Quick Wheat Hamburger or Slider Buns

Aren't these things just so cute?  I've made this recipe a few times now.  This was the first time I used half wheat flour and also the first time making slider buns instead of Hamburger buns.  These are the perfect buns to hold a burger but also so fast, they are done in under an hour.  I've previously posted a bun recipe that is also good, but it takes a few hours from start to finish and there are plenty of days that my brain doesn't work that far in advance.  Really the only sacrifice here is the amount of yeast used.  The taste and texture are prefect.  So as long as you have the extra yeast to spare, this recipe is for you (and me).

I only subbed half of the flour for whole wheat, I haven't tried all of it yet.  When I do I will let you know.  I've made them before with all white flour so if you need to do that they will still work well.  Really, there wasn't much of difference in taste.  I used white whole wheat flour but I am sure regular whole wheat would work well too.

Quick Wheat Hamburger or Slider Buns

1 cup plus 2 T warm water, about 110 degrees (9 oz)

2 T yeast

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

1 egg, room temperture

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 to 2 cups Bread flour

1 egg white

1 T water

Sesame seeds, optional

Add warm water, yeast and sugar to the bowl of your mixer and let stand 5 minutes.  Add 1 cup whole wheat flour and oil and mix on medium speed with the paddle for 5 minutes, add egg and mix until combine.  Switch to dough hook and add salt and remaining whole wheat flour and bread flour 1/2 cup at a time until all combined.  Knead for 5 more minutes until dough is smooth. (I only used 1 1/2 cups of each flour, the additional 1/2 cup wasn't needed but if your dough seems wet and still sticking to the sides of the bowl, add the extra).  Dump dough onto lightly floured surface.  Preheat oven to 425.

For sliders:  Divide dough into 30 pieces, about 1 ounce each

For Hamburgers:  Divide dough into 12 pieces, about 2.5 oz each

Shape each piece into a ball and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Cover with greased plastic wrap.  Let rest 10-30 minutes.  

(Since I used the wheat flour, I let them rest closer to 30, but with all white flour, you can probably get away with closer to 10.)  

Whisk water and egg white together until foamy, brush over each ball and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.  

Bake 7-10 minutes for sliders and 8-12 minutes for regular size buns. 

 Let cool slightly and slice in half.  The sliders buns were perfect with the 2 oz patties we made from 93% lean hamburger. (about 2.5 inches in diameter before cooking)  Makes about 30 slider buns or 12 hamburger buns.

Adapted from Food.com.

Hopefully tomorrow or the next day, I will post a picture of the sliders with a simple tutorial. if you thought the buns were cute, just wait 'til you see the sliders! ;)

Have a great weekend.