The Best Gluten Free Hamburger Buns

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4.86 from 7 votes

These are the best gluten free hamburger buns that you can make at home from 7 simple ingredients dough—Soft, fluffy & airy crumbs. Some homemade gluten-free hamburger bun recipes require two rise times., but you only need one with this bun recipe. Simply, knead the dough, shape the buns, allow them to rise once, and then bake them immediately.

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sliced gluten free hamburger buns on wire rack.

Today’s recipe, adapted from my homemade hamburger buns, as it made from the same seven ingredients, but it’s gluten-free. These gluten-free burger buns bake up very soft, fluffy, and light. Easier and quicker than going to the store, buying it, and coming home, it takes about 2 hours from start to finish and is perfect for beginners looking to master homemade gluten-free bread.

If you want to dive deeper into gluten-free baking, you can also check out my crusty homemade gluten-free bread or my recipe for gluten-free communion bread.

gluten free hamburger buns on wooden board.

Here’s Why You’ll Love These Hamburger Buns

  • All the deliciousness of regular homemade hamburger buns. No one will believe it’s gluten-free
  • Soft & fluffy inside, with light and airy crumb
  • Easy to make
  • Only 1 rise time
  • Easily doubled for serving to a crowd!

Recipe Testing

After making gluten free homemade bread and gluten free bread for communion, I decided to try making different versions of gluten-free bread, rolls, and buns. This recipe underwent several dough trials before being published.

Close-up of gluten free hamburger buns.

Here’s What Works:

Use a gluten-free flour blend that already contains high-quality gluten-free starches, a blend of psyllium fiber, and xanthan gum. These ingredients work together to achieve a texture and elasticity similar to gluten, which gives you results that are workable, rise, and taste like regular wheat bun—not dense and crumbly ones.

Gluten-free dough should look more like a thick batter. Resist the urge to add extra flour—high hydration level is key to obtaining that soft texture.

Combine all the ingredients together for a full 5 minutes, even if you see that they come together in less time. Then let it rest for 20-30 minutes before dividing and shaping. This time gives the dough time to fully hydrate, which allows binding agents to fully hydrate and form the structure to trap the gas bubbles from the yeast.

Only one rise time is enough. Gluten-free dough doesn’t need twice the rising time. Let it double in size once after shaping, then bake immediately.

Give the hamburger bun sufficient time to rise. Gf bread dough often takes longer to double in size than traditional dough.

Here’s What Doesn’t Work

A firm, dry dough will not produce soft, fluffy gluten-free buns.

Don’t skip greasing the dough with oil after kneading, as it will be sticky on your hands when shaping.

Do not flatten the shaped hamburger buns with force, as they will deflate.

Grab These Ingredients

Like regular hamburger buns and even hot dog buns recipes, this gluten-free dough comes together easily with 7 basic ingredients. Each has an important role to play, so I don’t recommend substitutions.

gluten free hamburger buns include: Gf flour, yeast, whole milk, butter, and other ingredients.
  • Whole Milk: Whole milk is the best choice to add richness. But you can still use skim milk, non-dairy alternatives work as well without any changes to the recipe. Avoid using nonfat milk.
  • Sugar: You need white granulated sugar in the dough, both for sweetness and to feed the yeast.
  • Yeast: Both instant and active dry yeast work in this recipe. You need 2 teaspoons to make this dough rise. Active yeast takes longer to rise.
  • Flour: You need a custom gluten-free flour blend designed for making bread dough to get the best fluffy buns results. I use King Arthur gluten-free bread flour in this recipe, but you can use your favorite 1-to-1 gluten-free flour.
  • Salt:  Flavor.
  • Egg: Egg promises softer and richer buns and helps to get the perfect bun texture.
  • Butter: This dough is semi-rich, which means it contains fat to ensure its softness.

For washing and toppings you need: one medium egg, 1 teaspoon of honey, and two tablespoons of sesame seeds.

