If you’ve been looking for easy homemade hamburger buns that turn out fluffy and soft every time, this is the recipe to try! This recipe is inspired by the same soft bread technique I use in my Copycat Raising Cane’s Texas Toast Recipe.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft brioche-style texture
- Ready in under 3 hours
- Perfect for burgers, sandwiches and sliders
Why Make Your Own Hamburger Buns
If you’ve never made homemade hamburger buns before, you’re in for a treat. This is a great recipe to start with, because it's simple and foolproof. All you need is a stand mixer to handle the kneading. The dough is slightly sticky, which can be tricky to knead by hand, but it makes soft, fluffy buns without much effort.
What to Expect from This Dough
The trick to this dough is giving it a full 8 minutes of mixing. The dough should look smooth and elastic. When it’s fully kneaded, it will pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Be sure to watch the video below for mixing, shaping, and baking tips.
Ingredients & Ingredient Tips
All-Purpose Flour-All-purpose flour gives these buns a soft, tender texture.
Milk-Warming the milk first helps activate the yeast.
Yeast-You can use active dry yeast or instant yeast in this recipe.
Sugar-A little sugar adds flavor to homemade burger buns,
Egg-The egg gives these buns their rich brioche texture.
Vegetable Oil-Keeps the buns soft for days after baking.
Egg Wash-The egg wash creates shiny golden brown tops.
Substitutions
This homemade hamburger bun recipe is flexible. Here are a few simple ingredient swaps.
- Sourdough: This is my favorite recipe for sourdough hamburger buns.
- Bread flour: Creates a slightly chewier bun.
- Whole wheat flour: Replace up to 1 cup of flour for a heartier texture.
- Butter: Substitute melted unsalted butter for the oil.
- Honey: Can replace the sugar for a softer bun.
- Dairy-free: Use warm water or dairy-free milk instead of regular milk.
Tools You’ll Need
- Stand mixer
- Dough hook attachment
- Kitchen scale
How to Make Homemade Hamburger Buns
1. Heat the Milk
Microwave the milk for about 2–3 minutes or until scalded. Let it cool to about 110–130°F before adding the yeast.
2. Activate the Yeast
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy. If the yeast mixture does not foam, start over with fresh yeast.
3. Mix and Knead the Dough
Add the remaining sugar, egg, vegetable oil, salt, and flour to the bowl. Turn the mixer on low speed and let the dough hook mix everything together for about 3 minutes. Then increase to medium speed and keep mixing for 5 more minutes.
At first, the dough will look sticky and too soft. As it mixes, the dough will become smoother and start pulling away from the sides of the bowl. If it still looks super wet after all 8 minutes of mixing, sprinkle in extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together.
4. First Rise
Transfer dough to a lightly greased large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let the dough rise for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
5. Shape the Buns
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. The easiest way to do this is with a kitchen scale. The full batch of dough weighs about 1,100 grams, so each bun should weigh about 92 grams.
To shape the buns, take one piece of dough and gently pull the edges underneath while turning it in a circle with your hands. This helps create a smooth top and makes the buns bake into nice round shapes.
Place the shaped dough balls onto a parchment-lined sheet pan.
6. Second Rise
Cover the buns loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let them rise again until they look puffy and slightly larger. In a warm kitchen, this usually takes about 30–45 minutes. If your kitchen is cold, the second rise may take longer. The buns are ready when they look soft and airy and slowly spring back when gently pressed with a finger.
7. Bake
Brush with egg wash and top with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or bagel seasoning if desired.
Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack before slicing.
Allyson’s Tips
Keep the dough covered while shaping the buns so it doesn’t dry out or form a crust. If the dough starts drying on the surface, it becomes harder to shape and doesn’t bake as evenly.
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- Store cooled buns in an airtight container for 1–2 days.
- Freeze baked buns for longer storage.
- These homemade buns can be baked ahead of time for cookouts or parties.
Homemade Hamburger Buns
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour 580g
- 1½ cups warm milk 355g
- 1 packet active dry yeast 2¼ teaspoons or 7g
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
- 1 teaspoon salt 6g
- 1 egg 50g
- ¼ cup vegetable oil 55g
- 1 egg for egg wash
Instructions
- Microwave milk for 2–3 minutes or until scalded. Cool to 110–130°F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- Add remaining sugar, egg, oil, salt, and flour.
- Knead using the dough hook attachment for 3 minutes on low speed and 5 minutes on medium speed.
- Dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl. If needed, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Transfer dough to a greased bowl. Cover and proof for about 45 minutes or until doubled.
- Divide dough into 12 equal pieces and shape into smooth balls.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and allow to rise until puffy.
- Brush with egg wash and add sesame seeds if desired.
- Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool on a cooling rack before serving.
Notes
- This dough will feel sticky at first. Try to avoid adding too much extra flour or the buns can turn out dense.
- The dough should pull away from the bowl after the full kneading time.
- If your yeast does not foam during activation, the yeast may be expired or the milk may have been too hot.
- These buns stay soft for 1–2 days stored in an airtight container.
- Freeze fully cooled buns for longer storage.
- This recipe doubles well in a large stand mixer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?
Yes. You can substitute instant yeast for active dry yeast in this hamburger bun recipe. You can mix instant yeast directly into the dry ingredients without proofing first, though I still like to bloom it in the warm milk for extra insurance.
Why is my dough so sticky?
This dough is supposed to be soft and slightly sticky. That soft dough is what gives you fluffy brioche buns instead of dense bread rolls. The best way to handle sticky dough is to let the mixer knead fully before adding more flour.
Can I make these without a stand mixer?
Yes, but it will take more effort. A stand mixer with a dough hook attachment is the easiest way to knead this dough because it is soft and enriched. If mixing by hand, knead on a clean work surface until smooth and elastic.
Can I use whole wheat flour?
Yes. You can replace part of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. Start by replacing about 1 cup for the best texture.
How do I know when the dough is done kneading?
The dough should form a smooth ball and begin pulling away from the sides of the bowl. It will still feel soft but should have good structure after mixing on medium-low speed.
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