This is a kinda a two part recipe.
I’m sorry if that’s annoying! You’ll find out how to use these delicious, fluffy buns on Monday for your 4th of July feast. I figure I’d give you the bun recipe to start because I didn’t want to overwhelm anyone. Plus, you’ll want to make these ahead of time anyway. Like this weekend! Because who doesn’t love to spend a whole day baking homemade hamburger buns?! It’s really a fun and incredibly satisfying process, I promise you! There’s just something about homemade bread that puts everyone in a good mood. And when you tell your party guests that you actually baked the buns from scratch? Oh my. They’ll love you forever. If you haven’t already guessed, I’m pretty much convinced the way to anyone’s heart is through food. Absolutely.
I lied though. You don’t really have to spend all day baking. I woke up at 5:30 the other morning to bake these so they would be ready by noon for photos. I also planned it so I could take a yoga class while they were rising. How’s that for multitasking?
Sooooo…..like I said, these are a bit of a process but so totally worth it! The initial steps only took me 15 minutes and then I just let my dough rise for 2 1/2 hours while I went to a yoga class. Substitute the yoga class for doing laundry, running errands, going to the gym or taking a walk.
You can do this.
After the initial rise, you punch down the dough! With force! Take out that silly aggression! There are burgers in your future!!
Roll out your punched down dough to 1/2″ thick. Use a rolling pin, wine bottle, whatever you got.
Cut biscuit-sized circles using the bottom of a glass. Then let rise again. You got this! We are so close now.
You know the best place to let bread rise? You got it…on top of the dryer! It keeps the dough nice and warm. And even better? We’re multitasking again.
After the second rise, I brushed my rolls with egg yolk and sprinkled them with sesame seeds for a signature “hamburger bun touch”. Here they are again after a short 20 minute bake in the oven:
Oh.my.love. They turned out so beautiful! And guess what? They freeze wonderfully as well. You’ll never buy ’em at the store again after you take a bite, that’s for sure.
And since I just can’t help myself, allow me to give you a preview of the future for our little buns.
I just get too excited! I can’t help myself. And will ya just look at that fluffy homemade bun? Don’t mind if I do. I’ll add that they are also excellent with hummus and pepperjack cheese, as well as with peanut butter and jelly.
Now since is the longest recipe post ever (is anyone even still reading this thing?), I will bid you farewell and just give you the darn recipe already. Let me know if you try these—-we LOVED them.
Homemade Hamburger Buns
recipe very slightly adapted from Gourmet (why mess with perfection?)
makes about 10 hamburger buns
Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 cup milk
1 packet dry active yeast (1/4th oz)
2 tbsp warm water (about 100 degrees)
1 egg
1.5 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
3 cups flour (plus a little additional flour if you need it)
for topping—
2 egg yolks + 1 tbsp warm water, slightly beaten
sesame seeds and/or poppy seeds
Directions:
To start, heat the milk in a small saucepot over medium heat until bubbles appear all around the sides of the pot. Remove quickly and let cool to the temperature of warm bathwater (about 100 degrees F).
In a little bowl, combine the dry active yeast, 2 tbsp warm water and a pinch of sugar. Stir with your finger a couple times and then let sit for about 5 minutes. The yeast should start to bubble a little bit and get creamy/foamy looking.
In the bowl of a mixer, combine the soft butter, slightly cooled milk (test it with your finger first and let it cool a few more minutes if it still feels burning hot), egg, sugar and yeast. Mix on low until combined and butter melts.
Mix together two cups of the flour and the salt, then add that to the wet ingredients. Mix on high until well blended.
Change to a dough hook on your mixer if you have one (this thing always reminds me of Captain Hook…anyone?). With the dough hook on, add the remaining cup of flour and mix on high speed for five minutes. You can add a little bit more flour here if your dough seems especially wet, but remember that this dough is supposed to be sticky!
After five minutes on high, your dough should be sticky, but also smooth and elastic if you stretch it with your fingers. Remove dough from bowl and place in an oiled mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 2 1/2 hours.
