I am very excited to share with you guys these simple homemade hamburger buns. With summer grilling season in full swing, what better time of the year to master this easy recipe then right now?
Before landing on this recipe, I had never had much luck making homemade hamburger buns. Any recipe I followed for them always yeilded me dense, oversized, and difficult to eat buns that made me feel silly for attempting it. However, I decided to go ahead and try turning my favorite bread recipe into hamburger buns just to see what would happen, and it did not disappoint!
These burger buns really do taste about as good as store bought buns. They stay together well as a sandwich, and they are soft, fluffy, and slim enough to be easy to eat. I am saying goodbye to those last minute store runs to buy less than stellar bread products for grill night because now I can make them myself on a whim! And yes, it is actually easy enough to make on a whim!
The process
Combine 3 cups worth of flour with 1 cup of cold water until it is completely mixed and forming a stiff dough. Then allow this dough ball to rest covered for about half an hour.
This allows the liquid to be absorbed by the thirsty flour, and makes it easier to work with going forward.
This step is especially important if using fresh-milled flour, but you may be able to skip it if using store bought whole wheat.
Add the remaining ingredients to the stand mixer, and mix to fully combine.
I usually add the honey, butter, and salt, and mix it for a moment prior to adding the yeast mixture and the remaining flour. Add the flour a quarter cup at a time.
Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. It should pass the windowpane test (read below).
At this point you can cover the dough and allow it to rise for an hour, or until it is about doubled in size.
Once it is done rising, take the dough to a smooth work surface to roll it out and cut/shape.
Roll the dough out flat, and use a bench scraper to divide into 8 even peices.
Place the dough balls on a well oiled or a parchment lined baking sheet, and cover with a towel for the second rise.
After they are done rising, you can add an optional egg wash to create the beautiful golden brown tops.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes, and remove them from the oven to cool on a cooling rack. They should sound hollow to tap when they are done.
Enjoy sandwiching your juicy burger in the best homemade hamburger buns you’ve made yet!
The Flour
This recipe can be made with store bought whole wheat, or with fresh milled flour! You can experiment with a variety of whole wheat flours, and I would love to hear your experience in the comments. I generally make this recipe with fresh-milled, hard red whole wheat flour.
The important thing to note about fresh flour is that the resting time prior to mixing ingredients is crucial. You may also need to give it a longer kneading time. These two things help the fresh flour develop the gluten structure that it needs to make a great final product. If you are unsure how to tell if your dough needs more time kneading, read through the next section.
Elasticity and the windowpane test
I often allow my stand mixer to do the work of kneading my dough, as it is a great time saver for me. However, you still do not want to simply rely on timers and assumptions just because you are not kneading it by hand. Whether you are kneading by hand or in the stand mixer, check for signs that the dough is ready for its first rise.
The main thing you should notice about your bread dough is that it is elastic. This means that as you pull it apart, it stretches rather than tears, and it does not excessively stick to your hands. It has a smooth, uniform texture. You can test the elasticity of your dough, by stretching it to the point where you can see light through the dough. This is called the “window-pane test.” If it stretches without breaking to this point then it is kneaded enough, and you can now let it rest for the first rise. See the photo below:
A note on the baking dish
It is not super important what you use to bake these in the oven. You can use a cake pan, a pizza pan, a cookie sheet, or a baking dish to name some options. The most important thing is that the buns have room to expand during the rising and baking process. Ideally you do not want them touching, but if they are touching slightly it is not a big deal. Just separate them once they are baked, and you will just have soft fluffy sides instead of crusted edges in the areas that were touching.
The Hamburger Bun Recipe
Fluffy and soft whole wheat hamburger buns
Difficulty: Easy8
servings2
hours30
minutes25
minutes2
hours55
minutesTry these delicious homemade hamburger buns on grill night! These burger buns really do taste about as good as store bought buns. They stay together well as a sandwich, and they are soft, fluffy, and slim enough to be easy to eat.
Ingredients
3.5 Cups whole wheat flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup milk
2.5 Tsp Yeast
3 Tbsp Honey
1.5 teaspoons of salt
3 Tbsp softened butter.
Directions
- Combine 3 cups of flour with 1 cup of water in a stand mixer and mix until it forms a stiff dough. Allow this dough ball 15-30 minutes to rest.*
- Warm the milk to room temperature and combine with the yeast.
- Add the honey, softened butter, and salt to the dough in the stand mixer. Run it on low speed to begin combining the ingredients. Then add the yeast mixture and the remaining flour a quarter cup at a time to the stand mixer.**
- Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic and passes the windowpane test. Then cover it and allow it to rise for 1 hour or until about doubled in size.
- Roll the dough out on a flat work surface, and divide into 8 equal pieces. Place the dough balls on a well oiled baking sheet, cover, and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
- Add an optional egg wash to the hamburger buns to produce the shiny brown tops, and bake them at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.
- Remove them from the oven, and place them on a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes, and then enjoy these buns with a juicy burger and all the fixings!
Notes
- The first step is important if working with fresh milled flour. If you are using store bought flour, you should be able to skip this step.
- You may need to pause the mixer a couple of times during step 3, and help it work the dough with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- You can tell they are done if they are golden brown on top and they sound hollow when you tap them.
If you tried this recipe and enjoyed it, leave a comment and let me know. Then share this with a friend this grilling season! Check out my dinner rolls and whole wheat bread recipes that follow this same combination and basic process. 3 easy and delicious bread products all from one simple recipe!
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