How to Make Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

Can I Knead Cinnamon Roll Dough by Hand?

Yes! You can knead this dough by hand without a stand mixer and dough hook – but it will take more time and some upper body strength! Check out my full tutorial on how to knead dough by hand here.

Tips for Kneading Cinnamon Rolls by Hand:

1. This is a very rich dough, so it will take longer to knead than some yeasted doughs.
2. ONLY add as much flour as needed to handle the dough. It’s better for the dough to be sticky at the start than to add too much flour and wind up with dense rolls, instead of light and fluffy ones.

Is Active Dry Yeast the Same as Instant Yeast?

Active Dry Yeast and Instant Yeast, also called ‘quick rising’ or ‘fast rising’ yeast, can be used interchangeably in most recipes. Active dry yeast simply works a little more slowly than instant yeast.

Here’s how to use active dry yeast in these cinnamon rolls:

• Use active dry yeast in place of instant yeast at a 1:1 ratio.
• To do so, add it to the warm (not hot!) milk and butter mixture with a teaspoon of the sugar.
• Allow it to proof for 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy.
• Expect the rising time to be on the longer end.
• Learn more about the differences between different types of yeast here.

How Long Does Homemade Cinnamon Roll Dough Take to Rise?

This Gooey Cinnamon Roll recipe is an enriched dough, meaning it has ingredients like milk, butter, sour cream, sugar, and eggs to make it rich, super soft, and tender once baked. These ingredients can also slow down rising time. Rising times will depend on the warmth and humidity of your kitchen, so keep that in mind. Speed up rising by placing the dough in a warm place, such as near a warm oven or stove, near a sunny window, near a heater vent or radiator, or even inside your oven if it has a proofing setting. Don’t place it anywhere warmer than about 80°F. 

How to Tell When the Cinnamon Roll Dough Has Risen Enough:

• Volume: The dough should double in volume for the first rise. I always like to use a glass mixing bowl to rise my dough in so I can see how much it’s risen more easily.
• Ripe Test: The best way to tell if the dough has risen enough to shape is to perform the ‘ripe test’. Press two fingers in the risen dough up to the second knuckle and then take them out. If the indentations remain, the dough is “ripe” and ready to punch down. If not, cover and let the dough rise until the indentations do remain.
• Shape and rise again: Now the dough is ready to be rolled out and shaped into rolls! Allow the shaped rolls to rise again until about doubled in size and a gentle indentation from your finger remains.

How to Shape Perfect Cinnamon Rolls Spirals

Rolling up your cinnamon roll dough nice and tight is the key to beautiful round rolls and visible spirals. Here’s how to achieve perfect cinnamon roll swirls:

1. Make sure your work surface and log of dough are lightly dusted with flour.
2. As you roll the dough up, stretch it towards you and then over, so it stays tight instead of floppy.
3. Finish off the spiral with the seam side down, to seal in the filling.
4. Push the ends into the center slightly with your palms to create an even log shape, then cut off the ends to even out.

How to Slice Cinnamon Roll Dough

To get picture-perfect cinnamon rolls and show off that perfect spiral, it’s important to slice the log of dough without squashing it. Here are some of my best tips to ensure perfect slices:

1. The best tool for that is a very sharp chef’s knife and use sweeping motions, not sawing motions, to slice.
2. If you don’t have a super sharp knife, you can also use a serrated knife and sweeping motions.
3. Alternatively, you can use dental floss to slice the dough – but be sure it’s unflavored.
4. To get evenly-sized pieces, cut the log exactly in half so you have two equal-sized logs. Then cut each log in half again so you have four equal-sized logs. Finally, cut each of the four logs into 3 pieces, for a total of 12 cinnamon rolls.

What Pan Should I Bake Cinnamon Rolls in?

While I usually prefer metal baking pans over glass or ceramic (metal conducts heat more efficiently – learn more about that here), I actually prefer the table presentation ceramic pans offer when making cinnamon rolls. Also, because ceramic (and glass) conduct heat more slowly than metal, it allows these rolls to stay slightly gooey in the centers. This is my go-to baking pan for this recipe.

