This recipe for light brioche hamburger buns proves that you can make seriously good hamburger buns at home. With a dough that’s simple to make and easy to handle, you’ll never buy brioche burger buns from the store again!
We like our burgers on soft, buttery brioche-style rolls and this recipe looked like a great starting point to experiment. What’s interesting, is that this brioche burger bun is lighter than traditional brioche (hence the title). It’s still soft and fluffy, but not quite as eggy and rich. Even the color is a bit lighter. Incredible.
In my opinion, nothing beats all-natural bread. Whether it’s a thick slice of sourdough bread or sandwich bread, good quality hamburger buns are absolutely life-changing. The taste, quality, and healthiness can’t be beat. These buns are the perfect vessel for sandwiches too! Just wait until you try them.
How to Make Light Brioche Hamburger Buns
Step #1: Make the Dough & Let it Rise
To begin, mix your dough using a stand mixer. It will be very sticky and have a shaggy appearance.
Place a damp kitchen towel directly over the bowl and allow it to rest until it has doubled in size. Depending on how warm your kitchen is, this will take about 1-3 hours (mine took 1 1/2 hrs @ 70 degrees F.)
TIP: Giving the dough enough time to rise is crucial in bread baking. In the past, I have rushed this step which caused my bread to be very dense. Rise times will vary, so be patient. Remember to watch your dough and not the clock!
Step #2: Cut The Dough
Once your dough has risen, dump it out onto a lightly floured work surface.
Then, gently flatten the dough to get rid of any air bubbles. Using a bench scraper (or a chef’s knife) cut the dough into 8 equal portions.
If you have a digital kitchen scale weigh each portion so that they’re all the same size. Do this by weighing the entire ball of dough first and then divide by the number of rolls you want to make.
Step #3: Shape Into Balls
To shape, gently flatten each piece of dough like a pancake.
Pull up each side pinching it together in the center. Repeat until the ball is sealed. Flip the ball over (seam side down) and move to an un-floured part of your board. It will be easier to roll this way.
To finish, place your palm over the top and gently roll into a smooth ball.
Transfer each ball onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
Step #4: Second Rise
The dough will need to rise again, this time for a shorter period than the initial rise.
The balls should look puffy and slightly risen, about 1- 1/2 hrs. When they’re ready, gently brush each one with egg wash.
See how puffy they are?
TIP: At this point, you could add sesame seeds to the top of your rolls if you’d like.
5.) Bake The Dough
Preheat your oven to 400 F. and place a shallow metal baking pan on the oven floor.
Before the dough goes in, add about 1/2 cup of water to the pan to create steam. This will help keep the bread nice and moist.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
More Brioche Recipes to Try!
PrintLight Brioche Hamburger Buns
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Rise Time: ~4 hours @ 70 F:
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours and 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 buns
- Category: Yeast Bread
- Method: Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Adapted from the NY Times, this recipe for light brioche hamburger buns is perfect for BBQ fare, sandwiches (try bacon, egg & cheese!) and so much more. You’ll never buy from the store again!
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup warm water, about 75–85 F
- 3 tablespoons warm milk (I prefer whole milk)
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Egg wash
- 1 large egg
- splash of water
Toppings
- sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk together the warm water, milk, yeast and sugar; set aside. Beat the egg in a separate bowl.
- Add the flours, salt, and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix the ingredients until the butter is the size of pebbles.
- Add the yeast mixture and the beaten egg. Run the mixer on medium-low speed (I used #3 on my Kitchen Aid) until a dough forms, about 5-8 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary, and shape the dough into a ball. It will be sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a very damp kitchen towel, and let the dough rise until it has doubled is size, about 1- 3 hours @ 70 F. *See notes below.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a floured dough scraper (or chef’s knife), divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. If you have a scale, weigh each piece to guarantee that they’re all the same size.
- To shape the dough into balls, gently flatten each piece like a pancake. Gather the ends and pinch the dough to seal in the center. Flip the dough over, cup the surface with your palm, and roll into a ball. Transfer to your baking sheet, placing them a few inches inches apart. Cover and rest for 1-2 hours, or until puffy and slightly risen.
- To make the egg wash, beat the egg with a splash of water. When the buns are finished with the 2nd rise, gently brush each one with egg wash. At this point, you could add sesame seeds to the top of your rolls.
