You’re only six ingredients and 45 minutes away from a family favorite recipe for Quick Homemade Burger Buns Without Yeast.
The no-yeast bread (and various other glorious carbs) party continues this week with my latest and greatest creation: homemade burger buns!
Years ago I tackled burger buns from scratch, and the result was nothing short of spectacular.
While I’m all for a yeasted bun that rises not once, but twice for 60+ minutes, sometimes we need hot, doughy burger bun satisfaction in a fraction of the time.
So how does one achieve a hamburger bun-like consistency, shape, size and crumb without yeast?
The answer comes in the form of the perfect ratio of flour, baking powder and milk.
The texture of burger buns made without yeast is definitely denser than their yeasted counterpart. The lack of yeast means a lack of a traditional rise, which creates the fluffy, pillowy nature of classic buns.
But that doesn’t mean these no-yeast buns are too far behind (pun intended) in the Ideal Crumb Department.
Warming the milk before mixing into the dry ingredients allows it to better incorporate with the flour, and that leads to a much softer dough.
With just a 15-minute resting period (to allow the gluten to relax a bit before getting rolled and flattened), you can whip up these golden brown beauties in a speedy 45 minutes.
The shape and size of your buns is entirely up to you. I’ve included instructions for traditional size burger patties, but I also tested this recipe as slider-sized buns and they were just as fantastic. (You’ll be able to get about 10 slider rolls.)
But don’t stop at classic beef or turkey burgers when it comes to utilizing these buns. They make fantastic sandwich rolls for endless fillings, and you can even omit the sesame seeds and treat them as a savory roll for morning toast or egg sandwiches.
Bottom line: Homemade burger buns without yeast are perfect for slicing and loading up with everything from pulled pork and chicken salad to meatballs and chicken Parmesan.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out buns
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup milk, warmed (See Kelly's Note)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large egg white, mixed with 1 Tablespoon water
- Sesame seeds, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, garlic powder and salt.
- Add the milk and olive oil, and using a spatula, stir together until combined.
- Lightly flour your work surface then turn out the dough and knead it for 1 minute until it comes together into a smooth ball. (Do not over-knead the dough.)
- Place a damp towel over the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lightly flour your work surface then divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten it into a 4-inch disk.
- Transfer the buns onto the lined baking sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart.
- Brush the tops of the buns with the egg white wash then sprinkle them with sesame seeds (optional).
- Bake the buns until they are golden brown and no longer doughy, 18 to 22 minutes.
- Remove the buns from the oven and let them cool before slicing and serving.
Kelly's Note:
- The milk should just be warm to the touch. You can warm it in the microwave for about 30 seconds or in a small saucepot on the stovetop.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
OMG!!!! This recipe is just wonderful. My daughter has now told me that she will never eat store bought rolls. Of course more work for mom. Just kidding. I love to cook and this recipe is so simple. There was one coment from one of your followers stating to double the baking powder. Worked wonderfully. The dough was so soft. There was another comment to not over knead. Don’t, you don’t have to. It comes together quite nicely. Great recipe Kelly, keep them coming.
Thrilled you’re enjoying it, Donna!
Did the recipe, although I only had 1/4 cup of milk so I just added 1/2 of water on top of it… skeptic about it coming out dry, I added two eggs to the mixture (which made it quite runny). I floured my hands, sprinkled flour onto the dough, and formed four large sticky balls. I lightly flattened them on an oiled baking sheet with parchment paper. Egg wash, and in the oven for 20 minutes. Results : four hard disk-shaped “buns”… definitely would not cook them for 20 minutes!! I dont know what the original recipe would have looked like, but i dont think that these necessarily replace a burger bun.. or maybe they need to be served as an open faced sandwich situation eaten with a fork and a knife because they are quite tough.
So I made these tonight because I love to experiment in the kitchen. And they’re simply delightful. People expecting fluffy store bought buns ate just being unrealistic. These are made from pantry staples with no preservatives or factory nonsense. I did listen to the comments about: small size, not rising much and dryness.
