(Or hot dog buns, if that’s your thing. Not so much mine.)

If you’re like me (and I think at least some of you are), you’re usually pretty disappointed, at best, with store-bought hamburger buns – they have a weird sweetness to them (thanks, corn syrup and unnecessary sugar!), they squish like marshmallows (bread ain’t supposed to do that, folks), and they just don’t taste very good. If you want decent tasting buns, you have to shell out a good amount for them or go to a bakery.

My friends. I’m here to tell you, as you may have guessed from the title, that it doesn’t have to be this way. With a little forward planning, you can make hamburger buns at home with just a few ingredients and in a few hours (even fewer if your AC is broken, like ours – the rise times are cut in half! Hah). So if you’re teaming up with a buddy, partner, or spouse to have a cookout, you can make these on the same day as your delightful grilled treats. Or you can make everything yourself- I won’t judge.

This recipe follows a basic white sandwich bread recipe – the only difference is the shaping of the dough and addition of seeds, as well as baking time. You can adjust with different recipes (potato bread, wheat bread, etc.) and still get tasty (possibly even tastier) results.

Homemade Hamburger Buns

You will need:

• 1 1/4 c milk, heated to 100 degrees F
• 3 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 tsp yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 egg for eggwash
• sesame seeds, poppy seeds, etc. (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine milk, flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. If using the stand mixer, use the bread hook attachment and mix on low speed until the dough is soft and slightly sticky, about 3-5 minutes.
2. If using your own bare hands, lightly dust a counter with flour. Mix the ingredients in the bowl with a wooden spoon until combined, then turn the dough out onto the counter. Knead the dough until it becomes soft and slightly sticky, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Lightly oil a medium bowl. Place dough in bowl, turning the dough on all sides to coat. Cover with a cloth and allow to rise until roughly doubled, 1-2 hours, depending on the heat of your kitchen.
4. Punch down dough. Lightly flour a countertop or work surface. Form the dough into a ball, then cut the ball in half. Divide each ball into six pieces (a total of 12 small dough balls).
5. Place dough balls onto a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment paper about 1/2 inch apart (farther if you want all of the edges to be a bit crisp and golden). Flatten the balls into discs about 3-4 inches in diameter and 3/4-1 inch high. Cover and allow to rise until roughly doubled, 1-2 hours.
6. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine egg with 1 tbsp water to make an eggwash. Lightly coat each dough ball with eggwash, and top with seeds, if desired.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan once to ensure even browning. Allow to cool before slicing. Voila!