Emulsifier Free Brioche Burger Buns with Sesame Seeds
Soft, pillowy, and rich with butter and eggs, these brioche-style burger buns are the kind of thing that makes a backyard cookout feel genuinely special. The golden crust, the tender crumb, and that satisfying sesame-seed crunch on top — it's everything a great bun should be. Store-bought buns are a minefield for anyone avoiding emulsifiers, since additives like lecithin and DATEM are practically standard in commercial bread. Making them from scratch with flour, eggs, butter, milk, yeast, and a little sugar means you know exactly what went into every bite. The process is straightforward: proof the yeast, build the dough, work in the butter gradually until it's silky and elastic, then let time do the heavy lifting through two rises. A simple egg-and-milk wash gives each bun that gorgeous deep-golden color before the sesame seeds go on. Once they come out of the oven and cool on the rack, you'll have a hard time not tearing into one before the burgers are even ready.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the dough
- ¼ cup warm water (105–110°f / 40–43°c)
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 tsp granulated sugar, for proofing
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup whole milk, warm
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1-inch pieces
For the egg wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp whole milk
For topping
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- 1
Combine the warm water, yeast, and 1 tsp sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and stir briefly. Let stand for 5–8 minutes, until the mixture is foamy and visibly active.
- 2
Add the flour, 2 tbsp sugar, salt, 2 eggs, and warm milk to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes, then increase to medium speed and knead for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
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