So I doubled the baking powder. Added a little more milk. And shaped 4 buns instead of 6.
They’re simply delicious. Not store bought buns but delicious
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Grant!
I make this to save money instead of buying hamburger buns and I don’t have yeast. so I did every thing but I turned out as biscuits instead of hamburger buns no difference if i use self rising flour/ All-Purpose flour it always turns out this way no yeast doesn’t work I always had a 0% chance of coming out successful and now I had to eat an biscuit cheeseburger so mad!
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, Carson.
Made these over the weekend for a burger party (forgot to buy buns and needed something fast) and they were a huge hit. People couldn’t believe I made them :) Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Sierra!
These were SPECTACULAR. I was nervous but I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out so well. I think you just need to make sure your baking soda is super fresh. Worked like a charm!
So thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Morgan!
Followed the recipe exactly and formed into 6 slightly flattened balls. These barely got bigger, each ball was barely big enough for a slider, let alone a full burger or sandwich! The texture is dense a slightly crumbly like a biscuit, but it has good flavor. Mostly just threw some butter on these and ate them like biscuits because there is NO way there could be used as a bun for anything
I’m sorry the recipe didn’t work for you.
I only made a half-batch, but they turned out very well. I let the dough sit for 20 minutes after mixing. The dough was rather moist after sitting, but when I kneaded it the flour I used made it come together very nicely. After forming the buns I again let them sit for a little while my oven heated. After baking for 20 minutes, the buns rose nicely into what a hamburger bun should look. The flavor was very good.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Steven!
I agree, the crumb is more dense than the normal yeast burger bun, but I made it in no time, with self raising flour and an extra pinch of baking powder and no garlic because that’s all I had and they turned out great! Got me through the emergency and I’m sure I’ll make them again as they were super quick and easy!
Thanks for this great recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, Juliet and that they turned out great!
Well I did something wrong because they came out like hard hockey pucks lol, they smelled delicious but unfortunately went into the garbage.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, Denise.
easy yes do they actually come out like buns NO just flat pieces of cooked dough
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, Jeanne. The lack of yeast means a lack of a traditional rise, which creates the fluffy, pillowy nature of classic buns.
Basic recipe works with major major tweaking. No way do you get 6 hamburger buns with only 2 cups of flour.
I’ve done recipe 4x. Added more milk otherwise dough is a bit too dry. Don’t be afraid to add more moisture at any time. I am adding a bit of baking soda in next batch to see if the rise will be a bit better. Works all in all but I think somehow not completely accurate instructions.
Mine looked like the picture but came out flat with almost a pretzel-like texture. We still ate them, I just used 2 for each burger. My baking powder is new, maybe my milk wasn’t warm enough. They tasted pretty good though. I will try this recipe again
Hi Laura – The texture of these burger buns made without yeast is definitely denser than those made with yeast.
They were tiny and didn’t rise in the oven with 1 month old baking soda, but got the job done
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, Gabriel. This recipe calls for baking powder, not baking soda. Also, the absence of yeast in the dough will prevent the typical rising process, resulting in denser burger buns as compared to the fluffy and pillowy texture of traditional ones.
if i use this recipe or others ,once baked how long are these buns good for? i have a yeast and malted barley allergy so been looking for easy no to many ingredient recipes for bread, buns and possibly sub/hotdog buns? any suggestions?
Hi Kat – Most homemade breads will last up to 3 or 4 days when stored at room temp.
Easy to make hard to eat? Extremely hard and flat. Don’t know what I did wrong.
Recipe looks great! Looking forward to trying! Any suggestions for how to adjust the recipe if we prefer to use whole wheat flour?
Hi Maria! I haven’t tried this recipe with WW flour, but it’s not a 1:1 sub with AP flour, so I’d start out with only subbing in a 1/4 cup WW flour and go from there.
this Recipe was easy and fun to make with my kids, I recommend it.
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Julia!
Needed rolls for hamburgers in a pinch. This recipe was perfect using basic pantry ingredients. Sprinkled everything bagel spice on top, which made these extra flavorful! Was concerned rolls might crumble when sliced but they stayed together and worked great with my burgers. Thank you!
