These Homemade Hamburger Buns are incredibly fast, easy and delicious! In less than an hour, you can have soft and fluffy hamburger buns without going to the store. Make this 40 minute hamburger bun recipe for your next cookout!
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Anyone else baking up a storm lately? I normally buy hamburger buns, but recently I had a craving for burgers and didn’t want to go to the store. Instead, I whipped up this 40 minute hamburger bun recipe and I was astonished by how easy there were, not to mention delicious!
The best hamburger bun recipe
I was suspicious that a recipe with such a short rise time could be good, but I was in a pinch and needed burger buns fast. After making these several times, and some other recipes with longer rise times, my husband swears up and down that this is the best hamburger bun recipe I have ever made.
How do you make hamburger buns from scratch?
This recipe for hamburger buns is surprisingly easy. Simply mix the yeast with some warm water, sugar and oil. Then let it sit for 5 minutes. This step “wakes up” the yeast, and the sugar is food for the yeast to start creating gas. After five minutes, you will see that the mixture has become foamy. This means your yeast is doing what it is supposed to do!
Next, you mix in an egg, the flour, and salt. Continue to add flour until you have a soft dough. You can do this step by kneading with your hands, or you can use your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, which is what I did.
Then you will quickly shape the dough into a ball and divide into 8 pieces. I use a bench scraper to do this. Shape each piece into a ball, then arrange on a greased or lined baking sheet. Cover and allow rise for 10 minutes. While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
How to make an egg wash
In order to make the most beautiful burger buns, I decided to use an egg wash for a nice shiny and golden top, sprinkled with sesame seeds. To make an egg wash, simply mix one egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the mixture over the tops of the burger buns, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
After the 10 minute rise time, then being brushed with the egg wash and sesame seeds, the burger buns are ready to go into the oven. After 8-12 minutes, you will have soft, fluffy and golden hamburger buns, fresh from the oven.
Next time you want to grill some burgers, be sure to make this 40 minute hamburger bun recipe first. I suggest adding my Best Ever Grilled onions to your burger. And speaking of burgers, have you tried my Shallot White Cheddar Burger?

Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water about 110 degrees
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For topping
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 TBSP water
- 2 TBSP sesame seeds
Instructions
- Add yeast and warm water to a large bowl. Add oil and sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, mixture should be foamy.
- Whisk in egg. Slowly mix in the salt and flour. Continue to add flour until you have a soft dough.
- Using a dough hook, knead in a mixer for 3-5 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic. (If you don't want to use a mixer, you can knead by hand on a lightly floured surface.) Do not let rise. Divide into 8 equal pieces; shape each into a ball. Do not let the dough rise.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the dough balls on a greased or lined baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, brush the buns with an egg was, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake until golden brown, 8-12 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
adapted from Taste of Home
Marni says
These are the easiest, fastest, delicious and cleanest(as in not a lot of mess to clean up afterwards) rolls I have ever made.
I’ve now made them 3 times in 2 weeks. Once for burgers, once for sandwiches and today for Portabello mushroom burgers that I intend to make for dinner.
I went into it a bit skeptic, no rising? Well except for 10 minutes to rest before baking the recipe is just one step after the other without stopping.
I do find I need to use a full 4 cups of flour, but it always comes out perfect.
This is a keeper. My family loves when I make them and I can’t wait to share them with friends. I told my husband today that I may make a few batches anna start doing them off at a friend’s house to brighten their day. After all how could you be sad with a happy little fluffy roll in your mouth? I wish I could share a photo of how professional these turn out, it’s like, who baked those? They look exactly like your photos. Like little bread fairies put a magic spell over them and they come out perfect everytime.
Thank you SO very much for this recipe. It’s everything you said it was.
Meghan says
I am so happy to hear that Marni, thanks for your comment!
Gail says
Just made these for the second time, but with a few minor adjustments. I used half bread flour and half white whole wheat flour; simply used 2 packets of yeast (so slightly less than called for); and I formed them into 12 buns this time and they are still plenty big. Delicious, nice texture, fast, and so much better than store bought. Thanks!
Meghan says
So glad you love them!
Lillian says
Good recipe for a simpler bun, my only issue was they were half raw at 12 minutes. Had to bake about 20 on 425 and I let my oven preheat for 30 minutes before use and I haven’t had any issue with this oven being at the wrong temp since I’ve had it. Don’t know what happened there but a good recipe for when I don’t want to spend the time making buns with a more fermented taste to them
Brenda says
Hello!!!
Will the recipe work if scaled to 1/2? I know sometimes recies dont always work when cutting a recipe in half.
Thanks!!
Meghan says
Hi, I haven’t tried it so I’m not sure! Let us know if you give it a try!
Matthew Thomas says
Hey!
I tried scaling it by half this evening and visibly it’s worked! Just letting my chicken finish marinating and then I’ll cook it all off and let you know!
Meghan says
Thanks for sharing Matthew! Can’t wait to hear how they turned out!
Matthew says
They actually turned out really well!
I will admit I did substitute 1/3 of the water for butter milk, mainly because I live out in China right now and I had a bit left over (and it’s hard to obtain) from marinating some Korean fried chicken burgers (which is what went inside these buns along with homemade pickled veg and a Smokey, spiced, homemade Mayo).
Thanks for this, such a good pairing.
Meghan says
So glad to hear that!
L says
This is helpful thank you.
Eddy says
My family loved your hamburger buns! So much better than supermarket buns. I used olive oil substitute for vegetable oil and it worked great! Thank you for sharing your recipe. 😊
Meghan says
Hi Eddy, so glad you loved them!
cjean says
could i use just the egg yolk for a smaller batcj?
Meghan says
Hi, do you mean in the egg wash? using egg yolk only instead of mixing it with water doesn’t work as well.
Alyssa says
I actually have the same question. It’s just my husband and I and even four is too much but I want to half the recipe but it calls for an egg in the bun recipe (not the topping). Would just an egg yolk work or just whip an egg and only put half in?
Meghan says
Hi Alyssa – I haven’t tried to make a half batch so I’m not sure how it will turn out. You can try whisking an egg and using half. Another option is to just make the whole batch and freeze the extras. Then you can defrost them as you need them.
Tatiana says
Hey Alyssa, I just made these with the recipe halved and they came out great! For the egg.. I whisked up an egg in a small bowl and poured half (just eyed it) into the dough then used the other half for the egg wash on top. Hope this helps!
Jo Michael says
Do you think I could double or triple this without issue or is it better to stick to this quantity and just make it 3 times? I made one batch already and they are fabulous but need at least 18 and I like the size with 3.9oz each which give me 16.
Meghan says
Hi Jo, I haven’t tried it but I think it would probably be fine to double it!
Melanie says
These are amazing! I made them for my family tonight and got rave reviews!
Meghan says
So happy you loved them!
Deborah Schuster says
Can I use olive oil or canola oil instead of vegetable oil?
Meghan says
That should be fine!
Lis Blossom says
Super tasty, and very easy to make! I used smart balance for the oil, and they had a great flavor.
Meghan says
So glad you loved them!
Anna says
Just made these yesterday. Enjoyed them with our homemade veggie burgers. Delish!! Next time I’ll make 10-12 for a bit smaller size, and try a little whole wheat flour. I used less oil & sugar too and they are still great. Thanks!
Meghan says
So glad you loved them!
Lisa says
These are fabulous! Yup, 40 minutes
Meghan says
So happy to hear that Lisa!
Eliana says
These are fabulous! even on nights when I forget that I was supposed to make them for dinner they’re just so quick and reliable. I often substitute one cup of whole wheat flour, and it still works. Thank you!
Meghan says
I’m so glad to hear that Eliana!
