These homemade brioche buns are soft, fluffy, buttery, and rich with that classic bakery-style texture. Made with butter, eggs, and milk, the dough bakes into beautifully golden buns that are light inside yet sturdy enough for burgers and sandwiches.
Whether you’re making juicy burgers, breakfast sandwiches, sliders, or simply want better homemade bread buns, this brioche buns recipe delivers soft, flavorful buns that stay fresh for days.
I started making brioche buns years ago when homemade burgers became a regular weekend thing in our house. After spending so many years working with enriched doughs and celebration cakes, I realized the secret to really good brioche is patience more than anything else.
The overnight rise gives these buns incredible flavor and texture, and once you taste homemade brioche buns fresh from the oven, it’s honestly hard to go back to store-bought buns again.
Why make these buns
- Rich Flavor: Brioche buns have a buttery, slightly sweet taste that enhances the overall flavor of your burgers, creating a perfect balance with savory patties and toppings.
- Soft Yet Sturdy Texture: The fluffy, pillowy crumb of brioche buns holds up well to juicy burgers and sauces without becoming soggy, ensuring every bite is perfect.
- Elegant Presentation: The shiny, golden crust of brioche buns adds a gourmet touch, elevating the look of your burgers for special occasions or casual gatherings.
- Versatile Pairing: These buns complement a variety of burger styles, from classic beef patties to vegetarian or chicken burgers, making them a versatile choice for any meal.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Flour – Bread flour is recommended for making homemade bread because it is high in protein. But you can certainly use all-purpose flour with a bit more kneading.
- Instant dry yeast – I like to use instant dry because I’ve always had great success with it. However, you can also use the same amount of active dry yeast or 21 grams of fresh or baker’s yeast.
- Sugar – Brioche is a slightly sweeter dough than most everyday bread. But it enriches the dough and makes it so much more wonderful, soft, and rich.
- Butter – This is a rich dough with a large amount of room-temperature unsalted butter. That’s what makes these so buttery, soft, and delicious.
- Egg – I like my buns richer. So, instead of whole eggs, I prefer to use all yolks. But you can certainly use whole eggs.
- Milk – Use whole milk. It enhances the flavor and tenderizes the dough, giving it a soft texture.
Step-by-step: Brioche hamburger buns
Brioche dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, and on medium speed, combine the warm milk, yeast, sugar, and eggs.
- Flour – Combine salt with the flour, then add it to the mixer as well. Knead on medium-high speed for about a minute, scraping the sides of the bowl.
- Knead – Once all the flour is incorporated, knead the dough on medium for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth. The dough will be soft and sticky but quite elastic.
- Butter – Next, add the soft room-temperature butter, one cube at a time. Once all the butter is in, knead again for 6 minutes until smooth, elastic, and soft.
- Bowl – Remove the dough from the mixer bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a smooth ball.
- Rise – Place in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen cloth. Leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour. Then, transfer to the refrigerator and let ferment for 6 to 8 hours or until it doubles in size.
Pro tip – The slow, cold process of fermentation helps this highly enriched dough and makes it more flavorful.
Divide and shape
- Divide – Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured work surface. Using a bench scraper or knife, divide the dough into two portions and then each portion into 6 to make a total of 12 buns, about 110 grams each.
Pro tip – You can also make 16 smaller buns of about 60 grams each. - Shape each portion into a tight ball. To do this correctly, roll into a ball shape, tucking all the seams under tightly. Then, roll the ball on an unfloured surface. The unfloured surface creates the tension we need in the dough.
- Tray – Place the buns on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or silicone mat, seam side down, leaving enough room for them to rise. Flatten each bun so they bake like flat buns rather than balls.
Pro tip – Flattening the buns makes a better base for the hamburgers. They won’t topple so easily, too. - Proof – Cover with plastic wrap or clean kitchen cloth and let them proof for 60 to 90 minutes on the counter or until doubled in size. The cold dough can take up to 3 hours to double in size. You can even proof them in the fridge overnight.
Bake
- Preheat oven – Preheat the oven to 190°F / 375°C / Gas mark 5.
