Soft Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

There’s nothing quite like the taste of fresh, homemade bread, and these soft whole wheat hamburger buns take any burger to the next level. Made with simple ingredients, this easy recipe delivers fluffy, golden brown buns with just the right amount of chew.

Whether you need a small batch for a cozy dinner or a double batch for a backyard BBQ, this foolproof method ensures perfect results every time. Ditch the store-bought buns and enjoy the wholesome goodness of homemade.

I used to always buy whole wheat hamburger buns until I started reading ingredient labels…

But then I struggled with making my own because every recipe I tried wasn’t as soft as we wanted them to be,

So I did what I do best…I started fiddling around with a recipe. I added more of this, I added less of that, until I finally came up with a recipe that was as soft as we liked them, but still hearty enough to not fall apart while eating a juicy burger.

Than I had to cut the recipe down because most people don’t need 2-1/2 to 3 dozen hamburger buns at a time.

If you do happen to need that many, you can always double the recipe.

This whole wheat hamburger buns recipe makes 8 buns, just like you get from the store.

And while they are perfect for burgers of all kinds, they are also great for BBQ and all kinds of sandwiches.

Soft Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• Sesame seeds for sprinkling on top (optional)

For egg wash (Optional)

• 1 egg
• 1 Tablespoon water

Instructions

NOTE: I like to make my bread by hand with just a large mixing bowl and spoon or my Danish dough whisk. I have added instructions for using a stand mixer.

Add the milk, salt, and butter to a small saucepan. Warm the milk over medium heat just until the butter has melted. Remove from heat. Stir milk mixture until the salt has dissolved.

Put the whole wheat flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the milk mixture. Beat with a wooden spoon until well mixed. Cover the bowl with a cloth and allow to sit for 20 to 30 minutes.

Whole wheat flour absorbs liquid slower than white flour. Allowing the whole wheat flour and milk to sit gives the flour time to adsorb the liquid and helps to prevent your dough from becoming too dry.

After 20 to 30 minutes, beat in the yeast. Add 1 cup of white flour and mix that in.

Slowly add enough flour to bring the dough together in a sticky, shaggy ball.

Turn the dough out onto a LIGHTLY floured work surface.

DON’T ADD TOO MUCH FLOUR, THIS SHOULD BE A SLIGHTLY STICKY DOUGH.

Too much flour will make the dough too dry and will result in harder burger buns.

Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes, adding only enough flour to your hands to keep it from sticking.

If Using A Stand Mixer:

Warm the milk as above. Add whole wheat flour to bowl of stand mixer and add milk mixture. Cover and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes.

Add yeast and 1 cup flour and beat until well mixed. Slowly add enough flour until you get a shaggy mass on the paddle.

Change to dough hook and knead for 8 to 10 minutes.

First Rise

After kneading, place the dough in a greased bowl and turn it to grease the top. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.

Punch the dough down and turn onto a work surface. Shape into a disc and use a bench scraper or knife to cut into 8 equal sized wedges. OR use a kitchen scale to divide into 8 pieces by weight.

Second Rise

Form each dough piece into a ball and place on a baking sheet. With your hands, flatten each ball until they are all the same size. Space them out so they aren’t touching.

For easier clean up you can line your baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. Or you can use my favorite brand of baking sheet that is non stick.

Let rise again until the buns have doubled in size, about 30 to 40 minutes.

While the buns are rising, preheat your oven to 350°F.

After the second rise you can brush your homemade hamburger buns with melted butter or an egg wash. 

For the egg wash, beat one egg and one tablespoon of water with a fork until well blended. Brush on the tops with a pastry brush, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.

The egg wash gives the buns a beautiful golden brown color and acts as a glue to hold the sesame seeds in place.

Bake at 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove to a wire rack to cool. Let cool completely before slicing.

Use these whole wheat hamburger buns for burgers of all kinds, BBQ, or sandwiches. Or in a pinch, just slice and toast for a midday snack!

Enjoy!

More homemade breads you should try: