Ultimate soft and light brioche burger buns (the best)

🤔What is Tangzhong?

Tangzhong is a Japanese method that makes bread and buns incredibly soft. It's quite simple: it's a mixture made with flour and water, that's cooked until it resembles gelatin.

And since I discovered it, I use it all the time. Believe me, it's so easy that you'll be using it all the time too after you've tried it!

✨Why are brioche buns different?

They are different from regular buns because the Tangzhong technique makes them sooooo much softer, lighter and fluffier, and have a stringy crumb. They also keep better and longer.

💙Why you'll love them

• Simple ingredients because it's a super simple recipe. If it's your first time, you'll absolutely love it!
• Versatile - for a burger night, a movie night, a friends week-end, barbecues, game nights, birthday parties, casual or comfort food dinner...They are just perfect for so many occasions!
• Budget friendly - as they are cheaper (and so much better) than store-bought burger buns! 
• Can be frozen - I like to make a big batch and freeze leftovers.

🧈Ingredients

You can find a full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below. Here are a few ingredient notes to make these homemade buns.

• All purpose flour - you read that right, there's no need for bread flour here.
• Instant yeast or active dry yeast - always check the expiry date! One day a subscriber told me that she had failed her brioche buns and that after looking at the expiry date on the yeast, she had realized that it had passed... so yes, it can make a real difference!
• Unsalted butter - this is what makes the brioche soft, so don't neglect its quality. I recommend a butter with a minimum fat content of 82% - President is a good brand.
• Egg - ideally pasture-raised organic. You can refer to the Eco Tips I've written on eggs to help you choose the right ones.

🍗What to put in your burger?

The wonderful thing about burgers is that they're so versatile, you can garnish them with absolutely anything! So here are a few ideas:

• My crusted Romano chicken 
• The beef from this Birria tacos, which is super tender and melt-in-the-mouth
• This chicken Tikka Massala for an Indian-twisted burger
• Other protein ideas - bacon, breaded fish, pork, fried egg, tofu, falafel, etc...
• Fried onions
• Veggies - eggplant, zucchini, avocado, jalapeño, etc...
• Cheeses - cheddar, Swiss cheese, mozzarella, burrata, Blue cheese, Parmesan, etc...

🍟What to serve them with?

If you ask me, the best way to serve a burger is with fries, no doubt! The most classic are French fries, but it can also be sweet potato fries, Cajun fries or veggie fries (carrot fries, zucchini fries, etc...).

✨How to make this brioche bun recipe?

Recipe details and quantities are in the recipe card below.

• Prepare the Tangzhong - place the flour and water in a saucepan over low-medium heat.
• Stir constantly with a whisk until it has thickened, then transfer in a small bowl to cool - it must be barely warm to be used.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, milk, softened butter, brown sugar and salt.

• Add the Tangzhong and leave to knead for 2 minutes, before adding the yeast.

• Knead for 5 minutes at slow speed, then 10 minutes at medium speed.

• Place sticky dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead for a final 1-2 minutes.
• My best tip to know whether the dough has been kneaded enough is to lightly press it with your finger. If the dough more or less returns to its original shape (but not completely), it's ready!

• Place it back to the stand mixer bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let the brioche dough rest and rise at 82-86°F/28-30°C for 1h45.

• Punch the air out of the dough and cut into 6 equal pieces using a floured dough scraper. Roll them out into pretty balls - weight each of them, they should be 142 g / 5 oz each.

• In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of milk and the egg yolk. Brush this mixture over each ball, using a silicone brush.

• Time for the second rise - place balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let them rise for 30 minutes at 82-86°F/28-30°C. 
• 10 minutes before the end of the rise, preheat your oven (in your buns are rising in the oven, get them out) to 390°F/200°C in natural convection/static heat mode (top and bottom). Brush the buns again with the egg wash (if you want to add sesame seeds or poppy seeds for the real burger look, now is time to do it).

• Place them in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes, until perfectly golden brown.
• Once out of the oven, brush them one last time with the egg wash and enjoy with your favorite garnishes!

👩🏻‍🍳Chef's tips

1. As European, I'm used to working in grams and milliliters. For any type of bread, I really recommend using a digital kitchen scale, which is much more precise. That way, you'll be sure to succeed.
2. Knead the dough for the recommended amount of time in the bowl of your stand mixer - this is what will give the buns their amazing texture. It will also be easier to work with when kneading by hand.
3. How to know if the dough has been kneaded enough (after kneading by hand) - lightly press it with your finger. If the dough more or less returns to its original shape (not completely), it's done!
4. Don't neglect rise time - the brioche will rise twice, for 2h15 total. This is what gives the bread its pillowy, soft and fluffy texture.
5. My special tip for successful rises - most recipes call for rises at room temperature, but the temperature of your kitchen varies according to the season... So I usually put my dough in a bowl and stick a plastic wrap over it. And then I turn on my oven at 86°F/30°C and once it's hot, I turn it off and open the door for about ten minutes (you can also leave the light of your oven on, but I don't have one). Then I put the bowl it in and leave the dough to rise (I do this for the two rises).
6. Flour your work surface to prevent the dough from sticking and make it easier to work. But don't add too much flour or it will change the brioche buns' texture.
7. Egg wash - I prefer using a bit of milk than a splash of water, I find the result much better!
8. Weight each dough ball with a digital kitchen scale to make sure you have even-sized burger buns.
9. To bake - use the natural convection mode (avoid rotating heat) and place your buns in the middle of the oven.

💡Frequently Asked Questions

❄️Storage and freezing

• Store - let them completely cool to room temperature than place them in a freezer bag. Then press out as much air as possible and close it. Keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days. That's the best way I know to keep them fresh.
• Reheat - when you wish to use them, toast them in a pan with a bit of butter or in a toaster and garnish following your recipe. 
• Freeze - as I said above, I really love to make a big batch and freeze them! I slice them almost to the end (but not completely) before placing them on a plate, which I put in the freezer for 3 hours. Then I place them in a freezer bag, on which I've written the name and date of the recipe.
• Defrost - place them in a preheated oven (230°F/110°C) for 10 to 20 minutes.

😍For brioche lovers

• Brioche cinnamon rolls
• Brioche bread with chocolate chips

If you make these brioche hamburger buns, it would be so nice to leave me a comment and rate the recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. You can also tag me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or Tik Tok, or even send me a photo, I love seeing my little dishes in your homes!