Easy Cinnamon Rolls Icing

I opted for a simple powdered sugar icing for this recipe. I love the way the icing floods the warm cinnamon rolls and melts into them, for the ultimate gooey bite. You want the icing to have a pourable consistency – not too thick and not too watery. Adjust the powdered sugar-to-milk ratio if needed.

Can I Use Cream Cheese Frosting Instead?

Yes! Just combine the below ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high for 2 minutes, or until super smooth.

• 8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 cup (125 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch salt

Check out the full Best Cream Cheese Icing recipe here.

How to Make Gooey Cinnamon Rolls Ahead of Time

1. Refrigerate the shaped but unbaked cinnamon rolls in the pan you plan to bake them in. To give them a jump start on rising, I like to let them rise at room temperature for about 30 minutes before placing them in the refrigerator – especially in the winter when the cold air slows rise times.
2. Cover the rolls tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. The dough should continue to rise slowly in the fridge.
3. When getting ready to bake, remove the pan from the fridge and loosen the plastic wrap. Let the cinnamon rolls rise at room temperature until doubled in size. The time this takes will depend entirely on how much they rose in the fridge and how warm/humid your kitchen is. It may take just 20 to 30 minutes or it may take over an hour.
4. Proceed with baking the recipe as written.

How to Store Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade cinnamon rolls are best served fresh and warm – right out of the oven if possible! You can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for a day. Rewarm in the oven or microwave before serving.

How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls

You can also freeze the shaped but unbaked Gooey Cinnamon Rolls in the pan, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then allow to rise again at room temperature. Once doubled in size, proceed with the recipe as written.

How to Make Homemade Hawaiian Bread Rolls

What Are Hawaiian Rolls?

You may have seen Hawaiian Rolls at your local supermarket – but these homemade versions are SO much better! Hawaiian Rolls are distinctly sweet and ridiculously soft and light, perfect for making delicious mini sandwiches, breakfast sandwiches, sliders, and more. Your kids will go crazy for these rolls, too!

Can I Make Homemade Hawaiian Rolls Without a Mixer?

Probably… but it won’t be easy! Your KitchenAid stand mixer does all the hard work in kneading these Homemade Hawaiian Rolls. By hand, it’s going to take a lot of elbow grease, a long time, and give your arms and hands a heck of a workout. Learn more about kneading dough by hand here.

How To Make FLUFFY Hawaiian Rolls:

• Avoid adding too much extra flour to the dough. Since this dough is slightly sticky and enriched with milk, butter, and a lot of sugar, it takes quite a while to come together. These ingredients slow down gluten development. Your instinct might be to add extra flour; however, any extra flour will create a denser, tougher bun instead of the light, fluffy, brioche-style bun we want.
  
  
  
• Know your kitchen climate. This recipe was tested in Arizona, Michigan, and New York. During testing, Emily from Team HTH’s kitchen (in Michigan) was about 87% humidity, Kiersten from Team HTH’s kitchen (in New York) was about 65%, whereas our studio kitchen in Arizona was 14% humidity. The more humid your location, the stickier your dough will be. If your kitchen is about 65% humidity or higher, use the higher range of bread flour listed (4 1/2 cups, or 540 grams). Reduce the bread flour if your kitchen is less than 65% humidity. Begin with the lower range listed (4 cups + 1 tablespoon, or 516 grams) and add additional flour by the tablespoon (8 grams) as needed.
• It’s better to be slightly sticky than dense. This dough shouldn’t be unbearably sticky, but it will be tacky. Resist the urge to add extra flour as this will negatively impact the texture of the rolls. The dough will be easier to work with after the first rise!

Proofing Homemade Hawaiian Rolls Sliders:

• This dough will take some time to proof, especially if your kitchen is cold. The sugars, pineapple juice, eggs, and butter in this recipe add deliciousness but also slow the proofing process.
• The first rise will take about 90 minutes and the second rise will take about 1 hour; however, these times are completely influenced by the temperature of the rising environment.
• You can tell if your bread is well-proofed by giving it a gentle poke with your finger or knuckle. Bread dough that has proofed well will spring back slowly when poked and leave an indent. If it snaps back too quickly, it needs more time.
• Don’t be tempted to speed up the rise time too drastically, as too much heat will kill the yeast and reduce flavor development.
• If you’re lucky enough to have a proofing setting on your oven, you can use that (provided you’ve tested it previously and it doesn’t get too hot!).
• If your kitchen is very cold, turn your oven on and place the bowl nearby, so it gets a little indirect warmth. If your kitchen is very hot, watch the rolls very carefully, as your rise time might be much shorter than specified.

