Quick Hamburger Buns Recipe (with Hot Dog and Breadstick Options)

4.96 from 25 votes

Quick Hamburger Buns Recipe (with Hot Dog and Breadstick Options)

An easy hamburger buns recipe that makes soft half whole wheat buns in an hour that you can shape into hot dog buns or breadsticks, too.

Prep Time45

Cook Time15

Total Time1

Course: Breads

Cuisine: American

Servings: buns

Calories: 202kcal

Author: Jami Boys

Equipment

stand mixer or hand mix
Half sheet baking pan

Ingredients

2 cups warm water
1½ tablespoons yeast (instant or active dry)
2 tablespoons honey or sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon salt or adjust to your taste
2½ cups whole wheat flour or spelt, or more all purpose
2 to 2½ cups unbleached all purpose flour* or bread flour
Optional: egg wash and sesame seeds for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease or line a large, half sheet baking pan with silicone or parchment.
Mix water, yeast, and honey until yeast and honey are dissolved. Add the salt, oil, 2½ cups whole wheat flour and 2 cups all purpose flour to make a soft dough (or use only all purpose).
Beat with a stand mixer for a minute or two (or stir well by hand about a minute), adding up to 1/2 cup flour as needed to help dough be less sticky (you may not need all of it - it should still be somewhat sticky).
Gather into a ball and let rest 10 minutes in the bowl. Remove the dough from the bowl to a floured surface and knead by hand a few times.
Press dough into a flat rectangle on floured surface then cut for hamburger or hotdog buns: cut into 12 even pieces (or for larger buns, cut into 8 pieces). Using floured hands, shape each piece of dough into a ball. Slightly flatten the balls and place on the prepared pan, flattening down the edges to create hamburger bun shapes. For hotdog buns, elongate the balls and place on the pan.
Set aside to let rise 10 to 15 minutes (they will rise a bit, but not double). No need to cover them.
Optional: If you'd like a sesame seed topping, make an egg wash of 1 egg and a tablespoon of water, brush that gently on the buns, and sprinkle with sesame seeds before putting them in the oven.
Bake hamburger buns for 15 to 17 minutes, depending on size, until golden. Remove to a wire rack and let cool a bit before slicing in half and serving.

Notes

*You can use all regular white flour or all whole wheat (though all whole wheat is denser and heavier). I have found a combo to produce the best balance of whole grain to tender texture.

To Make Breadsticks:

Cut into 18-24 pieces, lengthwise (depending on the size you want).
Lay them out with 1/2-inch between them on a greased baking sheet.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden. Brush with melted butter and garlic.

To Freeze: These buns freeze beautifully after baking. Let cool, slice in half, and package in ziplock baggies, drawing out as much air as possible. Freeze up to 6 months.

Nutrition