Goodbye, extra ingredients, preservatives, and chemicals. Hello, grilling season! An iconic staple of summer, these buns will fit your quarter-pounders perfectly, and hold all your favorite condiments and toppings too.
Notes
- Modify the Topping: If you're not a fan of sesame seeds, you can simply omit them, or substitute for something else like poppy seeds or dried onion flakes.
- Easy to Freeze: If you're prepping for a party or just want to have some on-hand, these buns are easy to freeze. Just pop the fully baked buns into a freezer bag or wrap them in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, just leave them on the counter for a few hours. Only take out as many as you need for use, as they will dry out a little if frozen and then left to sit for a few days. You can re-hydrate and soften them though—just wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave them for about 10 seconds.
- Burger Size: I find these buns hold onto ¼ pound burgers just fine, but they are a tad smaller than some commercially-made buns. If you want them to have a little extra width, I recommend doubling the recipe and making 12 buns rather than 8.
Storage
Wrap leftovers in plastic wrap, and store on the counter for 3-4 days. To freeze, just wrap in plastic wrap or a put into a freezer bag, and store for up to 3 months.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Grace Says:
If your kitchen is a bit too cold to facilitate good rising, you can hack your bulking and proving time with your oven. Turn your oven to the "warm" setting or just put on its lowest temperature, and allow the oven to run for 2 minutes. Then shut it off, and put your dough into the toasty oven. It will be warm enough to speed up your rise, but not so hot that it will kill your yeast.
📖 Recipe
Hamburger Buns or Hotdog Buns
Ingredients
Buns
- 3 ½ cups flour
- scant 1 cup water or milk, lukewarm
- 3 Tbl butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tbl sugar or honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoon yeast, or one packet
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (optional)
Wash and Topping
- 1 egg + splash of water (for egg wash)
- ⅛ cup sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Add all the buns ingredients to a large mixing bowl, and mix until combined. Then continue to knead with a dough hook or by hand for 5-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth. The dough should be tacky, but not sticky. If it's too sticky, add 2-4 additional tablespoons of flour one at a time, mixing in between each addition.
- Cover the dough and set it aside for 1-2 hours in a warm place, until it has risen significantly.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, and shape to your liking. For hamburger buns, shape the pieces into balls, and then flatten the balls slightly, until they are about 1" thick. For hotdog buns, shape the pieces into logs about 6-7" long, and flatten slightly.
- Place your buns on a greased or parchment-lined pan, and cover with a tea towel or lightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise a second time, for 30 minutes-1 hour until puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Brush the tops of the buns with the egg and water whisked together, and then sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until they are golden and reach an internal temp of 190℉.
- Allow to cool on a rack fully before cutting or serving.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!