Quick hamburger buns in just 30 minutes with 6 simple ingredients. These burger buns require no rising time, making them perfect for last-minute burger nights, impromptu cookouts, or to satisfy your kids cravings!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Quick Hamburger Buns Recipe Ingredients
Simple ingredients that make these quick hamburger buns possible:
- Instant Yeast (2 Tbsp): The secret to these quick homemade hamburger buns.
- Warm Water (1 Cup): Activates the yeast. The water should be warm (about 105-115°F), but not hot, which would kill the yeast.
- Vegetable Oil (⅓ Cup): Adds moisture and richness to the dough, resulting in a softer texture.
- Maple Syrup (2 Tbsp): Provides a touch of sweetness while also feeding the yeast for rapid action. For an alternative, check out the FAQ section.
- Eggs (2): One goes into the dough for structure and richness, while the other is used as an egg wash to create that beautiful golden top.
- All-Purpose Flour (3-3½ Cups): While all-purpose flour works perfectly, bread flour is an excellent alternative if you want a chewier texture with more structure.
- Salt (1 tsp)
- Sesame Seeds (optional): For that classic hamburger bun appearance and subtle nutty flavor.
Most of these ingredients are likely already in your pantry, making this an easy recipe for when the burger craving strikes. If you enjoy making breads, you may also enjoy my 5-Ingredient Greek Pita Breads, which use similar basic ingredients.
How to Make Quick Hamburger Buns from Scratch (Video Tutorial)
If you prefer to follow along visually, check out my video showing you exactly how to make my homemade buns.
8 Easy Steps for the Best Hamburger Buns
These quick hamburger buns come together in a few simple steps:
1. Activate the yeast: Combine instant yeast with warm water in a bowl and stir for a few seconds.
2. Add dough ingredients: Add the vegetable oil, maple syrup, and 1 egg into the yeast mixture. Whisk until well combined.
3. Add dry ingredients: Mix in the flour and salt. Start with 3 cups of flour and add more only if the dough feels too sticky.
4. Knead briefly: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3-5 minutes.
5. Shape the buns: Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet with enough space to expand.
6. Apply egg wash: Beat the remaining egg and brush it over the tops of the buns. This creates a beautiful golden color during baking and helps sesame seeds stick if you’re using them.
7. Preheat and rest: While you preheat the oven to 425°F, let the buns rest for 5-10 minutes. This is the only rest time in the entire recipe!
8. Bake: Place the buns in the preheated oven and bake for 8-15 minutes until golden brown. Then let it cool for 10 minutes
If you want it all from scratch, you should serve your burgers with my homemade 4-Ingredient Ketchup.
Variations
While these buns are perfect in their classic form, here are some variations to try:
- Herb-infused: Add 1-2 teaspoons of dried herbs like rosemary, thyme, or Italian seasoning to the dough for an aromatic twist.
- Garlic butter: Brush the buns with melted butter mixed with garlic powder instead of egg wash for a flavor reminiscent of Copycat Pizza Hut Garlic Parmesan Breadsticks
- Topping alternatives: Instead of sesame seeds, try poppy seeds, everything bagel seasoning, flaky salt, or grated Parmesan cheese.
Conclusion
These 30-minute quick hamburger buns prove that homemade bread doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. With just 6 simple ingredients and no rising time, you can have soft, fresh buns ready for your next burger night in less time than it would take to run to the store.
I’d love to hear how they turn out for you! Share your results in the comments below or tag me in your social media posts.
30 Minute Quick Hamburger Buns Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Instant Yeast
- 1 Cup Warm Water
- ⅓ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
- 2 Eggs
- 3 Cups All Purpose Flour or 3 ½
- 1 Tsp Salt
- Sesame Seeds (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir 2 Tbsp instant yeast and 1 cup warm water.
- Add ⅓ cup vegetable oil, 2 Tbsp maple syrup, and 1 egg, and give it a good mix to break up that egg yolk.
- Add 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1 tsp salt to the bowl and mix until you have shaggy dough.
- Transfer to a flat surface and knead for 3-5 minutes (If your dough is sticky add another 1-2 tbsp of flour.) Then divide your dough into 8 pieces and shape each one into a ball.
- Beat your remaining egg and brush generously over the tops of each bun (Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.)
- The only time your dough will sit (for 5-10 minutes) is while you preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Then bake for 8-15 minutes until golden. Allow to cool and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Frequently Asked Questions
Here’s a surprise… Carbonated water! Use ¼ cup of freshly opened sparkling water to replace 1 egg. The Kitchn tested 8 egg substitutes and carbonated water was their top pick for light, fluffy results.
If your dough sticks to your hands and work surface, gradually add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. However, be careful not to add too much, as this can make the buns dense. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky but manageable.
Yes! These buns can be made a day in advance. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
You can store cooled buns in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
You can freeze up to 3 months! Just make sure to wait for the buns to completely cool before placing it in a freezer-safe bag and removing as much air as possible.
