These homemade burger buns come from a small-batch enriched dough of all-purpose flour, honey, melted butter and one egg, which yields 8 to 10 buns. That is a practical amount for a household that only eats burgers now and then and does not want a large store-bought pack sitting in the freezer.
The dough can be kneaded in a stand mixer or by hand; both methods are given below. It is written for instant yeast, which goes straight into the flour, but active dry yeast works too as long as it is proofed in the warm water first. Honey stands in for sugar and sea salt for table salt.
Shaping is simple: the dough portions are slapped flat into rounds about 4 inches across, left to puff up, and baked at 375°F until golden. The buns suit any kind of burger as well as breakfast, lunch or dinner sandwiches.
Homemade Burger Buns
Ingredients
Method
- Put the flour, instant yeast and sea salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and blend with the paddle attachment. (For active dry yeast, see the notes.)
- With the paddle still fitted and the mixer on low, work in the melted butter, egg and honey.
- Pour in the water and mix until the dough is thoroughly combined.
- Swap the paddle for the dough hook and let it knead the dough for 6 minutes. Work in a little extra flour or warm water, a small amount at a time, until the dough is soft, smooth and elastic.
- Gather the dough into a ball, drop it into a greased bowl and stretch plastic wrap over the top. Leave it somewhere warm until it has doubled in size, 1-2 hours.
- Whisk the flour, instant yeast and sea salt together in a mixing bowl. (For active dry yeast, see the notes.)
- Stir in the melted butter, egg and honey.
- Add the water and stir until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour is left.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, working in a little more flour, or a few drops of warm water, only as needed, until it is soft, smooth and elastic.
- Gather the dough into a ball, drop it into a greased bowl and stretch plastic wrap over the top. Leave it somewhere warm until it has doubled in size, 1-2 hours.
- Divide the risen dough into 8 to 10 equal pieces and round each one into a smooth ball.
- Flatten each ball with 4 or 5 firm slaps of the palm into a round about 4 inches across.
- Grease a large (about 13×18-inch) baking sheet and set the buns on it about 1 inch apart; use a second sheet if they do not all fit. Cover loosely and leave them for a second rise of 30 to 60 minutes, until they look light and puffy.
- Toward the end of the rise, heat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the buns are golden brown and an instant-read thermometer in the center of one reads about 190°F.
- Move the buns to a wire rack and let them cool for at least 20 minutes. Slice them open before filling, toasting the cut sides if you like.
