Homemade Hamburger Buns

Ingredients

Dough

  • 1 tbsp instant yeast
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup lukewarm water
  • 3 ½ cups All-Purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp butter room temperature
  • 1 ¼ tsp sea salt

Butter Glaze

  • 3 tbsp butter melted, divided

Seed Topping

  • 1 large egg white (mixed with 2 tbsp of water) *you can add the egg yolk in dough for extra richness
  • sesame seeds, or seeds of choice

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast and flour. Add lukewarm water and gently stir. Allow the mixture to set for approximately 5 minutes or until foam starts to form on the surface.

  2. Add the remainder of the ingredients. Mix and knead the dough, dusting the smallest amounts of flour that is needed if the dough is too sticky. Knead until dough is no longer sticking to hands and is nice and smooth (about 10 minutes).

  3. Cover and allow dough to rise until it is nearly doubled, about 1 to 2 hours.

  4. Gently press down the dough and divide it into 8 pieces, rolling them into balls between the palms of your hands. Place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet and gently flatten each ball down. Cover and allow them to rise until puffy, about 1 hour. Towards the end, preheat oven to 375℉.

  5. Brush the buns with about half of the melted butter. To make seeded buns, brush the egg white/water mixture right over the melted butter; it will make the seeds adhere. Sprinkle buns with the seeds of your choice.

  6. Bake the buns for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden. Remove them from the oven and brush with the remaining melted butter; this will give the buns a satiny, buttery crust. If you've made seeded buns apply the melted butter carefully, to avoid brushing the seeds off the buns.

  7. Cool the buns on a rack before slicing in half, horizontally. Serve with plant based, beef, or filling of your choice! Buon appetito!