Brush the tops with egg wash before baking! Beat 1 egg and brush it over the buns for that golden, glossy shine. No eggs? Use milk, melted butter, or heavy cream instead.
Yes, but you’ll need to proof it first. Dissolve the active dry yeast in the warm water with a pinch of sugar and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy before proceeding with the recipe.
You can replace up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. Using more may result in denser buns, so you might need to adjust the water slightly.
The buns should be golden brown on top and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the internal temperature should be around 190°F.
For the dough, you can substitute the egg with 3 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana. For the egg wash, brush the tops with milk or melted butter instead.
You can substitute honey, agave nectar, or even regular sugar in the same amount.
Yes! Mix the ingredients with the paddle attachment, then switch to the dough hook and knead for 3-4 minutes on medium-low speed.
Omg. I’ve yet to make the hamburger buns… but I have made her bagel and focaccia!!!!! So easy! So good!!! I’m thankful for your sharing your recipes!!!!
Hi Kim!!
Thank you so much for this sweet comment (: Lot’s more recipes coming your way soon… and I can’t wait to hear how your hamburger buns go.
Hi Kim so sorry I meant to leave you 5 stars oh no I click on 4 by mistake just realized it. I tried to revise but will not allow me do sorry
Don’t worry Sandy!! You’re the best (:
Making hamburger rolls today! I love all of her recipes! They are so easy and tasty. Best cook around. Thanks for making even a beginner become a baker
This is the sweetest compliment sandy!! Thank you so much. So glad you’re loving the buns and pro tip– try turning them into hot dog buns too (:
They came out great! My husband really likes them with his breakfast sandwiches.
They’re the best for breakfast! Especially because they’re so light and fluffy. I love how versatile this recipe is. I’m going to try a chocolate version or a cinnamon raisin version next time (:
We are snowed in and out of hamburger buns. I didn’t have the instant yeast, but did it anyways. Went together pretty easy. Came out beautiful.
Hi Andrea!!
So glad you liked the hamburger buns. You can replace instant yeast with active dry yeast anytime. Just add your water yeast and sugar first, let it sit for 10 minutes and continue with the rest of the ingredients (: Thanks for trying out my recipe.
Made them twice and they taste so good! I must be forming the balls wrong though because I keep getting splitting and they don’t look like the picture. How do you fix this?
These turned out just as described…thanks for the recipe!
I would like to preface this by saying this was entirely MY fault! I was frustrated with the recipe because my dough was so sticky, I ended up adding around 6 cups of flour, and it was still sticky. I was wondering what went wrong, if my house was too warm- I realized I added both eggs into the dough and didn’t put into account the OTHER egg was for the wash. I’m sure the buns will be fine since they’re in the oven right now. I just wanted to share my experience in case someone else has this problem! I’ve been in the trenches with a grumpy toddler so I was too distracted to read closely. I’m looking forward to these!
What can I substitute for the maple syrup, is plain old sugar ok?
Sugar is totally okay! You can also substitute with honey.
Made a half batch and it turned out super good and it was really easy. I subbed maple syrup for brown sugar and it worked just fine. Also I added a bit more flour while kneading. Overall great, simple, fast recipe, thanks!
So happy to hear it Mari! Great substitution. You can use honey as another substitute as well. Thanks for sharing (:
My dough was very wet with 3 cups of flour so I worked some more in while kneading. I’m new to baking bread and mine turned out excellent! Baked for about 13 minutes. Such a great recipe!
Hi Lisa!! I’m so glad the hamburger buns went well for you. Thank you for sharing that with me (:
Hiiii! How long will these keep for? In other words, how many days in advance can I make a batch?
You can make them and freeze them for up to 3 months! I put mine in the freezer even if I’m using them the next day because for me it’s the easiest way to store them and keep them soft. Make sure you cut them in half before freezing them tho!
Did these as a quick bun was required.
These are delicious and very easy to make.
Flavour and crust just right with a nice soft inner.
Paired these with black bean burgers, salad, tomatoes and courgette fritters (onion, pot, 2 eggs and seasoning).
Shared recipe with wider family. Normally use honey (Italian mate told ento use) but the maple syrup adds a subtle flavour. Thank you for sharing.
So happy to hear that it went well!! Those burgers sounds so delicious WOW. I go between honey and maple syrup too but had to go back to my canadian roots (:
Five stars because the flavor was great, but they were SO dense and doughy! What could I be doing wrong? I want that fluffiness they are supposed to have!
Glad it tasted great!! Maybe knead it for a bit longer to incorporate more air and press your buns down slightly before baking. You can also try replacing oil and water for butter and milk (:
The buns baked up perfectly. Both my son and husband enjoyed them.
The dough worked up easily. Liquid is added to the flour.
Thinking I will try them as a dinner roll.
I’m so happy to here that Glenda! Let me know how they go as dinner rolls (: I would recommend swapping out the water for milk and the oil for butter to make them extra fluffy!