Woohoo! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Andrea!
Loved this recipe. It’s so simple. It seems we never have buns when we need them. I decided one evening I’d just start making them myself. Everyone they liked these better than any of the others we have had with our burgers. I always have the ingredients on hand. They are delicious and have a great texture, firm enough to stand up to sloppy joes and pulled pork as well.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Becky!
Can you make this ahead? I would like to bake the buns like the next day…is it possible to mix up dough…rest 15 minutes…then refrigerate overnight?
Hi Kelly – I wouldn’t recommend making these in advance since the leavener begins working immediately and could lose some of its “oomph” if made too far in advance.
These turned out perfect. I added quarter tsp more of baking powder and added Everything but the Bagel to the tops. Yummy.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, June!
This recipe didn’t work for me, even though the baking powder I used was fresh and I followed every step exactly. They turned out either flat like a hard crispy pancake or puffed up and hollow.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, Cathy.
Hamburger rolls came out dry and flat… Did not rise at all followed recipe to the T … What were the egg white and water for ????
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, Duane. Was your baking powder fresh? These buns are definitely denser because the lack of yeast means a lack of a traditional rise, which creates the fluffy, pillowy texture of classic burger buns. Also, the egg white wash is brushed atop the buns before baking (step 8).
Excellent recipe! You are so right about only using fresh baking powder.
My first attempt was with old(er) baking powder and the buns didn’t rise at all.
But, after buying new baking powder and trying again…the buns turned out incredibly great!
Had to hide them really fast after they were done as the family was “chomping at the bit” to eat them all ASAP.
We ate them that night with our fully-loaded veggie burgers as a complete meal…really delicious!
Thank you very much for your excellent recipe!
YESSSS! I’m so thrilled your family enjoyed the burger buns, Caroline!
Turned out well! I ended up using baking powder + baking soda to try to get more of a rise and the dough split, but that’s what I get for tampering with the recipe. Next time no baking soda for me haha! Thanks!
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe, Kelsey! Looking forward to reading your results next time, too!
Can spelt flour be successfully substituted for the all-purpose flour?
Hi Charlene! I haven’t tried that so I can’t say with certainty what the results would be.
I make this recipe all the time using either whole spelt, or light spelt flour & canned or cartoned coconut milk. It turns out good everytime my boyfriend loves them. :) the ones made with whole spelt rise a bit less but they’re still yummy. If anyone needs to sub flours Thanks so much for this recipe it’s on rotation in my house.
Love reading this, Izabell! I’m thrilled you and your boyfriend have been enjoying the recipe!
This recipe was so easy and it turned out great!
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Chloe!
Bland, flat and dense. Not sure if I missed up the recipe or if no yeast just isn’t the way to go.
Hi Jacki – I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe. Was your baking powder fresh? These buns are definitely denser because the lack of yeast means a lack of a traditional rise, which creates the fluffy, pillowy texture of classic burger buns.
It was very tasty
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I baked using bread flour, the second time and they were less dense.
I’m so glad to read this, AJ!
im makeing mine for sloopy joes they are in the oven now thanks for the recipe
You are so welcome. Enjoy!
They taste good but they are way too thin
Hi there! I’d recommend not flatten the dough as much next time so your burger buns are a bit thicker :)
A bit sconey, of course, but what do you expect from a yeastless recipe? About as good as they could be for being leavened with baking powder, I think. I did have to add a little bit of extra milk, as you suggested, to incorporate all the flour. I scarfed one down fresh out of the oven with some margarine and it was a real treat — I had to stop myself from downing the whole pan.
Thanks so much for your comment, Elizabeth! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Just maki g them right now, love finding recipes without yeast as I am allergic to yeast so at times it is hard to find recipes
I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Could I use self-raising flour and forego the baking powder?
Hi Nat – I haven’t tried self-rising flour so I can’t say with certainty what the results would be.
My dough is dry! I’m gonna continue. I hope they come out well.
