Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- *If you'll be using active dry yeast, you'll need to activate it before adding the flour. To do this, just add the warm milk, water, sugar, and active dry yeast to the large bowl, whisk it all together, and wait 15 minutes until it's foamy before adding the remaining ingredients.*
Prepare the dough
- Add all of the dough ingredients to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until everything comes together and all the flour is incorporated into the dough.
- If you're using a stand mixer, knead the dough on low speed for 5 minutes at this point. If mixing by hand, cover the dough in the bowl and let it rest for 5 minutes before kneading, which will make it much easier to handle. After a 5-minute dough rest, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth, it should still be just a little sticky.
Let the dough rise
- Shape the dough into a tight ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl for the first rise at room temperature. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and place it in a warm place or proofing box for faster rise time.
- After about 30-45 minutes of rising time, once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and turn it out onto the counter. Divide with a sharp knife or bench scraper into 12 equal pieces and shape each piece of dough into a tight ball of dough.
- Place each ball of dough onto a parchment paper lined or greased baking sheet, cover with a towel, and wait 30-45 minutes for the second rise.
Bake the Buns
- Whisk the egg and water together and brush the tops of the risen buns with the eggwash, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Then, bake the buns in a preheated oven at 425F for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
Don't skimp on kneading
Knead the dough thoroughly to develop the gluten and create a smooth, elastic texture. This helps to give buns a soft, tender crumb.
Use a kitchen scale when dividing the buns
If you like everything to be uniform, weigh the dough as you divide it to make sure your buns are all the same size and bake evenly.
Storage
Homemade soft hamburger buns can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days, in the fridge for a week, and in the freezer for up to 3 months.