Homemade Soft Whole Wheat Burger Buns - Hamburger Buns

Recipe Print

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 buns!

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, which are made with white flour.

And the results? 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.

These soft burger buns are the best you will ever make the next time you plan your burger feast. They are soft, fluffy and golden but most importantly they are easy and with my step by step pictures you will make them more often then you plan. — Homemade Soft Whole Wheat Burger Buns, Whole wheat hamburger buns

Table of Contents

Ingredients and substitutes

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. And yet, 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.

Step by step instructions

Prepare dough with a mixer

Using a mixer 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 / 370 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

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.

A Pinterest Optimized image for Pullman Sandwich Bread a famous French Pain De Mie bread featuring a loaf of bread cut into slices

Pullman Sandwich Bread Recipe Pain De Mie

Perfect Dinner Rolls, Sun-Dried Tomato Bread, Olive Bread rolls

Olive Sun Dried Tomato Dinner Rolls Recipes3

This whole wheat bread with raisins and nuts is nutritious, delicious and healthy. This simple, easy and effortless recipe makes a rustic whole wheat raisin walnut bread that lighter in texture with a crisp crust that melts in the mouth. Black raisins and walnuts evenly dispersed means you can eat this bread on its own or accompanies with a meal. Try making bruschetta with a few slices for a delicious appetizer.

Whole Wheat Raisin Walnut Bread Recipe

Ham and Cheese Stuffed Bread

Frequently asked questions

Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?

Yes, both active dry and instead yeast are used in exactly the same way so you can use either in of the same quantity.

Can I use fresh yeast instead of instant dry yeast?

Absolutely, you can use 21 grams of fresh yeast for this recipe below.
- 1 ¼ block of 0.6 oz size or ½ block of 2 oz size fresh yeast.

Can I omit the sugar in this whole wheat hamburger buns? I don't want my burger buns sweet.

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.

Do I need to use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour for these whole wheat burger buns?

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.

Can I make this dough by hand? Do I need a stand mixer to make these hamburger buns?

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.

What makes the buns soft and fluffy?

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.

Can I make these buns ahead of time?

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.

How long do hamburger buns last?

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.

How to you warm stale burger buns?

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.

Can I make these buns with just all-purpose flour?

Yes, and they are absolutely delicious. I have shared a step by step recipe with you already - Soft burger buns.

SAVE THIS RECIPE ON PINTEREST FOR LATER. TRIED MY RECIPE? SHARE IT WITH ME, PLEASE.
Share a picture of your work with me by uploading an image here below my image on this board. You can also find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.