- Preheat your oven to 400 F. and place a skillet or metal baking dish on the oven floor. Before the dough goes in, add about 1/2 cup of water to the pan to create steam. This will help keep the bread nice and moist. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Giving your dough enough time to rise is crucial in bread baking. Rise times will vary depending on temperature, so be patient. Remember to watch your dough and not the clock!
Comments
Aster says
Hello! We have a dairy allergic kiddo, would this recipe work with soy milk and plant butter?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Aster. Great question. Both soy milk and plant butter will work. The end result might look slightly different, but your adjustments are totally fine.
Erin says
Made these tonight for pulled pork sandwiches. They are the best sandwich buns I’ve made. It is my new go to recipe. I dumped the ingredients in my stand mixer with a dough hook for 10 minutes on speed setting 2. Followed the recipe from there. They turned out great.
Emilie Raffa says
Fantastic, Erin! Thanks for letting me know :)
Douglas Nelson says
SOOO GREAT! Been searching and experimenting for a light roll. These are delicious and come out in perfect shape-not flat. I used rapid rise yeast(because its all I had) and it worked great! Also, they make great sub rolls also. Use 1/4 of dough, roll it out in a rectangle about 10 inches long and fold, then fold again into the middle, turn it over and roll back and fourth a little. Excellent large, long, light sub rolls!
Emilie Raffa says
Thanks, for your tips Douglas! Enjoy :)
Eva says
Just wanted to say I made the buns and they are absolutely unbelievable!! Thank you for a great recipe!!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Eva, thanks so much! xx
Ally says
dough is in the rice cooker (keeping it warm), :)
10 more minutes, and cut it into pieces. I am so excited how it will turn :)
– I used pizza yeast and waited till a thin layer of foam to appear on the water before mixed into the flour crumbs .
– I also used whole wheat flour that has a picture of bread on the package of, instead of bread flour.
– I had to knead by hands. woo so much mess! I hope I made it strong enough to rise well!
Thank you so much for sharing recipe here, by the way!
Michelle says
I haven’t made this yet, but I’m going to! I love that you reply to everyone’s comments and questions, it’s so nice! I read through about a third of them (there’s a lot!) and found some helpful tips for my attempt :) Will let you know how they turn out
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Michelle! Thank you! I try to give as much feedback as I can, as I know it helps with the process. Enjoy the recipe :) x E
Holly says
I would like to try to make these.
However, I don’t have a stand alone mixer.
Anyway to do this with a handheld mixer?
Also the 1/2 cup of water is just put on the pan?
Or do you put it in an oven safe bowl?
Thx.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Holly! I’ve only had success using a stand mixer for this recipe. It’s necessary to combine the dough (which can be sticky) and incorporate air. I haven’t tested it with a hand held mixer. Sorry I’m unable to advise! The 1/2 c of water is used to create steam- it’s put directly into the pan.
anonymous says
Thanks for sharing your recipe, it’s been a big hit in our family, made it from burger bun, to hotdog bun, a very versatile recipe indeed, wish I can post pictures.. More power to you!!!
Alex says
Would I be able to use a hand mixer with dough hooks since i do not have a stand mixer? Or maybe use the regular paddles?
suze says
This is my go to recipe for rolls, so easy and so delicious. Thank you so much for posting!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Suze,
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it! x
Michelle says
These are amazing! They came out perfectly and are restaurant quality! They’ll be a staple for us weekly I’m sure. Thanks so much!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Michelle! That’s amazing! Glad you liked them- we LOVE these rolls :)
RL says
I made these tonight, and they were absolutely perfect. Thank you. I like brioche but love that these are so lightweight.
I did melt the butter entirely, and poured it in when I added the egg and yeast mix, instead of creating another item to clean (mixer). And if you stick the dough in the microwave, or oven, next to a boiling hot cup of water, it will rise faster.
debbie says
haven’t tasted yet but it needed a bit more flour (shaggy dough isn’t quite the same as wet) and the temp on the oven needed to be turned down a touch and watch the browning and cover if needed. Both things can be highly specific to your individual home and oven. I also baste with butter when i pull them out of the oven. Other than my baking sheet being too small for the rolls (and hence crowding them), I expect them to taste just fine. Based on appearance alone, the texture and consistency should be perfect (they are cooling now).