How To Tell If You Have Over-Proofed Your Homemade Hawaiian Rolls

This can happen easily if your kitchen is very hot, or if you’re super busy and forget to check on the rolls. If your rolls have over-proofed, they will likely deflate while egg washing, or look deflated once baking. Over-proofed rolls will look a little sad, but they should still taste fine.

How to Shape Hawaiian Bread Rolls

It’s important to properly shape your bread rolls for beautiful, tall, fluffy rolls.

1. Once the dough is risen, press it down to deflate it slightly.
2. Place the dough onto a clean surface (not a floured surface). Use a bench scraper to section the dough into 12 equal pieces. Don’t worry if they’re not perfectly equal in size. However, if you’re a perfectionist you can actually weigh the entire mass of dough, divide that number by 12, then portion each piece perfectly by weight.
3. As you’re shaping each piece into a round, make sure to pinch the dough into one central point to create a tight ball. This will help the rolls rise beautifully. Don’t flour your work surface when shaping the rolls because you want some resistance to roll them into taut balls.

The Best Pan for Homemade Hawaiian Rolls

• This is my favorite pan for baking Homemade Hawaiian slider rolls, but any light-colored metal pan will work just fine.
• Avoid dark-colored metal pans, as these can cause excessive browning and dry out the edges.
• If using a glass or ceramic baking pan, you may need to extend the baking time. Learn more about baking in Glass vs. Metal Pans here.

For Those Who Prefer Not-So-Sweet Rolls

These rolls are subtly sweet, but please don’t experiment with reducing the sugar (we’ve tested it!), it’s an essential part of this copycat Hawaiian Roll recipe. The texture will dramatically worsen with a reduction in the sugar. Learn more about sugar’s role in baking here. If you prefer a less sweet roll, try my Ultimate Dinner Rolls recipe instead.

Do I Have to Use Bread Flour For These Hawaiian Rolls? Can I Use Just All-Purpose Flour Instead?

For best results, I firmly recommend sticking with both bread and all-purpose flour as written. Here’s why:

• Bread flour contains a higher percentage of protein than all-purpose flour, which helps build gluten and will aid in giving the rolls structure, height, and a little chewiness. Gluten is the backbone of any bread’s structure and since we are adding ingredients that prohibit gluten development (pineapple juice, butter, egg, sugar), that additional protein is needed to develop structure.
• When I tested a batch of Homemade Hawaiian Rolls using only all-purpose flour, the rolls were way too dense, noticeably drier, and took significantly longer to knead and rise.
• I also found that making the rolls with only bread flour yielded rolls that were too firm. The addition of a little all-purpose flour balances this out, making the rolls softer.

If you absolutely must use only all-purpose flour, just note that they’ll take much longer to knead, longer to proof, and they won’t be as soft and fluffy.

How Long Do Homemade Hawaiian Rolls Last?

These Homemade Hawaiian Rolls will keep for 3 days in an airtight container, stored at room temperature. Don’t refrigerate these Hawaiian Rolls, as it will dry them out faster. Refresh in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes, or pop in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, or until warm, before serving.

Can I Make Homemade Hawaiian Rolls Ahead of Time?

Enriched yeast doughs can have issues rising properly if made ahead. Instead, I recommend freezing the fully baked rolls as directed just below.

How to Freeze Hawaiian Rolls:

1. Once cooled, place rolls in a ziptop bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
2. To thaw, leave at room temperature for a few hours.
3. Reheat in a 400°F oven for 5-10 minutes, or pop in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, until warmed through, if desired.