After 2 1/2 hours, punch down dough on a floured surface then roll out to 1/2″ thick. Cut circles using a large biscuit cutter or the bottom of a glass. Place circles on a parchment paper or silpat-lined baking sheet. Place another piece of plastic wrap on top and let rise again for 1.5 hours.
Preheat your oven to 375.
Brush the rolls with the egg yolk and warm water mixture then scatter sesame seeds over top. Bake for 20 minutes until deeply golden.
Time:
5 hours
**These rolls can be made three days ahead and kept in a sealed plastic bag OR frozen (I recommend freezing then defrosting when ready to use so they always taste fresh
AdrienneCarolyn
June 29, 2012 at 3:34 amOh these are SO happening this weekend! Why would ever buy them when you can have these?!
Kristen @ notsodomesticated
June 29, 2012 at 4:06 amWow, Jenna, these look so good!! The entire process is a bit intimidating to me, but I’m sure they’re well worth it!
Mary
June 29, 2012 at 4:09 amI’m so scared of making bread! But these, these look so good and I do love a good burger. Baby steps….
Anne
June 29, 2012 at 4:24 amOh. My. Gosh. You literally just made my morning, I cannot wait to try these!!!
Molly @ RDexposed
June 29, 2012 at 4:30 amThese are so cute! They almost look fake, they look so perfect.
Elisabeth
June 29, 2012 at 8:43 amHa! I thought the same thing – they almost like kids’ play food ๐
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat
June 29, 2012 at 4:42 amOooooh is that a portobello mushroom I see inside that cute little bun!??! I’m excited! You’re right, if I made my own burger buns, I really would be quite satisfied with myself. Can’t wait to hear more about what goes inside! ๐
Denise and Laura
June 29, 2012 at 5:18 amWow, I am just picturing a homemade bun with a homemade hamburger and fresh veggies and lots of ketchup….
Now I really want a burger haha
Joelle (on a pink typewriter)
June 29, 2012 at 5:27 amI’ve been wanting these buns (that sounds funny) since you posted the Instagram photo of your sandwich! PS. How do you put text over the photos? I think you covered that in a previous post, but I can’t remember for the life of me.
jenna
June 29, 2012 at 10:16 amI have a photo editing software for Macs called “Pixelmator” that allows you to do that!
Joelle (on a pink typewriter)
June 29, 2012 at 5:02 pmOh, gotcha – thanks! I’ll have to look for it next time I’m at the Apple store.
Cait's Plate
June 29, 2012 at 5:30 amYou can’t beat homemade bread. You just can’t.
Jordan @ Bake Write Sleep
June 29, 2012 at 5:46 amThat’s the ONE thing, in all of my baking that I’ve done, that I have never tried. I want to and now it doesn’t seem so intimidating. Ha, thanks!
glidingcalm
June 29, 2012 at 5:49 amI love the picture with the dryer the best…but you’re right! makes so much sense!!
they look delicious!
britt
June 29, 2012 at 5:51 amthese look SO good! as does that burger. but i am scared to make anything with yeast. except that pizza dough yeast. that stuff is easy peasy! maybe i will give this a try though. because they really do look delicious.
Kim @ The Family Practice
June 29, 2012 at 5:53 amMost beautiful burger buns ever! Now we can have buns that actually fit our burgers instead of those dinky smooshed up things from the grocery store ๐
Faith @ For the Health of It
June 29, 2012 at 6:20 amIm so excited to try these. I get so frustrated in the bread aisle at the store because of all the preservatives that I usually walk away without the rolls or buns I was walking in for.
Sarah
June 29, 2012 at 6:22 amI am so excited to make these! My dad is grinding steak for burgers this weekend and these look perfect!
Sarah
June 29, 2012 at 2:12 pmI pulled mine out of the oven about an hour ago- they are so delicious! I can’t wait until I get to eat them with something on them ๐
Gabby (Quest for Delicious)
June 29, 2012 at 6:23 amThose look totally amazing. The dryer idea is perfect!
Christena
June 29, 2012 at 6:43 amThank you!!! I have always wanted to learn how to make hamburger buns!