Gwen Van Kleef says
I have to make these!
Mark D says
I’ve never been much of a baker but this recipe caused me to lose my brioche virginity! Super easy recipe, beautifully photographed and straightforward to follow. My buns came out perfectly and beautifully soft, I’ll never buy supermarket burger buns again. Thank-you so much.
Janet Taylor says
I have tried to buy Brioche hamburger buns for a couple of years but could never find them here in Canada.
Decided to make your recipe today and they turned out beautifully. Thanks for sharing such a good recipe.
Janet Taylor says
I have tried to buy Brioche hamburger for a couple of years but could never find them here in Canada.
Decided to make your recipe today and they turned out beautifully. Thanks for sharing such a good recipe.
Janet
Emilie says
I love comments like this- thank you for sharing! Enjoy! xx
Louise says
I recently came across your recipe and used it make hamburger buns for a Brie & Berry Burger post on The Salted Pepper. Thank you, thank you, thank you for this recipe! I have searched for years to find the perfect hamburger bun and this is it! Easy to make, beautiful to look at, and delicious! I will never buy buns again!
Lori Parent says
I made this recipe as is and the rolls came out great. However, I would like to make the buns smaller for a luncheon. Would it work to make 16 buns rather than 8 or would dividing the dough into smaller portions impact the outcome? Thanks!
Jessica says
These look delish! I think I may have started mine too late in the day to have dinner on the table by 5, oops! Hopefully sticking the dough for the initial rise in the oven with the pilot light will help speed up the rise time! I’m sure having dinner a little later will be worth the wait!
Thanks for this great recipe!
Jessica
Rheena says
These turned out gorgeous! Thank you so much Emilie!
hermsoven says
Excellent buns. I used Caputo 00 Chefs Flour, instant yeast, and a tsp. non-diastatic malt, resulting in a nice dough but not as wet as some would like. Initial mix by food processor, pulsing to avoid excessive gluten development. When the dough mostly cleared the bowl, I stopped mixing. Topped the buns with Frontier dried onions instead of sesame seeds before baking. I sprayed water into the oven every few minutes after the first cup into the tray as per recipe.
Fantastic. Thank you!
Aki says
Hi,
I only need to make 4 buns, so should i just half the measures for each ingredient?
Also, i have instant dry yeast and not instant active one… how should i use it? Please help!
Thanks a ton!
Sayantani Chakraborty says
Hi,
Can I make in bulk and freeze these buns for a month or so.
KJ says
I wanted to mention that I only have a small electric hand mixer and found the dough too thick for it to handle. So I mixed it as best I could, then kneaded the dough by hand on a floured surface for at least five minutes and it turned out just fine! I also added the butter in with the flour by pulsing with my food processor.
KJ says
I made these today and they baked up beautifully! I tried sesame seeds on only two of the eight buns and later wished I seeded all of them, they were so tasty (and pretty). Each of my separate pieces of dough were 10.5 grams by weight before baking; after baking the buns measured 4.5″ to 5″ across the bottoms – pretty large, the size of hard rolls! My burgers were a bit tiny in comparison. I think I will make 9 buns instead of 8 next time. Thanks for a lovely recipe!
hermsoven says
10 grams of dough expanding to a 5 inch bun? Not likely. My buns before baking weighed 95 grams each or less than 4 ounces. Perhaps you meant ounces?
Keyshia says
Today I decided to try this recipe. Unfortunately I didn’t have white breadflour only whole wheat. As I know that whole wheat can be pretty heavy I used 1 1/3 cup of it and 2 cups of A.P flour to try and keep the measurement of the try ingredients as on the recipe.
I have to say that I am so pleased and satisfies of the results. The bread was nice and fluffy. Thank you for sharing your recipe with us. Greetings from The Netherlands.
bobby dunn says
Made them a couple of times and everyone keeps going on about how great they are! Just remember the dough is super wet, I oiled my hands to handle, thanks for sharing.
Palma says
I’m a lead baker for a huge company and I needed a brioche roll recipe, I got a request from my Executive Chef for 100 rolls. I found yoyr recipe the day before those rolls was needed. I increased the recipe and watch magic happened. Those rolls came out perfect wirh some sesame seeds in top. I had some extra and I was so excited. He txt me and complimented me on how freat the rolls were, and said they tasted better than H&F bajery that’s a leading bread company here in Atlanta. Thanks this will be my go to recipe.