How to Make Copycat Red Lobster Biscuits

Tips for Perfectly Tender, Flaky, and Soft Cheesy Garlic Biscuits:

1. Be super gentle with the dough. Making these biscuits by hand with a pastry blender, instead of a mixer or food processor, means you’re less likely to overwork the dough – and it’s still super quick and easy. Be sure to mix the buttermilk in gently, and only just until the dough comes together. Overmixing will result in tough biscuits.
2. Make sure to MEASURE CORRECTLY. Too much flour will result in dense, dry, and tough biscuits. I recommend using a digital kitchen scale for best results.
3. Use real buttermilk. The acid in buttermilk activates the baking soda (baking powder actually contains baking soda) in these biscuits to leaven, lighten, and tenderize the end result. A DIY substitute will work, but the results won’t be as tender and tasty. More on this below.
4. Make sure your ingredients are COLD. Your butter and buttermilk must be very cold when mixing. The cold little pieces of butter in the dough will release steam once they hit the heat of the oven. That steam puffs up and helps to create those mouthwatering flaky layers.
5. Use fresh baking powder. Yes, baking powder can expire – and it can lose its effectiveness before the expiration date printed on the packaging. Check out my Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder article to learn how to test for freshness.

Do I Have to Use Buttermilk?

To create the best flavor AND texture, yes. I’d highly recommend using real buttermilk in these cheesy garlic biscuits. I’ve done extensive side-by-side testing on buttermilk vs. regular milk vs. buttermilk substitutes (including powdered buttermilk). Take a peek:

You can read more about my science of baking & buttermilk experiments here: Buttermilk 101.

At the end of the day, I find nothing quite compares to the tangy taste and thick texture that real buttermilk provides. If you can’t use real buttermilk, you can use this substitute: 1 scant cup whole milk + 2 teaspoons distilled vinegar or lemon juice – but please be aware that the flavor and tender texture won’t be as good, compared to using the real thing.

The Garlic in Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

We’re using garlic powder in these biscuits. Using garlic powder better mimics the flavor of the original biscuits than using fresh garlic. Feel free to experiment with using fresh minced garlic instead, but just note that the flavor will deviate from Reb Lobster’s version.

The Cheese in Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

Using a freshly shredded sharp cheddar will give a strong cheesy flavor, great texture, and mimic the flavor and consistency of the original biscuits. Pre-shredded cheeses don’t bring the same flavor and don’t melt as nicely, so shred your own if you can. Tip: the shredding attachment on your food processor makes for quick shredding!

Do I Need to Roll Out the Dough and Cut it? 

No! Unlike traditional biscuits or scones, these Red Lobster cheddar biscuits are even more simple as you just portion the dough out and drop it right onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. This makes for a more rustic look, making them perfect to bring to a dinner party or Sunday family dinner. This spring-loaded ¼ cup scoop will make this job even easier, but you can also use a measuring cup. If the batter sticks, just spray your scoop or cup with nonstick cooking spray.

Can I Make Cheddar Garlic Biscuits in Advance?

If you have to prep these ahead of time, I recommend following the freezing instructions below – or making them the day before, and just popping them back in the oven (instructions below) to reheat them, before serving.

How to Store Cheesy Garlic Biscuits?

These biscuits are best served the day they are made, but they’ll still taste great for 3 days if stored at room temperature, in an airtight container. Just refresh in the oven (instructions below).

How to Reheat Red Lobster Biscuits

To reheat, wrap cheesy garlic biscuits in foil and bake for 5-10 minutes at 350°F, or until warmed through.

Do Homemade Cheddar Biscuits Need to be Refrigerated?

Storing cheesy garlic biscuits in the fridge will dry them out quickly. I recommend keeping these cheesy garlic biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature.

Can You Freeze Cheesy Garlic Biscuits?

• Portion the cheesy garlic biscuits out on a parchment paper-lined baking tray and freeze for a couple hours, until solid, and then move to a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to a month.
• To thaw, move the biscuits to the fridge overnight, then bring them to room temperature and allow them to get a little puffy before baking.
• Alternatively, bake as directed straight from the freezer, adding an additional 5 minutes to the baking time, or until golden brown.