Thank you so much for sharing these easy bread recipes! I’ve always been intimidated to make burger buns because most recipes call for a stand mixer, but I love how easy these came together! Even my 4 year old enjoyed helping; although we did accidentally add both eggs and forgot the salt the first time we made them, somehow they still tasted good! Just made them again following the recipe exactly and they are so so so good, way better and healthier than store bought, not to mention more cost effective! Thanks again, I look forward to trying other of your recipes soon.
AHH kylie this is so sweet!! I’m so happy to see you and your 4 year old are baking. Yes baking is so much more forgiving than it’s given credit for. Just today I overfermented one of my doughs, and while many might have thought it was garbage, I turned it into tortillas instead (: Can’t wait to hear what other recipes you try!!
So freaking good!!
Thanks for making it easy!!
So glad you liked it Jennifer!! (:
In the last 10 days, I have made these three times! They get better every time. Yesterday, my niece, her husband, and their three kids came over for the morning and lunch. I made sloppy Joe’s and Audrey my great niece and I made the hamburger buns again! That was my third time. I let her do all the work, I showed her how to measure out flower properly, and then we got into kneading of course I let her do it. She asked how long do we do this? I told her until it feels right. She looked at me and I said trust me, she did, of course. Then when it came to the point where the door was smooth, soft touch and all that good stuff I told her she was done kneading & we talked about how it changed. We finished making them & they were delicious again.
Thanks for sharing ????
Teresa
WOW Teresa this made me so happy to hear!! What a absolute treat to have your great niece baking along with you, and I hope you sparked a life long interested in baking for her!! I’m so glad you’re loving the hamburger buns and with 4th of july coming up, pro tip… you can shape them into hot dog buns too! I’ve got a tutorial on my site. Thanks for sharing this story with me, and keep them coming (:
Can you use gluten free flour for hamburger buns. Thank you
You can but be aware you may not get the same fluffy texture! There are some really good blogs that exclusively make gluten free breads and I would recommend using one of their recipes for the best result (:
These were easy and quick just like you said. Thanks for the recipe. I used my stand mixer to make it easy. My granddaughter helped shape the buns and was happy with the result.
So happy to hear this Pamela and I’m so glad you’re grand daughter is getting in on the baking action too (: Hope you enjoyed!!
Can you use avocado oil instead of vegetable oil?
Absolutely! Any oil will work great.
This was QUICK, EASY, and DELISH!! I used butter instead of oil and it still turned out AMAZING. Definitely will be using again.
WOOO Sarah I’m so happy to hear that!! I swap out butter sometimes too and you can also do milk instead of water for an extra fluffy dough.
Even though I used your bread recipe and it comes out perfect every time btw, I still hesitated to try buns for some reason. But hello, these came out perfect too! And believe I know nothing about baking! All I do is follow the recipe instructions and bam they’re great! ????
So, thank you for turning this guy into a baker! ????????
Darren I am soooo happy to hear that!!! What an absolute compliment, thank you. I will keep the recipes coming, and you let me know if you have any special requests (:
Made these tonight for dinner since the family wanted burgers! I was a little nervous to make them but it was so quick and easy and they turned out delicious!!
I’m so happy to hear that Samantha!! Absolute music to my ears. These are one of my favourite breads to make!
My car’s in the shop which means I couldn’t just run to the store, so it was a good time to try this hamburger bun recipe I’ve had my eye on. Fast and super easy. I added some everything bagel seasoning on top. I’ll be making these often!
WOW this is the perfect example of when this recipe comes in handy!!! I’m so glad it worked out for you and hope that you make it many, many more times (:
I did not get the results you mention, soft hamburger buns. Mine turned out quite dense. Way too high for a small mouth like my daughter. Any recommendations? I did follow the recipe using your instructions with one variation, I do not have instant yeast but dry active yeast.
Duane Stegall
Your dough may not have risen enough because of the swapped yeast! You can use active dry yeast, just let the yeast with in the water with sugar for 10 minutes to froth up before adding the other ingredients. And if the buns are too big you can divide them into 10-12 pieces (:
Love your recipes! Just a question, why do my rolls never hold shape and always get really flat? Do i need more flour?
Hi Lisa! If your rolls are going flat your flour most likely absorbs water differently than mine, so you need to use more flour. The dough should not be sticky and it should hold its shape. Thank you so much for your kind words
I made these last night for bacon cheeseburgers. It is definitely a quick recipe and my family loved these buns. This will be my go-to recipe for burger nights.
Lynn, that sounds like a great burger night! I’m so happy the buns worked out and that they’re becoming your go-to recipe.
These were wonderful & will be using this recipe again& again. Curious if anyone has modified or tried this as a basis for a sweet roll?
Elona, I’m so glad you enjoyed them! You actually could experiment with this as a sweet roll base. I’d probably add a little sugar to the dough and then fill with something like cinnamon sugar or jam before rolling. Could be really fun to try!
I absolutely love this recipe! Used it many, many times and it always turns out perfectly soft, delicious buns! Thank you!
Bea, that’s the best kind of feedback! I’m so happy the buns have been reliable for you every time. Thanks so much for coming back to the recipe!