Soft gluten free hamburger buns straight out of the book Gluten Free on a Shoestring Bakes Bread are perfect for summer BBQs!
Some may enjoy wrapping your hamburger (or your veggie burger) in a leaf of lettuce, or eating it with a fork and knife. I do not judge you. Far from it! I support you and your bunless tastes.
But three years ago, almost to the day, I posted my first recipe for gluten free hamburger buns. I called them “gluten free hamburger buns so I don't cry,” and I took a stand on my smallest of soapboxes against pretending that it's all the same—even for those of us who simply want a good, soft gluten free hamburger bun. Especially over the Fourth of July holiday.
Fast forward 3 years, and I can't help but give you the recipe for Soft Gluten Free Hamburger Buns from page 139 of Gluten-Free on a Shoestring Bakes Bread. I want to be sure you don't go bunless this summer, unless of course you want to. A lettuce leaf might be nice. But it's no bun.
If you're not ready for the new flours from Bakes Bread, I've still got you covered. Click through to our recipe for soft gluten free buns for hamburgers and sandwiches. The dough can be made ahead of time, and it just calls for an all purpose gluten free flour blend. The choice is yours!
Soft Gluten Free Hamburger Buns from GFOAS Bakes Bread
Ingredients
Water Roux
3 tablespoons (25 g) Gluten Free Bread Flour
1/2 cup (4 ounces) water, at room temperature
Dough
3 cups (420 g) Gluten Free Bread Flour, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
2 teaspoons (6 g) instant yeast
2 teaspoons (12 g) kosher salt
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (115 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature
2/3 cup (5 1/3 fluid ounces) milk, at room temperature
Water roux
Unsalted butter, for brushing the tops
Toasted sesame seeds, for sprinkling (optional)
Notes
If you prefer, you may make and use this dough on the same day. It will not be as easy to handle, however, but you can work with it. To use the dough the same day it is made, after making the dough, set the covered dough to rise in a warm, draft-free environment to allow it to rise to double its size (about 1 hour). Once it has doubled, place it in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes or until it is chilled. This will make it much easier to handle. Then, continue with the rest of the recipe instructions.
Instructions
To make the water roux, whisk together the flour and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened. It is ready when the whisk leaves a visible trail as it moves through the roux. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until no longer hot to the touch.
To make the dough, place the flour, cream of tartar, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer, and use a handheld whisk to combine well. Add the salt, and whisk to combine. Add the butter, yogurt, milk and water roux, then attach the dough hook to the stand mixer, and mix on low speed until combined. Raise the mixer speed to medium and mix for about 5 minutes. The dough will be quite sticky, but should be smooth and stretchy. Spray a silicone spatula lightly with cooking oil spray, and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl or proofing bucket large enough for the dough to rise to double its size, and cover with an oiled piece of plastic wrap (or the oiled top of your proofing bucket). Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours and up to 5 days. (See Recipe Notes)
On baking day, line a rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and, using the scrape and fold kneading method and a very light touch, sprinkle the dough with more flour and knead it lightly, sprinkling with flour when necessary to prevent it from sticking, scraping the dough off the floured surface with a floured bench scraper, then folding it over on itself. Repeat scraping and folding until the dough has become smoother. Do not overwork the dough or you will incorporate too much flour and it will not rise properly.
Shaping the buns + the final rise. Place the dough on a lightly oiled piece of unbleached parchment paper and sprinkle the top with flour. Roll out the dough 1/2-inch thick, and with a floured 4-inch biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out rounds. Place the rounds on the prepared baking sheet, about 3-inches apart from one another. Gather and reroll the remaining scraps of dough, and cut out the rest of the rounds. Place the rounds on the baking sheet and sprinkle the tops of the rounds lightly with flour. Cover the baking sheet with lightly oiled plastic wrap, and place in a warm, draft-free location until nearly doubled in size (about 1 1/2 hours).
Baking the buns. About 25 minutes before the buns have finished rising, preheat your oven to 350°F. Once the dough has finished rising, remove the plastic wrap, place the baking sheet in the preheated oven, and bake for about 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to 325°F, remove the buns from the oven, brush the tops with the melted butter, and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the internal temperature of the buns reaches about 185° (another 5 to 10 minutes, no more, so the buns stay soft). Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
From the book Gluten-Free on a Shoestring Bakes Bread: Biscuits, Bagels, Buns, and More by Nicole Hunn. Excerpted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Copyright © 2013.
Photo credit Stephen Scott Gross Photography. Food styling by Treva Chadwell.
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Karen Wright says
Nicole you are awesome!!! I have made many of your wonderful recipes and we love them. Most recent was the honey bread, so great as a PB&J sandwich. I have a bit of a problem though. I an also intolerant of yeast. So any of you bread/yeast recipes are off limits to me. UNLESS….you can help me with what and measurement’s for replacements. Or maybe some of the wonderful people on here have already and can pass it on to me. Thank you so much for all you do.
Lucy says
I made these buns last week, they are the best! :)
Mare Masterson says
So, I just made these and the hot dog rolls for the first time this weekend. It was with the dough that was in the refrigerator WAY past the 5 days. They did not brown like yours did. I had to put broiler on to get tops to brown. So tops are crispy instead of soft…no big deal. They are a little over done, but I think they will be just fine. I sliced each one to individually wrap and then freeze in a bag, and insides appear moist on all. I will let you know how they are when we actually eat them.! Changes at work yet again making my life more insane. I was given an attorney notorious for late filings, meaning late nights. In order to get through, I will now have to devote 1 weekend day to cooking and baking for the week!
Mare Masterson says
Update…they were just a smidge dry and I think that was because they were not baked on time and cooked longer because they were not browning. They tasted great though!
Jennifer S. says
You are so good to us! Happy 4th of July week!
Anneke says
Even my kids call the Gluten Free Burger Buns So I Don’t Cry by their full title, as I make them all the time, and always refer to them that way. Love that recipe! I am also a fan of these guys from the new book, so our burgers will have buns on the 4th. I personally think a lettuce leaf belongs in a salad, so I am in the knife and fork camp if I have to go bunless. Is that a word? I guess it is now!
Jennifer S. says
when you go “bunless”…. hahahaha!