People are often put off by making their own bread, but to me, it’s one of the great joys in life.
But if you would have told me just a few years ago that I would be making my own hamburger buns today, I would have probably given you my patented Debbie, strained smiley face (insert Chrissy Tiegen meme here). I’ve always loved to bake, but bread… bread was a whole other ball game.
For lots of people, the thought of making bread from scratch can sound daunting and frankly, not worth it. However, I am now a huge advocate of making your own.
Why? Well, let me tell you…
For one, making your own bread allows you to control the ingredients and avoid any unnecessary preservatives or additives that can be found in store-bought bread- *cough * milk powder.
Additionally, I find making bread can be a satisfying and meditative process, allowing me to slow down and focus on the task at hand- even if I’m using a stand mixer. It can also be a fun to do with family or friends. And let's not forget the delicious aroma that fills your home as the bread bakes in the oven!
It may take a little practice and patience, but the end result is well worth it…to me.
Plus, I’ve made this recipe really easy by using Rapid Rise yeast, which cuts your bread “making” (more like waiting) time in half.
Buttery and packed with flavor, these buns are worthy of any burger- so if you’ve been resisting- this is your sign to give bread making a try.
Equipment:
Stand mixer w/ dough hook ( you can definitely make these by hand, but if you have a stand mixer, I would say use it)
Scale (if using- you should! )
Bench scraper or knife for cutting dough
Large bowl or stand mixer bowl
Small bowl ( for “egg wash” )
Baking sheet
Cooling rack
Kitchen towel, bowl cover, or plastic wrap
Pastry brush
Makes- 8 slider, 6 large, or 4 xtra large and in charge buns
Products used:
Links provided below-
Rapid Rise Yeast- I prefer active dry over rapid or instant because I think the end result is a product that is more flavorful, but…. the quickness of Rapid Rise/ Instant yeasts can’t be denied. * see notes below *
King Arthur Bread Flour- any bread flour will do, King Arthur is just my preference. If you only have all purpose, go ahead and use it instead
Unsalted Violife or Miyoko’s Butter - Are my current faves, but use whatever brand you prefer. If you can only find salted butter, you can adjust the salt down by 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon- it’s hard to say exactly though as different butters have different levels of saltiness. This however is one of the cases when I would prefer more salt than not enough, though.
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt- the chef’s salt for various reasons I won’t get into here, but…it contains 53% less sodium than standard salt, so that’s why I say to use half if you’re using Morton or table salt.
Domino Sugar- now, this is a tricky one… my supplier list it as vegan and Domino has stated in the past that the sugar coming from Baltimore, MD, Yonkers, NY or South Bay, FL are all vegan, but at the time (this was around 2017), the supplies coming from west coast were not. Now, this is a good 5 years, so I suspect that it’s all vegan now, but I haven’t had the chance to confirm this - so buy with caution. If you’re a distrustful vegan (aren’t we all? ) go for organic instead- just try to get the finest grain you can- your baking results will be better.
Silk Unsweetened Organic Soy Milk- what type of plant milk doesn’t really matter too much in this recipe, just make sure it’s unsweetened.
Just Egg- or any vegan liquid egg is fine or you can skip all together and use oil or butter to top the buns for a golden finish.
Notes:
Yeast- This recipe calls for Rapid Rise Yeast, however if you prefer to use Active Dry, just make sure to proof the yeast before using with slightly cooler water (100°–110°F). **Your dough will also require a second rise as this one does not **
Use one packet (2 1/4 tsp.) of the RapidRise or Instant
Make sure the good by date on packed hasn’t expired
Wet ingredient temp should be between 120°–130°F
Add yeast to dry ingredients, then make a well in your bowl to add the warm liquid to mix
After dough is needed, let rest 10-15 minutes instead of a first rise
After rested, shape dough balls and let rise 30-60 minutes, depending on the temperature in your kitchen
Salt- Diamond Crystal Kosher is my preference, but if you use Morton or table salt, reduce the amount by half as Diamond is less salty than the two.
Sugar- to make sure it’s vegan, use organic as it does not use bone char (yes, it’s as bad as it sounds) in the processing like conventional sugar.
