These homemade burger buns are made with whole wheat flour and are lightly sweetened with honey. They’re guaranteed to elevate your next burger!

Overhead shot of homemade burger buns on wire rack

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. 🙂

Honey whole wheat burger buns fresh from the oven

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. 😉

Homemade burger buns sliced on wire rack

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.
Process collage for honey whole wheat burger buns

How to make this recipe

For this particular whole wheat hamburger buns recipe, you can mix everything by hand, or use a stand mixer.  

  1. I used my stand mixer with the paddle attachment to combine all the ingredients together at first.
  2. 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.  
  3. 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.  
  4. From there, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, and shape into a flattened ball.   
  5. 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.  
  6. After that time, the dough is nice and puffy like photo #4.
  7. 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

Can this recipe be made in advance?

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.

Can burger buns be frozen?

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).

Front shot of whole wheat burger buns on wire rack

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

Homemade burger buns on a wire rack with linen underneath

Honey Whole Wheat Burger Buns

These homemade burger buns are made with whole wheat flour and are sweetened with honey. They're guaranteed to elevate your next burger!
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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

Serving: 1bun, Calories: 261kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 301mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

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