Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns
A burger bun is as important as the burger itself. Soft with a tender crust that melts in the mouth with the burger. That is what these soft whole wheat burger buns are - soft, tender and nutritious. And they are also homemade. This is a step by step tutorial on how to make these best, softest, whole wheat hamburger buns from scratch.
Doesn't this just take burgers to another level? I mean making the buns whole wheat? You know how I feel about my burger buns. They just HAVE to be SOFT! That is why my Soft Burger Buns is by far the most popular recipe for burger bun!
But these are whole wheat - you know. I wanted to make whole wheat burger buns. And yet I wanted to make sure they had the same exact softness and tender crust like my original recipe for soft burger buns made with white flour.
And the result? Can you see how soft that is below? (you have to excuse my colored fingers - I have edible gel food color - one of the big cons of decorating cakes is that the coloring fondant can sometimes be messy).
These buns are not 100% whole wheat but they are light fluffy and delicious which is a great compromise for health and flavor.
Let's talk ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)
- Whole wheat flour - adds a nice nutty flavor to the bread and makes the buns more wholesome and nutritious.
- Flour - Since this bread if not 100% whole wheat the rest of the flour is all-purpose flour. I have always used all-purpose flour and it works great.
And yet, if you prefer you can use bread flour - I have no doubt it will be even softer. - Warm milk - I like adding milk to this bread recipe. It gives a nice soft tender crumb to the bread but if you want, you can substitute the milk with water. That would work just as well but the dough might be a bit looser so adding a few handfuls of flour may be necessary.
- Yeast - Active dry yeast is usually what I use but any active yeast works. Over the years, I've used many different brands. And I can tell the yeast has never been an issue. I have even used fresh yeast when I made it in India and the bread was just as soft.
Useful Tips and Tools
- A small Mixing Bowl or measuring cup to activate the yeast. I prefer to use glass over metal. If the metal is cold it can lower the temperature of the liquid ingredients. Not a big deal. And yet, it's nice to get the yeast activated quickly and move on with the recipe.
- I like mixing bread dough by hand. It's quite therapeutic. But bread dough can be difficult to handle. Not just because it needs more kneading but also because it's often a soft, sticky mess. And yet, keeping the dough soft and sticky is important for good bread baking. So, I highly recommend using a stand mixer Kenwood, kitchen-aidor other brands, it does not matter. Personally, I also have a hand mixer. And yet, I don't use it for baking bread. Because bread dough is dense compared to cakes. So, it might harm my hand mixer. (recommended read - which stand mixer is good for home bakers)
- Baking bread is a science. So measuring ingredients correctly is important. Also, do not wing the measurements. Use a Measuring Cup for liquid ingredients and Measuring Spoons for dry ingredients.
- A good baking tray is as important to bread baking as it is to other baking Baking Tray. Therefore, buy a good quality baking tray that's not too thin. The thick ones will prevent the bread from burning on the bottom. Sometimes you can even add a second tray on the bottom to prevent it from getting burnt.
- Every oven works differently. So the baking times are just guidelines. In the case of bread, a hollow sound on the bottom of the bread is a great indication. If the bread bakes too quick or too slow compared to the time given it might be a good idea to check if your oven needs calibration. An oven thermometer is a great little gadget to help keep the oven temperature in check. All you need to do is adjust the temperature accordingly.
Ingredients - below in the recipe card (with conversions)
Method
Prepare dough with a mixer
- Using an electric bowl with the dough attachment.
- Add the warm milk, sugar, yeast, egg, melted butter - stir well and set aside until foamy.
- Then add both flours and salt in the mixer bowl. (not the additional flour).
- Knead starting on low for two minutes until all the dry flour is absorbed.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl. The dough will be soft and wet and that's OK.
- Knead for about 3 more minutes on medium adding only enough flour help with kneading.
- You want the dough to be really really soft, a little sticky is fine too! But it has to be elastic!
Prepare dough by hand
- In a bowl - add the warm milk, sugar, yeast, egg, melted butter - stir well and set aside until foamy.
- Place flour and salt in the mixer bowl (not the additional flour).
- Add in the yeast mixture.
- Do not add too much flour.
- Use a bench scraper or spoon to help remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
- Knead for about 5 to 7 minutes, without adding much flour. Use light pressure and knead with the heels of your hand.
Finger test
- Now for my usual finger test. (By now you probably don't need me to show you this..! (see progress pictures in a previous blog post).
- Dig two fingers in - Pick your fingers -- the dough spring back. You should barely see your finger marks on the dough.
- The dough will still be a bit sticky. This is how it should be -soft, very elastic, still a little sticky.
