Homemade Hamburger Buns - #Recipe

The weather is warmer and it is time to fire up the grill! I know people take great pride in their BBQ prowess, so why put your hard work on a ho-hum store bought bun?

Making your own hamburger buns really take it up to the next level. AND they are so easy to make. It is so easy to customize the toppings and dough flavor depending on what you will be serving them with.

For this recipe I will be using a hamburger bun pan from King Arthur. It is not necessary but does help to make sure the buns are uniformly round. They taste the same, so don't be intimidated if you don't have a pan.

You will need:

• 3/4 c. lukewarm water
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 2 tsp. yeast
• 1 large egg
• 2 Tbsp. butter or oil
• 2 tsp. potato flakes (also labeled as instant potatoes or mashed potatoes)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. onion powder, optional 
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. dry cheese powder
• 2 3/4 c. AP flour (all-purpose) You can also use a mixture of AP and whole wheat.
• Topping of choice. I used sesame seeds
• 1 egg white and water for the egg wash

First proof your yeast with the honey, lukewarm water and yeast. Let it sit for 5 -10 minutes untill it foams up. This will "wake" it up and save you the heart brake of finding out later your yeast is too old. I buy mine in large blocks at Costco to save money.

Then add all the dough ingredients into your stand mixer (All but the final 2 ingredients).

You can also do this by hand, but the stand mixer does it in considerably less time. The dough should come away from the sides. If it is too sticky add a small amount of flour. Let it knead for 5 minutes.

Then place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a damp tea towel to rise for about an hour. The dough should double in size.

Divide the dough into 6 even balls and flatten them into the bottom of your pan. If you don't have a bun pan, just shape and bake on silpat or parchment paper. Use the bottom of a clean glass to flatten them a little.

Cover the pan and let it rise for another hour, or until the buns have doubled in size. Near the end of their rise, set the oven for 375 degrees and place a heat safe dish on the lower rack. I use an old pie tin for this.

Place the buns in the oven and then add 2 cups of hot water to your pie tin. The steam will form right when the water hits that hot dish, so close the oven door quickly to trap in steam. Bake for 10 minutes, then take the buns out of the oven.

Brush the tops with your egg white and water mixture. This is also the time to sprinkle on your bun topping. The egg wash will help it stick to the top. Bake for another 5- 8 minutes until the hamburger buns are golden brown on top.

Now you can really rock the BBQ this summer! Enjoy!