How to Make Gluten Free Hamburger Buns

Here I will show you how to bake bakery-quality, gluten-free hamburger buns. This recipe is very similar to my regular hamburger buns and milk brioche rolls , but it’s gluten-free. Follow my instructions and tips, and soon you’ll be quickly able to bake not just this buns, but also gluten-free hot dog buns, bagels, and other bread varieties. With everyday kitchen ingredients, you’ll transform your kitchen into your favorite gluten-free bakery.

  • Prepare the Dough: The first step is to verify the yeast is alive and ready to rise our dough. You need to whisk instant yeast, sugar, and warmed milk. The thing about using only these three ingredients at this step is that while it may seem like a redundant step with instant yeast, but it serves two important functions: it acts as a quick and reliable test to ensure your yeast is alive and active before you add all your other ingredients, and it gives the yeast a quick head start (activation) by waking it up in its ideal environment (warm liquid and sugar) so it can start the rising process efficiently as soon as your add your flour.
  • Make the dough: See my second instruction below for extra help with this step.
  • Rest Time: This dough only requires one rise. This rest is to hydrate the flour completely and make the cookies easier to handle and shape.
  • Shape the buns: After the dough is fully hydrated, divide it into 4 equal pieces, shape each into a smooth ball, then gently flatten them into 3-inch wide circles.
  • Rise Time: Place the shaped buns into a loaf pan and let them rise for 1 hour or more.
  • Whisk 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of honey for the egg wash. Brush this mixture over each bun and top immediately with sesame seeds.
  • Bake for 16-17 minutes until golden brown.

These Step-by-Step Photos Will Help:

Here is the yeast mixture before and after proofing:

the yeast mixture before and after activate.

Here is the dough after mixing:

the right texture of the dough after kneading process.

Let the dough rest for 20 minutes in covered greased bowl, like this:

gluten-free dough ball  in an oiled bowl.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces and shape each into a ball. Arrange on a prepared baking sheet, then gently flatten them with your palm into a 3-inch (7-8 cm) wide circle.

the 3 step process to shape hamburger buns.

Here is the dough before and after the rise time:

On the left: GF hamburger buns before rising. On the right: GF hamburger buns after rising.

Before baking, lightly brush the top of the buns with egg and honey, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

On the left: how to wash buns. On the right: How to sprinkle sesame seeds on the top.

The hamburger bus takes about 16 minutes in the oven.

FAQs

How to make a large batch of these gluten-free burger buns?

This hamburger buns recipe only yields 4 buns, but you can easily double it by multiplying all the ingredients by 2. Simply double the amount of ingredients for 8 buns, or quadruple if you need 16 buns.

Close up of 4 gluten-free hamburger buns on wire rack.

Only the Best Gluten Free Recipes

Close up of 4 Gluten-free-hamburger-buns on wire rack.
sliced gluten free hamburger buns on wire rack.

The Best Gluten free Hamburger Buns

Hafedh Garfa
Soft, fluffy & airy crumb—these are the best gluten free hamburger buns that you can make at home from 7 simple 7-ingredient dough. The dough requires 1 rise time and is ready in about 2 hours. For best success, review recipe notes, use a kitchen scale and liquid measuring cup to weigh your ingredients, and step-by-step photos (above) before starting.
5 from 7 votes
Prep Time 35 minutes
Bake Time 16 minutes
Rise Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 51 minutes
Course Gluten free bread
Servings 4 buns

Ingredients
  

  • 120 grams (½ cup) Whole Milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
  • 15 grams (1 tablespoon) White sugar
  • 5 grams (5 teaspoon) Active or Instant Yeast
  • 180 grams (1 ½ ) gluten-free bread flour blend
  • ½ teaspoon (4 grams) Salt
  • 1 medium egg
  • 14 grams (tablespoon) Butter
  • For wash & topping: One medium egg and 1 teaspoon honey, plus two tablespoons of sesame seeds for sprinkling.