Oil- Along with milk, oil serves as our egg replacer here. Butter is flavor, but oil helps with moisture and the feel of the dough.
Measuring- Listen… just go ahead and get a scale! They’re cheap and the most accurate for baking. I use them to develop my recipes and do the best I can to convert to the cup measurements out of courtesy to those who don’t have one, but trust me, if you like to bake- it will be the best $20 dollars you spend to improve your recipes. If you still refuse, make sure that you use the scoop and level method to measure out your flour to avoid using more than the recipe calls for.
MEASUREMENT ABBREVIATIONS
T= tablespoon tsp= teaspoon C= cup g= gram ml= milliliter pinch= around ⅛ of a teaspoon
INGREDIENTS:
Buns
420 g (3 + 1/2 C ) bread flour (you can sub with all-purpose flour)
38 g (3 T ) granulated sugar (organic or vegan-friendly)
1 packet Rapid Dry Yeast
24g (2 T ) potato starch (can skip if you don’t have)
2 tsp. kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal, half the amount if using table salt or Morton)
240 ml (1C ) milk ( warm, 120°–130°F)
85 g (6 T) unsalted butter (vegan, very room temp)
30 g (2 T ) oil (grapeseed, avocado, vegetable, or canola work best)
“Egg” Wash
1 T Just Egg liquid egg
14g (1 T ) melted butter
1 T black or regular sesame seeds (optional)
Prep:
Bring butter to room temp
DIRECTIONS:
Add the yeast and the rest of the dry ingredients to a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer
If using a stand mixer, turn it on a low speed and add the warm milk (120°–130°F). Otherwise, make a well in the middle of your dry ingredients and pour in the milk and combine.
With a dough hook (or your hands if not using a mixer) mix ingredients on low until a rough, shaggy dough forms.
Add the butter in slowly until it has incorporated into the dough.
Turn mixer to medium speed and continue to mix until the bowl is nearly clean of dough on the sides, is shiny, elastic, and doesn’t stick to your hands (about 6-10 minutes). If mixing by hand, continue to knead until you reach the same result. See the Top Tip below for more.
Once the dough is done, form it into a ball and set on your work surface or in a bowl covered with a towel for 10 minutes to rest.
After the dough has rested, divide it up into six even pieces on your work surface (unless you’re making smaller or bigger buns).
First divide the ball in half, then both halves into thirds. If you want to be super accurate, use your scale to weigh the dough and divide evenly- otherwise, you can just eyeball it.
Once you have your dough pieces, roll them into balls. Pretend as if you’re holding a ball with your dominant hand and place lightly over the dough, then roll in circles until a ball starts to form.
Place the dough balls onto a parchment or silicon mat lined baking sheet or in a a baking dish and cover loosely with a kitchen towel.
Let them rise and nearly double in size in a warm spot (about 45- 60 minutes) depending on the heat conditions of your kitchen.
Preheat oven to 375° F while buns are rising.
Flatten the the balls a little with the palm of your hand, then brush the tops with the just egg mixed with the melted butter (or use oil or butter alone if not using the liquid) , then sprinkle with sesame seeds if using.
Place the buns in your preheated oven on the middle rack to bake 15-18 minutes or until firm to the touch and tops are golden.
Once out of the oven- you can brush the hot buns with more melted butter (optional), then let cool for 5- 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then place the buns on a cooling rack to cool further.
TOP TIP
KNOW WHEN YOUR DOUGH IS PROPERLY KNEADED
The better your dough is needed, the better the result will be for your final baking product!
Dough has gone from shaggy to shiny
The sides of your bowl (or your hands) are mostly free from any dough sticking to it/them
If using a mixer, your dough will often form and tight ball around the hook and “slap” the sides of the bowl
You can tear a piece of dough from the ball and stretch it so you can see through it without the dough tearing or breaking apart
Poblano Chili Cheese Burger
STORAGE AND USE
Gently cut cooled buns with a serrated knife.
Fresh buns are delicious, but they are also great toasted with butter!
Store buns in an air-tight container at room temp for 2-3 days.
Cover any remaining buns in foil and place in a freezer proof bag or container to freeze for later.
I hope you give these buns a try the next time you have a hankering for a burger < 3
Thanks for stopping by, friend.
xx Debbie xx