Mariia says
Hello! Please help! I want to cook the buns, but I don’t understand what the weight of 1 c. water! Thank you)
Emilie says
Hi there!
1 cup of water in grams is 240 g.
Denise says
I just took mine out of the oven and I can hardley wait ’till dinner to try these out with my fav beef burger!! They look just like yours…and the smell? A.MAZ.ING!!
Can I make a suggestion? In the third point of the recipe, I suggest instructing bakers to switch to the dough hook if your dough seems stiff at all. I kept the paddle on and the bowl popped right off my KitchenAid!! Well it was kind of funny but also kind of scary!! I wasn’t worried about the mixer or the dough, it was just a pain in the butt. I’m no novice to bread making so the stiff and not sticky dough didn’t concern me. I have faith these little guys are going to be delicious!
Lisa says
Are these big enough to hold a chicken fillet along with other burger toppings? I want to make these f0r a grilled chicken sandwich. I am a horrible judge with size but by yours pics I am wondering if I sh0uld make 6 instead of 8 buns. I only need 4 maybe 5 at most anyway.
Troy T says
These were the best buns I have ever made. Will you marry me Emilie?
Emilie says
Haha! Too funny ;)
Petrea says
Thank you, Emilie,
I have made this recipe twice. The first time I made the buns for canapes – I made 16 (so smaller) buns and then filled them with Swiss cheese, leg ham, a slice of roma tomato, seeded mustard mayonnaise and a few baby spinach leaves. Mum and I sliced the buns in half and secured each half with a toothpick. They went down a treat with my guests, and the buns cut very well.
Today, my dough proved very quickly in humid Queensland, Australia! I used the dough to make filled baked goods for Christmas nibbles. After the second prove (with 32 rounds), I flattened the dough into a circle again, and filled them with cold homemade curried mince and char siu pork. I let the filled buns prove for around another 15 minutes before putting them in the oven. Amazing!
Josh says
Hello, I’m interested in making these for a burger restaurant, sometimes some will be leftover. Currently we buy our bread from a local Baker and I believe she just uses yeast, water, flour and I think salt. It can last about 2-3 days in room temperature and then after 2-3 days we freeze it and it’ll last a long time without the quality deterring that much, ie it doesn’t go stale. I was wondering since these have eggs in them if you can leave them out for a couple of days without them going stale and if you can freeze them after said couple days and all that kind of information on the beat way to preserve the bread so it’ll be good when served to clients even if it’s been half a week since they were baked.
Also to make hotdog buns do you just follow the same premise but shape them into hotdog shaped buns, will they have the same composure?
Thanks
Josh says
Best*
Sheila K says
Hi,
It says the recipe makes 8 buns, are these standard size, or mini? I need to make mini buns, and wanted to make sure the recipe would make more than 8.
Thanks!
Emilie says
Hi,
They are standard size. You can divide the dough into smaller portions for mini buns, based on how many you need.
sam says
the buns I make them into pop overs
Adam Benn says
Hi Emilie,
My fiancée and I found your recipe for the brioche buns and we absolutely loved them. Honestly, it’s what has triggered us wanting to start our own food journey. What started with one little brioche recipe has turned into something, well, hopefully something special, because we are having so much fun.
We’d love if you came over to our site at omgyummy.com.au and took a look at same stage! We’re just home cooks who want to say thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Adam and Candice
Josh says
This recipe is perfect. So easy, and my buns come out great every single time.
KendaIyah says
Hello :
Thank you for sharing the recipe, I tried it yesterday and turned out wonderful..
I made it with all -purpose flour and Farina 00 ( what was available in my pantry ), with less time for proofing as it’s hot in my place and it turned out perfect..
The only thing I would change next time is the buns size..10 or 12 instead of 8 as mine was Pretty the American size burger buns..
Thanks Again.
Stephany says
These brioche buns are my favorite! My husband gave me a kitchenaid mixer for our wedding anniversary in July. Today is the 2nd time I make these! They are currently in the oven and my house smells sssooo yummy!! Thank you for posting this recipe.
