The best burger buns

by Andrea Gámez

This is the best burger buns recipe. It is a milk bread that is soft and very fluffy. These buns are very airy on the inside, colorful and full of flavor. This is not a brioche bun, but a simple milk bread that is great to use for burgers of all kinds.

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The best burger buns

As for what kind of bun to use for burgers, I think it depends a lot on what we put inside a burger, the type of meat and toppings we use. The bun should complement those flavors and the toppings to perfection.

One of our most famous recipes is our hamburger brioche buns, which come out great everytime. The difference between that recipe and this one is that that one is to make brioche buns, which in itself makes them a little sweeter and the directions different.

This burger buns recipe is a little easier to make and has a more neutral flavor that is perfect for almost any type of burger you want to make. It has a lot of air bubbles on the inside that are noticeable when you cut it in half. In addition, it is one of those breads that bounces back slowly after pressing the top of it, returning to its original shape, which is wonderful.

It is a pleasure to eat this bread, because the texture and taste are unbeatable!

The best burger buns recipe

In the recipe we first make a tangzhong, which is a flour paste that is used to improve the texture of many types of bread, and in this recipe that is the key factor. Now don’t be scared, because although the name sounds weird, it’s a simple thing to make.

How to make burger buns

If you like this recipe, you have to check out, of course, our hamburger brioche buns, but also our brioche loaf bread that I assure you will love!

The best burgers buns

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Restimg time 3 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Course Breakfast, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 9

Ingredients
  

For the tangzhong:

  • 2 1/2 tbsp (0.70 oz) (20 gr) wheat flour (special for bread, with 13-14% gluten)
  • 1/3 C + 2 tbsp (3.55 fl oz) (105 ml) whole milk

For the dough:

  • 2 1/4 tsp (0.25 oz) (7 gr) dry active yeast
  • 2 1/2 tbsp (1.23 oz) (35 gr) white sugar
  • 2/3 C (5.41 fl oz) (160 ml) whole milk
  • All the tangzhong
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 1/2 C (11.28 oz) (320 gr) milk powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp (0.25 oz) (7 gr) salt
  • 3 tbsp (1.58 oz) (45 gr) unsalted butter
  • 1 egg yolk, beaten to brush the buns with
  • Unsalted butter, melted (enough quantity to brush the buns)

Instructions
 

For the tangzhong:

  • In a small pan (off the heat) add the flour with the milk and mix with a spoon until smooth.
  • Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook the mixture, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, for 3-4 minutes until slightly thicker.
  • Remove the pan from the heat, pour the mixture into a small bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let it cool down completely.

For the dough:

  • In a large bowl place the yeast, sugar, and whole milk and mix with a spoon. Let it sit for 15 minutes for the yeast to activate.
  • After the time has passed, add all the tangzhong, milk powder, egg, and egg yolk and mix very well using a wooden spoon.
  • Add in the flour and salt and mix with the same wooden spoon or with your bare (clean) hands until a sticky dough forms. Place the dough on a clean counter and knead by beating (against the counter) and folding the dough over itself for 10 minutes until it holds better. It should feel more like a dough.
  • Add the butter to the dough and knead for 5-7 more minutes until all the butter is integrated and the dough is smooth and feels more elastic. It is important not to add more flour (its is not needed) as the kneading is what will shape the dough (the whole kneading process can also be done in a mixer with the dough hook).
  • Once ready, form the dough into a ball and place it in a clean bowl with a little oil to prevent it from sticking. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 1 hour and a half to double in size.
  • While the dough is rising, this is optional, cut 9 pieces of the width of the aluminum foil roll by 30 cm long and fold them onto themselves o form strips of about 1 cm wide. Once the strips are ready, form 10 cm diameter rings using a stapler (these rings will serve as molds for the bread).
  • Grease a large baking pan with a little butter. Once the dough has doubled in size, place it on a clean, floured work surface and divide it into 9 equal parts of approximately 3.17 oz (90 gr) each.
  • Take a portion of dough and shape it into a ball by inserting your fingertips under it. Then, take the dough ball with all the fingers of one hand and turn it over itself making firm circular movements with your hand. Place the formed ball on the baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap so that it does not dry out.
  • Repeat the same process with the remaining pieces of dough. If you are going to use aluminium foil rings to bake the breads, place each dough ball inside a ring and flatten it a little with your hands or an oiled bowl. If you are not going to use the aluminium strips to bake the breads, it is important to place the dough balls at least 5 cm apart from each other so that they do not stick together during baking.
  • Cover the baking tray with plastic kitchen wrap or a kitchen towel and let the breads rise again for 1 hour until they double in size.
  • Preheat the oven to 365º F (185° C). Once the buns have doubled in size, brush them with the beaten egg yolk using a kitchen brush and bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.
  • Once ready, remove the burger buns from the oven, brush them with the melted butter and let them cool for at least 15 minutes. They keep perfectly at room temperature in a tightly closed plastic bag for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Homemade burger buns

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