Quick and Easy Hamburger Bun Recipe (2024)

This homemade, quick and easy hamburger bun recipe will make the best burgers ever in just 30 minutes! You’ll have soft and fluffy buns that taste so much better than the store-bought variety. See our tips on how to freeze them to enjoy later, too!

You CAN have the best homemade burger buns in just 30 minutes. Seriously, this quick and easy, small-batch hamburger bun recipe makes perfectly soft burger buns that are way better than store-bought. They’re exactly what you want to hold burgers or cheeseburgers, sloppy joes, shredded beef, pulled pork sandwiches, grilled turkey burgers, and more.

What Makes This The Best Hamburger Buns Recipe?

There are several reasons that these quick burger buns are amazing, and are sure to be your favorite go-to hamburger rolls recipe:

1. The dough is very soft and elastic, which makes it ideal for kneading in a mixer with a dough hook.
   
2. They’re ready in just 30 minutes!
   
3. You can serve them freshly baked or freeze them for later!

Follow my simple steps below to make the best, softest small-batch hamburger buns recipe in just 30 minutes.

What Goes Into This Recipe

• bread flour – or you can substitute with all-purpose flour
  
• active dry yeast – this is a necessity! 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 even melted and cooled butter
  
• egg – I like to warm my eggs a little by letting them come to room temperature. It tends to help keep the dough warmer for a good rise.
  
• sugar – this is a must (see TFN Pro Tip below for why!)
  
• Optional: sesame seeds

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 exactly like store-bought buns.

Recipe Variations

• Add 1-2 tablespoons of dried minced onion or onion powder to the dough for onion flavor buns.
  
• Swap out the bread flour for whole wheat flour for a healthier option.
  
• Skip the sesame seeds and instead brush the buns with some garlic butter.
  
• For a fun twist, use food coloring to tint the dough before shaping it into balls.

4 Easy Steps to Make Homemade Hamburger Buns

Step 1: Make the Dough: In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Add the oil and sugar and let it stand for 5 minutes.

Add a beaten 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 is stiff enough to knead.

Step 2: Knead the Dough. Turn the dough onto a surface that is covered in flour. 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 burger buns. Divide and the dough into 8 pieces, roll each piece into a ball. To smooth the top, pinch the bottom of the dough repeatedly until it is smooth on top.

Gently flatten the roll in your hand. Place rolls 3 inches apart on a greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet or hamburger roll pan. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.

Step 4: Bake the buns. Bake at 425°F for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown.

When the rolls come out of the oven, immediately brush the buns with some melted butter and sprinkle on sesame seeds (optional) for delicious flavor.

Then serve! After baking, remove the pans from the oven and let them cool on wire racks. Once they are cooled, cut them in half to serve.

What to Serve With our 30 Minute Hamburger Buns

These quick and easy homemade burger buns are perfect for serving traditional beef burgers or cheeseburgers, or your favorite veggie or turkey burgers.

They are also delicious to enjoy with sloppy joes, or our pulled pork recipe or Instant Pot shredded chicken, Slow Cooker shredded chuck roast, or other saucy main dishes.

Or use them to jazz up classic sandwiches by swapping slices of sandwich bread with soft hamburger rolls.

How to Store and Freeze for Later

Closely cover cooled hamburger buns in a sealed zip-top bag and store them at room temperature for up to 3 days. To reheat, place buns on a baking sheet and warm them in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes until they’re soft and slightly crusty.

Note: If you plan on storing the hamburger buns for more than a day or two, it’s best to freeze them.

Freezing Instructions

Yes, you can freeze these hamburger rolls. Place your buns in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat frozen buns, thaw overnight on the counter, then place buns on a baking sheet and warm in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions