This is one my most reliable, most used recipes. It’s been shared many times and for those who use it – they have professed their love. It’s famous in the neighborhood. It was based on a recipe I’d found on food.com long ago and then modified. (of course I did… ha). The original recipe I believe had too much sugar and too much oil and through many variations I’ve settled on what I think is the right balance…
Don’t feel badly for the husband or the friend group – as they had to suffer through a lot of fresh, homemade buns while we worked to find the correct balance. It was hard work for them…
When I first set out to fix up this recipe it was for a blue cheese burger I was going to make for a BBQ dinner. (<insert future link here>) If we are going through extra yummy steps for a fancy burger we certainly had to have the perfect bun.
These buns are sooooo easy – there is no reason in the world to buy buns – saves you money, saves you from eating unnecessary additives and makes your house smell good
I hope you will get on the bandwagon with me?
The buns are pretty flexible. You can use more or less wheat flour and you can top the buns with your preferred seeds, everything bagel or just salt… or leave them naked – no one judges around here!
Initially I tossed everything into the bread maker – on Dough setting – then pop them out, formed the rolls, let rise – egg wash / add sesame seeds and bake. Wha la. You could also make the dough in your mixer, or by hand if you don’t have a bread maker or a mixer.
One time – it was probably weather dependent or I measured the flour too heavily (who knows?) but my bread maker struggled with the first mix and I had to add more water – which seemed like a lot – a couple of TBL – and ever since then I’ve been making these in the mixer. It takes a bit more oversight – but you won’t be caught with the wrong texture if you are there watching and touching the dough. Dumping into the bread machine on dough cycle is probably safest if using all AP / white flour.
This recipe makes 6 large buns. If you are having a group or needed a bunch of buns — i.e. 12 – just double up the recipe.
Here’s how it goes.
Homemade Large Buns / Yummy Buns / Hamburger Buns
Equipment
- Kitchenaid or similar Mixer with a bread hook
- OR – Bread Machine that has a dough cycle
- OR – a big bowl, dough whisk and a wooden spoon.
Ingredients
- 1/2 C All purpose flour
- 1/2 C Bread Flour
- 1 C White whole wheat flour
- 1 Tbl Gluten Due to the wheat flour
- 2 Tbl Sugar
- 3/4 Tsp yeast
- 1/2 Tsp salt
- 2.5 Tbl Butter room temperature
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1/2 C water room temperature
Instructions
- First step is to gather your ingredients and determine if you are using any wheat flour. White wheat flour is my go to here – sneaking in some goodness into the bun without fully letting on that there's some whole wheat being added…. (shhhhhh) If you use all AP / Bread flour (1 C AP flour / 1 C bread flour) you do NOT need to add the 1 Tbl Gluten. The gluten is required / helps add structure for the more dense white wheat flour… The buns wouldn't raise as nice without the extra gluten when using heavier wheat flour. At the end of the day, you need to use 2C flour for 6 rolls. (Bread flour is important to aid in the overall structure of the roll)
- Mix and knead ingredients together. Either load up your bread machine on dough cycle, according to your machines 'typical' directions, or – get out your mixer and the dough hook and mix all ingredients together. When the dough comes together – knead using the dough hook for appx 5+ min on medium – KEY — UNTIL the dough is springy and satin smooth. When you press on the dough using your finger – the dough should spring back fairly readily. If it keeps the indentation – keep kneading / mixing.
- Setup up dough to rise (1st rise). (if in the machine on dough cycle – the first rise should occur as part of the dough cycle). If made via mixer – get a container that will hold the dough add a light drizzle of EVOO to the container, spread around with your fingers then roll the dough around in the oiled container so it doesn't stick while it rises. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap or linen towel.
- Separate the dough into rolls (6 for a single recipe, 12 for doubled etc…)When the machine has completed the dough cycle OR – when your dough has doubled – proceed as follows: Dump the dough onto a very lightly floured surface – and cut into pieces using a bench knife. The goal is to turn the dough into a nice round ball with the seam on the bottom. I do this by taking one of the cut pieces and essentially turning the dough inside out – to get to the smooth dough in the middle and making that the top of the bun. Pinch the edges / sides of the dough on the underneath side of the roll. Once a ball is made, roll the dough ball in circles between the cupped palm of your hand and the flour dusted counter top. Press on the dough slightly while making round movements to tighten the roll / firm up the pinched side. Place the rolls on a parchment lined (or greased) baking sheet and any scraggly bits underneath will never be seen again. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap or linen towel. (Don't use terry cloth towels!)
- Let the rolls rise (2nd rise) for about 30 min – KEY – OR until they are doubled. I sometimes use my warming drawer on proof if I want to hurry along the dough. Alternately, you could also use an oven – heated to 120 degrees in lieu of a warming drawer (if you are in a hurry and have 2 ovens). Or just leave rolls on the counter and wait patiently !
- Heat the oven to 350 while you wait for doubling. When the rolls have doubled – if you wish – use an egg wash (egg + bit of water) and a pastry brush to cover the rolls and then sprinkle with poppy seeds or sesame seeds or just pop in the oven naked – but egg washed. (egg wash + large crystal salt is also nice)
- Bake appx 10 minutes – till golden brown. If not golden in 10 min – do 2 minute increments… till nice and brown (depending on your oven temp). Target is 190 degrees for the fully baked bread. I always do mine by sight, tho. You can be precise and use a thermometer if you like.
- Wha La.