How to Make the BEST Homemade Banana Bread

How to Tell if Bananas Are Ripe for Baking Banana Bread

For this recipe, you’ll want to use very overripe bananas. They should be very soft and covered with dark brown speckles. This will provide both the best sweet flavor and the best texture.

• To speed up the ripening process: Place them in a paper bag in a warm area for a day or two. The peels create ethylene gas, which fills up the bag and helps them ripen faster.
• To ripen bananas today: Place whole unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the skins are darkened and the fruit is soft.
• Freeze extras: If you have more overripe bananas than you need for this recipe, you can always peel and freeze them for later.

How to Mash Bananas for Baking

Mash the ripe bananas very well by hand with a fork or potato masher. I find mashing with an electric mixer makes the batter too thin to rise well, often leading to bread that’s slightly mushy in the center or even slightly sunken in the center.

How to Make Banana Bread MOIST

• Butter and oil: I experimented with using melted butter vs. oil in banana bread and found an even mixture of both led to the best results. You get the rich flavor from the butter, but the sensation of moistness from the vegetable oil.
• Why use oil: Oil is a liquid at room temperature, so it feels moist on the palate even though it has no water.
• Brown sugar and plain yogurt/sour cream: The other key ingredients that help make the banana bread moist, tender, and flavorful.

How to Add Nuts or Chocolate Chips to Banana Bread

• I made this recipe plain, but you can add 1 cup of coarsely chopped nuts or chips.
• I prefer lightly toasted chopped walnuts or semisweet chocolate chips, but feel free to get creative here.
• If you prefer pecans, I have a recipe for Butter Pecan Banana Bread you’ll love.

The CORRECT Pan to use for Banana Bread

• The pan I recommend: A light-colored METAL 9 by 5-inch loaf pan. Anything too dark in color will risk scorching the edges.
• Glass and ceramic loaf pans: Take MUCH longer to bake – upwards of 15 to 20 minutes. You also risk the banana bread collapsing in the center and being underbaked in the middle. Learn more about this here.
• Use the correct size loaf pan: 9 by 5-inches.
  • I know that an 8 ½ by 4 ½-inch pan seems basically identical, but the difference in volume capacity is 15% and that has a surprisingly large impact on the final loaf.
  • If you use the smaller pan size, your loaf may spill over the edges and remains underbaked in the center.
• Using a smaller pan: If that’s all you have, you can withhold about 15% of the batter from the pan.

How to Bake Banana Bread WITHOUT COLLAPSING!

1. Follow my notes above for using the correct baking pan – both size and material matter!
2. Make sure your oven is completely preheated. Wait at least 10 additional minutes after your oven emits that preheat beep before placing your loaf in, to ensure it’s hot enough.
3. Invest in an oven thermometer to see just how accurate your oven actually is. Read more about oven temperatures in my article here.
4. Be sure not to overmix the banana bread batter.
5. Don’t underbake. More on this just below.

How to Tell When Banana Bread is Done Baking?

• Bake your banana bread until it registers an internal temperature of 200 to 205°F.
• Use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center.
• This is the best and easiest way to ensure your bread is perfectly cooked through but not overdone.

Can You Save Underbaked Banana Bread?

We’ve all been there. You go to slice your cooled loaf, only to discover it’s gummy and underdone in the center. Putting it back in the oven will only scorch the exterior before the interior can heat through.

Instead, you can place those slices on a buttered griddle and fry them up kind of like French toast. You can also do this with stale banana bread (if it lasts that long!). Add a little peanut butter at the end for the ultimate indulgence!

Can I Add Frosting to Banana Bread?

If you’d like, you can add Cream Cheese Frosting or my Best Buttercream to take this recipe to a whole new level!

How to Turn Banana Bread into Muffins

• You can turn this banana bread recipe into about two dozen banana bread muffins.
• Fill the batter about 3/4 full into the cavities of two standard muffin tins.
• Bake at 350°F for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• I also have a fabulous recipe for fluffy Bakery Style Banana Muffins as well as Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins!

How to Store Banana Bread

Cover and store cooled banana bread at room temperature for 2 days. The flavors will actually intensify as the bread sits!

