Onion Buns

Recipe by PJ Hamel
80 Reviews 4.9 out of 5 stars

Why bake your own sandwich buns? Because homemade is SO much better than store-bought. These soft, golden buns feature a subtle spiral of dried onion, giving them incredible aroma and marvelous flavor. They're perfect for all kinds of sandwiches — and hamburgers, of course.

Prep
25 mins
Bake
25 mins
Total
2 hrs 50 mins
Yield
8 buns
Save Recipe
Onion Buns

Instructions

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  1. To make the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Combine all of the dough ingredients, and mix and knead them—by hand, mixer, or bread machine—to make a soft, somewhat tacky dough.

  2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or other container large enough to allow it to at least double in bulk, cover, and let it rise for about 60 to 70 minutes, till it's just about doubled.

  3. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, and pat/roll it into a 12" x 17" rectangle

  4. Sprinkle the dough with the minced onion, and press/roll it into the surface gently.

  5. Starting with a short (12") end, roll the dough into a log, sealing the ends and side seam.

  6. Cut the log into eight slices. A pair of scissors works very well here.

  7. Place the buns on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, flattening them to about 3" wide. Cover them, and allow them to rise till they're very puffy, about 1 hour. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375°F.

  8. Uncover the buns, brush them with the beaten egg white/water, and sprinkle with seeds.

  9. Bake the buns for 20 to 25 minutes, until they're golden brown and feel set when you poke them.

  10. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack. When completely cool, wrap in plastic, and store at room temperature.

Tips from our Bakers

  • Beaten egg white/water will give your buns a golden, shiny crust. It also acts as glue for the seeds. If you don't like seeds on your buns, simply leave them off. For a soft, buttery crust, skip the egg white, and brush buns with melted butter just before baking, and right after removing them from the oven.
  • When making yeast rolls or bread, let the dough rise to the point the recipe says it should, e.g., "Let the dough rise till it's doubled in bulk." Rising times are only a guide; there are so many variables in yeast baking that it's impossible to say that bread dough will ALWAYS double in bulk in a specific amount of time.

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