Pam Guptil says
Made these last night for burgers.
They were amazing!
Meghan says
I’m so glad you loved them!
Leona Benham says
Oh wow…i have never tried anything like this recipe and to my amazement (and my family’s) they turned out perfect! And made my homemade burgers that much better…thank you..definetly making these from now on.
Meghan says
I’m so glad you loved them!
Susan says
Meghan – I made these buns last week and they turned out great. Everyone in my house loved them. Do I need to change the recipe (in terms of letting the yeast activate with oil, water and sugar for 5 minutes) if I want to use instant yeast? Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Meghan says
Hi Susan – I haven’t tested these with instant yeast, but you should be able to skip the 5 minute wait. With instant yeast, you don’t need to bloom the yeast like you do with regular dry active yeast.
Ms. Erza says
If you just bought the yeast it should be fine but this also acts as a test to make sure your yeast activates so your buns come out perfect every time. If it doesn’t foam/bubble the yeast is expired.
Shannon says
These were fantastic! We live in the country and sometimes don’t want to drive into the city for just one item. We made these and the family loved them! Had them for hamburgers but everyone started saying what else they would do with them – sandwiches, garlic buns, etc. So, I would say they were a hit! So quick to put together and the house smelled wonderful as they baked. Didn’t make any changes to the recipe, made as stated. Will be making these many more times in the future! Thank you!
Meghan says
So happy to hear that Shannon!
Teresa Schlintz says
Amazing – easy and delicious! Used “everything bagel” instead of sesame seeds and they were great. Soft, fluffy and yummy!
Meghan says
Love that you used everything bagel seasoning! So glad you loved them!
Rachel Bailey says
Worked like a charm!!!! I wish I could post a picture as they turned out EXACTLY like yours!!! I didn’t have the yeast you recommended so I used quick rise and reduced the amount by 1/2 a tbsp. Still turned out excellent!!! Thank you so much!
Meghan says
I’m so glad to hear that Rachel!
Tracy says
This recipe is phenomenal! It is a very quick and simple recipe. I mix it up in my stand mixer, cut and shape into balls, let rest for 10 minutes, bake, and voila they are ready! I’ve made them at least 5 times now. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Delicious and makes my life easier.
Meghan says
Hi Tracy – I am so happy to hear that!
Hannah says
These buns are so delicious and easy! I’m not an experienced bread maker, and I was nervous about trying this recipe. It was so easy and turned out so well! I’ll be making these weekly now!
Meghan says
Yay! So glad you loved them!
Mim says
Best buns ever. Need I say more? I divided into 12 because 8 were huge first time.
I also made with whole milk and butter for flavor and so they wouldn’t dry out too much after baking the 2nd time around.
Rave reviews from family.
Meghan says
So glad you loved them!
Patti says
You subbed the milk for the water, correct? How much butter? 1/3 cup melted?
Jo says
Great recipe. My 7 year old made these with me, they turned out exactly like your picture! Thank you for sharing. Scrummy!
Meghan says
So glad you loved them Jo!
Beth K says
Wow! Easy, quick, delicious. Came out just like the picture!
Dan Don says
I attempted to make this recipe twice today. Both times the dough was heavy, didn’t turn golden with baking and cracked.
Meghan says
Hi Dan – I’m sorry that happened! There are two things I can think of that might have gone wrong. One is that your yeast might be dead. You can test your yeast by adding a packet of yeast (2 and 1/4 teaspoons) to 1/4 cup of warm water with a teaspoon of sugar and waiting 10 minutes. It should foam up, indicating that it is active. If this doesn’t happen, the yeast is dead. The other thing that could have gone wrong is adding too much flour. This is why measuring with the scoop and level method is best.
Jamie says
Quick. Easy. Low Carbon Footprint. No Plastic. Yummy🖤
Meghan says
So glad you love it Jamie!
