Homemade Hamburger Buns Recipe

Homemade hamburger buns resting on a cooling rack.

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These Homemade Hamburger Buns come out soft, fluffy, golden on top, and slightly sweet. The recipe is straightforward and comes together in about 3 hours. Once you make these, you’ll never go back to store-bought buns! Plus, I included a trick to make sure they come out perfect every time.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Rise Time2 30

Total Time3 5

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: Buns

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $5

Equipment

4 Inch Ring Molds - Optional (Affiliate Link)

Ingredients

Base Dough

3 cup All purpose flour - 450 grams
2¼ tsp Instant yeast - 7 grams or 1 packet
1 tbsp Sugar - 12 grams
1½ tsp Kosher salt - 8 grams
1 cup Lukewarm whole milk - 240 ml
4 tbsp Melted unsalted butter - 56 grams
1 Large egg
1 tsp Butter - For greasing the ring molds

Topping

1 Egg yolk
1 tbsp Water
White and black sesame seeds

Instructions

Add Dry Ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 3 cup All purpose flour, 2¼ tsp Instant yeast, 1 tbsp Sugar, and 1½ tsp Kosher salt. Mix to combine. You can also knead by hand using a large mixing bowl and a wooden spoon.
Mix Wet Ingredients. In a measuring cup, whisk together 1 cup Lukewarm whole milk, 4 tbsp Melted unsalted butter, and 1 Large egg.
Knead. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and knead using the dough hook on medium-low speed until a soft dough ball forms, about 7-9 minutes. If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, increase to medium speed. The dough should pull away from a loose ball. Try not to add more flour unless you must.
First Rise. Using your hands, gently form a tight smooth ball with the dough and drop it back into the mixer bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Divide. Punch down the dough and divide it into 6 equal pieces using a knife or bench scraper. Use a scale for precision; each piece should weigh about 135-140g. Note: for sliders, divide the dough into 12 pieces.
Roll. Roll each piece into a tight ball by cupping your hand over the dough and moving it in a circular motion on the countertop. Only lightly flour the work surface if you need it.
Arrange. Place the dough balls, seam side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The dough balls shouldn’t be touching. Leave about 2‑3 inches of space between the buns. Optionally, use a ring mold around the dough balls. Grease the ring molds well with 1 tsp Butter.
Second Rise. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for another 1.5 hours, until puffy.
Brush and Dress. Brush each bun with egg wash (1 Egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp Water) and sprinkle White and black sesame seeds. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake. Bake the buns for 22‑25 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
Remove Molds. If you are using ring molds, remove them within 5 minutes after baking. Leave the buns to fully cool on a rack.

Notes

Refer to the post above for step by step recipe photos, tips and advice.

Key Ingredient Notes:

Flour: I use all purpose flour most of the time. Bread flour can also be used for a chewier texture. You can also substitute in some whole wheat flour if you prefer.
Yeast: I recommend using instant yeast. It can be mixed into the dry ingredients without pre-blooming in liquid. It helps the dough rise quickly and efficiently. Active dry yeast can be used of course, but you will have to bloom it the milk. To do that, warm up the milk slightly, add the dry active yeast to it along with the sugar, stir to combine and set aside.
Milk: Adds richness and tenderness. Use whole milk or 2%. If you are using instant yeast, you don’t need to use warm milk. You could use water instead of the milk, but the rolls won’t be as rich.
Egg: This recipe calls for 1 whole egg (for the dough) and an egg yolk for the egg wash. I don’t recommend substituting the egg in the dough, but you can swap out the yolk for milk to glaze the buns.
Toppings: Sesame seeds (both white and black) give these buns more flavor and they will look great too. You can also use poppy seeds.

Other Tips:

Weigh Everything. Using a kitchen scale ensures consistency in ingredient amounts and perfectly uniform dough balls.
Don’t skip the second rise. It’s key to a fluffy bun. Dough should be puffy and marshmallow-like when ready.

About the Ring Molds (See post above for detailed pros/cons discussion):

If you try this recipe with a ring mold, I recommend using rings that are about the same diameter as your desired finished bun (4 inches is perfect for a standard bun), lightly greasing them, and positioning the dough in them right after you have formed the right balls.
Remove the rings shortly after baking if possible (once buns hold their shape) so they don’t cause soggy/steamed sides. Even if you grease the molds, they may stick to the bun. Gently coax the buns out of the molds and you’ll be left with a perfectly shaped, tall hamburger bun.

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