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    Home » Bread » Easy 100% Whole Wheat Burger Buns

    Published: Jul 17, 2021 · Modified: Nov 17, 2021 by sushma iyer · This post may contain affiliate links

    Easy 100% Whole Wheat Burger Buns

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    Made using 100% Whole Wheat Flour and Olive Oil, these Whole Wheat Burger Buns are definitely a healthier alternative to their counterparts. And the bonus part it comes together easily in just 5 simple steps without much kneading.

    4 burger buns placed diagonally on a baking tray that has been lined with parchment paper

    What makes a good Burger Bun?

    1. Just like any other bread, the burger buns need to be soft and fluffy.
    2. It should be sturdy enough to hold and support the burger and all the other fillings inside and not fall apart.
    3. Should also hold itself while grilling.

    And that is exactly why you will love this whole wheat burger buns recipe that I am about to share.

    Other than everything mentioned above, the recipe is also easy to follow and not intimidating at all.

    Best part, unlike other bread dough recipes, you do not have to knead this whole wheat bread dough for long. That's a bonus now for sure.

    What is a Burger Bun?

    A bun is typically a round bread with a dome shaped top and a flat bottom; usually sliced into two and filled with a patty and fresh salad leaves and topped with cheese and sauce. Commonly filled with Hamburger patty, these are commonly known as Hamburger Buns as popularised by fast food chain.

    Today we are tweaking the regular recipe.

    1. We are using 100% Whole Wheat Flour to make our buns
    2. Also we are filling it with beetroot patties or tikkis making it even more kid and vegetarian friendly.

    Ingredients:

    ingredients needed to make the burger buns
    • Whole Wheat Flour: I am using the regular Atta (Wheat Flour) the one we commonly use to make Chapatis at home. You can buy them from Indian Stores or you can also use the ones sold in supermarkets. The results would be the same, just try to use fine textured Flour.
    • Milk Powder: I always recommend to add a little amount of Milk Powder in all my bread recipes as it enriches and softens the end product. But if you do not have it handy you can skip it.
    • Instant Yeast: That's my personal preference while making bread as it can be added directly to the dough without having the need to activate it first beforehand. That being said you can use Active Dry Yeast or Fresh Yeast too just make sure to activate it before using.
    • Buttermilk: Helps to soften the dough. Feel free to use regular Milk or Plain Water instead.

    Step by Step Instructions:

    Ready to make the best burger buns recipe? These 5 steps is all you need.

    Step 1 - Prepare the Dough

    collage of steps showing addition of ingredients to the mixing bowl

    Start by adding salt, whole wheat flour, milk powder, sugar and instant yeast to the bowl. Give a quick mix and add olive oil followed by buttermilk to form it into a dough (images 1-8).

    collage of steps showing kneading of the bread dough

    As mentioned in our Semolina Bread recipe, instead of dusting the worktop with flour we will apply some oil and then transfer the dough onto it. And then knead well (images 9-10).

    By doing this method we are simply avoiding the chance of incorporating extra flour into the dough which might cause the dough to dry out.

    The best part about working with Whole Wheat is that unlike the other bread dough you should not knead it for long.

    So set the timer to 5 to 8 mins and knead by the clock. It is going to be sticky and messy but the moisture is what will bring the structure of the bread once baked.

    Please watch the video to understand how to knead the dough. It would be much easier for you to understand.

    Once the timer goes off, simply oil your hands and the bench scraper if needed with oil and bring the dough together into a soft and elastic ball.

    Step 2 - First Proofing

    collage of bread dough showing the before and after image of bread dough proofing

    Take the same bowl in which you kneaded the dough. Grease it well with some oil.

    Place the dough and turn it all around to coat it with oil too. This would prevent the dough from drying out.

    Cover with a cling wrap or a tea towel or both and allow it to prove for 1 hour (image 11 - 12).

    How to prove dough in Instant Pot?

    Grease the inner pot with some oil. Place your dough and turn it around to coat it with oil as well.

    Place the glass lid on top and choose the Yogurt Mode. Set the timer to 30 mins.

    This detailed blog post on how to prove dough in instant pot would help you understand how you can prove literally any type of dough in the pot.

    Step 3 - Shaping

    collage of steps explaining how to shape the buns

    Once proved, divide the dough into 4 portions (image 13-14) either by eyeballing or you can measure out and divide evenly too using your kitchen scale.

    For smaller sized buns you can divide the dough into 6 portions instead of 4.

