns will turn out slightly less golden brown and won't have that shiny finish, but they'll bake up just fine without an egg wash.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Hamburger Buns
Ingredients
Hamburger buns
- 1 cup (227 g) whole milk
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, sliced into pieces
- 3 tablespoons (38 g) granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast, one standard packet
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature
Egg wash
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, optional
Instructions
Buns
- In a microwave safe bowl, add milk and butter pieces. Microwave in 20 second increments until butter has melted and mixture is warm to the touch, but not hot (about 110℉).
- Whisk in sugar and yeast and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Mixture will look foamy and bubbly. (If it's not foamy after 5 minutes, your yeast may be expired and rolls will not rise properly.)
- Meanwhile, add flour, salt, and egg to a large bowl. Once ready, add yeast mixture to the bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, knead the dough for 10 minutes. Dough will look smooth, slightly tacky, and slowly springs back when gently pressed. (See notes below for stand mixer directions).
- Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl, tossing dough to coat all sides, and lightly cover. Allow to rise for about 1 hour at room temperature, or until doubled in size.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Punch dough down to release air. Divide dough into 8 equal sized pieces (use a bench scraper for easy dividing).
- Roll each piece into a round, smooth ball. Place onto prepared sheet pan and gently press with your palm to create ¾" flat discs.
- Lightly cover rolls with a towel and allow to rise at room temperature for about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350℉ and adjust rack to the center of the oven (so the tops and bottoms brown evenly).
Egg wash
- Whisk egg in a bowl and brush over the buns. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake for 22-26 minutes, or until golden brown across the tops and the buns reach 195℉ in the center.
- Allow to cool completely before slicing in half lengthwise with a serrated knife.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Stand mixer directions: Add ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or dough hook. Mix on low until a soft, sticky dough forms. Beat on medium speed until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl (this takes about 2 minutes). If dough looks wet and sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough comes together and looks soft and slightly tacky, not sticky. Beat for an additional 5 minutes. Dough should feel soft and slowly bounce back when pressed.
- Overnight directions: After you've shaped your dough on the sheet pan, cover and transfer to the refrigerator to rest overnight. This replaces the second 1-hour rise in the recipe card. When you're ready to bake your buns, pull them out of the refrigerator while your oven preheats, add thee egg wash and sesame seeds, then bake as directed in the recipe card.
- Storage: Keeps 2-3 days at room temperature, frozen for up to 3 months
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!