Beef Free Classic Hamburger Buns

Total time2 hr 13 min

Prep time25 min

Cook time18 min

5.0

(25)

Soft, pillowy, and golden-brown with a glossy egg-washed top, these homemade buns are the kind of thing that makes any sandwich feel like a proper occasion. The dough comes together with pantry staples — flour, butter, egg, yeast, and a little sugar — so there's nothing mysterious or hard to source here. Every ingredient is completely free of beef and beef-derived products, which means you can load these up with whatever filling you love without any concern about what went into the bread itself. The two-rise method is what gives these buns their bakery-style texture: a longer first rise builds flavor, while the second rest before baking ensures that signature soft, slightly springy crumb. Brushing with egg wash right before they go into the oven creates that beautiful deep-golden color and lets the sesame seeds stick perfectly if you choose to use them. They come out sounding hollow when tapped on the bottom — the classic sign that you nailed it. Once you've made a batch from scratch, it's genuinely hard to go back to the store-bought version.

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the dough

1 cup warm water (105–110°f / 40–43°c)
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
2 tbsp granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 ½ tsp fine salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg

For the egg wash

1 large egg, beaten
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

1
Combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl). Stir briefly and let stand for 5–8 minutes, until the surface is foamy and the mixture smells yeasty.
2
Add the flour, salt, softened butter, and egg to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook (or stir with a wooden spoon) until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes.

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