    Shape them to a tight roll to create tension in the dough so it would hold that curved shape while baking too (image 15). 

    Our eggless dinner rolls aka ladi pav recipe demonstrates this in a much detailed and specific manner. I would recommend you check that post to understand the nuances of bread baking.

    Once you have all the 4 buns shaped well, place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

    Step 4 - Second Proofing

    Cover the buns loosely with a cling wrap followed by a tea towel and let it proof for 30 minutes.

    Meanwhile preheat your oven to 200°C

    Step 5 - Baking

    Finally the last step is of course to bake the bread.

    collage of steps showing brushing the dough with milk and sprinkling sesame seeds before baking

    Before baking these whole wheat burger buns, brush the top of the buns with milk and add some sesame seeds on top (images 16-18) and then bake in the preheated oven of 200°C for 15 to 20 minutes until it is golden brown on the top and also sounds hollow from the bottom.

    Let it cool completely and the slice and fill right before serving.

    Storage Instructions:

    This bread tastes best when served fresh.

    It can be stored in an air tight container for up to 2 days at room temperature.

    You can also freeze these homemade burger buns.

    How to Freeze Whole Wheat Buns?

    I would recommend you wrap each individual bun in an aluminium foil.

    Then place it in a ziplock bag and freeze for up to 2 months.

    When ready to serve, thaw each individual bun as needed in the refrigerator overnight and warm it in the microwave for few seconds.

    Alternatively you can also put them in a heated oven to warm up.

    Baker's Tips:

    1. If you are going to measure the recipe in volume then please use dry ingredients measuring cup to measure all the ingredients mentioned in the recipe.
    2. Use Warm milk to make the buttermilk yourself or if you are using store-bought buttermilk warm it in the microwave for few seconds before proceeding.
    3. Do not knead the bread for long unlike regular bread dough. Kneading for too long usually cuts the gluten in the whole wheat flour which mean there is no proper structure development. So set the timer and knead.
    4. Using oil instead of flour while kneading ensures that there is less chance of incorporating flour into the dough which could make it dry and gummy once baked.
    5. Shaping the bread dough well is key to retain the shape and structure of the bread once baked.
    6. Slice the whole wheat burger buns only when you are ready to serve because burger buns tends to dry out as soon as the crumbs are exposed to air.
    overhead image of the wheat buns showing the texture of the bread from within

    Recipe FAQ's

    My Buns were not soft. They were Dense?

    We are using 100% Whole Wheat Flour here. So expect your buns to be little denser and heavier than the regular buns as whole wheat flour is denser than the plain ones. But that being said if you followed the instructions to the "T" then you must get a soft buns. Try to use measurement by weight for accuracy.

    Why are my Buns Flat?

    Over-proving the buns is the culprit here. Keep a close eye on it.

    Can I use any other variety of Yeast to make this Wheat Burger Buns?

    Yes you can. Just activate the yeast beforehand by dissolving in the buttermilk and sugar until it rises and is foamy.

    Is sugar and milk powder necessary. Can I skip them?

    Sugar is needed to activate the yeast. The amount is not too much so your hamburger buns will not be too sweet so just don't skip it. Milk Powder is added to soften the enrich the dough but if you do not have it then you can skip it.

    Can I use all All Purpose Flour in this burger buns recipe?

    Yes you can use All Purpose Flour or even Bread Flour to make this recipe.

    Related Recipes:

    1. Ladi Pav (Eggless Dinner Rolls)
    2. Tiger Bread Rolls
    3. Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread

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    4 burger buns placed diagonally on a baking tray that has been lined with parchment paper
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    5 from 4 votes

    Eggless Whole Wheat Burger Buns

    Made using 100% Whole Wheat Flour and Olive Oil, these Whole Wheat Burger Buns are much healthier than its counter parts and also comes together in just 5 simple steps.
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Proofing Time 1 hour 30 minutes
    Servings 4 buns
    Calories 406kcal
    Author Sushma Iyer

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 tsp Salt
    • 2 cups (230 gms) Whole Wheat flour
    • 2 tbsp (18 gms) Milk Powder
    • 1 + 1/4 tsp Instant Yeast
    • 2 tbsp Sugar
    • 1/4 cup (50 gms) Olive Oil
    • 1 cup (230 ml) Buttermilk warm
    • Milk for brushing the dough
    • Sesame seeds for sprinkling