Ellison says
I make buns and bread all the time. Imagine my surprise when the family unanimously said these were the best…… Now I can make buns at the same time I’m making dinner.
Meghan says
So glad you and your family loved them!
Luna says
These buns are amazing! Thank you so much!!! Do you think it will work with whole wheat flour as well? Maybe with 50% white flour..?
Meghan says
Hi Luna – I haven’t tried it but I think it would work!
Connie T says
These were fantastic! I made them for dinner and they were the perfect size for the 1/4 lb hamburgers! I used Everything Bagels and I wouldn’t change a thing to this recipe. I honestly would rate them a 10 if I could. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Meghan says
Yay, I’m so happy you love them!
Tracy says
I made this recipe a few weeks ago. I was so impressed. So quick, easy, and the results were fantastic!! Family loved these as well. I will definitely keep this one. 🙂
Meghan says
So happy to hear that!
Michelle V says
These were so easy, I still can’t believe it. I thought the 2 TBSP of yeast were going to overpower the flavor, but they just came out perfect. We tested one right away, straight from the oven, with some fresh butter. Oh my… divine!
Meghan says
So glad to hear that Michelle!
Lynda Fox says
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! Super fast, and super tasty! I also tried the same recipe to make hotdog rolls. They weren’t quite a uniform as I’d like, but they were awesome just the same! I will absolutely never buy hamburger or hotdog rolls again!
Meghan says
Yay! So glad you loved them!
Amanda says
Excellent recipe!!! Quick, easy & delicious!!
Meghan says
So glad you love them!
Jenn V. says
I was Juuust under on the yeast, so I added in about half a cup of Self Rising flour hoping that would offset the missing yeast, also I only had Everything Bagel seasoning to top them with and OMG, they were Delicious! A bit denser than store bought and held together So Nicelyfor burgers about an hour after letting them cool! I’ll definitely be making these again and trying more of your recipes!!!
Meghan says
I’m so glad you loved them Jenn!
Rick Barrera says
So easy, so perfect. Beautiful buns for my Angus burgers. Everyone raves about these because they’re fresh from the oven.
Meghan says
I’m so happy to hear that Rick!
Justine Jacobsen says
SO EASY! And DELICIOUS! We ate one right away – so so so tasty! I made the mistake of baking these in the morning and now we’re having to wait all day to eat the rest with dinner. Next time I’ll have to do a double batch. Thank you for the recipe!
Meghan says
Yay, so glad to hear that Justine!
Cynthia says
This recipe was simple and the buns look delicious. Thank you for sharing!
Meghan says
So glad you loved it Cynthia!
Jenn S. says
These were perfect! Everyone loved them. My husband was pleasantly surprised that I actually made them. LOL. Thank you for sharing such a great recipe!
Meghan says
Oh yay! So glad to hear that Jenn!
P Mitcham says
My go to recipe for quick rolls at unplanned family events. Love it
Meghan says
I’m so glad to hear that!
Holly says
How did you calculate the calorie count? Im coming up with about 300 per bun. My gf and I are usually pretty strict with our calories and like to have as accurate a count as possible. I use MyFitnessPal to calculate the ingredients and made 8 buns and it says 308 per bun. Im trying to figure out where Im off.
The buns are amazing and very tasting. I will be making them again.
Meghan says
Hi Holly – all the calories counts are an estimate for convenience. My website has a calculator it uses when I input the recipe. I would definitely use your own calculation if you are on a strict diet. I’m so glad you loved the buns!
Holly says
Thank you so much for replying! My gf’s mom had one today and she loves them too. They’ll definitely get made again!
Tijana says
OMG!!!!!!! These are absolutely AMAZING!!!! I have never made homemade bread of any kind so I wanted to try your recipe because it looked simple for a first timer like myself. I followed your directions to a T and holy moly they were super simple and so good!!! My two picky boys absolutely LOVED them!!!! Thank you so much! I will never again buy hamburger buns at the store!!! Question how long will these keep if I make more? Just store in a container or ziploc bag? Can you freeze? Have you made them into hot dog buns yet?!?!?! Thanks again!!!!