How to Freeze Banana Bread

To freeze, tightly wrap the completely cooled loaf or slices in plastic wrap, then place in a ziptop bag. Store in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature. If thawing an entire loaf, you can also refresh the loaf by popping it into a 325°F oven for about 10 minutes.

How to Make Homemade Burger Buns from Scratch

Ingredients for Hamburger Buns

• Warm milk – Whole milk, for best results. Between 105° and 120°F is perfect. The milk enriches this dough for a softer, fluffier texture.
• Warm water – Also at around 105° and 120°F. Too hot and it will kill the yeast; too cold and it will take forever to rise.
• Instant yeast – I prefer to use instant yeast, but active dry yeast will work too. More on this below.
• Sugar – Just a little, to bring some moisture to the buns and to help with browning, so please don’t skip the sugar.
• Egg – One large egg, about 56 grams in shell, at room temperature. Like the milk, the egg enriches the dough to make the buns rich, tender, and soft. You will need an additional egg for the egg wash.
• Bread flour + All-purpose flour– Measured correctly, preferably using a digital scale. It’s important to use bread flour and all-purpose flour for this recipe. More on this below.
• Salt – I prefer to use fine sea salt because I prefer the flavor, but table salt works just fine. The amount of salt used doesn’t make this bread salty, it instead lifts all the other flavors, making for a well-rounded flavor profile. Learn more about the differences between types of salt here.
• Butter – Used to add moisture and flavor, resulting in a slightly buttery and rich yet light and fluffy texture. Always use unsalted butter in baking.
• Sesame seeds – To top the rolls with. Optional, but I love them! You can use poppy seeds, everything bagel seasoning, or leave them plain – totally up to you.

Overview of Instructions – How to Make Homemade Hamburger Buns

1. Combine the first few ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the milk, water, yeast, sugar, and egg.
2. Add the flour. Mix until incorporated.
3. Mix in the salt and butter.  Knead on medium-low speed for about 10 minutes, or until the dough comes together into a soft yet tacky dough (should not be unbearably sticky). Avoid adding too much extra flour because it will create tough buns. It’s better to be sticky at this step, I promise!
4. Allow to rise.  Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours. Note that enriched dough will take a little longer to rise than dough made without butter, milk, or eggs.
5. Prepare the pans. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
6. Divide the dough and shape the buns. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Gently roll each portion of dough into a ball and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, 2 to 3 inches apart.
7. Allow to rise again. Cover with a clean towel and let rise again until puffy and almost doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
8. Egg wash the burger buns.  Brush the tops of the buns lightly with the egg wash. This will encourage a deeply golden shiny exterior and provide a glue for the sesame seeds to stick to. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
9. Bake. Bake at 400°F for about 15 minutes, rotating halfway through baking, until the tops are golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool completely before slicing, topping, and serving.

Which Yeast Is Best to Use For Burger Buns?

Instant yeast, also called rapid rise or quick rise yeast, helps these buns rise faster. You can buy my favorite yeast on Amazon. This type of yeast is specifically formulated to allow you to skip proofing (the step where you combine the yeast with warm liquid and allow it to sit for a few minutes until it becomes bubbly). Instant yeast can be directly added in with all of the other ingredients.

How Can I Use Active Dry Yeast Instead Of Instant Yeast?

Yes, you can swap instant yeast for active dry yeast at a 1:1 ratio. Active dry yeast will take about 20% longer to rise. Here’s how to slightly speed up that process:

• Combine the active dry yeast with the warm water and warm milk called for in the recipe and allow it to proof for 5 minutes, until frothy.
• Then add to the bowl with the other ingredients and proceed with the recipe as written.

How to Tell When Burger Bun Dough Has Properly Risen

1. After kneading, shape the dough into a ball. Place in a lightly-oiled mixing bowl. I like to use a glass bowl, so I can see how much it’s rising. I’ll even snap an iPhone picture of the dough before rising, so I can compare it later.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.  Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free location. Near a sunny window or even a hot oven or laundry dryer (away from scented dryer sheets) are great options. Ideal rise temperatures are between 80°F and 90°F. Lower temperatures will require more rising time.
3. The dough is done rising when it’s about doubled in size and passes the “ripe” test. Gently stick two fingers in the risen dough up to the second knuckle and then take them out. If the finger marks remain, the dough is ready for shaping into balls. If not, cover and let the dough rise longer until it is.
4. The same finger test can be done again after the second rise, when the rolls are shaped and getting ready for baking.