    Instructions

    • In a mixing bowl, combine together salt, wheat flour, milk powder, sugar and yeast. Give a quick mix and add olive oil followed by buttermilk and bring together as a lumpy mass of dough.
    • Grease your worktop with little oil and transfer the dough on to it. Set a timer to 5-8 mins and knead the dough till then. (It is going to be a sticky mass but the moisture content is what going to bring the dough together. Please watch the video on how to knead the dough).
    • Once the timer goes off, grease your hands and the bench scraper with some oil and combine the dough until it comes together as a soft and elastic ball.
    • Transfer the dough to a well greased bowl. (You can use the same bowl you used to mix the dough) Coat the top of the dough with oil too so that it doesn't dry out. Cover with a cling wrap and allow it to prove for 1 hour.
    • Instant Pot Proofing Instructions: Grease the inner pot with some oil. Transfer the dough into it. Cover with a glass lid. Choose the yogurt mode and set the time to 30 mins.
    • Once proved, divide the dough into 4 portions and roll each portion tightly to form a tight rolls just like how we do for dinner rolls or ladi pav.
    • Place the rolled dough on to a baking tray that is pre-lined with a parchment paper.
    • Cover with a cling wrap and a tea towel and allow for second proofing which is 30 mins. Meanwhile set the temperature of the oven to 200°C to preheat.
    • After 30 mins, sprinkle some sesame seeds on top of the buns. Bake in the preheated oven of 200°C for 15 to 20 minutes until nice golden brown on top and hollow

    Video

    Notes

    1. If you are following measurements by volume for this recipe then please use the standard dry ingredients measuring cup for all the measurements.
    2. Milk Powder is added to enrich and soften the end product. You can skip it if is not available to you.
    3. To make it into a sweet bun, you can increase the quantity of sugar to 1/4 cup.
    4. Ensure that the buttermilk is warm to touch. Too hot will kill the yeast and too cold will not activate the yeast.
    5. Do not knead the bread for long unlike regular bread dough. Kneading for too long usually cuts the gluten in the whole wheat flour which mean there is no proper structure development. So set the timer and knead.
    6. Using oil instead of flour while kneading ensures that you do not accidentally use too much flour which can cause the dough to dry out. 
    7. Shaping the bread dough well is key to retain the shape and structure of the bread once baked.
    8. Feel free to grease your hands with little oil while shaping the dough. Would make your job easier
    9. Slice the bread only when you are ready to serve because burger buns tends to dry out as soon as the crumbs are exposed to air.
    10. Please note I have not tested this recipe to make Whole Wheat Bread yet so I won't be able to comment on it. If you do give it a try then please update us in the comments so everyone reading this can be benefitted. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 370mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 139IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 2mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. PRIYAL says

      December 04, 2021 at 12:31 am

      HI SUSHMA.....
      BUTTERMILK AS IN THE CULTURED BUTTERMILK OR THE REGULAR INDIAN CHASS? ALSO IF CHASS SHOULD I WARM THE CHASS IN THE MICROWAVE FOR 2 MINS?

      Reply
      • sushma iyer says

        December 06, 2021 at 9:35 am

        Hi Priyal.. For baking here is a DIY buttermilk recipe:
        To 1 cup warm milk add 1 tsp vinegar. Stir and let it sit and curdle for 5 mins. Use that in the recipe. So if the recipe calls for 2 cups buttermilk use 2 cups warm milk and if it calls for 3/4 cups buttermilk use 3/4 cup milk and add vinegar accordingly

        Reply
    2. Rimpa Saluja says

      July 21, 2021 at 1:47 pm

      Please tell me how to make the whole wheat burgers more soft as it looks more dense

      Thanks

      Reply
      • sushma iyer says

        July 22, 2021 at 9:27 am

        Hi Rimpa.. You can substitute half the amount of wheat flour with maida or you can add around 15 to 20 gms of gluten (available commercially) to make it more soft..

        Regards
        Sushma

        Reply
    3. Ankita Upadhyay says

      July 18, 2021 at 3:31 am

      Hi Sushma,
      Its an awesome bread no doubt... But just want to know that if I m not having buttermilk... So can it be prepared at home and if yes so is it the same that is used in cake?...
      Thankyou...

      Reply
      • sushma iyer says

        July 19, 2021 at 1:38 pm

        Hi Ankita.. yes it is the same.. you can use same amount of warm milk and add a tsp of vinegar to it and allow to curdle for 5 mins and then use. Hope you do give it a try soon.. thank you 🙂

        Reply

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