- Brush – Brush each bun with an egg wash. You can even sprinkle the buns with some sesame seeds or sugar pearls.
- Bake small buns for 15 to 20 minutes and larger buns for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Pro tip – When baked, the internal temperature of the hamburger buns should be about 195°F. The bread will have a hollow sound on the bottom when tapped. - Keeping them soft – As soon as you take the burgers out of the oven, cover them with a clean kitchen cloth to keep them soft. Cool on a wire rack.
Pro tip – Do not leave the buns on the tray for too long, as the steam will make the bread soggy on the bottom. Covering the buns with a cloth will help them retain moisture and prevent them from drying out.
Soft Brioche Buns Homemade
This brioche buns recipe is great for showing off your bread-baking skills. These soft, buttery, rich, and delicious buns make perfect companions to any meal. Serve them with any main course in place of dinner rolls or use them in sandwiches or burger buns.
Video
Ingredients
- 258 g (1 cup) Whole Milk
- 75 g (⅓ cups) Sugar
- 200 g Eggs I used 3 whole eggs + 2 egg yolks
- 10 g (1 tbsp) Active dry yeast
- 620 g (5 cups) All-purpose flour
- 10 g (1½ tsp) Salt
- 228 g (1 cups) Butter unsalted, room temperature
- ½ Egg yolk + 2 tbsp water for eggwash
Method
- Yeast – In the bowl of a stand mixer with the hook attachment on medium speed, combine the warm milk, yeast, sugar, and eggs.258 g Whole Milk, 75 g Sugar, 200 g Eggs, 10 g Active dry yeast
- Flour – Combine salt with the flour, then add it to the mixer. Knead on medium-high speed for about a minute, scraping the sides of the bowl.620 g All-purpose flour, 10 g Salt
- Knead – Once all the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth. The dough will be soft and sticky but quite elastic.228 g Butter
- Butter – Next, add the soft room temperature butter one cube at a time. Once all the butter is in, knead again for 6 minutes until soft, smooth, and elastic.
- Bowl – Remove the dough from the mixer bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape into a smooth ball.
- Rise – Place in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen cloth. Leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour. Then transfer to the refrigerator and let ferment for 6 to 8 hours or until the dough doubles in size.
- Divide – Transfer the dough to a clean, floured work surface. Divide the dough into two portions and then each portion into 6 to make a total of 12 buns, about 110 grams each.
- Shape each portion into a tight ball. To do this correctly, roll into a ball shape, tucking all the seams under tightly. Then, roll the ball on an unfloured surface. The unfloured surface creates the tension we need in the dough.
- Tray – Place the buns on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or silicone mat, seam side down, leaving enough room for them to rise. Flatten each bun so they bake like flat buns rather than balls.
- Proof – Cover with a plastic wrap or clean kitchen cloth and let them proof for 60 to 90 minutes on the counter or until doubled in size. The cold dough can take up to 3 hours to double in size. You can even proof them in the fridge overnight.
- Preheat oven – Preheat the oven to 375℉/ 190℃ / Gas mark 5.
- Brush – Brush each bun with an egg wash. You can even sprinkle the buns with some sesame seeds or sugar pearls.1/2 Egg yolk + 2 tbsp water
- Bake small buns for 15 to 20 minutes and larger buns for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Keeping them soft – as soon as you take the burgers out of the oven, cover them with a clean kitchen cloth to keep them soft. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
- Use room-temperature eggs and soft butter so the dough mixes smoothly.
- Knead the dough until soft, smooth, and elastic before adding the butter.
- Add the butter gradually, one cube at a time, for the best texture.
- Cold overnight fermentation gives the buns better flavor and structure.
- Shape the buns tightly to create surface tension and help them rise evenly.
- Flatten the buns slightly before proofing so they bake into burger-shaped buns instead of tall rolls.
- Cover the hot buns with a clean kitchen towel after baking to keep them soft.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!Tips for Success
- Use room-temperature eggs and soft butter so the dough mixes smoothly.
- Knead the dough until soft, smooth, and elastic before adding the butter.