I do have a quick question also that I’ve been meaning to ask forever. One of your videos on You Tube is a coast-to-coast dinner party. What is the name of that song/band playing in the video? I absolutely love that song, but Sound Hound & Shazam do not recognize it and when I type the lyrics into Google I still can’t find it. I would love to know who sings it so I can download it and check that band out!
jenna
June 29, 2012 at 10:17 amI think that is my friend, Paul’s, band! Google Paul Banks and you should be able to find it ๐
Christena
July 4, 2012 at 4:57 pmThank you!!!
amy walters, aDESIGNdock
June 29, 2012 at 6:49 amMmmmm…….this is great – now I’m craving a burger…before 9am…after I just finished breakfast!
Julia H. @ Going Gulia
June 29, 2012 at 6:53 amThese must be the prettiest hamburger buns I’ve ever seen. I almost wouldn’t want to eat them! Almost ๐
Clizia
June 29, 2012 at 7:18 amThese are so going to happen very soon!!!
Skylor
June 29, 2012 at 7:45 amOkay so sure I am a non gluten eater… but these look incredible. Your photography is mind blowing and makes me think I NEED to eat this burger bun right now.
Jerusha
September 6, 2012 at 10:25 pmI am trying this tomorrow using “Bob’s Red Mill” Gluten Free Pizza Crust mix in place of the flour. I’ll post letting you know how they turn out.
I will free form though instead of rolling and using cookie cutter. Fingers crossed.
Lindsey @ Family Food Finds
June 29, 2012 at 7:45 amLove this! Any time I can make more of a meal from scratch it makes me so happy! Thanks for the great recipe!
Nakia
June 29, 2012 at 7:55 amI am SO making these today.
Kelly@Runmarun
June 29, 2012 at 8:01 amWow, these look unbelievable! Thank you so much for posting the recipe for them. Question for you- what do you think would happen if I used ww flour?
jenna
June 29, 2012 at 10:17 amWhole Wheat flour doesn’t contain enough gluten for the rolls…I wouldn’t recommend it! They would be hard and too dense instead of soft and fluffy!
allie@sweetpotatobites.com
June 29, 2012 at 8:17 amlove the homemade hamburger bun idea! definitely bringing these to my 4th of July BBQ!
Caroline L.
June 29, 2012 at 9:04 amThese look great! I love homemade bread of any type ๐
Heather
June 29, 2012 at 9:29 amYES!! I love baking, ‘specially bread, and I had no plans this weekend….until now ๐
Thanks!!
Averie @ Averie Cooks
June 29, 2012 at 10:13 amGorgeous rolls, Jenna! Thanks for the step by step pics and I love your idea of multi-tasking: yoga class while dough rises. Now you’re talking!
Jessica @ How Sweet
June 29, 2012 at 12:20 pmomg… i want to eat like 5 of them straight out of the first pic!
Megan @ Megan's Miles
June 29, 2012 at 12:42 pmYum, I think I need to make these this weekend! I recently made your feta and spinach turkey burgers, and they were delicious!
Liz
June 29, 2012 at 1:36 pmThis is SO fun! I never would have thought to make these from scratch!
Christine
June 29, 2012 at 2:53 pmOh my goodness those look so good. So good I almost felt the need to write my comment as: Ohmygoodnessthoselooksogood *drool* ๐
Kelly @ My Love Affair with Running
June 29, 2012 at 3:31 pmI often make my own bread (the beautiful aroma keeps coming back for me) but I hv NEVER made burger buns. Sunday night dinner here we come!
jenna
June 29, 2012 at 4:01 pmyum. i always want to make homemade hamburger rolls. these look amazingly good!
Becky Henderson
June 29, 2012 at 7:54 pmI’ll take the bun and skip the burger! Those look so delicious!!!! Can you top them with anything else besides sesame seeds? Not that there is anything wrong with sesame seeds of course! Can’t wait to make these Jenna!
Seedy
June 29, 2012 at 10:01 pmMost unimaginative question ever goes to you… lol top them with whatever you want ๐ Large honkin pumpkin seeds that will fall off instead of stick will work great – imagine that crunch ๐ Heck, top them with the burger if you want! But if there’s nothing wrong with sesame seeds like you suggest, then that is what we all recommend ๐ Happy fireworks and flying toppings!
