Homemade Whole Grain Hamburger Buns

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I just can’t eat a regular hamburger bun anymore. It’s a mouthful of flavorless, cotton-candy mush that becomes so soggy after you load it with all of the hamburger fixins that it just falls apart.  These, however, are buns that can stand up to any Farmer’s burger! Plus, they are chock-full of some potent antioxidants!

My favorite way to eat hamburger buns is to make them into cinnamon toast (brings back memories of Sunday nights at my house growing up).

I use kamut (kuh-moo) flour in this recipe.  Kamut, or khorasan wheat is an ancient grain that is higher in protein, lipids (fat), and many other minerals, including selenium, than traditional wheat.  Kamut lends a buttery softness and a delicious taste to the bun.  I grind kamut grains in my Wondermill grain mill for this recipe, but King Arthur Flour and Bob’s Red Mill also sell kamut flour. (See embedded links or scroll down to link to a product that you can purchase.) If you don’t have kamut flour on hand, you can use freshly milled white or red wheat flour, or even whole white wheat flour, but the flavor and texture of the bun will differ.

Nutrition bite: Kamut boasts an unusually high selenium content.  Selenium, a powerful antioxidant, scavenges for free radicals that damage your body’s cells (it’s like a search and destroy mechanism to eliminate the bad guys!) 

Disclaimer: the picture you see here is not of this recipe  but don’t you feel “a little rumbly in your tumbly” just staring at it?

Homemade Whole Grain Hamburger Buns
Author: A Spoon Full of Yum
Serves: 12-13 buns
Kamut flour lends a buttery softness to the texture of these whole grain hamburger buns
Ingredients
  • INGREDIENTS
  • 1-1/2 cups hot water (110-120 degrees)
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • ⅓ cup honey
  • 4 to 4-1/2 cups Kamut flour (I use freshly milled)
  • 1 tsp. vital wheat gluten (optional but adds a fluffier texture)
  • 2-1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 Tbs. active dry yeast
Instructions
  1. Combine water, oil, honey, and salt in the bottom of a standing mixer bowl or Zojirushi Bread machine. Add 2 cups kamut flour and gluten (optional). Mix thoroughly. Add yeast and enough flour to make a soft dough (start with 2 more cups but it usually will require the entire amount of freshly milled flour). Knead until smooth and elastic (I knead for about 8 minutes on speed 2 in my KitchenAid Pro Series mixer). I don’t make more than a double batch in my mixer at a time (it’s too hard on the motor.) Add the remaining flour if dough still seems sticky after kneading for 1-2 minutes.
  2. Let dough rise until double. Roll into a log and divide into 12-13 sections (or scoop out using your trusty green #12 scoop like I do). Shape each section into a ball and flatten on a pan lined with parchment paper (or use a USA Pan and you won’t have to line it!) Let rise again until double, about 45 minutes. (Rising helps to develop the yeasty flavor of the dough and is essential to good texture as well. The last rise is the most important.) Keep an eye on the buns… if your house is warm during the summer or if you have been cooking up a storm they will rise faster.
  3. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes, brush with melted butter (if desired) to keep them soft, and let cool on a wire rack. Slice with a bread knife to serve.
Notes
You can use freshly milled white or red wheat flour if you don’t have Kamut flour, but the flavor and texture of the bun will differ. You could also use King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour or Bob’s Red Mill Kamut flour if you do not have freshly milled flour. [br][br]Zojirushi Bread machine settings:[br]Homemade cycle – Preheat: 10 min. Knead : 20 min. Rise 1: 30-45 min. Rise 2 (optional): 30 minutes. (you may need to adjust rise settings based upon your climate). Remove dough and proceed as outlined above to shape buns.[br][br]If you are pressed for time:[br]You can always make the dough and let rest for 10 minutes before shaping it (instead of allowing it to rise all the way). Just make sure you allow the dough to rise until it is double in size for the second (most important) rise.[br][br]To make ahead of time:[br]After the initial rise, shape the dough into buns but do not allow them to rise a second time. Instead, place shaped buns on a parchment paper lined tray until frozen and then remove to a freezer safe container or Ziplock bag. The day you want to serve them, pull the dough out of the freezer and place the dough out to thaw and rise on a pan as directed above. This will take a few hours at room temperature (depending upon the temperature of your kitchen), or you can allow the dough to thaw and rise more slowly in the refrigerator. Proceed as above to bake.[br][br]Freezing Instructions:[br]You can also bake these buns, cool on a wire rack, and freeze them in a ziplock bag or airtight container. They will keep well for a few weeks. Warm slightly in the oven or toast gently to serve.

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4 thoughts on “Homemade Whole Grain Hamburger Buns”

  1. Pingback: Meatloaf Scramble

    1. Bethany

      Hi, Ralu,
      I have updated my post to include a little more about Kamut and have included Amazon links for purchase. Also, I do sell my freshly milled flour locally — send me an email if you are interested in details! You will love the flavor of freshly milled Kamut (and it makes some delectable cinnamon rolls, too!)

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