Paraben Free Classic Hamburger Buns

Total time2 hr 13 min

Prep time25 min

Cook time18 min

5.0

(25)

Homemade hamburger buns are one of those small kitchen projects that completely transforms burger night, and this recipe delivers soft, golden, pillowy results that no store-bought bag can match. For anyone avoiding parabens, packaged bread products can be a minefield — preservatives and additives sneak into commercial buns under all kinds of names, making it genuinely hard to know what you're eating. This dough keeps things beautifully clean, relying on nothing more than flour, yeast, butter, egg, salt, sugar, and water to get the job done. The process is straightforward: bloom the yeast, knead until smooth and elastic, let the dough rise until doubled, shape into eight even rounds, and bake until deeply golden. An egg wash gives each bun that glossy, bakery-style finish, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds adds a satisfying crunch if you're feeling fancy. Once you pull these off the rack and catch that warm, yeasty aroma filling your kitchen, you'll wonder why you ever reached for the plastic-wrapped alternative. Let them cool before slicing and they'll hold together perfectly for whatever you're stacking on top.

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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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