This buttery Brioche Bun Recipe is so fluffy and perfect for any burger or sandwich. The moment you sink your teeth into these brioche rolls, you’ll fall in love!
These brioche buns would go perfectly with my Homemade beef patties or chipotle burgers with avocado sauce!
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I am crazy for this Brioche Bun recipe because it can be used for so many dishes and the flavors and texture are to die for.
- TASTE: Buttery, lightly sweet, and with a rich flavor that can’t be beat, these buns taste amazing.
- TEXTURE: They’re so light and fluffy. You won’t believe how decadent this airy brioche recipe is.
- TIME: This will take about 50 minutes, plus proofing time.
- EASE: This simple recipe uses basic ingredients and step-by-step instructions and images so you’re making your own Brioche Buns perfectly every time.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Dry active yeast- This is the key to giving these buns their airy, fluffy texture.
- Eggs- We use lots of eggs in this brioche bun recipe to give it a light texture, as well as yummy flavor.
- Unsalted butter- This ingredient gives the buns that melt-in-your-mouth buttery taste.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Substitute honey- If you’re avoiding refined sugars, try this recipe with honey or pure maple syrup as the sweetener instead.
- Make it dairy-free- You can substitute the butter and milk with dairy-free options, like vegan butter and almond or coconut milk.
- Sprinkle on other toppings- Top the buns with white sesame seeds like I did, or try poppy seeds, black sesame seeds, or everything bagel seasoning.
- Try them gluten-free- With gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose wheat flour, you can make these completely gluten-free and delicious.
How to Make Brioche Buns
- Froth the yeast. Start off by combing the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Then leave it out for 15 minutes or so until it becomes frothy.
- Start mixing the dough. Then combine the flour, sugar, salt, eggs, and yeast mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer using the hook attachment. You’ll want to start off on low speed so the flour doesn’t go flying everywhere.
- Add the butter. Now slowly pick up the speed to high and add in the softened butter once you don’t see any more patches of flour. You’ll want to beat the brioche dough for about 10 minutes.
- Proof the dough. Next, you’ll need to place the dough into a large greased bowl. Cover and let it rise for about an hour.
- Shape the buns. Now shape the brioche dough into a log and divide it up into 8 pieces. Shape each piece of dough into a round bun.
Pro Tip: Cover the proofing brioche bun dough with a damp tea towel so it stays moist.
- Proof again and bake. Then place each brioche bun onto a baking sheet and let the buns rise. Now brush them with egg wash and sprinkle a few sesame seeds on top and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure the yeast froths- If your yeast is not frothing, it may be too old or the water too cold. Start again because this is really important for getting the perfect airy texture.
- Use softened butter- Let your butter sit out at room temp or microwave for a few seconds at a time to get it soft, but not melted. Cold butter will make these buns more like biscuits.
- Don’t worry about sticky dough- Once you add the butter, the dough will be very sticky – which is what you want! DO NOT add more flour, or the brioche will become too dense.
- Brush on the egg wash- To get that perfect golden brown exterior that shines, brush on some egg wash before baking. It also adds a nice touch of flavor.
FAQs
What is brioche? Brioche is a French type of bread that is made with yeast, flour, and a large amount of eggs and butter. The high butter content is what gives brioche bread that fluffy and tender texture.
What makes brioche buns different from other buns? Brioche differs from your basic yeast bun because it has a lot of butter in it. The incorporated butter makes each bite of brioche so fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
Serving Suggestions
This Brioche Bun Recipe is so buttery and fluffy, it will taste delicious with almost anything you make. Here are some tasty ways to enjoy it.
- Burgers: These make the perfect addition to your favorite burgers. Try them them with Spicy Chipotle Burgers with Avocado Sauce or these juicy Homemade Beef Burger Patties.
- Sandwiches: These Brioche Buns are scrumptious with a Slow Cooker Beef Brisket Sandwich, Classic BLT Sandwich, or Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
- Breakfast: Serve them toasted with butter or homemade Strawberry Jam. You can also use them to make Breakfast Sandwiches and The Best Brioche French Toast.
- Dessert: Repurpose day old buns by breaking them up into pieces and making and using them to make Bread Pudding with Vanilla Rum Sauce.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: These taste best fresh, so knead the dough and then place it in the fridge, covered, the night before. In the morning, let it proof, then bake the buns so you can serve them fresh.
Storing: Store any leftovers wrapped in plastic wrap or in a ziplock bag once they have cooled. They will keep for about 3 days in the fridge.
Freeze: Freeze them by tightly wrapping each brioche bun with aluminum foil then place the buns in a gallon-sized plastic zip-lock bag. Freeze the brioche for up to 3 months.
More Delicious Brioche Breads!
Watch how to make brioche buns here
Full Recipe Instructions
Brioche Buns
These buttery brioche buns are so fluffy and perfect for any burger or sandwich. The moment you sink your teeth into the brioche rolls you’ll fall in love!
