Whole Wheat Burger Buns
These homemade burger buns are made with whole wheat flour and are lightly sweetened with honey. They’re guaranteed to elevate your next burger!
Happy June 1! You know what that means, don’t you? Summer’s about to start, and grilling season is in full swing. The men in my house love their burgers, so I grill them often. Grilled burgers and turkey burgers are pretty much on repeat!
A few weeks ago I made homemade whole wheat burger buns for the first time, and I’ve already made them again.
These soft, fluffy buns really elevated the burgers, so there’s no going back now. They’ve definitely found a regular spot in the rotation. 🙂
If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that I used to have a phobia for yeast bread. To say that I was intimidated was an understatement.
I forced myself to get out of my comfort zone last year with my Focaccia Bread, and going to cooking school was like boot camp for bread baking. 🙂 I love making yeast breads now — and there’s nothing like the smell (or taste) of freshly baked bread.
I adapted this recipe from my King Arthur Flour baker’s cookbook, which has been dog-eared for a long time now. They’re titled Beautiful Burger Buns, which is accurate, because these golden brown buns are beauties. 😉
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- These whole wheat burger buns are the perfect thing for the yeast bread novice — they’re so easy to make!
- This recipe requires just 20 minutes of hands-on prep work. The rest of the time is spent letting the dough rise or bake in the oven.
- I know this is a “homemade burger buns” recipe, but you can also use these buns for sloppy joes, pulled pork sandwiches, and so much more.
Recipe ingredients
The wonderful thing about yeast bread recipes like these easy homemade hamburger buns is that the ingredients list is simple. I love knowing exactly what’s in my food!
Ingredient notes
- Flour. I used a blend of all-purpose and whole wheat flour. You may use just all-purpose flour, if desired.
- Instant yeast. Make sure your yeast is in date. If the yeast is too old, the dough may not rise properly.
- Sea salt. If using regular table salt, add less than 1 teaspoon. Table salt is more finely milled, therefore you need less of it.
- Honey. Adds a slight sweetness to the dough that complements the hearty whole wheat flour nicely.
How to make this recipe
For this particular whole wheat hamburger buns recipe, you can mix everything by hand, or use a stand mixer.
- I used my stand mixer with the paddle attachment to combine all the ingredients together at first.
- Then, I replaced the paddle with my dough hook and kneaded the dough for only 3-5 minutes until it was smooth and the dough pulled away from the sides.
- Photo #1 above is the dough before the first rise. After 1 hour in a warm spot, you can see in photo #2 that it’s more than doubled in size.
- From there, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, and shape into a flattened ball.
- Next, place the flattened dough on a lightly oiled baking pan and cover with plastic as shown in photo #3, for 30-40 minutes more for the second rise.
- After that time, the dough is nice and puffy like photo #4.
- Bake the burger buns. For a nice golden brown color, I brush the puffy dough lightly with the egg wash, sprinkled on some sesame seeds, and pop them into the preheated oven.
Tip: If it’s a cold day, the dough will take longer to rise. You can speed things up by turning on your oven and placing the container close by.
FAQ’s
Yes, you can make the buns the day before and they’ll still have that fresh-baked flavor the next day. I don’t recommend baking them further in advance than that, as they’ll dry out over time.
Yes, let them cool to room temperature and then freeze in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw on the counter (it’ll take about 20 minutes).
Recipe substitutions
- Whole wheat flour. Despite the fact that these homemade burger buns have whole wheat flour in them, they’ve still got a nice, soft texture. If you prefer white burger buns, just sub out the whole wheat flour with all-purpose.
- Butter. Can likely be substituted with margarine if you need to keep this recipe dairy-free.
- Egg wash. The egg wash on top is technically optional, but recommended for achieving perfectly golden brown burger buns.
Recipe notes
- I love freezing half of the batch for the next burger night. Doubling the recipe is also a great idea in order to freeze extras for company, because they really impress.
- The first time I made these burger buns without using an egg wash, and the browning wasn’t nearly as even as I would’ve liked it to be.
- The container that I used for the first rise is tall and skinny, which is ideal for a better rise. The yeast is kept somewhat compacted, which gives you quicker and better results in the dough-rising department.
More easy burger recipes:
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Honey Whole Wheat Burger Buns
Ingredients
For the buns:
- 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup water lukewarm
- 2 tablespoons butter melted and cooled
- 1 large egg beaten lightly
- 2 tablespoons honey
For the egg wash:
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons water
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Lightly oil a 4 quart food storage container. Set aside.
- Place the flours, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk lightly to combine.
- Place on the mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the water, butter, egg, and honey, and stir just until combined.
- Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook and turn on low speed, kneading until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides.
- Place the dough into the oiled container, seal with the lid, and place in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Once the dough has risen, remove from the container using a bench scraper and place on the counter or work surface — no flour is required. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and form into slightly flattened discs and place on a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet.
- Cover with plastic and allow the dough to rise 30-40 minutes, or until nice and puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and prepare the egg wash. Place the egg yolk and 2 teaspoons of water in a small bowl and mix until incorporated.
- Remove the plastic from the buns and brush each bun with the egg wash by tapping a light coating evenly over the top. You will not need all of the egg wash.
- Sprinkle on the sesame seeds, if using, and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the buns are golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack, and when they've cooled, split using a serrated knife.
Notes
- Total Time above includes prep time, cook time, 1 hour for the first rise, and 45 minutes for the second rise.
- When shaping dough, do not use extra flour. If the dough is very sticky, use a bit of canola oil on your hands and work surface.
- Serve within 2 days, or freeze in zip top bags.
- Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour’s Beautiful Burger Buns recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
42 Comments on “Whole Wheat Burger Buns”
I’ve been wanting to bake a batch of homemade burger buns and these look perfect, Marcie. Yay for summer grilling! I hope you had a great weekend!
Thank you, Ashley! I’m so excited about summer grilling, too, and these buns will be making an appearance very often. 🙂 Have a great week!
I need hamburger buns so much so how awesome is it that these look so good and I can make them in my own kitchen! Awesome recipe lady!
Thanks, Pamela! They taste SO much better than store bought…I hope you can give them a try soon! 🙂
I’ve wanted to make homemade buns for a long time! These look marvelous. I’m definitely going to have to check out one of those containers you used for getting the dough to rise. I need all the help I can get when it comes to yeast 🙂
Thank you, Christin! I used to use a container that’s way too big for yeast dough (the few times I made it), and my instructor said tall and skinny is best. It’s nice having a container just for that, because I intend to make a lot more yeast breads in the future. 🙂 This is a great first recipe to get over the yeast bread hump. haha
I love honey in bread 🙂 These look like they turned out absolutely perfectly. Awesome recipe.
Thank you! Honey always makes bread better in my book, too. 🙂
Marcie, these buns look amazing! I love the smell of yeast bread. I definitely need to make these especially that now is grilling time 😀
Thank you, Cindy! There’s nothing like the smell of yeast bread, and these buns made my kitchen smell like the best kind of bakery. 🙂
These look gorgeous, Marcie, and just in time for all the summer BBQs. Thank you for sharing them!
Thank you, Monet! These will be making a regular appearance this summer for sure. 🙂
I am excited for summer, as well! While I do grill year round, summer is always the best time. Have a good day, Meghan! 🙂
I hear you on the buns…I’m picky about mine, too, Kelly! This recipe is a great place to start — it’s really easy and I think you’ll love ’em! 🙂
Attempting to make these this upcoming weekend. Wish me luck, somehow I always screw up anything with yeast. 🙂
This is such a straight-forward recipe, and I think you’ll do great. I don’t think you’ll need it, but good luck! 🙂
Oh my gosh – these look amazing Marcie! I’ve never made homemade buns before, but you’ve totally sold me! And, you’re exactly right –>”there’s nothing like the smell (or taste) of freshly baked bread”. That smell alone will get anyone cooking in the kitchen! And, they should be…making these Whole Wheat Burger Buns! Yum!!!
When I was reading your sausage and peppers burger post, I was thinking I had to make them with these homemade buns…double yum! 🙂 🙂 Thanks, Kristi, and again, I’m glad to see you back!
I like your buns Marcie (not in a creepy way – ha). I haven’t attempted to make my own and glad your shared your recipe… pinning! And it is definitely time for grilling season! I’m ready for that – hope you have a good week!!
You seriously made me laugh out loud, Deb, and I wouldn’t take that in a creepy way coming from you. haha Have a wonderful week, and thanks for the pin! 🙂
Yay for grilling season! You definitely can’t beat the smell of fresh homemade bread – I haven’t made homemade burger buns yet and that needs to change because these look perfect! I love the honey and whole-wheat flour in here too they sound amazing – pinned 🙂
Thank you, Kelly! These are so easy and I wished I tried them sooner — my recipe was dog-eared WAY too long with no activity. 🙂 Have a great day!
These look absolutely perfect … as if you’ve just gone and bought them from a bakery! Love that touch of honey sweetness you’ve added. I actually needed these today for the veggie burgers I made – they would have been just the job!
Thank you, Helen! They sure made my house smell like a bakery. 🙂 Veggie burgers sound delicious…now all I need is some of those! Hope you have a wonderful day. 🙂
I love homemade burger buns! They are the best! And I really like the honey in this recipe – they look awesome! I need to make a big batch so I have them ready to go this summer : )
I’ve been inspired by you and a few other bloggers to get in there and make my own buns, and really was worth it! I plan to stock the freezer because you just never know. I’m going to have trouble looking at store bought buns from now on. haha
Exams must make it really hard to eat right — you just gotta grab what’s available! Homemade is the way to go for sure — it’s so much better tasting and better for you with the whole grains and unprocessed ingredients. Thanks, Tashiana! 🙂
Looks very tasty!
Thanks for sharing
These homemade buns look marvelous! They are a good reminder to me to put on some sesame seeds. I usually forget! 🙂
Thank you, Julia! I forgot to top them with sesame seeds the first time, so I put them out the second time so I’d remember. haha Have a great weekend!
These buns look awesome! I can’t wait to try them…my family will love them. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Jodee! Burgers just aren’t the same without them now. 🙂 Have a great Monday!
Just in time for burger grilling time! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Thank you for hosting, Karly! 🙂
A recipe to keep! Even I don’t eat a lot of burgers, it’s so hard to find whole wheat buns in México. Thanks to your recipe I can bake my own!
I hope you enjoy the recipe, Azu, and thanks for stopping by! 🙂
I might try these using 100% whole wheat, but using the white whole wheat. Trying to eat much less refined flour, so looking for ways to add in whole wheat. The white wheat variety is lighter in texture and flavor. If I try them I’ll let you know!
That sounds like a great idea, Martha, and I’d love to hear how they turn out! 🙂
Made these today, thank you for the fantastic recipe
I’m glad you enjoyed them!
I have to keep my apartment a little cool due to a breathing issue, but I’ve found the perfect way to have a toasty warm place to let my bread dough rise. My microwave is above the stove and I’ve found if I leave the little light on, the inside of the microwave is really warm and a perfect place for the bread to rise.
That is a great tip!