The Perfect Burger Bun Recipe (Better Than Store-bought!)
This homemade burger bun recipe is the only one you’ll need for the softest, most flavorful, and rich burger buns that taste even better than store-bought ones!
Servings 15
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups – water
- 1/3 cup – organic sugar
- 1 tbsp. – yeast
- 2 – medium eggs
- 4 oz. – butter
- ½ tsp. – sea salt
- 6 cups – all-purpose flour
Instructions
How to Make Burger Bun Dough
- First, combine and whisk the water, sugar, and active dry yeast and a small mixing bowl, then set it aside and allow it to ferment. Make sure to use room-temperature water or the yeast won't activate.
- While you're waiting for the yeast mixture to ferment, sift the flour into a different bowl and set it aside for later.
- Next, crack one full egg into a small bowl then separate and add the second egg yolk. Save the egg white from the second egg for brushing on top of the buns.
- Transfer the yeast mixture into a large mixing bowl, then add the eggs. Using a hand whisker, mix the yeast mixture and eggs together.
- Add half of the sifted flour into the bowl and, using a dough hook attachment on a stand mixer, knead it together.
- When the dough begins is about half-formed, add softened butter and salt then continue kneading it on low speed.
- As the dough is kneading, add the other half of the sifted flour a half cup at a time. Make sure that the flour gets mixed in completely before adding another half a cup of flour.
- Depending on the size of the eggs you used, you may need more or less flour. I usually stop adding flour as soon as the dough stops sticking to the sides of the bowl and my mixing utensil.
- After your dough is thoroughly mixed together, cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and puncture a couple of holes in it with a small knife to let the dough breathe.
- Let the dough rest and proof in a warm place for one hour (I usually preheat my oven for one minute, turn it off, then place the bowl with dough on a towel on the rack).
How to Form Burger Buns
- The dough should be roughly tripled in size when it's done proofing.
- When your dough is done proofing, gently push on it with a spatula to deflate any air bubbles.
- Next, rub your hands with olive oil and pinch off the dough into equal pieces. I personally prefer to weigh each dough piece to about 3 oz, so they turn out the same size, but this is optional.
- Fold and roll the dough pieces into a ball and place it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Continue making dough balls until you use all the dough.
- Add a tablespoon of water to the egg white we saved earlier, whisk it together, then glaze the buns with a silicone brush.
- After they're glazed, set the buns back in a warm place and let them proof for another 15 minutes.
How to Bake Homemade Burger Buns
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and brush the buns with the egg white a second time (be very gentle while you're brushing so you don't deflate the raised bun), then sprinkle them with the sesame seed blend.
- Bake the buns in the oven at 350 F for 18 – 20 minutes, remove them from the oven, then let the buns cool for about 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to let them cool completely.
Notes
You may need half cup more or less of the flour depending on the size of the egg you’ll be using. The sign I go most of the time is as soon as the dough starts not sticking to the side of the mixer bowl or spatula that means the dough is perfect and not needs any more flour.