Prove the first time
- Place in an oiled bowl to rise for about an hour or more until double in volume.
- Once double in volume. Punch down.
Divide and form buns
- Divide the dough into 10 to 12 depending on how big you want the burgers.
- Let rest for 10 minutes. This will help with forming the buns.
- Form the buns exactly the same way I showed you in my post for dinner rolls.
Prove again the second time before baking
- Cover with cling / plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 45 mins to an hour.
- Once double in volume... Apply egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds.
Baking the buns
- Bake in a preheated oven at 190 C/380 F for 15 to 20 mins (depending on size and oven), or until golden brown.
- Important - as soon as you take the burgers out of the oven - cover them with a clean kitchen cloth so the burgers will retain the steam and stay soft.
- Let rest for 15 mins before you remove the kitchen cloth or serve.
Tips for success - Whole Wheat Hamburger buns (Save/Pin)
- The amount of flour you add to your recipe is key to the success of these buns. The final quantity of liquid - eggs, milk, the butter will determine if you need 400 or 450 or even 500 grams of flour.
What's important is to look at the consistency of your dough. It has to be very soft, spongy and yes still sticky but elastic!! I have tried my best to give you pictures below to illustrate. - Temperature - If you have made bread before, then you know that temperature plays a huge role in bread baking. Beginning with the temperature of your liquid ingredients - you want that to be approximately 41 C / 105 F. If it's cooler then it will fail to revive your yeast. And if it's hotter again you will kill the yeast giving you a flatbread.
NO, you don't really need a thermometer. The best way to test it is - just stick a little clean finger if you can keep your finger in there without discomfort it's good. I always say - it's the same temperature you give milk to a baby - warm. - Covering the rolls as soon as they come out of the oven. This is an important step so don't skip and don't forget. When you cover the hot buns in a clean kitchen cloth you are letting the steam in the buns to cool inside the buns - this keeps the buns soft and moist - not dried out.
Troubleshooting
Why did my dough not rise?
Most often the simplest explanation for this is that the liquid (milk) used was not warm. You need the liquid to be no more than 110 F/ 41 C. Hotter than that will not activate the yeast. In some cases, it could also be that the yeast was old and not good.
My buns were not soft? They were dense.
If you add too much flour to the dough the buns will be dense, not soft. You want the dough to be soft, elastic and still slightly sticky when kneading.
My buns deflated when baking?
Prove the buns for only 45 minutes or until just almost double in volume. They will continue to rise some more in the oven when baking. If you overproof the buns they tend to rise and deflate when baking.
Why are my buns flat?
Again if you over proof the buns before baking they will rise and deflate giving you flat hamburger buns.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, both active dry and instead yeast are used in exactly the same way so you can use either in of the same quantity.
Absolutely, you can use 21 grams of fresh yeast for this recipe below.
- 1 1/4 block of 0.6 oz size or 1/2 block of 2 oz size fresh yeast.
The purpose of the sugar in this recipe is to feed the yeast. The amount is not much so don't worry the burgers buns won't be sweet.
You can use bread flour for these buns but it is not absolutely necessary. I have been making these buns for years and have always used regular all-purpose flour.
Unless you are making buns to feed a crowd you don't need a stand mixer. I usually make these in batches of 12 and always make them by hand. I find kneading dough by hand very therapeutic, you should try it. But if you have a stand mixer then definitely use it.
The consistency of the dough.
The dough should be soft, elastic and slightly sticky. Avoid the temptation to add more flour. Use flour on your hands when kneading but don't make the dough dense.
My mom used to say - a well-kneaded bread dough should be soft and ziggly like a baby's bottom.
Absolutely, you can knead the dough the night before and let them slow rise in the fridge overnight. Bring them to room temperature before you shape them into buns. Then let them rise the second time at room temperature before baking.
If stored properly these burger buns will last for 3 to 4 days at room temperature. These freeze well too so if you make extra place them in a ziplock back and freeze them for longer.
I wrap the burger buns in damp/moist paper towels and reheat them in the microwave at 30 seconds intervals until warm like freshly baked buns. These must be used quickly so reheat them just when you are ready to serve.
Yes, and they are absolutely delicious. I have shared a step by step recipe with you already - Soft burger buns.
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Description
Ingredients
- 360 ml (1.50 cups) Warm milk about 41 C or 105 F
- 1 Egg large
- 60 grams (4.00 tbsp) Melted butter
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp Instant dry yeast (1 envelop)
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt
- 330 grams (2.75 cups) Whole wheat flour
- 185 grams (1.50 cups) All-purpose flour
- 65 grams (0.50 cups) All purpose flour as needed
- Egg wash beaten egg with 2 tbsp water
- Sesame seeds or poppy seeds
Instructions
Prepare dough with a mixer
- Using an electric bowl with dough attachment.
