Take your burger up a notch with homemade hamburger buns. Packed full of flavor and nutrients, these whole grain buns are a great addition to your favorite sandwich. Bake up a batch today and freeze the leftovers!

Now that it is officially summer, it is time for cookouts and backyard barbecues. I love being able to toss some chicken onto the grill. Or cook up a pair of steaks and serve it with veggies from the garden. Not only are grilled foods delicious but they also prevent me from having to heat up the kitchen with a hot stovetop. This is particularly handy since our home does not have central air.

Seasonal foods are delight to eat and enjoyable to create. During the winter it is a bowl of hardy soup, a pumpkin dessert in autumn, sautéed asparagus in the spring and plate after plate of watermelon, potato salad and corn on the cob throughout the summer months. To pair with all of those delicious summer side dishes, is a grilled burger topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, mustard and great deal of dill pickles. And of course all of that goodness sandwiched between two soft buns.

But those burger buns just can’t be made with any ol’ ingredients.

They’ve got to be homemade. Created with fresh ground flour. Velvety smooth. Soft but firm — to hold up all those toppings! Flavorful. And not overly sweet.

With all those requirements, a store bought bun just ain’t going to cut it.

Thankfully, making hamburger buns from scratch isn’t tricky or complicated. Just a little bit of time and a warm oven and you will have homemade burger buns ready by dinner.

These whole grain buns are made with hard red wheat flour to give them a slightly nutty flavor. I prefer to grind my own flour at home to receive all of the vitamins, minerals and oils but if you don’t have any wheat berries on hand, you can swap it with organic whole wheat flour. Just see the tips below before you begin.

What is Hard Red Wheat?

Hard red wheat is a low moisture type of grain that is grown in the US as well as many other countries. The wheat berry is high in protein, dark colored and has a nutty taste. Hard wheat is great for baking yeast breads due to its protein content. When baked, the hard red wheat gives the finished product a classic wheat appearance and is rich in flavor.

How to Shape Hamburger Buns

Take a piece of dough, roll between your hands to form into a ball. Pinch the bottom edges in towards the center of the bun. Place the bun seam side down onto a baking sheet.

Tools to Make Homemade Hamburger Buns

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Stand mixer
Grain mill (if you plan to grind your own flour)
Flour tea towel or plastic wrap
Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Pastry brush (for egg wash, optional)
Cooling rack

What is the Purpose of an Egg Wash?

An egg wash is typically made with an egg, either whole, yolk only or white only mixed with a small amount of water. To make an egg wash, mix the egg with one tablespoon of water. Use a pastry brush to stroke the egg wash across your baked good. An egg wash can be brushed onto the tops of buns to turn them golden brown, add shine to a baked good or used as “glue” to seal the edges of something such as a calzone.

What Can You Eat on a Hamburger Bun?

Hamburger
Grilled or fried chicken
Eggs, sausage or bacon to make a breakfast sandwich
Bbq pulled pork
Lunchmeat
Chicken salad
Egg salad
Tuna
Meatball sub
Fried fish to make a fish sandwich

Can You Freeze Hamburger Buns?

This hamburger bun recipe freezes well! To keep them fresh, toss them into a freezer bag. For extra protection, wrap each bun individually. Use within a couple of months.

Hamburger Bun Recipe

Makes: 8 buns

Ingredients

1/2 cup warm milk
1/2 warm water
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon honey or agave
1 teaspoon vital wheat gluten
4 1/2 cups freshly milled hard red wheat flour* (see note below if using whole wheat flour)
1 tablespoon yeast

Optional: 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)

How to Make Hamburger Buns With Fresh Ground Flour

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add water, milk, oil, honey, salt, vital wheat gluten and eggs. Mix to combine.

Add 2 cups flour and mix to create a batter. Add yeast and stir to incorporate. Slowly add remaining 2 1/2 cups of flour until a sticky dough has formed. Knead dough for 5 minutes. Cover bowl with dish cloth or flour towel and allow to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape into buns by rolling into a ball and pinching the edges to the bottom of the bun. Slightly flatten the top by pressing with your palm. Repeat with remaining pieces. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for about 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 350°. If using an egg wash, mix egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash. Bake buns for 18-20 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Note: If you’d like to make this homemade hamburger recipe but do not have wheat berries or a grain mill, you can swap the 4 1/2 cups of fresh ground flour for whole wheat flour. Do not add the vital wheat gluten.

More Recipes Using Fresh Ground Flour

Yield: 8 buns

Whole Grain Hamburger Buns

Ingredients

1/2 cup warm milk
1/2 warm water
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon honey or agave
1 teaspoon vital wheat gluten
4 1/2 cups freshly milled hard red wheat flour* (see note below if using whole wheat flour)
1 tablespoon yeast
Optional: 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add water, milk, oil, honey, salt, vital wheat gluten and eggs. Mix to combine.
Add 2 cups flour and mix to create a batter. Add yeast and stir to incorporate. Slowly add remaining 2 1/2 cups of flour until a sticky dough has formed. Knead dough for 5 minutes. Cover bowl with dish cloth or flour towel and allow to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape into buns by rolling into a ball and pinching the edges to the bottom of the bun. Slightly flatten the top by pressing with your palm. Repeat with remaining pieces. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for about 45 minutes.
Heat oven to 350°. If using an egg wash, mix egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash. Bake buns for 18-20 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Notes

If you’d like to make this homemade hamburger recipe but do not have wheat berries or a grain mill, you can swap the 4 1/2 cups of fresh ground flour for whole wheat flour. Do not add the vital wheat gluten.