Here’s what my burger buns dough looked like before and after rising:

How To Tell If You Have Over-Proofed Your Hamburger Buns

This can happen easily if your kitchen is very hot, or if you’re super busy and forget to check on the buns. If your buns have over-proofed, they will likely deflate while egg washing, or look deflated once baking. Over-proofed buns will look a little sad, but they should still taste fine.

Do I Have to Use Bread Flour For These Burger Buns? Can I Use Just All-Purpose Flour Instead?

For best results, I really recommend sticking with both bread and all-purpose flour as written. Bread flour contains a higher percentage of protein than all-purpose flour, which helps develop the gluten in the dough. Gluten is the backbone of any bread’s structure and since we are adding ingredients that prohibit gluten development (butter, egg, sugar), this dough needs that additional protein to develop its structure and prevent them from falling flat. When testing this recipe, I found that making the buns with all bread flour resulted in buns that were too tall and stiff. The addition of all-purpose flour balances this out.

Can I Use Whole Wheat Flour For These Burger Buns?

Check out my Whole Wheat Burger Buns recipe, I’ve made the adjustments so you don’t have to!

Can I Knead This Dough By Hand Without A Mixer?

Yes, but it’ll require some elbow grease and patience. Many readers have successfully kneaded by hand, but this dough is on the sticky side and requires a lot of kneading to develop that gluten. If you’ve got a mixer, it’s worth lugging out of the cabinet. If you don’t have a stand mixer, check out my How to Knead Dough article here.

How To Make Fluffy Bread

• Avoid adding too much extra flour to the dough. Since this dough is enriched and takes quite a while to come together, it’ll look really wet and sticky. Your instinct might be to add extra flour; however, any extra flour will create a denser, tougher bun instead of the light, fluffy, brioche-style bun we want.
• It’s better to be sticky than dense. The sticky factor will continue to lessen as the dough is kneaded and especially as it rises. If the dough doesn’t seem like it’s coming together at all, let it rest for about 10 minutes before continuing kneading to relax the gluten.

How to Shape Burger Buns

Knowing how to properly shape burger buns, as well as bread rolls, makes the difference between sad flat buns and beautifully round tall ones that look professional. Just take a look at how this recipe looks when properly shaped vs. improperly shaped:

1. Deflate the dough. Once the dough is risen, press it down to deflate it slightly.
2. Place on work surface. Place the dough onto a clean surface (not a floured surface).
3. Divide the dough. Use a bench scraper to section the dough into 8 equal pieces. Feel free to eyeball it, but if you’re a perfectionist like me, weigh the entire mass of dough, divide that number by 8, then portion each piece perfectly by weight.
4. Shape into rounds. As you’re shaping each piece into a round, make sure to tug on pieces of dough to bring towards a central point. Pinch those pieces together to create a very tight, taught ball of dough. Roll the ball on your work surface to even out. This will help the buns rise beautifully.
5. Don’t flour the work surface. Don’t flour your work surface when shaping the buns because you want some resistance to roll them into taut balls.
6. Tip if the dough is too sticky to handle easily: Very lightly oil or flour your hands – just enough that you can handle the dough without it sticking to your hands.

Can This Recipe Be Made Into Sliders?

Yes! Simply divide the dough into 15 and place in a 9×13-inch metal pan. Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, rotating halfway through baking, until the tops are golden brown.

How Do I Make These Burger Buns Ahead Of Time?

Most yeasted doughs can be made ahead of time. I recommend preparing the buns through the first rise, dividing and shaping the rolls, letting them rise for about 20 minutes, then covering them well with plastic wrap and refrigerating for up to 24 hours. Chilling the dough like this stunts the rising, preventing the dough from rising further. Remove from the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for at least another hour. If the buns haven’t doubled in size yet, continue to leave the buns at room temperature until doubled, before baking as the recipe directs.