- Add the warm milk, sugar, yeast, egg, melted butter - stir well and set aside until foamy.
- Then add both flours and salt in the mixer bowl. (not the additional flour).
- Knead starting on low for two minutes until all the dry flour is absorbed.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl. The dough will be soft and wet and that's OK.
- Knead for about 3 more minutes on medium adding only enough flour help with kneading.
- You want the dough to be really really soft, a little sticky is fine too! But it has to be elastic!
Prepare dough by hand
- In a bowl - add the warm milk, sugar, yeast, egg, melted butter - stir well and set aside until foamy.
- Place flour and salt in the mixer bowl (not the additional flour).
- Add in the yeast mixture.
- Do not add too much flour.
- Use a bench scraper or spoon to help remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
- Knead for about 5 to 7 minutes. without adding much flour. Use light pressure and knead with the heels of your hand.
Finger test
- Now for my usual finger test. (By now you probably don't need me to show you this..! (see progress pictures in a previous blog post).
- Dig two fingers in - Pick your fingers -- the dough spring back. You should barely see your finger marks on the dough.
- The dough will still be a bit sticky. This is how it should be -soft, very elastic, still a little sticky.
Prove - first time
- Place in an oiled bowl to rise for about an hour or more until double in volume.
- Once double in volume. Punch down.
Divide and form buns
- Divide the dough into 10 to 12 depending on how big you want the burgers.
- Let rest for 10 minutes. This will help with forming the buns.
- Form the buns exactly the same way I showed you in my post for dinner rolls.
Prove again before baking
- Cover with cling / plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 45 mins to an hour.
- Once double in volume... Apply egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds.
Baking the buns
- Bake in a preheated oven at 190 C/380 F for between 15 to 20 mins (depending on size and oven) or until golden brown.
- Important - as soon as you take the burgers out of the oven - cover them with a clean kitchen cloth so the burgers will retain the steam and stay soft.
- Let rest for 15 mins before you remove the kitchen cloth or serve.
Equipment
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Milda Steinboka
Thank you for this very detailed recipe 🙂 I made these buns with dairy-free ingredients - oat milk & sunflower seed spread (instead of butter) and then again but with coconut milk & sunflower seed spread (with overnight fridge rise). Turned out great each time!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you for the feedback, Milda. I am so happy you enjoyed it. I think you feedback will help those who are looking for similar options.
Jyotsna
Mumy buns turned out amazing. This recipe is so beautifully expalined. Thank u so much.
Veena Azmanov
Wonderful, Jyotsna. So happy to hear that. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback.
Vaani
Thank you veena. I made pita bread with the dough and it turned out well.
Veena Azmanov
Great. Thanks
Vaani
Hi Veena,
Can I use chapati flour instead of whole wheat flour? Coz we can’t get whole wheat flour for baking in India.
Vaani
Veena Azmanov
Yes, Vaani. Chapati flour will work too
Vaani
I’ve used instant yeast. But it has not risen in 1 hour. What could be the reason?
Veena Azmanov
I replied to your previous later comment Vaani. Thanks
Vaani
Thank you Veena.
But my dough has not raised. It is 4 hours since I let it proof. 2 hours back I moved my dough into the oven. I had put hot water at the bottom tray of the oven. For the first 2 hours before putting into oven, I had covered with a dry cotton cloth. In the oven I’ve covered it with a damp Muslin cloth. I don’t have cling wrap. Your help is highly appreciated.
Veena Azmanov
Hey Vaani.
Sounds like your yeast is not working for the dough.
Either the water was hotter than warm (110F) so it killed the yeast or the yeast itself has expired.
Add a little yeast to warm water with a little sugar and oil - let sit for 5 minutes if it foams its good if not throw this yeast and buy a fresh pack.
Yeast is very delicate and unfortunately, it can make or break the recipe.
If it still does not rise - I suggest you make flatbread such as pita with this batch (better than wasting the dough)
And start over for the burger buns.
Sorry, I know its not the answer or the bread you were hoping for but I don't want to give you false hopes.
Let me know how it goes
Vaanipala
Thank you for your prompt response Veena. The yeast is new. It expires only on November 2020. Since I don’t use it often, I’ve stored it in the freezer.
But when I used it, the yeast was at room temperature. I guess the problem was with the milk. I heated it and checked the temperature 105 Fahrenheit ( that is a little hot). Initially,
When I mixed the yeast, sugar, butter, milk and egg, there were bubbles. When I let it stand for a while, it did not turn foamy. Then I added the flour and sugar. What could have gone wrong?
