meyerbaker.com

These homemade hamburger buns are everything store-bought buns wish they could be: soft, fluffy, lightly sweet, and rich enough to complement a great burger without stealing the spotlight. Made with mashed potato (the perfect use for leftovers!) and fresh-milled whole wheat flour, they bake up tender, golden, and topped with sesame seeds for that classic finish.

You can start the dough after lunch and have warm buns ready by dinner. They freeze beautifully – especially when sliced – so you can always be just a toaster-warm away from a homemade burger night. Better flavour, better texture, and better for you than anything you’ll find at the grocery store.

Ingredients for Perfect Buns:

The Foundation & Flavor

• Water (Lukewarm): This is the ideal starter. Lukewarm water not only efficiently activates the yeast but also ensures the dough begins at the correct temperature for consistent rising. Feeling indulgent? Substitute the water with lukewarm milk for added richness.
• Mashed Potato: This is the secret to ultimate tenderness! The starch in the potato contributes a lovely softness and helps the buns stay fresh longer. This is a perfect use for plain dinner leftovers (milk, cream, or sour cream additions are welcome!). If starting fresh, boil your potatoes until very soft, mash well, and cool completely before adding.
• Eggs & Butter: These two ingredients work in tandem. Both are essential for adding richness and noticeable tenderness to the final bun. The butter also imparts a beautiful flavor that keeps the bread soft, ensuring your bite into the burger is just right.

Sweetness, Salt, and Rise

• Sugar: A small amount is crucial for two reasons: it aids the yeast in its rise and, more importantly, it helps bring out the nuanced flavor of the bread. Feel free to substitute with honey if you prefer a more natural sweetener, but do not omit it entirely.
• Salt: Just the right amount is key for flavour control and balancing the yeast activity. I prefer using Olsson’s Table Sea Salt (18 grams). If you are substituting with kosher salt, be sure to increase the amount to 22 grams.
• Dried Yeast: My go-to for reliability and convenience. It’s easy to find and very consistent. If you prefer to use fresh yeast and have it on hand, substitute the 12 grams of dried yeast with 24 grams of fresh yeast. Remember to keep the yeast separate from the salt during the initial measuring phase.

Achieving Structure and Sophistication

• Bread Flour: Essential for building a strong, airy rise. The higher protein content in bread flour creates a robust gluten network that gives the dough the strength and structure needed to be both light and fluffy, even with all the added richness from the butter and eggs.
• Whole Wheat Flour: Adding just 20% fresh-milled whole wheat flour lends superior nutrition, deeper colour, and a sophisticated flavor profile. I find this proportion also aids in digestibility. If you don’t have whole wheat flour on hand, you can substitute with additional all-purpose flour, but I highly recommend trying the whole wheat for the best results.

Finishing Touches

• Egg Wash: Crucial for achieving that beautiful, deep golden color and a subtle sheen. Whisk one egg with a pinch of salt and gently brush it over the top and sides of the shaped buns after their final proof. Take care not to deflate the fully proofed dough.
• Sesame Seeds: For that classic, all-American hamburger aesthetic. If sesame isn’t your preference, feel free to use poppy seeds, a sprinkle of flaky salt, or leave them plain – the burger will still be delicious!

Homemade Hamburger Buns with Potato and Fresh Milled Flour

These soft, fluffy hamburger buns get their perfect texture from mashed potato and fresh-milled whole wheat flour. They bake up beautifully golden and make any burger night feel special. The recipe yields 14 buns – great for feeding a crowd or stocking the freezer. You can absolutely halve the batch, but I love having extra tucked away for last-minute burger cravings.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 14

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 220 g lukewarm water
• 2 eggs
• 92 g butter
• 90 g sugar
• 18 g salt
• 560 g bread flour
• 120 g whole wheat flour
• 12 g dried yeast
• 340 g mashed potato cube and boil potatoes until super soft, then strain and allow to cool – or use leftover mashed potato
• egg wash
• handful of sesame seeds, for sprinkling

Method

 

1. Weigh the water and yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix together.
2. Add the remaining ingredients, ending with the flours, sugar and salt.
3. Using your hand, mix everything together till just incorporated, then scrape your hand clean and knead the dough with a hook attachment in the mixer. Start with 5 minutes on speed 1, then increase to speed 2 and mix until the dough looks smooth and you get a window pane when you stretch a piece of dough between your fingers – this will take around 15-20 minutes. You will need to scrape the bowl down a couple times during mixing, as the dough will be very sticky.
4. Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Let the dough rise until almost doubled, about 1 hour.
5. Deflate the dough and portion it into 14x 105g pieces. Round the portions into tight balls, then place onto lined and lightly greased trays. Press each ball down with your hand to flatten the bun – this will help it proof wider instead of taller. Then allow to proof for about 1-2 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
6. Towards the end of the final proof (the buns will be very puffy), preheat the oven to 375 F/ 190 C. Brush the rolls carefully with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
7. Place the rolls in the oven and immediately lower it to 180℃/350℉. Bake for about 20-25 mins, rotating halfway. You're aiming for an internal temp of 190-200℉ and buns with a lovely golden brown colour!

Loved baking with potato for that incredible texture? Your next recipe awaits! These Potato and Sour Cream Dinner Rolls are a little more indulgent, surprisingly simple to prepare, and guaranteed to impress every dinner guest.