Print Pin Rate Servings: 8 Buns
Calories: 441kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk 237 ml
- 1/4 cup sugar divided 50g
- 2 tsp dry active yeast 6.3g
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 585g
- 2 tsp salt 11.38g
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 113g
Instructions
- Heat up 1 cup of milk to about 110 degrees Fahrenheit (microwave or stovetop) and add 1 tbsp sugar and 2 tsp of dry active yeast. Give it a good stir and let it become frothy in a warm place for about 15 minutes
- Meanwhile combine 4 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, 3 Tbsp sugar, and 2 tsp salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Then make a well in the center with a spatula.
- Pour the yeast mixture and 4 eggs into the flour and beat it slowly with the hook attachment. Then pick up the speed to high.
- When no more patches of flour appear add in the sliced 1/2 cup of softened butter.
- Continue to beat the dough for another 10 minutes until it’s formed its shape.
- Now place it on a lightly floured surface. It will be very sticky. Shape it into a ball and place it into a greased bowl.
- Cover The bowl with plastic wrap and keep in a warm place for one hour.
- Form the dough into a log and divide it into 8 equal pieces. If you have a kitchen scale, you can weigh each piece of dough to get perfectly equal-sized buns.
- Shape each piece into a ball and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to proof. This should take about 30 to 50 minutes.
- Brush each bun with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown.
Notes
- Make sure the yeast froths- If your yeast is not frothing, it may be too old or the water too cold. Start again because this is really important for getting the perfect airy texture.
- Use softened butter- Let your butter sit out at room temp or microwave for a few seconds at a time to get it soft, but not melted. Cold butter will make these buns more like biscuits.
- Don’t worry about sticky dough- Once you add the butter, the dough will be very sticky – which is what you want! DO NOT add more flour, or the brioche will become too dense.
- Brush on the egg wash- To get that perfect golden brown exterior that shines, brush on some egg wash before baking. It also adds a nice touch of flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 629mg | Potassium: 184mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 523IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 4mg
Did you make this recipe? Snap a photo of it and tag me on Instagram @simplyhomecooked or use the hashtag #simplyhomecooked so I can see it and feature it!
Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!
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bags says
I love this recipe. can I make a loaf using this recipe.
do I change anything.
tia
Dina says
Hi, I have a recipe for the loaf. Click here for the recipe: https://simplyhomecooked.com/brioche-bread/, Enjoy! 🙂
Macha says
Hi, I’m going to make these today but wanted to ask about the yeast. I did a batch of a different recipe yesterday but it was a “quick” recipe. They didn’t use as many eggs or as much butter but the used 2 tbls of rapid rise. Don’t get me wrong, they were yummy rolls but didn’t seem Brioche. Your recipe looks much more logical. I’m just wondering if I were to add more yeast would they rise faster or does it interfere with the taste and texture? As I said, the others I made didn’t seem brioche at all. It’s not really a problem to let them rise longer. I just hate waiting (:
Dina says
Hi Macha, adding extra yeast will interfere with the flavor. I recommend following the recipe. It is very buttery and rich.
Tracy says
Hi, I don’t see how the carbs can be only 8 grams per serving – the recipe calls for 4 cups of flour and there are about 90 carbs in one cup??
Dina says
Hi Tracy, thank you for catching that. It should be updated now. Each bun has about 63g of carbs.
Roberta says
Can you use quick rise yeast in this recipe?
Dina says
Hi Roberta 🙂 Yes, you can. You would just skip the frothy yeast mixture step and just add it into the dry ingredients. Hope that helps and I hope you love this brioche bun recipe! 🙂
Roberta says
Hi. I was wondering if you can use 2% milk and margarine in this recipe?
Also, what is the difference if you use unsalted butter?
Thank you
Roberta
Dina says
Hi Roberta 🙂 Yes, you can use 2% milk for this recipe. However, I would recommend using butter for this recipe and not margarine. I have not personally tried this recipe with margarine so can’t say for sure how it would taste.
I do use unsalted butter for these brioche buns. Not sure if you meant to say salted butter. I always cook and bake with unsalted butter because I like to control the amount of salt in the recipe. I hope that helps and I hope you love this recipe! Let me know how it goes 🙂
Rebecca says
Hi Dina. I’ve tried a few different times to make these buns and they always turn out a bit too dense and heavy with a thicker crust on the bottom than I would like. My dough was goopy compared to yours. I added 3 teaspoons of flour but didn’t want to add more because of your recommendation not to. It was workable, even achieved the windowpane for my first time, so I went with it but the dough balls before cooked were not as poofy as yours even after proofing. They also cracked open on the top while baking. They were nice and fluffy inside and delicious, just not quite there. Needless to say, help! What am I doing wrong?
Dina says
Hi Rebecca, it sounds like the buns did not rise long enough. Is there a chance that your house was a little too cold at the time of proving? Do you have the bread-proof setting on your oven? It really helps speed up the rising process and creates wonderfully proved dough. I hope this helps!
A.H says
The best buns EVER!! Am making these the fourth time and each time has such good buns! We use them for pulled pork and more often than not we just eat them plsin!
Dina says
I am so thrilled to hear that! Thank you so much for taking the time to write your kind recipe review!
Tin says
Wow! I am thankful to your recipe. I got a really nice tasting brioche. I can’t wait to showoff on sunday for our burger day.
