Buttery Brioche Hamburger Buns

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/28/22
Tested by
Tracy Wilk
Photo of Tracy Wilk
Tested by Tracy Wilk
Tracy Wilk is a professional pastry chef, recipe developer and chef instructor, and, most importantly, a firm believer in sprinkles.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Rising Time: 2 hrs 35 mins
Total: 3 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 10 to 12 servings
Yield: 10 to 12 buns

A hamburger can be good, but if it's served on a subpar bun that isn't up to the task, this cookout staple can definitely suffer. Enter the brioche bun.

There are lots of reasons why that burger from your favorite restaurant is served on a brioche bun, but the main reason? They can handle the job. Soft but sturdy thanks to the butter and eggs, brioche rolls keep well. Not into burgers? These buns are also great for everyday sandwiches with cold cuts, tuna salad, and grilled chicken. Or make them smaller, and serve on the side as dinner rolls.

The starter for brioche dough comes together with a bit of sugar, milk, and yeast. The dough is a soft (and sticky) one, and requires a longer knead time to properly develop the gluten. If you can, knead it with a stand mixer and dough hook, or a bread machine on the dough cycle. It will look and smell eggy and buttery.

Rich homemade brioche buns

The Spruce / Teena Agnel

"This is a great recipe for making your own burger buns! Most brioche recipes require an overnight rest. However, this recipe uses a sponge (a quick batter you start with)—and it doesn't need more than a few hours to proof. In a few short hours, you'll have soft, delicious burger buns ready!" —Tracy Wilk

Buttery Brichoe Hamburger Buns Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Starter:

  • 2/3 cup lukewarm milk, about 85 F

  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

  • 3/4 cup (3 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour

  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the Dough:

  • 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons (14 ounces) all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten

  • 4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, for the bowl

  • 1 tablespoon cornmeal, for dusting

For the Egg Wash:

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 tablespoon water

For the Optional Topping:

  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, or poppy seeds

Steps to Make It

Make the Starter

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for starter for brioche hamburger buns
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes.

    Bubbling starter in the metal bowl of a stand mixer
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

  3. Add the flour and sugar. With the paddle attachment, mix the sponge until you have a smooth batter.

    Starter in a metal bowl with flour and sugar
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

  4. Remove the beater, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let stand for about 30 minutes, or until you see bubbles over the surface of the dough.

    Brioche bun dough resting and bubbling in a metal bowl
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

Make the Dough

  1. Using the dough hook, mix the flour, salt, and beaten eggs into the starter. Once the dough is formed, knead with the dough hook for about 4 minutes. Scrape the bowl down a few times, adding more flour by the teaspoon if it is too sticky.

    Mixed brioche bun dough in a metal bowl
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

  2. Add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time. Continue kneading with the machine, scraping the bowl from time to time, for about 5 minutes longer. The dough should be smooth and shiny.

    Smooth and shiny brioche bun dough after the butter was added
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

  3. Oil a large bowl with the olive oil or vegetable oil.

    Clear glass bowl, oiled for the brioche bun dough.
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

  4. Using a bowl scraper or spoon, scrape the dough into the oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.

    Dough in a clear glass bowl ready to be covered and rise
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

Let Dough Rise Again and Shape

  1. Punch the dough down; fold over a few times.

    Dough in a clear glass bowl after it's been punched down
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

  2. Cover with plastic wrap again and let rise for 45 minutes. 

    Dough in a clear glass bowl covered with plastic wrap
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

  3. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

    Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

  4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, shape into about a dozen balls. Flour your palm and flatten the balls to make thick disks.

    Dough balls shaped into thick disks on a wooden cutting board
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

  5. Arrange the rolls on the parchment-lined pan. Cover with a lightweight kitchen towel and let them rest for 20 minutes.

    Rolls covered with a blue-and-white striped kitchen towel
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

Bake the Rolls

  1. Heat the oven to 400 F.

  2. Sprinkle the tops of the buns with a little cornmeal, then gently turn them over so the cornmeal dusting is on the bottom. 

    Sprinkle tops of buns with cornmeal
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

  3. Make the egg wash by combining the egg with the water; whisk to blend well.

    Egg wash in a small white bowl
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

  4. Brush the egg mixture gently over each roll. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or poppy seeds, if desired.

    Brush egg mixture over brioche rolls
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

  5. Bake for 7 minutes at 400 F.

    Partially baked brioche buns, lightly browned from the oven
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel 

  6. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F and bake for 10 to 13 minutes longer, until golden brown.

    Baked brioche buns resting in on parchment on a baking sheet
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

  7. Serve and enjoy.

    Rich homemade brioche buns on a cutting board
    The Spruce / Teena Agnel

Tips

  • This recipe makes between 10 and 12 rolls, depending on their size. If you need larger or smaller rolls, simply divide the dough accordingly.
  • Make sure the butter is room temperature. If it is too cold, it won't blend into the dough evenly and the texture will be off.
  • To check if the rolls are ready, tap the bottom of one of them; it should sound hollow.

How to Store and Freeze Brioche Rolls

  • Brioche rolls will keep at room temperature if well wrapped in foil or a plastic bag for up to 3 days.
  • To freeze, wrap each roll individually in foil and transfer to a zipper-topped freezer bag for up to 3 months.
  • If you live at a higher altitude, you may need to bake the rolls for about 5 minutes longer than suggested in this recipe.

Helpful Links

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
281 Calories
11g Fat
36g Carbs
8g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 281
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 15%
Saturated Fat 6g 29%
Cholesterol 99mg 33%
Sodium 65mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2g 5%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 50mg 4%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 109mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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