Veena Azmanov
110F should be ok. But not sure why it did not foam up. You followed the process - but it seems like something was not right but it's had to troubleshoot without seeing it. I hope the next bread works better. I suggest you try a small batch just to test things out so you don't waste ingredients.
Bintu
These buns look so soft and delicious! I really should give making my own a go
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Bintu. yes, they are so soft and delicious, you must try.
Suzy
I loved all of the tips and tricks to making these burger buns coming out perfectly! So soft and the flavor was so delicious!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Suzy. Glad you like my detailed posts.
Laura | Wandercooks
Oh I totally agree - burger buns will make or break a good burger experience! We make our burger patties all the time so we can tweak the flavour, I've never thought to make the buns too - so keen to try this! Thanks. 🙂
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Laura. yes, burger buns are as important as the burgers themselves.
Tracy
This recipe was no fail. So easy to follow - thank you!!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Tracy. So happy you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback.
Natalie
I love homemade burger buns - it's always way better than store bought. These look so delicious and fluffy!
Veena Azmanov
Definitely, better than store bought. Natalie.
Natalie
They came out good were soft and were delicious too. Thank you
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Natalie. So happy you enjoyed these buns very much. Thanks for coming back to write this feedback.
Ellen
This is my kind of burger bun! I love that it's whole wheat and looks so soft and delicious. I can't wait to try them!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Ellen. yes, whole wheat, yes to soft.
kim
Love this recipe! I'll be making these all through grilling season!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Kim. Yes, we have started making it here - now that we have starting grilling season
Danielle Wolter
i definitely want to try making these. i bet they are so much better than store bought!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Danielle. Definitely, better than store bought
Alina
I love homemade bread and these burger buns look so good, I need to try your recipe next time a want a proper burger!
Veena Azmanov
Me too, Alina. Love homemade buns. I hope you try this one.
Brian Jones
They look superb, I love whole wheat bread it has such a great nutty flavour, these will definitely be hitting up a BBQ near me sometime soon!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Brian. Yes, whole wheat does have a nice nutty flavor to it which works perfectly with BBQs
Ruchi mathur
Thank u for a wonderful recipe I have a query inspite of keeping everything in mind d burger is very hard not like bought ones or as sh0wn by u can u pls tell d secret behind d softness.
Veena Azmanov
Ruchi like I said in the post.
One - make sure your dough is soft!! It has to be really soft so less water.
Second, as soon as it is baked wrap it in a kitchen towel for at least 10 mins. The steam retained in the buns helps keep them softer.
Thanks
Barney Ewing
Your conversions are off. I used a dip-level method for measuring the flour. I wound up with a very stiff dough. I figured the conversions were a bit off, so I did some research. 330 grams of flour equates to 3 cups of SIFTED flour. Using the dip-level-pour method, a cup of flour could be as much as 150 grams. Quite a difference! You should have specified sifted flour for all us backwards volume measurement types. Next time I'll weigh the ingredients and I'll bet that it will turn out perfectly. In my experience using the dip-level-pour method, to get a soft dough, it's about a 2.25:1 ratio of flour to liquid. Thanks for the recipe, though, it was delicious and I'll make it again with the correct proportions.
Veena Azmanov
Barney - 1 cup all purpose flour is about 110 grams so 3 cups is about 330 grams. When making bread dough the flour measure is just a guidelines. As you can see in the images and instructions the dough needs to be soft and elastic. When you reach that stage you stop adding flour. Sometimes you may need more or less than in the recipe.
I do weigh my measurements not volume. I'm happy that you found the bread delicious. Thanks.
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
Homemade bread is the best, and these buns look so "squishy" good. Perfect for all the burgers this grilling season!!
Veena Azmanov
Absolutely Gloria.. These will be perfect with Burgers for sure.
Kim Beaulieu
This looks absolutely amazing. I love homemade buns. They just make burgers taste better.
Veena Azmanov
They definitely make burgers taste better Kim. Nothing is better than homemade
Jagruti
I can't believe these are homemade burger buns, you've done a great job..looks so soft and spongy.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Jagruti - Yes they are homemade buns and soft too!
Catherine
These look like absolute perfection! Love the step by step photos too.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Catherine. They definitely are simple and easy.
[email protected]
Wow. These buns look incredible. Seriously better then anything you could buy.
Veena Azmanov
Oh definitely better that store bought. Thanks Stephanine
Emily
These buns look amazing! They look so soft for whole wheat!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Emily. They are super soft.