Meghan says
Hi Tijana – I am so happy you loved them! I think these are good for 1- 2 days at room temperature in a sealed container/ziplock bag. I have not tried freezing them, but bread normally freezes very well so I think that would be fine! I haven’t made hotdog buns yet but that is a great idea!
Kim says
Is is really 2 tablespoons of yeast , not a packet which is just over 2 teaspoons?
Meghan says
Hi Kim – yes, that is correct. The larger amount of yeast is what makes them rise so quickly.
Randy-lynn says
My rolls ended up falling apart when we were eating them as burger buns. Not sure why. They looked perfect when they came out of the oven. Also the dough was super sticky after all the ingredients were mixed so I had to keep adding flour while I was kneading it.
Help!
Meghan says
Hi Randy-Lynn – it sounds like maybe too much flour was added when kneading. The dough should become less sticky as you knead it. I hope that helps!
Brittany A Williams says
I like many other reviewers decided that I wanted to make sloppy Joe’s but did not want to go to the store to go get buns I whipped these together in less than an hour I had a use canola oil instead of vegetable oil they turned out pretty good if I do say so myself a little thick so pretty thank you for sharing this recipe definitely will be using it again!
Meghan says
So glad you liked them!
Margie says
Can these be made with Bob’s Red Mill 1to1 gluten free flour?
Meghan says
Hi Margie – I’m not sure, I have not tried that. Let me know if you give it a try!
Lou says
Are you kidding me?! These are fabulous and so easy. This recipe will be a consistent go-to.
Meghan says
I’m so happy to hear that Lou!
Yuliana says
Great recipe! I’m an amateur baker and these came out fantastic and I received many compliments. So fluffy and delicious. I did reduce the sugar amount though, only change I made. I decided to make home made hamburger buns instead of getting the store bought ones which have too many additives. This will be my go to recipe from now on. Thank you!
Meghan says
I’m so happy you loved them!
annette halloran says
I just made these today. I think I might have put too much flour in them, but they were still amazing 🙂
Meghan says
So glad you liked them Annette!
Lesley says
Hi Meghan, Thank you for posting your bun recipe which I used yesterday. Wanted hamburgers for lunch but didn’t feel like going out for buns. My bread recipes are all quite involved so yours really resonated with me, being quick and easy. I was delighted with the results.
I did reduce the sugar a bit (personal preference) and used only a milk wash. Topped with the sesame seed and made 6 larger buns as I make fairly substantial patties with salads. Delicious all round!! Thanks for sharing 🙂 Lesley SA
Meghan says
Hi Lesley, I am so happy you loved them!
Nicole Kaplan says
Easy and perfect!
Meghan says
So glad to hear that!
Kibawa says
In celebration of 4th of July we wanted to make some burgers but We didn’t have any bread around so I attempted to make these from scratch for my first time and I’m so glad I did! They were incredibly soft and delicious and not to mention cute!. Thank you so much for sharing!! I don’t think I will be purchasing burger buns again haha.
Meghan says
I am so glad you loved them!
Kathie Funk says
Made these today they got large hamburger size. Delicious.
Meghan says
So glad to hear that!
Cheryl says
I made these buns yesterday and the whole family enjoyed them. They were soft flavorful and easy to make.
Meghan says
I’m so happy to hear that Cheryl!
Ashlyn @ F5 Method says
Meghan, I love how you devised a bun recipe that uses yeast, yet can be made in less than an hour! Also, those buns look aaaaamazing with their seedy, golden tops!
Meghan says
Thanks Ashlyn!
mim says
Yes, 2 tablespoons of yeast rise up like crazy. I will only use this recipe for buns. I also use caputo flour from Italy. So nice flavor too.
Meghan says
So glad to hear that!