Have you ever had dinner all planned out, and just as you begin to cook, you realize that you forgot something? Something really important like a crucial ingredient? Yeah, me too. This happened to me recently when I realized that I had no buns or rolls for the BBQ chicken sandwiches that I was preparing for dinner. It’s a good thing I had this recipe for Easy and Quick Hamburger Buns in my recipe box to save the day. (And if you’re looking for a bread recipe to go with your homemade soup or stew, try my Cheddar Onion Beer Bread recipe.)
These quick hamburger buns are so delicious and easy to make that they almost seem too good to be true. According to my husband, this recipe makes the very best hamburger bun. And yes, they do take a couple of minutes of kneading, but from start to finish, they can be ready in under an hour. Seriously, don’t wait for an impending dinner disaster to make these. The next time you’re in the mood for grilling a hamburger or having a really good sandwich, just go ahead and make these. You won’t be sorry!
(And if you’re not an experienced baker, don’t be intimidated because I’m going to walk you through how to make hamburger buns step-by-step!)
So let’s talk about some of the ingredients:
Active dry yeast – This type of yeast needs to be mixed with warm water and a little bit of sugar, and then allowed to sit for a few minutes before use. If the yeast becomes foamy, then you’ll know the yeast is alive and will make your bread rise (this is also called proofing the yeast.) If you only have instant or rapid-rise yeast, that will work, too, but you need to use a little bit less of it. So substitute 1 ½ tablespoons of instant yeast for 2 tablespoons of active dry yeast. Also, instant yeast does not need to sit and proof before using, so just go ahead and use it right away in the recipe
Canola oil – If you prefer not to use canola oil, you can whatever type of neutral-flavored oil you typically use in your kitchen. I find that sunflower oil is a good neutral oil to use in baking. If you prefer to skip the oil and use butter, you will need to use ¼ cup of melted butter in place of the 3 tablespoons of oil that the recipe calls for (the reason for this is that butter contains not only fat but also water.) If you want to use coconut oil, use 3 tablespoons of melted coconut oil but be aware that it is likely to give the finished buns a hint of coconut flavor.
Salt – Use fine salt like sea salt or table salt. For best results, I don’t recommend using coarse salt in this recipe.
Sugar – You may be tempted to skip the sugar in this recipe, but please don’t. Skipping the sugar will affect the rise of the dough and the flavor of the finished buns. I like to use natural cane sugar, but any granulated sugar will work fine.
Cook’s Tips:
- After removing the buns from the oven, place them on a wire rack and make sure they are fully cooled before slicing.
- Customize your buns by adding herbs or other seasonings. You can also top them with poppy seeds or sesame seeds just before baking.
- If you want a larger bun for your big, juicy burger, divide the dough into 8 pieces instead of 12 before baking.
- This recipe can also be used for dinner rolls or slider buns. Simply divide the dough into 16 pieces before baking.
If you try this recipe for Easy Hamburger Buns, I hope you love it. And follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram so you don’t miss a post.
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Quick and Easy Hamburger Buns
- Total Time: 47 minutes
- Yield: 12 buns 1x
Description
These quick hamburger buns are perfect for your favorite burgers or sandwiches. Skip the store-bought options and enjoy fresh, homemade buns straight from your kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons canola oil (or substitute 1/4 cup melted butter)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3 –3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425°F
- In a mixing bowl, stir yeast, oil, and sugar into warm water, and allow to stand for 5 minutes, or until mixture is foamy. If the yeast mixture doesn’t look foamy after 10 minutes, the yeast is too old and the dough won’t rise. Discard and replace with fresh yeast.
- Whisk in egg and salt.
- Stir in flour, starting with 3 cups, adding a little more if necessary to form a soft dough.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- When dough is elastic and no longer sticky, divide into 12 equal pieces and shape each into a slightly flattened ball.
- Place 3″ apart on greased baking sheets, and allow to rise for 15 minutes, or until the buns have nearly doubled in size.
- Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove buns from pan to wire rack. Brush with melted butter immediately after removing from oven. Allow to cool.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
151 Comments
Hannah
October 27, 2022 at 7:28 pmEasy recipe and tastes very good. Mine didn’t rise very well, but were still light and airy. I think the counter top may have been too cold (72F)? Or humid (I live in Houston Texas) Also, my husband and I usually make 1/3 pound hamburgers so these buns are a little small. I will try making 8 instead of 12 next time.
