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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?
40 minute hamburger buns
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
adapted from Taste of Home
I got it right in the second attempt. The first attempt I was in the bread loaf mindset — where I was like, “2 whole tbsps of yeast?”. I went to 2 tsp – buns were bagel-dense, but they were tasty. So in the second try, I did the 2 tbsp yeast — activated fast! Even the dough was better while kneading. Added 1/2 tsp of barley malt flour, I went for 15 minutes bake time instead of 12 this go ’round. Came out perfect, easy peasy…
Quick and easy, I use it all the time!
Easy to make, tastes good too! All my buns split on top making it hard to use for burgers. Next time I might try splitting beforehand or bake at lower temp for longer. I used everything bagel seasoning as topper. Highly recommend!
I have made these at least 30 times. They are so easy and come out pretty and yummy. Thank you!
So glad you love them!
OMG, I just got through baking them and I swapped out the sugar for honey (I don’t eat processed sugar)! I had my doubts, about not allowing them to rise, but I was happily proven wrong. These are some of the best hamburger buns you’ll ever make! Fluffy, light, airy, great height! All of this leads to Golden brown deliciousness. Thanks for the recipe! This is one that I will make for years to come.
So happy you loved them!
I have several recipes I’m a Baker but I like this recipe
After reading comments, I still don’t know what is going on. I followed the recipe exactly as written and this is the 3rd time I have had dense buns where the bottoms crack. I haven’t seen any comments with remedies or solutions but see so many comments of “success”. I want that! Does anyone have any tips? I don’t think it is my yeast, I recently bought it and keep it in the fridge. I followed the pictures on the recipes too. All help is appreciated!
Hi Amy – I’m sorry you have been having trouble with the recipe. It’s hard to know without being there, but one thing that could be happening is you may be adding too much flour. The dough is pretty sticky and some people add more flour to make it easier to work with, however this will lead to dense buns. When you measure your flour, do you spoon and level (spoon the flour into the cup, then level it off with a knife)? If you are kneading by hand, it can be tempting to add more flour but as you knead the dough will become less sticky. It definitely is easier in a stand mixer. As for your yeast, are you noticing that is bubbles up like in the photos after proofing for 5 minutes? If there is no change, the yeast is not working.
Try weighing the flour. I personally weigh all of my ingredients.
I’ve made this recipe so many times since coming across it last month. Works so well for last minute recipes and I’ve gotten loads of compliments on them!
I’m so happy to hear that!
We had burgers for lunch and these buns were a huge hit.
Love this recipe so easy! Can you freeze the dough balls and take them out to make?
Hi Jessica,
I haven’t tried that, so I can’t be sure. I think it would probably be fine. Let us know if you give it a try!
Amazing buns and very easy to make. I like the fact that it’s fast as well. Thank you so much!
So happy you love them!
This is the best recipe I have found for buns! This is my go to recipe and everyone I know loves these! Do you have a sandwich bread recipe that you can share?
Hi Shannon, I’m so glad you love them! I have several bread recipes I am working on that I plan to share soon!
Love this recipe. Can whole wheat flour be used instead of all purpose flour?
Hi Kim – I think some other readers have used whole wheat. I would start with half whole wheat and half all-purpose and see how that goes. I also have a whole wheat hamburger bun recipe on the blog as well. https://www.foxandbriar.com/whole-wheat-hamburger-buns/
This 40 minute hamburger bun recipe is unbelievable!!!!
It makes the softest most beautiful buns you could want!!!!!
I make ahead , back, put in plastic bag & freeze, and have hamburger bun anytime we need them!!!!!
Pull one or two out, in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute , just like when they were first out of the oven!!!!
Thanks so much for this recipe Megan!!!!
So glad you love them!
By not proofing my burger buns came out too heavy and dense. Why do you think that happened?
Hi Lyn, it is most likely an issue with the yeast. Either it was dead yeas or the water was too hot. In step 1. you do proof the yeast “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”. There is a photo in the post that shows what the yeast should look like after the five minutes, there is a significant difference in how it looks. If it doesn’t foam up like this, the yeast is likely dead and your buns won’t rise they will be dense.
These turned out great! Perfect!
I usually make milk bread rolls, but these are so much easier and honestly, just as good. Thank you!
So happy you loved them!
Tried this twice. Both times the buns cracked and separated at the bottom. I allowed additional rest time after rolling and egg washed all areas to prevent a separation but it still caused a crispy exterior and a split bun. Oven temp is correct, and knead time was right on. Just didn’t work out. Onto the next
I have made these 3 times and this last time was the first time I had this issue. Darn! I will try again in a few weeks and hope for the best!
Same here. They look like little mushroom clouds. Some split down the sides. So disappointed!
This is an easy 40 minute recipe, however the reason I turned to making my own hamburger bun was the puny sized alternative sold everywhere. The dough divided eight ways makes dinner roll sized buns. I would suggest cutting dough four ways & make a good sized bun instead of a dinner roll.
The coolio fact is it’s a quick and easy recipe!
Amazing works everytime!
This recipe is a keeper! So good and love that it produces great rolls so quickly. Thank you.
So easy and so so SO good! I made them for burgers, but we ended up eating the leftovers as “rolls” because they tasted soooo good. Thank you so much for this recipe!!
As a result of a lack of organic buns made from Einkorn wheat (a better variety of wheat for immune systems and overall intestinal health), I decided to make my own burger buns. For a backyard barbeque, I tried this recipe. I really like Meghan’s recipe! A quarter cup more organic Einkorn flour was used. We found the buns to be super moist, full of flavor, and not a health hazard (using the organic Einkorn flour).
Thanks Meghan for sharing your fantastic recipe with us!
I’ve started making all my own bread at home and this is my go-to for Burger buns and hoagie rolls. It’s delicious and so fast!
So happy you love it!
Hi there, I’m a metric system person.. I’ve got a measuring cup with liquid cups on it but for the flour, it would be nice if you could tell me which cups you use (U.S., CA, Imperial?)
Thank you!
So far the recipe worked great but this time I have to make more than 8 buns….
Hi Philip, I use US cups.