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Homemade bread is just better
It’s not always that we make homemade buns for burgers, hot dogs, or sandwich bread for sandwiches, etc. Sometimes, it’s just way more convenient to buy it at the store. And if you have a big crowd to feed, it might not even be worth it to bake your own bread. But even though convenience and ease do matter, homemade bread just tastes so much better than store-bought. It’s flavorful and soft, and when it’s freshly baked it just has the best texture. And if you disagree, you should make these brioche burger buns!
Soft and fluffy burger buns
These burger buns aren’t just regular buns. They’re brioche buns! What does that mean? You can think about it like this. A really rustic bread loaf, like our country bread, is made with just yeast, water, flour, sugar, and salt. That combination of ingredients is a lean bread dough, so it yields a final loaf that has a harder crust and an airier crumb. A regular loaf of sourdough also fits into this category. Enriched doughs, on the other hand, yield super soft bread with a tighter crumb but softer texture. What makes them enriched is added fats, like eggs, milk, sugar, and butter. That’s why brioche is so soft – it has plenty of those ingredients in it. Keep reading to learn how to make it!
Perfect for your summer barbecues!
We absolutely love eating our burgers with brioche buns. They’re so soft so they work really well as the base for the burger ingredients, and you can lightly toast them so they don’t get too soggy when you add all your toppings and sauces. The slight sweetness of the bread is also perfect with the savory burger, so the flavor balance is just as good as the textures. Top them with sesame seeds for that classic burger bun look and a bit of crunch and extra flavor, and you’ve got a winner on your hands. While many buns are just a vessel for the burger and toppings, these are so delicious in their own right, so you can also enjoy them as a base for sandwiches, such as breakfast sandwiches or pulled pork sandwiches, or you can simply toast them and enjoy with butter and jam.
Making brioche – tips and tricks
As mentioned earlier, brioche gets its beautifully soft and pillowy texture from added fats. And super soft brioche will typically have a really high ratio of butter to flour. We don’t take it that far, because we still want it to have enough structure that it won’t fall apart completely. So, there is a good amount of butter in these, but not as much as there could be. Our best tip for incorporating the butter properly is to make sure it’s softened – not melted or too hard – and to add it bit by bit. If you need, you can also add a bit of extra flour to help the dough come together, especially if adding the butter has made it too sticky. With these tips, you’ll find it pretty easy to make a successful batch of brioche burger buns.
Ingredients you’ll need
To make our brioche burger buns, you’ll need the following: yeast, milk, sugar, egg yolks, all-purpose or bread flour, salt, and softened butter. That’s just for the dough, and then to top them, you’ll need another egg yolk, milk, and sesame seeds. You can make these vegan by using vegan milk and butter and omitting the egg yolks, although the bread might lack the color and some of the soft texture that you see in our photos. You can also try substituting the sugar with other sweeteners like honey, although this could also change the taste or texture slightly. Otherwise, it’s a pretty straightforward bread recipe!
Here’s how to make our brioche burger buns
These are very simple to make if you’ve made any bread or bread rolls before. Start by mixing and kneading together all the ingredients other than the butter. Then, add this in bit by bit as the dough kneads in the mixer. If you’re doing it by hand, you can just knead for a few minutes, add some butter, knead for a minute or two more, add more butter, and so on. The dough might get a bit sticky, especially if you’re kneading it by hand, so feel free to add some more flour in small quantities until it’s more manageable.
Once you have a smooth and elastic ball of dough, let this proof. Next, shape the rolls, following the steps in our recipe below for the best outcome. Let these rise again, then brush with an egg wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and bake. You’ll then have beautiful brioche burger buns to enjoy with all your summer barbecues!
Brioche Burger Buns
These brioche burger buns are so soft and fluffy, with a slight sweetness that makes them the perfect partner to a juicy and savory burger.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp instant yeast (2.25 tsp active dry yeast, 17.5 fresh yeast)
- 200 ml milk
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 egg yolks (room temp)
- 400 grams all purpose or bread flour
- ¾ tsp salt
- 113 grams unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 egg yolk (for egg wash)
- 1 tbsp milk (for egg wash)
- Sesame seeds (for topping)
Instructions
- Heat up the milk, either in the microwave or in a saucepan, until it is “fingervarm” (finger warm), meaning it should feel warm to the touch but not hot. If using active dry or fresh yeast, add the yeast and the sugar and stir to dissolve. Let it rest 5-10 minutes until it begins to froth and bubble a little bit. If using instant yeast – just add the yeast, sugar, and heated up milk to a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer; you don't need to wait for it to bubble up, but if you're in doubt, check the instructions on your packet of yeast.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the yeast/milk/sugar mixture, and egg yolks. Stir well to combine.
- Add in the flour and the salt, starting to knead, either using your hands or the dough hook attachment on the stand mixer.
- Add in the softened butter, a tablespoon at a time, while kneading. Continue to knead until the butter is fully incorporated.
- Knead for another 7-10 minutes, until the dough is soft and stretchy, and not too sticky.
- Cover the dough and let it rise for about an hour.
- Once the dough has risen and about doubled in size, turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide into eight equal pieces. You can weigh the balls to be the most precise!
- Shape into round balls, then press down the tops to flatten them.
- Place the buns onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place a second baking sheet on the top to help keep the flatter shape, just for the first 5-10 minutes of the second rise.
- After 5-10 minutes of resting, remove the baking sheet on the top. Let the buns rest for another 20-25 minutes, until nice and puffy.
- While the buns are resting, preheat the oven to 375F (190C).
- Mix together an egg yolk and a tbsp of milk in a bowl to create an egg wash.
- When the buns are done rising, brush with the egg wash mixture.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top of the buns.
- Place buns in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until nice and golden in color.
- Remove from the oven and let cool. Slice in half, toast if preferred, and add your favorite burger toppings!