Melissa
November 4, 2022 at 6:13 amYes, definitely make 8 for bigger burgers. And sorry you didn’t get a good rise. Occasionally it happens and it’s hard to know why. Sometimes when I have that problem I know it’s time for a new batch of yeast.
Rich
September 26, 2022 at 6:21 pmAny chance we can get the nutritional breakdown?
Michelle Flannery
August 23, 2022 at 4:39 pmThis was so fast and easy to make PLUS DELICIOUS!!! Thank you for sharing!
Melissa
August 24, 2022 at 5:19 pmI’m glad you liked it!
Bethany
May 22, 2022 at 2:43 amMade these for supper tonight for our sloppy joes and they were fantastic. This recipe is a keeper!
Melissa
May 22, 2022 at 3:14 pmI’m so happy to hear it!
Kyla
February 14, 2022 at 5:26 pmJust tried this recipe . It was quick easy and they turned out pretty good considering I hadn’t made buns since I was around ten. My kids loved them. Thanks again for the recipe
Melissa
February 15, 2022 at 6:06 pmI’m glad you liked the recipe!
Amber
November 19, 2021 at 4:21 amMy 12-year-old made these with potato patties and bacon.
SO.
FREAKING.
GOOD.
Melissa
November 28, 2021 at 5:03 pmI’m so happy you liked the recipe!
Karyn
May 22, 2021 at 12:19 amI just wanted to let you know that these are absolutely wonderful! I am a home baker to two special needs children and my husband is a truck driver. We LOVE burgers but never make it through a whole package of buns…. well, one day I had planned to make burgers and totally forgot the buns ♀️!!! Well, what else could I do? I went to Pinterest and found you with this recipe, I have to tell you, I have gotten so many compliments on my burger buns and it is really thanks to you! I never worry about getting buns at the store anymore in fact I am making my hubby some burgers tomorrow and using this recipe again! Thank you so much! Be blessed- Karyn
Melissa
June 4, 2021 at 3:56 pmKaryn, thank you so much for your kind words! I am so happy that you like the recipe! Truly, it is comments like yours that keep me motivated to publish recipes. I hope you come back and visit again soon!
Karyn
June 5, 2021 at 3:39 pmHaha, I’m back again!!!! I am glad that my words help motivate, I was planning on making a small batch today…. then my husband told me he didn’t know how many people would be coming out…. oh the joys! Lol. Can’t wait to see how this does when I multiply it by 4…. I’ll let you know how they come out! Oh and it can be used as a hotdog bun, just shape it accordingly and treat it the same as the hamburger bun. It was beautiful! I used this for my sausage and peppers 😉
Melissa
June 11, 2021 at 3:13 pmLet me know how the big batch turned out. And thanks for the tip about the hotdog buns – I’ll definitely be trying that!
Karyn
June 20, 2021 at 7:08 pmIt came out great!!! Had to do it by hand though…… there was to much to fit in my kitchen aid… lol thank you so so much, this really is my go to hamburger/Hot Dog bun recipe! Making the kids burgers tonight…. can you guess what I’m about to bake
Janice
May 17, 2021 at 7:38 pmI made these and they turned out great. I combined an egg with 1 TBSP of water for an egg wash. I brushed that on and then sprinkled on garlic flakes, onion flakes, poppy seed, sesame seed and coarse salt (“Everything spices”) and it was fantastic. Good, easy recipe!
Melissa
May 21, 2021 at 8:13 pmYour additions sound delicious! I’m glad you like the recipe and I hope you come back and visit again soon.
Brylee
November 28, 2020 at 9:15 pmI was wondering if anyone has made these and then froze them. If so how did they turn out? It’s just my husband and I so we don’t go thru buns as fast most of the time. Thank you!
Melissa
November 30, 2020 at 5:43 pmHi Brylee. To freeze the rolls, I find the best way is to make the dough and then shape the rolls, but don’t allow them to rise. Place the shaped rolls on a cookie sheet and pop them in the freezer. Once they are frozen, remove the rolls to a plastic bag and store in the freezer until you need them. When you are ready to bake, remove the rolls from the bag, place them onto a baking sheet, and allow them to thaw and to rise for a few hours before baking. Hope this helps!
Sylvia
October 17, 2020 at 9:02 pmThis is my go-to recipe for hamburger and hot dog buns. Can this recipe be used to make a bread loaf?
Melissa
October 21, 2020 at 4:44 pmI’m not sure if it can be used to make bread, Sylvia. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out!