Hi Arlo – I’d recommend adding a bit more milk (just a few drops at a time) until the mixture is cohesive.
Nope! Will never do this one again. Not a good substitute for a yeast bun, but I was was in a hurry. The bottoms of the buns got way overdone & hard before the allotted time so I had to cut the bottoms off & just use tops open faced. Sorry I didn’t just use sliced bread.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, Phyllis.
Hi! Making these right now, hope they work! Two quick questions:
1) why an egg white wash and not a whole egg wash?
2) [another substitute question, I know, groan] Is it possible to substitute 2.25 tsp baking powder with 0.75 tsp baking SODA?
Thank you so much if you answer, hope this works! :D First time baking, so exciting!
Hi Kat! You can use egg white or whole egg for the egg wash. Which one you use will affect the color outcome so if you don’t want the buns to be as yellow, you can use egg whites. And I’ve never tried this recipe with baking soda, however that substitute ratio is correct. That being said, baking soda requires some sort of acidic component to activate!
Yep. I am indeed blind. I just got down to the end of the instructions, where I am to brush the tops with the egg whites…. my bad. That would be why my dough is way too wet. just ignore me…
No worries, Amy! I’m glad you found it :)
Hi I used this recipe but just subbed the flour for gluten free cup4cup and it was so dry and cracked. Any tips? My little one is gluten and yeast free so trying to find some good options for him
Hi Atan! I haven’t tried this recipe with gluten-free flour so I’m not sure what the issue may have been. Are you in a particularly dry environment or at high altitude?
Will it work with gluten free flour?
Hi Natalie – That should work great, especially if you use something like Cup4Cup!
First try, but the dough seems really dry and don’t look like the picture. Lol I’m waiting for them to come out of the oven now. I substituted olive oil for coconut oil. Was that a wrong move? :( I’m super sad
Hi Laura! Coconut oil has a different fat content than olive oil so that likely impacted your results.
Really liked the recipe. Made buns for pulled pork! Will use again. Easy for first timers like me for sure!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Deshawnda!
Excellent. Thanks so much
You are so welcome, Charles! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
I used this recipe to make hot dog buns. They came out very nicely …I was off on uniform size …hahaha. But the taste and eye appeal was very good.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Sandy!
Will dairy free milk work in this recipe? Or perhaps another substitute for the milk?
Sure! However, because non-dairy milk is thinner than whole milk, you may need to use a bit more flour!
I tried making these twice. Following the recipe with precision. They were dry and hard. The taste is good. Any way to make them softer like a bread texture? Easy recipe and would like it to work.
Hi Casey – I’m sorry you experienced that. Was your baking powder fresh? These buns are definitely denser because the lack of yeast means a lack of a traditional rise, which creates the fluffy, pillowy nature of classic burger buns.
Use avocado oil for buttery taste!!
Loved these hamburger buns. Is there a way you can turn this into a bread recipe?
Hi Harold! I haven’t tried this exact recipe in bread form, but I do have a great no-yeast bread recipe. Here’s the link! https://www.justataste.com/easy-homemade-bread-no-yeast-recipe/
I wasn’t the biggest fan because it tasted doughy and I followed all the rules I was disappointed.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, Carly.
Really like these buns. Not as high and fluffy as buns made with yeast, but that’s to be expected. Turned out just like the pictures, quick to make and tasted great.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Hilary!
These buns came out really really HARD like BISCUITS. I followed every step and every ingredients were fresh as well.
I see everyone faced this issue. I should read the reviews before making it. :/
I’m so sorry you experienced that, Kav.
Possible to make dairy free?
Sure! However, because non-dairy milk is thinner than whole milk, you may need to use a bit more flour!
Waste of time & ingredients. I tried to make 6 hot dog buns out of this recipe. They came out hard & flat, like bread sticks. I gave them enough time to rest, too. Something isn’t right about this recipe. Either bread flour was used or yeast was added. But they sure didn’t turn out anything like the photos shown. I’ve made both fresh bread & biscuits from scratch, even Irish soda bread…..all did much better than this recipe. So much for having any hot dog buns for the 4th of July!