David says
Hi Emilie,
I own a New American Restaurant and our chef has been making insanely good burgers for years. One key has been the brioche buns that we have been paying top dollar for. As we started varying the sizes of our burgers for different occasions, the bun size needed to vary with the patty but the local bakery we use could not keep up with us. I thought, hmmm, if only I could find a delicious and easy recipe that I could knock out quickly, I could make our custom buns in any size. I found your recipe and instructions to be helpful, easy to follow, and most importantly – DELICIOUS!
Thank you for the great recipe. No modifications needed (other than time and temp depending on ovens and room temp as you mention in other posts) and these buns are a huge money and time saving hit.
Cheers!
David
Shari says
These are perfect! I make these and nothing else now when we have a need/want for buns. They are so soft yet hold up incredibly well after adding condiments. One thing that may help people who are new to making bread items with an egg wash is to note that the tops will be almost crunchy when they come out of the oven but soften perfectly as they cool. I was one that didn’t know this lol.
Mink says
Made this 2 days ago, came out perfect! thank you:)
Mary Augustine says
Thanks Emilie, Yes, the first time I let them rise for too long and they spread too much. I have made these numerous times since and they have been the the best hamburger buns. I have even used this recipe for hotdog buns and for lobster rolls too. Thank you for a great recipe – Mary
Judy Blunden says
These buns are perfectly balanced – light, not too sweet or eggy, and the right amount of salt. I followed the recipe exactly except for turning the buns over at the end of the cooking period and baking a further 5 minutes as I felt the moisture in the oven meant they seemed a little undercooked on the bottom. I also used my new discovery – Platinum yeast by Red Star (from Food For Less) – which has made an amazing difference to the success of all our bread making. Great recipe and a keeper !
Pappe says
Those buns look really great, and I really want to try your recipe, but I (comming from Saxony) have some trouble understanding your ingredients list. I already found out, that “all-purpose flour” corresponds to type 550 wheat flour here, but I could not find out what “bread flour” is. Could you give me a brand name or a linkt ot the “bread flour” product you usually use? I assume, it’s also wheat flour?
Also, as cup is defined in so many different ways (customary, legal, imperial, canadian, metric) and is a measurement of volume, could you please give me a hint, how much one of your cups weights, preferably in gramms?
Thank you in advance,
Pappe
Emilie says
Hi there,
All-purpose flour would be equivalent to plain flour or regular flour. But I think you’ve already figured that one out!
Bread flour is also known as ‘baker’s flour.’ If you can’t find baker’s flour try looking for something with a higher protein flour used for baking. Both are made from wheat.
For measurements, try plugging in what I have listed into an online converter for measurements in grams (including the liquid). That would be the most accurate. Hope this helps!
Erena says
I just made a batch of these buns happy days I only needed 4 buns I turned the other half into gooey buns with a1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup of ghee creamed with 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tsp salt “roll” dough, spread, a layer of sugar mix and finish like cinnamon buns then put the rest of the sugar mix into the bottom of a 9″ pan. Arrange and bake until light brown and hollow to the knock. When you pop them out of the oven immediately and very carefully flip them out onto a cutting board, leave it for a few minutes to get all the gooey going mmmm. So light you can eat two before feeling stuffed.
Mary Augustine says
This was an epic fail. What size pan do you use after you shape them and let them rise again. I used a 15×10. It was obviously too big because I had one big FLAT piece of dough after 1 1/2 hours of rising. Did you actually get those to rise into round buns like in the picture? Do you have any suggestions?
Emilie says
Mary,
Your dough turned out flat because it rose for too long. In the directions, the rolled balls of dough only need to rise until “puffy and slightly risen” which can take anywhere from 1-2 hours. In your case, 1 1/2 hours was too long. This is not your fault- if your kitchen was particularly warm or the dough wasn’t shaped tight enough the dough will spread. The size of the pan isn’t necessarily the issue here (although, feel free to place the balls of dough in a coated 9×13 or 8×8 inch pan for a more snug fit).
Also, you’ll notice in the notes section to “watch you dough and not the clock.” This is crucial. Bread baking is an art- it requires flexibility and adjustments to the initial recipe as needed. When you follow these steps, they will look like the picture. Hope this helps!
Margaret says
I don’t have a mixer… will these turn out okay mixing ingredients by hand, and then kneading the dough?
Emilie says
Hello Margaret,
You can indeed mix the dough by hand but it is incredibly sticky. It also requires sufficient kneading. I just wanted to give you a heads up ;)