Becky Henderson
June 30, 2012 at 11:36 pmUm, thanks I guess.
April
March 24, 2013 at 4:11 pmNo need to be a jerk, Seedy
Janice
February 28, 2019 at 11:38 amRecipe says Poppie seeds as an alternate also.
Keely (Sky Blue)
June 29, 2012 at 10:11 pmwell this is awesome.
Saturday Showcase | The Texas Peach
June 29, 2012 at 11:12 pm[…] Homemade Hamburger Buns (from Eat Live Run) […]
Cassie (Bake Your Day)
June 30, 2012 at 5:17 pmTotally needed this recipe. LOVE.
Lexi @ You, Me, & A World to See
July 2, 2012 at 3:30 pmWowww, these look fantastic! Love me some good buns ๐
Kathleen @ KatsHealthCorner
July 3, 2012 at 8:15 pmWhat an amazing recipe! ๐
friday links to love | The Influence Conference
July 5, 2012 at 10:08 pm[…] Jenna shares a post onย Homemade Hamburger Buns. […]
Giselle
July 17, 2012 at 3:05 pmThese look delicious and I have everything to make them except for sugar… do you think stevia would work okay? We don’t use sugar at all so I don’t keep it in the house.
Recipe Fail :-( « ahealthyhappyhome
July 18, 2012 at 4:05 pm[…] decided to use my time at home to try out a new recipe I saw on Eat Live Run for Homemade Hamburger Buns.ย It looked easy enough and while I actually don’t usually eat a […]
Recipe Fail :-( « ahealthyhappyhome
July 18, 2012 at 4:05 pm[…] decided to use my time at home to try out a new recipe I saw on Eat Live Run for Homemade Hamburger Buns.ย It looked easy enough and while I actually don’t usually eat a […]
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August 14, 2012 at 4:31 am[…] make your own Ranch seasoning, pickle your own jalapenos, simmer your own barbeque sauce or bake your own hamburger buns.ย Or you could do what I did and just buy the ingredients completely store-made and have dinner on […]
Jenny
February 1, 2013 at 11:32 amThe best place to let bread rise is in the oven with just the oven light on!
Jenny S.
March 3, 2013 at 2:58 pmI love this recipe! Just made a batch to go with smoked brisket my husband has made and they rock! Thanks so much!
Sardonyx
March 14, 2013 at 1:59 pmIf it has already doubled in size do you still have to wait the full 2.5 hours?
jenna
March 14, 2013 at 2:06 pmNope!
Emily
April 12, 2013 at 3:10 pmWell, I think I messed these up! Dang it! I was looking forward to making them as part of my husband’s birthday dinner.
I used whole wheat flour and put the dough in a pre-warmed oven… When I took it out after 2.5 hours, the dough was pretty much cooked! I guess it was too much heat.
But… I know that your recipes are always amazing, so I’ll have to make attempt #2 at some point!
jenna
April 12, 2013 at 3:33 pmBummer! Yep, the warmed oven will do that….it was probably just too warm. Also, I wouldn’t recommend using all whole wheat flour because that will make them pretty dense!
Sparkling74
August 5, 2013 at 10:25 amMy sister shared a similar recipe with me and I make the dough in my bread machine. It’s so nice to make them instead of buying crappy store bra d!
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August 11, 2013 at 8:16 pm[…] few weeks ago I decided that I was going to try out a recipe I found for homemade hamburger buns. The picture looked so yummy and I knew I just had to try them […]
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January 11, 2014 at 5:15 pm[…] found the recipe for hamburger buns on this site:ย http://www.eatliverun.com/homemade-hamburger-buns/ย . I have made them I few times now and I am never […]
Mairi
January 15, 2014 at 5:23 pmThese were wonderful! I had never made buns before but have recently begun to make my own breads, so was excited to try them. Your instructions were very clear and they were really easy to make. Thanks so much!
Sarah
April 10, 2014 at 5:06 pmThese look amazing! I’ll definitely be trying this recipe, but I’m wondering if they’ll turn out terrible if I leave out the sugar?
jenna
April 10, 2014 at 5:56 pmThe yeast needs a bit of sugar to react properly and to rise. I wouldn’t leave it out if I were you.