I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, Tracy.
Made these yesterday and they were perfect in a pinch! They are like biscuits and that’s just fine with me, I love biscuits. Worked great for burger night. Thanks!
You are so welcome, Angelica! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
I dont think I did anything wrong, but mine came out as flat as they went in. I wont make these again without a doubt a waste of time and ingredients.
Hi Judy – I’m sorry you experienced that. Was your baking powder fresh?
They tasted like biscuits.
I’d rather have a burger bun that
is light and airy.
Sorry you experienced that flavor, Lisa.
I like your recipes …they nice I ve learn a lot
Thank you!
These turned out great. Thank you !
So glad you enjoyed them, Kirsten!
I’ve been using bread slices for buns. I really like how this recipe turned out.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Brigitte!
I love this recipe. I was nervous about it since i have failed some recipes but this one has worked! I took them out a minute or two too early. They were not brown but cooked. My son ate them and we all did, i made sliders! Thank you, I’m writing this one down or bookmarking this!
I’m thrilled you and your family enjoyed the burger buns, Angela!
Easy recipe and the rolls were great! I’ll make them again, thanks!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Steve!
Tried it and love it!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Karen!
I haven’t made this yet, but I will soon! I’m new to baking and wondering what you think about adding mashed potato? The grocery store breads/buns with added potato are always softer. Thanks!
Hi there! I haven’t tried that but you’d want to adjust the flour then :)
Thank you for this recipe. Used coconut milk instead of milk because this is all we had to hand and still worked like a charm. Replaced the green bell peppers with red peppers. Used soaked flax seeds as a topper instead of egg.
Really happy with the results. Yeast is difficult to find right now! Thank you for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed it, Heather!
Can you make these using gluten free flours?
It should work if you use a flour that has a 1:1 substitute ratio with all-purpose :)
Do you like these buns without yeast or your recipe for homemade buns with yeast better?
Both are excellent! It just depends on the mood I’m in :)
Is it possible to used almond milk? And is it possible to use a full egg rather than the egg whites? Thanks!
Sure thing but because almond milk is thinner than whole milk, you may need to use a bit more flour!
I understand that the dough won’t rise as those with yeast in it but does it rise at all? Will there be a noticeable change in size of dough or will it look the same as before you let it rise for 15 mins? Just wondering.
Hi there! The 15-minute resting period is simply to allow the gluten to relax a bit before getting rolled and flattened (the dough will not rise).
Hi, would it be possible to use garlic salt, maybe 1tsp, instead of salt and garlic powder?
Absolutely! Then just leave out the other salt :)
Kelly, my buns look just like yours (I’m not sure if there’s a pun intended!). Wish I could post a pic (of the outcome of the recipe). Quarter-pounders going in these for tea tomorrow. Thanks again.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Your blog post says perfect ratio of flour and baking soda, but your recipe says baking powder. Which one should I be using?
Thank you for catching that, Emily! Baking powder (as the recipe states) is correct. Updating the text in the post now!
these are perfect for me since I cannot find yeast anywhere but want to make turkey burgers this weekend! quick question though- I ran out of milk yesterday and wasn’t planning on doing another grocery store trip until next week sometime…any chance there’s an alternative there or is it best that these burgers be bunless? I do have some heavy cream on hand but other than that, nothing similar. Thanks in advance!
Hi Kal – Water can be used! You just might need to adjust the flour amount since it’s thinner than whole milk and doesn’t contain any fat.
would it be possible to make these with almond milk or soy milk? I have family members that can’t have dairy.
Yes! You just might have to adjust the amount of flour and add slightly more since almond milk is thinner that whole milk. Enjoy!
I am loving these no yeast recipes!! Can’t wait to try this one. Is the egg wash necessary to the taste and/or baking process if I don’t use the sesame seeds?
I’m so thrilled you’re enjoying the recipes, Kathleen! The egg wash isn’t critical if you aren’t adding the sesame seeds but it does help add shine and golden brown color to the tops of the buns. Looking forward to hearing your results! :)