whole wheat hamburger buns

Someone asked me for this recipe today and it occurred to me that I had actually taken some photos with the intention of sharing this, but had forgotten to actually blog it. So here it is!




4 cups hard red wheat ground (measure after grinding)
1 1/3 cups water
1/3 cup lard or butter (melted or softened)
2-3 T sugar
1 tsp salt
3 tsp yeast

1. Throw everything except yeast into bread maker (2 lb loaf size) and set to knead until mixed well.
2. Turn off bread maker and soak for one hour.
3. Add yeast.
4. Turn bread maker back on to the knead cycle for 9 minutes.
5. Turn off the bread maker and raise for about an hour or until bread reaches almost to top of pan (give or take).
6. Take dough out of bread maker and knead down to an easily manageable shape.
7. Divide dough in half until you half 16 equal pieces of dough.

NOTE: The following method is compliments SarahK

8. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten to about half the thickness of the ball.
9. Lay this in one hand and pinch opposite sides together.
10. Turn 1/4 and pinch the other 2 sides together.
11. Turn again and pinch the diagonals together.
12. Turn 1/4 and pinch the other diagonals together.
NOTE: To see how to video see this blog entry - "how to shape a hamburger bun".

13. Flip over and slightly flatten again (not too much, just want the bottom flat).
14. Lay about 2 inches apart on stone.


15. Put in oven (light on) and let raise until the buns are not quite touching (about an hour).


They will continue to raise some during baking.


16. Turn on the oven to 350 (do not remove the buns) and bake for 25-30 minutes.

NOTE: If you let them raise too long, they will sink during the baking and you'll have a lip around the bottom of the buns. This is okay, but they will taste better (lighter) if you get the timing just right.

These toast well. If you intend to freeze them, cut them first. They tend to buckle a bit in the freezer and this makes them more difficult to cut later.

This recipe is exactly the same one I use for bread. The only difference is I make two loaves instead of 16 buns, but my family prefers the buns because they rise lighter and fluffier so taste better for sandwiches and stuff.