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Homemade Hamburger Buns

These soft hamburger buns are perfect for burgers, pulled pork, or your favorite sandwich filling. I've gotten a thousand requests for these! Not only are these the perfect shape, but they taste way better than anything that comes out of a plastic bag. The total time takes almost 4 hours, but the actual amount of work involved is maybe 10 minutes.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people
Calories 2146.6 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Stand Mixer Equipped with a dough hook for kneading.
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl Can be the stand mixer bowl, used for yeast activation and dough rising.
  • 1 Baking Sheet For baking the shaped hamburger buns.
  • 1 Silicone Mat or Parchment Paper To line the baking sheet and prevent sticking.
  • 1 Small Bowl and Whisk For preparing the egg wash.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 .25 ounce package active dry yeast (such as Fleischmann's ActiveDry Yeast)
  • 1 pound all-purpose flour or as needed - divided
  • 1 cup warm water 105 degrees F/41 degrees C
  • 2 large eggs divided
  • 3 tablespoons butter melted
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds or as needed

Instructions
 

  • Place yeast into bowl of a large stand mixer; whisk in 1/2 cup flour and warm water until smooth. Let stand until mixture is foamy, 10 to 15 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Whisk 1 egg, melted butter, sugar, and salt thoroughly into the yeast mixture. Add remaining flour (about 3 cups).
  • Fit a dough hook onto stand mixer and knead the dough on low speed until soft and sticky, 5 to 6 minutes. Scrape sides if needed. Poke and prod the dough with a silicone spatula; if large amounts of dough stick to the spatula, add a little more flour. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Transfer dough onto a floured work surface; dough will be sticky and elastic but should not stick to your fingers. Gently form dough into a smooth, round shape, tucking loose ends underneath. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Wipe out the stand mixer bowl and drizzle in olive oil. Place dough in the bowl and turn it several times until the surface is thinly coated with oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
  • Transfer dough to a floured work surface and pat to flatten any bubbles; form into a slightly rounded, 5x10-inch rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Dust dough lightly with flour if needed and cut into eight equal pieces. Form each piece into a round shape, gently tucking ends underneath as before. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Use your hands to gently pat and stretch the dough rounds into flat, 1/2-inch-thick discs. Arrange buns about 1/2 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Dust buns very lightly with flour. Drape a piece of plastic wrap over the baking sheet (do not seal tightly). Let buns rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  • Beat remaining egg with milk in a small bowl, using a fork, until mixture is thoroughly combined. Very gently and lightly brush tops of buns with egg wash without deflating the risen dough. Sprinkle each bun with sesame seeds. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned on top, 15 to 17 minutes. Buns will stick together slightly where they touch. Let cool completely. Tear the buns apart and slice in half crosswise to serve. DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS 

Notes

Achieving soft, airy buns hinges on proper yeast activation; ensure your water is between 105-115°F (41-46°C). Overheating kills the yeast, while cold water slows it down too much. The dough will be sticky, which is desirable for tenderness, so resist the urge to add excessive flour during kneading or shaping. Use flour sparingly to prevent a dense crumb. For optimal rise, proof the dough in a consistently warm, draft-free environment. When shaping, handle the dough gently to maintain the airy structure developed during proofing. The final egg wash should be applied very lightly to avoid deflating the delicate risen buns. For an even richer flavor and softer texture, consider substituting half the water with whole milk in the dough.