- Add the butter gradually, one cube at a time, for the best texture.
- Cold overnight fermentation gives the buns better flavor and structure.
- Shape the buns tightly to create surface tension and help them rise evenly.
- Flatten the buns slightly before proofing so they bake into burger-shaped buns instead of tall rolls.
- Cover the hot buns with a clean kitchen towel after baking to keep them soft.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Possible Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Brioche buns are dense or heavy | Dough did not proof long enough | Brioche is a rich dough and rises slower than regular bread. Let the dough double in size during both rises. |
| Brioche buns did not rise well | Yeast is old or inactive | Use fresh yeast and make sure the milk is warm, not hot. |
| Dough feels dry and stiff | Too much flour added | Brioche dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Resist adding extra flour while kneading. |
| Buns are dry after baking | Overbaked | Bake just until golden brown. The buns should sound hollow underneath or reach about 195°F internally. |
| Butter leaks from the dough | Butter was too warm | Use soft but still cool butter and add it gradually while mixing. |
| Buns lost their shape while baking | Dough was over-proofed | Proof until puffy and doubled, but not collapsing or overly soft. |
| Brioche buns are pale | Not enough egg wash | Brush generously with egg wash before baking for a shiny golden crust. |
more buns you may like to try
- Burger Buns – Hamburger Buns
- Sourdough Brioche Buns
- Softest Japanese Hamburger Buns
- Soft Whole Wheat Burger Buns
- Best Juicy Beef Burgers or Turkey Burgers Recipe
- Homemade Chicken Burgers
Frequently asked questions
If stored properly, these soft brioche buns will stay for 3 to 4 days at room temperature. And, they can also be frozen for a month or more. However, never store bread in the fridge as it dries out.
Brioche buns are made with an enriched dough containing butter, eggs, milk, and sugar. This gives them a rich buttery flavor, soft texture, and golden shiny crust compared to regular bread buns. They are softer, slightly richer, and stay fresh longer than classic hamburger buns.
Yes, you can make brioche bread without a stand mixer. While a stand mixer makes the process easier, you can also mix and knead the dough by hand. It will require some extra effort and time, but the results can still be excellent.
Yes, you can prepare brioche dough in advance and refrigerate it overnight. The slow fermentation in the refrigerator enhances the flavor and texture of the bread. You can shape and bake the dough the next day, allowing you to have freshly baked brioche whenever you want.
Brioche is a highly enriched dough, so overnight proofing helps enhance its flavor and strengthen and relax the gluten. Overnight proofing is highly recommended. However, you can leave it to rise on the counter for longer, but you will still need to chill the dough before you shape, proof, and bake it.
The best way to keep homemade bread soft is to contain the steam within the bread. So, while they are still hot, place a clean kitchen cloth over them and let them rest for 10 minutes. Keeping these dinner rolls covered will keep them from drying out, too.
Absolutely. Let the buns cool completely, then store them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm slightly before serving for the best texture.
If you overproof the brioche dough, it will taste yeasty. Overfermentation causes the dough to develop a beer-like sourness.
Dense brioche buns are usually caused by under-proofing, adding too much flour, or inactive yeast. Brioche dough is naturally soft and takes longer to rise because of the butter and eggs. Be patient with the proofing time and avoid adding extra flour during kneading.
More brioche recipes
- Recipe For Classic Brioche
- Brioche Pullman Bread
- Sandwich Brioche Bread Recipe
- Sourdough Brioche Buns: Soft and Fluffy
- Jam Babka Recipe (Brioche)
- Brioche French Toast
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Hi, I’m Veena
I’m the recipe developer, baker, and food photographer behind Veena Azmanov Kitchen.
I’ve spent years developing and testing recipes, from everyday meals and homemade breads to cakes and desserts.
I share the practical tips and little details I’ve learned along the way so you can get great results in your own kitchen.
12 egg yols is aprox 220g
Each egg is approximately 50 to 60 grams so 4 eggs is about 200 to 220 grams!!
I really enjoy making these buns – and the dough is easy to make. The taste is incredible.
Thank you so much Martins
LOVE this brioche!
Thanks!