Sandwich Buns : The Best Homemade, Fluffy, Delicious Buns

These homemade sandwich buns are fluffy, light, and perfect for everyday—whether you’re making burgers, sandwiches, or just want a warm, soft, fresh bun with butter and jam.

Is there anything better than fresh, warm, homemade bread? I find it hard to believe. As long as I have bread and cheese, I’m good to go. Plus, if you have some butter and sweet jam—you REALLY don’t need anything else.

I love baking on the weekends. Early in the morning, I make the dough using the no-knead method, so it takes a little longer. A couple of hours later, after you’ve had your morning coffee (or two), your dough is ready. I shape the buns—whatever shape and size I feel like that day—sprinkle them with some sesame seeds, and pop them in the oven.

Ten minutes in, and the entire house smells like a bakery.

I mean, the smell is irresistible. It literally makes all my worries go away—well, at least most of them.

I start fantasizing about what I’ll have it with even before it’s out of the oven.

Do I want it with cheese? An egg salad? A tuna salad? With some pastrami? Maybe some mayo and a roasted chicken breast? Stuff it with meatballs? A nice omelet? Shakshuka? But at the end of the day, NOTHING BEATS SIMPLICITY. There is nothing like butter melting into a warm, straight-out-of-the-oven bun. Sometimes, that’s all a girl needs.

At the end of the day, for me it’s always a grilled cheese.

I think grilled cheese sandwiches should be declared gourmet food.

I honestly believe grilled cheese sandwiches are one of the best things the world has to offer. Remember—if you have bread and cheese, you don’t really need anything else.

These buns, toasted with melted cheese, feta, olives, shaved onion, sliced tomatoes, and any other topping you like, are just the ultimate dinner. In fact, it has been my dinner for the past three days (or four). I highly recommend you try this.

I love this weekend ritual so much that we stopped buying buns completely. Well, they also got more expensive where we live, and the ones made at home are incomparable.

Plus, these buns are super versatile. You can create the buns in whatever shape and size you like. You can add different herbs and spices to the dough, sprinkle them with whatever seeds you like, or keep them simple.

Vegan? These buns are completely vegan! Just make sure to brush them with water mixed with date syrup instead of egg.

Sandwich Buns | Shaping:

After separating the dough into balls and letting them rest, it’s time to shape the buns. I recommend starting by rolling the balls flat using a rolling pin and then rolling them into a log, as seen in the picture.

This helps create texture and more layers in your buns. Then, you can shape them however you like.

In the video (included in the recipe card), I share the method for creating a braided bun using one strand. You can also do bun knots, simple rounded ones, and bagel-shaped ones. Unless you keep them plain and round, make sure to do the rolling step I mentioned before.

I’m sure after a couple of times watching the video, you’ll get the hang of it, check it out in the recipe card.

Choosing the Shape and Size of Your Buns:

I like making a batch of sandwich-sized ones and mini ones.

The mini ones are perfect to have on hand for a small meal or for wiping up a delicious sauce. If you also hate seeing a delicious sauce go to waste and love wiping up every drop, these mini buns are perfect. Whether it’s a salad dressing, a pasta sauce, some meatball sauce, or whatever—you need these mini buns.

I like to incorporate some whole wheat flour or spelt flour into our everyday buns.

I do up to 40% whole wheat flour of some kind and 60% bread flour. This way, you still get fluffy buns while enjoying some benefits from the whole wheat flour. Note that whole wheat flour might require slightly more liquid, so keep that in mind when making the dough.

Shaping Tip:

Make sure not to shape your buns too tightly. The shaped buns will proof after shaping and before baking. They also expand a lot when baking, so keeping them slightly loose helps prevent ripping of the pattern.

Here are some of the whole wheat buns I made using this recipe:

Ready to make the most delicious sandwich buns?

INGREDIENTS

1. Bread Flour: Bread flour is the best choice for these buns because of its high protein content, which helps give the buns their structure and fluffiness.
2. Whole Wheat Flour: I like incorporating it into our everyday buns. I find that substituting up to 40% of the bread flour with whole wheat flour works best. More than that, and they lose the fluffiness that we all love. Whole wheat adds a nutty flavor and extra nutrition, but it’s important to keep the balance right to preserve that soft, airy texture.
3. Instant Dry Yeast: Instant yeast works perfectly for this recipe as it activates quickly and evenly, making the dough rise beautifully.
4. Salt and Sugar :I like the combo of salt and sugar in this recipe. The buns are just a little sweet and salty, which makes them even more delicious. The sugar also helps the yeast work, while the salt enhances the flavor and controls the yeast’s action.
5. Oil: I prefer using a neutral-flavored oil like sunflower oil or corn oil. These oils won’t overpower the flavor of the buns. However, you can also use olive oil if you prefer a slight olive oil taste in your buns.
6. Water: You want to use warm water when making these sandwich buns. The warmth activates the yeast, helping it rise properly. Just be sure it’s not too hot, or it could kill the yeast.

Sandwich Buns | Tips:

1. Dough Preparation: You can make the dough using either the mixer method or the stretch-and-fold method. I prefer the stretch-and-fold method whenever possible; it’s simpler for me and works perfectly every time.
2. Dough Consistency: Make sure the dough is soft but not sticky. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour, but don’t overdo it. You want it to be slightly tacky to the touch, which ensures the buns will be soft and fluffy.
3. Flavor Options: ou can turn these buns into garlic-herb buns by adding a handful of chopped herbs and a grated clove of garlic. I think parsley, za’atar, oregano, and chives would be delicious. You can also sprinkle sesame seeds, poppy seeds, a bagel seasoning mix, or whatever you fancy.
4. Storage: I recommend freezing these buns in a plastic bag—just make sure it’s sealed properly to prevent any freezer taste. For optimal freshness and flavor, these buns should stay good in the freezer for up to 3 weeks. You can store them longer, but the flavor and texture may start to decline.

Now that you know how to make sandwich buns, use them however you like—stack them with your favorite fillings, toast them, or enjoy them as is. They’re soft, fluffy, and so easy to make. I hope you enjoy making them as much as I do. Trust me, they’re so forgiving, and even if the shaping isn’t perfect, they’re still absolutely delicious. Enjoy!