This quick and easy hamburger bun recipe makes the best hamburger buns in under 40 minutes! You’ll have soft and fluffy buns that taste much better and are fresher than the store-bought variety. See our video and tips below on how to freeze them to enjoy later, too!
You can have the best hamburger buns in just 30 minutes. This recipe makes perfectly soft bread that is way better than store-bought.
They’re exactly what you want for sloppy joes, shredded beef rolls, pulled pork sandwiches, grilled turkey burgers, and more.
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Hamburger Bun Recipe Video Tutorial
Why We Love This Hamburger Buns Recipe
- The dough is very soft and elastic, which makes it ideal for kneading in a mixer with a dough hook.
- They’re ready in as little as 30 minutes! Although we call them 40-minute hamburger buns, our recipe shares how to shorten that to just 30 minutes—which makes them perfect for cookouts, lunch with friends, or as an addition to our delicious dinner recipes for March!
- You can serve them freshly baked or freeze them for later!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Bread Flour – Or you can substitute it with all-purpose flour.
- Active Dry Yeast – This is a necessity! This is what gives the buns their quick rise.
To make them without yeast, see our sourdough hamburger buns recipe if you have a sourdough starter. - Cooking Oil – Use your preferred cooking oil or use melted and cooled butter for a more buttery roll.
- Egg – Use room temperature eggs. It tends to help keep the dough warmer for a good rise.
- Sugar – This is a must for this recipe (see TFN Pro Tip below for why!).
We recommend using bread flour (I prefer King Arthur flour), but you can easily substitute all-purpose flour. I find that bread flour yields a smoother bun that looks just like store-bought ones.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Don’t skip the sugar! Since this recipe has a very short rise time, the sugar is essential to help the yeast rise.
Recipe Variations
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of dried minced onion or onion powder to the dough for an onion flavor.
- Swap the bread flour for half whole wheat flour for a healthier option.
- Skip the sesame seeds and instead brush with garlic butter.
4 Easy Steps to The Best Hamburger Buns
Step 1: Make the Dough: Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Add the oil and sugar and let it stand for 5 minutes.
Add the egg, salt, and 3 cups of flour to the bowl and make a soft dough. If the dough is too runny, add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until it comes together.
Step 2: Knead the Dough. Knead the dough (by hand or using a dough hook in a stand mixer) until it is smooth and elastic, which should take about 3-5 minutes.
Step 3: Shape the homemade hamburger buns. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll each piece into a ball.
Gently flatten them in your hand. Place the rolls 3 inches apart on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Bake at 425°F for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown.
After removing the burger buns from the oven, brush them with melted butter and sprinkle on sesame seeds (optional) for a delicious flavor.
After baking, let them cool on wire racks, then cut them in half.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
How to store: Store in a sealed zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the burger buns on a baking sheet and warm them in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes until they’re soft and warmed through.
If you plan on storing the rolls from this quick hamburger buns recipe for more than a day or two, it’s best to freeze them.
Freezing Instructions: Place them in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat from frozen, thaw overnight on the counter, then place on a baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can. You’ll need to knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it becomes soft and pliable. If it’s been kneaded enough, you should be able to stretch the dough for 4-5″ without it tearing. The dough is soft and pliable, so flour your countertop and hands well before kneading.
The signs that the dough has been kneaded long enough are that it should feel smooth, like the inside of your cheek, be tacky but not sticky, and be able to stretch it for several inches without tearing.
Yes, you can. Skip adding the yeast to the warm water, and add it to the flour. Go ahead and mix the dough as in step 2 of the recipe.
You can do a few things to keep them soft:
First, brush them with melted butter before they cool. This will help keep them moist.
Second, don’t over-bake them. They should be just golden brown, not dark brown.
Finally, store them in a zip-top bag or airtight container to prevent them from drying out.
More Bread Roll Recipes to Consider…
If you tried this easy hamburger bun recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Quick and Easy Hamburger Bun Recipe
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- large bowl
- parchment paper
- wire rack
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons active dry yeast see notes for instant yeast
- 1 cup warm water 95° to 105°F
- ⅓ cup cooking oil
- ¼ cup sugar *see notes
- 1 large egg, room temperature beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 to 3-1/2 cups bread flour or all purpose flour
Instructions
- In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add oil and sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Add beaten egg, salt, and 3 cups of flour and make a soft dough. If the dough is too runny, add the rest of the flour, 1/4 cup at a time.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead (by hand or using a dough hook in a stand mixer) until smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes.
- Immediately divide into 8 pieces and shape each into a ball. Place 3 in. apart on baking sheet (non-stick, greased, or cover with parchment paper).
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- Cover and let rest for 20 minutes*. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Cut in half to serve.
Video
Notes
- Don’t skip the sugar! Since this recipe has a very short rise time, the sugar is essential to help the yeast rise.
- You can let the dough rise for 10 minutes, but I have found that 20 minutes is optimal.
- Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast? Yes, skip adding the yeast to the warm water, and add it to the flour. Go ahead and mix the dough as in step 2 of the recipe.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of dried minced onion or onion powder to the dough for an onion flavor.
- Swap the bread flour for half whole wheat flour for a healthier option.
- Skip the sesame seeds and instead brush them with garlic butter.
- Store in a sealed zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. Warm them in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes to reheat until soft and warmed.
- If you plan on storing the bread rolls for over a day or two, it’s best to freeze them.
- Freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, thaw overnight on the counter, then warm them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.
Nutrition
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Dee says
This is the one!!!! I’ve tried several different hamburger bun recipes trying to find one that’s the closest to a homemade version of store-bought, one that’s fluffy, tasty, and simple enough…this one IS IT.
Keila says
Second time making this delicious burger buns. This recipe is my go to now.
My husband and kids love this…
Everything starter when I went to the store and bought everything for burger dinner (except the buns) I found out this recipe in Pinterest, it saved my live at that moment (being dramatic) .
Anyone can make this.
Thanks for sharing this recipe ♥️
Cori Huggins says
I really love this recipe and the short proof time! I can make it on a week night, so great to have homemade buns during the week! I feel like this dough would be perfect to use for other sandwich rolls as well, it is very tasty.
Kim says
This recipe really is quick and easy, and makes the best hamburger buns I’ve ever made. I don’t buy them anymore. Why would you when they’re this good?
Keila says
Second time making this delicious burger buns. This recipe is my go to now.
My husband and kids love this…
Everything starter when I went to the store and bought everything for burger dinner (except the buns) I found out this recipe in Pinterest, it saved my live at that moment (being dramatic) .
Anyone can make this.
Thanks for sharing this recipe ♥️
Maeve says
Unbelievably good! I halved the recipe and made 8 since it’s just the 2 of us. I don’t know if my oven temp is inaccurate but 425 made them too brown. I left them 8 minutes and that was too long. They were the right color at 5 minutes but I worried they weren’t done so I left them for 8. I think I’ll try 375 for maybe 8 to see if that works. I really don’t think I’ll buy store buns anymore, they seem to always stay on the counter uneaten or til stale. Thanks for a great recipe.