Make Your Own Hamburger Buns

There is something very comforting about the smell of freshly baked bread.

This past Christmas, I received a few new cookbooks and one of them has a recipe for Hawaiian Grilled Cheeseburgers. We have been grilling pineapple and putting them on cheeseburgers occasionally, but that recipe took the sandwich to new heights.

To keep on the level of awesomeness of the cheeseburger recipe, I decided to try my hand at making homemade buns.

And let me tell you I was amazed and overjoyed at how easy they were and how well they turned out! It doesn't take much to make me happy, but a good recipe always does.

Here are a few tips before starting:

• Make sure the warm water you are using for the yeast is at least 110 -115 degrees, but not so hot it kills the yeast

• Test your yeast to make sure it's still good. Use a small amount of yeast and warm water mixture, if it's not foamy and alive after 5 to 10 minutes your yeast is probably bad.
• 
  
• I let my dough rise a little longer than 10 minutes (I got busy cleaning up the kitchen so maybe 20 minutes) and it did not hurt it one bit.

• This recipe makes 1 dozen normal size buns or you can divide into 8 or 10 pieces for larger hamburger buns or even smaller for slider buns.

• For something different, you can brush the tops with melted butter as they come out of the oven and sprinkle on salt, rosemary or dehydrated onion pieces, etc.

Easy Homemade Hamburger Buns

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons active dry yeast

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (110° to 115°)

1/3 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon salt

3 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Mix together warm water and yeast, then add egg and oil and flour

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add oil and sugar then let stand for 5 minutes.

Add the egg, salt and enough flour to form a soft dough.

Mix together ingredients

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes. I used my KitchenAid mixer to mix and knead the dough but you can do it by hand.

Once a soft dough forms knead with a mixer or by hand

No need to let the dough rise yet. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. I am not a perfectionist nor a professional. I “eyeball” the pieces but you may want to weigh them with a scale to get each one exact.

Divide dough into desired amount of pieces 

Now shape each dough piece into a smooth ball and place 3 inches apart on greased baking sheets.

Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. I use Saran wrap coated with cooking spray to cover the dough. Mine actually got a little more rise time and it didn't hurt them one bit.

Cover and let rise

Bake at 425° for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from pans onto wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 1 dozen normal size buns or divide into 8 to 10 pieces for larger hamburger buns.

PRINT RECIPE

Scrumptious Hawaiian Cheeseburger on a Homemade Hamburger Bun

It's been terribly rainy here the last 4 weeks or so and temperatures are continuing to get colder. I myself would much rather have snow than rain this time of year, but that's just me.

Hope your new year has started off happy and peaceful.

Elizabeth

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