Sandwich Buns

There’s just something about homemade bread that makes it taste so much better than anything you can buy in a store, and these sandwich buns are no exception. They’re delicious.  Soft and slightly sweet, these buns are perfect for pretty much any type of sandwich. And the best part? They actually look like hamburger buns! (yes, I realize that’s the point, but I was pretty proud of myself for how cute they were!)

These buns are so simple to make. I’ve already made them 3 times in the last month (apparently we eat a lot of sandwiches around here).  So far, we’ve had them with meatballs, french dip sandwiches, sloppy joes, lunch meat, and the next batch is planned for hamburgers! They’re so easy to make that it just seems a shame to drive to the store and pay money for packaged hamburger buns that really just don’t compare in taste or texture. Plus these are half whole wheat, so they’re healthy!

Mike loves these. For the taste of course, but also for the novelty. He kept saying “I didn’t even know you could make homemade hamburger buns!” I’m glad I could impress my husband with something so simple. 🙂

Beautiful Burger Buns

Ingredients:

3/4 to 1 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons butter
1 large egg
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon instant yeast

Directions:

Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients—by hand, mixer, or bread machine—to make a soft, smooth dough. Cover the dough, and let it rise for 1 hour, or until it's doubled in bulk. Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 10 pieces. Shape each piece into a round 1" thick (more or less); flatten to about 3" across. Place the buns on a lightly greased baking sheet, cover, and let rise for about an hour, until very puffy.

Brush buns lightly with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water), and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes, till golden. Cool on a rack.