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar together in a small mixing bowl. Loosely cover and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes, until the yeast activates and becomes foamy.
  • Make the dough: Add the gluten-free bread flour, salt, butter, egg, and the prepared yeast mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer. With the dough hook attachment, mix on medium speed for 4-5 minutes until all ingredients come together, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula to ensure everything is thoroughly combined. The dough should be smooth, sticky, and just slightly elastic. *If you do not own a stand mixer, you can do this step in a large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients together with a wooden spoon/silicone spatula. It will take some effort and muscle.
  • Rest: Lightly grease a bowl with oil or non-stick spray. Shape the dough into a ball and Transfer it in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil to prevent it from drying out. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Allow the dough to rest for 15-20 minutes at room temperature. Rest time allows the dough to fully absorb all the liquids and makes it easier to handle and shape.
  • Grease a half baking sheet, or your oven baking sheet, or line with parchment paper.
  • Shape the rolls: You do not need to flour your work surface as the dough is already greased! Transfer the dough to your work surface. Divide the dough into 4 pieces, roughly 3.3 ounces or 95 grams each, but don’t worry about making them exact. A bench scraper is always helpful for cutting dough. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Gently flatten the dough balls with the palm of your hand into a 3-inch (7-8 cm) wide circle.
  • Rise: Cover shaped gluten free hamburger buns with a kitchen towel, plastic wrap, or aluminum foil. Allow to rise in a relatively warm environment until doubled in size and puffy, about 60-90 minutes. If your kitchen is cold, place the baking sheet in a turned-off oven and put a cup of boiling water in the bottom. The ideal rise temperature is 78 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius). To check if your dough bun has risen properly: Gently and quickly press your finger into the side of the dough bun about 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) deep, then immediately pull your finger away. If the dough bun slowly fills back, the dough is ready to bake.
  • When the buns are ready, adjust the oven rack to the lower position and preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).
  • Wash & Topping: Combine 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of honey for an egg wash. Using a pastry brush, brush the mixture over each bun and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  • Bake the burger buns: Place the half sheet and bake for 16-17 minutes or until golden brown on top, rotating the pan halfway through. If you notice the tops browning too quickly, loosely tent with aluminum foil. Allow burger buns to cool on a wire rack for a couple minutes before slicing.

Notes

The temperature when I made this recipe: 73 Fahrenheit (23 Celsius).
Flour: I use King Arthur gluten-free bread flour for this recipe, but feel free to substitute it with Caputo gluten-free flour, or your favorite gluten-free flour blend. Just make sure the blend already includes Psyllium and Xanthan Gum, or you will need to add them yourself.
yeast: I usually use instant yeast, but you can use active dry yeast. There’s no change to the preparation method, but expect the rise times to be slightly longer.
Special Tools (affiliate links): | Kitchen Scale & liquid measurement cup or Measuring cup & spoons | Stand Mixer / Wooden spoon or silicone spatula & Glass Mixing Bowl | Half Baking Sheet | Pastry Brush | Wire Rack.
Can I turn this recipe into a gluten-free hot dog? Absolutely,  prepare the recipe as directed until step 5. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces then roll each out to about a 6-inch length, and then pinch the seams (sides and ends) closed. Place the hot dog buns on the prepared half sheet and let rise for 60-90 minutes. There are no other changes to the remaining steps. Continue to follow the recipe as written above. The baking time is the same as for hamburger buns.

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7 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I just made these for the first time after having a bad experience with other gluten free recipe. I followed the instructions exactly and doubled the ingredients to make 8 buns, and these delicious and perfect sized buns turned out great. This recipe is a keeper, for sure! Thank you!

  2. 5 stars
    I recently started a little gluten-free baking project at home, and your recipes have helped me so much. Thank you for everything you share!

  3. 4 stars
    Fantastic buns! Great taste and they don’t fall apart while slicing or eating. Just a note, they are just a smaller than other recipes I’ve tried.

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