Soft Whole Wheat Burger Buns
A burger bun is as important as the burger itself. Soft with a tender crust that melts in the mouth. These soft whole wheat burger buns are, soft, tender, and delicious.
My classic burger buns have always been a big hit — both at home and on the blog. They’re soft, fluffy, and honestly, a family favorite. I can’t even count how many times we’ve used them for cookouts, weeknight dinners, and “just because” burger nights.
But over time, I kept getting the same question: “Can I make these with whole wheat flour?”
And of course, I had to find out!
So I started testing. I tried all kinds of flour ratios, tweaking things here and there. And while I know a lot of people wish for a 100% whole wheat version, the truth is — it’s just not the same. Fully whole wheat buns tend to come out a little too dense and heavy. Good, sure, but not that soft, pillowy bite you want with a juicy burger.
What I found was that blending whole wheat flour with some all-purpose flour gives you the best of both worlds: a healthier bun with that beautiful light texture we all love. It’s hearty enough to feel wholesome, but soft enough to complement the burger rather than compete with it.
So if you’re looking for a burger bun that’s a little more wholesome, but still absolutely delicious — this one’s for you!
Why are these the best buns?
- Texture: The combination of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour, along with vital wheat gluten, gives these buns a soft and light texture, making them perfect for burgers.
- Flavor: Honey adds a touch of sweetness, enhancing the buns’ flavor without being overpowering.
- Nutrition: Whole wheat flour provides more fiber and nutrients compared to using only all-purpose flour, making these buns a healthier choice.
- Versatility: These buns can be used for a variety of burgers, from classic beef burgers to vegetarian options like bean or mushroom burgers.
- Ease of preparation: The recipe is straightforward and doesn’t require any special equipment. With just a few simple steps, you can have fresh, homemade burger buns.
- Customization: You can easily customize these buns by adding seeds or herbs to the dough or brushing the tops with an egg wash for a shiny finish.
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 is 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 the bread a nice, soft, tender crumb. 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: Whole wheat burger buns
- Wet ingredients – Combine warm water/milk, yeast, and sugar/honey in a large bowl. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. Add olive oil/melted butter, egg, salt, whole wheat flour, and all-purpose flour to the yeast mixture. Stir until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5-7 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
- Rise – Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Shape – Punch down the dough and divide it into 8-10 equal parts. Shape each part into a smooth ball.
- Proof – Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them apart. Flatten each ball slightly with your hand. Cover the buns with a damp towel and let them rise for another 30-45 minutes.
- Oven – Preheat the oven to 375°F /190°C/ Gas mark 5.
- Bake the buns for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Troubleshooting
- Why did my dough not rise? Most often, the simplest explanation for this is that the liquid (milk) used was not warm. The liquid should be no more than 110°F/41°C. Anything hotter will not activate the yeast. In some cases, the yeast may have been old and not good.
- My burger 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 burger buns deflated when baking. Proof the buns for only 45 minutes or until they are almost doubled in volume. They will continue to rise further in the oven during baking. If you overproof the buns, they tend to rise and deflate when baking.
- Why are my buns flat? Again, if you overproof the buns before baking, they will rise and deflate, giving you flat hamburger buns.
Frequently asked questions
Whole wheat bread/buns can dry out more quickly than white-flour bread, so it is important to store them correctly. Store these in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to three days. You can also freeze them for up to three months.
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 jiggly like a baby’s bottom.
Whole Wheat Burger Buns Recipe
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.
Ingredients
- 240 g (1 cups) Warm milk or water – about 41 C or 105 F
- 50 g (1 large) Egg large
- 60 g (4 tbsp) Melted butter or oil
- 30 g (2 tbsp) Sugar or honey
- 7 g (2¼ tsp) Instant dry yeast
- 5 g (1 tsp) Salt
- 260 g (2 cups) Whole wheat flour
- 160 g (1¼ cups) All-purpose flour
- 1 Egg wash beaten egg with 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp Sesame seeds or poppy seeds
Method
- Wet ingredients – Combine warm milk/ water, yeast, and sugar/honey in a large bowl. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. Add olive oil/melted butter, egg, salt, whole wheat flour, and all-purpose flour to the yeast mixture. Stir until a dough forms.240 g Warm milk , 50 g Egg , 60 g Melted butter, 30 g Sugar, 7 g Instant dry yeast, 5 g Salt, 260 g Whole wheat flour, 160 g All-purpose flour
- Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5-7 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
- Rise – Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Shape – Punch down the dough and divide it into 8-10 equal parts. Shape each part into a smooth ball.
- Proof – Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them apart. Flatten each ball slightly with your hand. Cover the buns with a damp towel and let them rise for another 30-45 minutes.
- Oven – Preheat the oven to 375°F /190°C/ Gas mark 5.
- Bake – Brush the tops of the buns with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.1 Egg wash, 2 tbsp Sesame seeds or poppy seeds
Notes
- Use warm water or milk: The liquid should be around 110°F/45°C to activate the yeast properly. Too hot or too cold water can affect the yeast’s ability to rise.
- Check the yeast: Make sure your yeast is fresh and active. If it doesn’t foam after sitting in the water and honey mixture for 5-10 minutes, it may be old and should be replaced.
- Knead the dough properly: Kneading helps develop gluten, which gives the buns structure and texture. Knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic.
- Let the dough rise properly: The dough should double in size during the first rise. This may take longer if your kitchen is cold. Be patient and let it rise until doubled.
- Shape the buns evenly: Divide the dough into equal parts and shape them into smooth balls. This will help ensure that the buns bake evenly.
- Allow for proper rising time: Let the shaped buns rise again until they have puffed up and are almost doubled in size before baking.
- Bake at the right temperature: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake the buns until they are golden brown. Under-baked buns may be doughy, while over-baked buns can be dry.
- Cool the buns before slicing: Let the buns cool on a wire rack before slicing them. This allows the buns to set and prevents them from becoming soggy.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
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I love homemade bread and these burger buns look so good, I need to try your recipe next time a want a proper burger!
Me too, Alina. Love homemade buns. I hope you try this one.
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!
Thank you, Brian. Yes, whole wheat does have a nice nutty flavor to it which works perfectly with BBQs
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.
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
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.
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.
Homemade bread is the best, and these buns look so “squishy” good. Perfect for all the burgers this grilling season!!
Absolutely Gloria.. These will be perfect with Burgers for sure.
This looks absolutely amazing. I love homemade buns. They just make burgers taste better.
They definitely make burgers taste better Kim. Nothing is better than homemade
I can’t believe these are homemade burger buns, you’ve done a great job..looks so soft and spongy.
Thank you Jagruti – Yes they are homemade buns and soft too!
These look like absolute perfection! Love the step by step photos too.
Thank you Catherine. They definitely are simple and easy.
Wow. These buns look incredible. Seriously better then anything you could buy.
Oh definitely better that store bought. Thanks Stephanine
These buns look amazing! They look so soft for whole wheat!
Thank you Emily. They are super soft.