I made 10 buns. Ang they all are beautiful and tasty. Thank you for your recipe.
Dina says
I am so glad that you loved this recipe! Thank you for taking the time to write your kind recipe review.
JennyS says
These turned out amazing!. They looked just like your pictures. do not feel obligated to post my comment but could you please correct the carb count. It is actually 56 if you are making eight rolls. Not eight carbs. My son has to dose for every carb he puts in his body due to type one diabetes so it’s important for us to check every recipe
Dina says
I am so happy you loved this recipe, Jenny! Thank you for catching that typo. I will definitely fix that!
JennyS says
My dough is rising as we speak. I’m a little bit nervous that it is too sticky. I could not get it to shape into a ball so I just kind of plopped it into a bowl. Do you think this is going to be too sticky or should I not worry about it? I did end up adding about two extra tablespoons of flour because it was too sticky. Maybe my eggs were larger than normal ? I can’t wait to shape them into rolls and bake them !
Dina says
Hi Jenny, the size of the eggs are a big factor in making the dough too sticky. I am glad you stuck with your gut and added the extra tablespoons of flour 🙂
Rebecca says
Can 2% milk be used instead of whole?
Dina says
Yes it can! 🙂
Rebecca says
Thanks for the quick reply. I am relatively new to baking, tried King Arthur Baking recipe and thought it was too cakey. I realized I used bread flour instead of AP flour and wondered if that made them that way. Then I read here you can make the substitution. I’m hoping these buns are lighter. I’m using a bread machine just for making the dough. Any thoughts or tips?
Dina says
Hi Rebecca, bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which gives the bread a chewier texture. Not everyone likes to use bread flour since it’s more expensive. You can most definitely use a bread machine! It will help knead in the butter well 🙂
Jackie says
I absolutely love these buns they are so soft and pillowy yet hold up well. They are definitely my #1 go to for a hamburger bun.
Dina says
Jackie that is so awesome! It brings me so much joy knowing that you love this recipe 🙂 Thank you for your kind review.
Michelle says
Great recipe but your total time looks like government math 🤣 it should be 2 hours 20 minutes not 50 minutes.
Dina says
Haha, definitely some strange math! It didn’t include the proof time. I just fixed it. Thank you for letting me know Michelle! Glad to hear you enjoyed this brioche bun recipe 🙂
Pamela says
Hey Dina, I just made these today, Jan. 21-22 and WOW, they look amazing! I did just recently buy a kitchen scale and my 8 buns measured out almost exactly 140grams each. One or two were 141g but otherwise measured out perfectly. I wish I could share a pic as to how nice they turned out! I feel so proud of myself as I’m new to yeast bread baking, still have a goofy grin on my face as I type this… Thanks Dina! Great recipe. Followed it exactly.
Dina says
Yay!! That is so awesome to hear Pamela! 🙂 So happy and excited for you! Makes me so happy when people try new recipes and love them and when they trust to give my recipe a try! Happy that you loved this brioche bun recipe and thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback! I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my blog!
P.S. If you loved these then you will love my brioche bread! 😉
Michelle says
Oh my goodness, these are absolutely fantastic. I made them tonight and followed your recipe exactly and they came out perfect! This elevated our homemade burger night. I will make these again and again. Thank you!
Dina says
That is so awesome to hear Michelle! So happy that this brioche bun recipe will be a repeat in your home and that they came out so perfectly! Thank you so much for your kind feedback! I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my blog 🙂
J says
Hi can I replace the AP flour to bread flour instead?
Dina says
Hi 🙂 Yes, you can use bread flour to make these brioche buns. I hope you love this recipe! Let me know how it goes 🙂
María Carolina Soto Niño says
La mejor receta de pan para hamburguesa que he hecho. Gracias!!
Dina says
Muchas gracias por dejarme saber cómo resultó la receta.
Katrina says
I made this recipe today and it turned out perfectly, just like in your pictures. It was surprisingly simple, especially for a brioche; you just need patience and to trust the time for mixing. I did have to add 3 tbsp additional flour on top of the 4 1/4 cup in the instructions. I made 9 rolls total and they were HUGE once proofed and baked. The next time I make them (and there will definitely be a next time) I will try making 12 so they’ll be more sandwich size. They are so fluffy inside and taste phenomenal even when eaten plain.
simplyhomecooked says
I am so glad to hear that you loved this brioche bun recipe Katrina! I agree, they are on the larger size. So making 12 smaller ones would make sense 🙂 I am happy that you loved the taste so much!
Menaka says
The buns turned out beautifully. But the dough was a little too sticky to handle. I used your exact measurements and didn’t add extra flour.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi 🙂 Happy to hear these brioche buns turned out beautifully! The dough should be a little sticky/tacky but it should still be workable. The less flour makes it less dense and better. I mention you can add a little flour at a time to make it more workable if needed. I have noticed that different brands of flour require different amounts. I hope that helps clarify 🙂
Veli says
Hi, can I use 2% fat milk instead of whole milk? Thank you.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi 🙂 Yes, 2% milk will work for these brioche buns 🙂 I hope you love this recipe!