To make these hamburger buns further in advance, freeze the unbaked rolls after their first rise and shaping. Place the rolls in a baking pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Loosen the plastic wrap and thaw to room temperature. Let rise until an indentation made with your finger into the dough remains and proceed with the recipe as written.

How to Store Burger Buns

Store baked, cooled burger buns in an airtight container for up to two days at room temperature.

How to Freeze Hamburger Buns

Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months. Let defrost at room temperature or in the microwave before toasting the buns in your toaster or on your griddle or grill.

How to Make Bagels

Ingredients for Homemade Bagels:

• Bread flour – The higher protein level in bread flour helps to create that chewy texture that makes bagels so delightful. It’s worth the trip to the grocery store to pick some up. You can use all-purpose flour if you absolutely must, but the texture will suffer.
• Instant yeast – You can also use active dry yeast, just note your dough may take longer to rise. Learn more about active dry vs. instant yeast here.
• Fine sea salt – You can also use table salt. Learn more about the differences in salt types here.
• Barley malt syrup – Order online or find at some health food stores or beer brewing supply stores. You can also use light or dark brown sugar instead if you must, but the flavor of your bagels won’t be as delicious.
• Lukewarm water – Make sure it’s not scorching hot or it may kill your yeast. 100-110°F is perfect.

What Makes a Bagel New York-Style?

Bagels were brought to North America from Eastern European immigrants in the early 20th century. The debate about what’s most traditional or which style is best is fierce.

• New York-style bagels are generally larger, uniformly round with a smaller hole and a chewy, slightly fluffy texture. They’re boiled then baked and generally have a fairly high salt content.
• Some New York bagel shops may also bake their bagels on burlap wood planks.
• On the other hand, Montreal-style bagels are boiled in honey water and baked in a wood-fired oven, caramelizing the exterior more than New York-style bagels.
• Forget what you may have heard about needing NY tap water to make good bagels, that myth has been debunked.

What Makes a Bagel Chewy?

Bread flour is the essential ingredient to creating that distinct chewy bite we all crave in a bagel. Its high protein content creates a stiff dough that holds its shape while baking and develops more gluten for more chew. Boiling the bagels in barley malt prior to baking also contributes to creating this chewy texture.

Do I Have to Use Bread Flour?

• I don’t recommend substituting the bread flour with all-purpose flour in this recipe as the texture will suffer.
• The high protein content in bread flour is what allows the gluten to develop, to create a stiff dough that turns into chewy, well-shaped bagels.
• If you’re going to the trouble of making bagels from scratch, you may as well use one of the primary ingredients required for the best texture!
• Bread flour is the only flour that this recipe has been successfully tested with.
• If you can’t find bread flour in supermarkets locally, you can buy it here on Amazon.

How to Knead Bagel Dough

• For best results, use a larger 6-quart stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, or knead by hand.
• This is a very stiff dough, and old or small stand mixers may not be up to the task of kneading and may ‘jump’ on the counter or burn out your motor.
• Kneading by hand will take about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on your upper body strength.
• Learn how to knead dough by hand here.

How to Shape Bagels

Bagels are made with a basic stiff yeast dough. We basically let the dough rise, shape it into 8 balls, then let those balls rise again. Then, in order to get the bagel shape, you simply use your index finger to poke a hole through the center and twirl it around your finger to stretch that hole out, as seen in the image below. 

How to Make Bagels More Flavorful AND Make Them Ahead of Time

Besides choosing flavorful toppings or mix-ins, an easy way to develop better flavor in your bagel dough and make them ahead of time to finish off the morning you want to serve them is to allow them to ferment in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

UPDATE: Some people who have allowed their shaped bagels to ferment in the fridge for up to 48 hours have had their final bagels turn out flat. This is likely due to overproofing. For this reason, I would recommend reducing the amount of yeast to 2 teaspoons if you’d like to refrigerate the dough for an extended period. I had also originally recommended using a damp towel to cover the bagels but received reports of people’s towels freezing in the fridge (how cold are your fridges?!) so I have removed that direction.

Make Ahead Directions:

• Cover your shaped bagels on their baking sheets with plastic wrap.
• Allow to proof in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours to develop more flavor and chewiness.
• Simply let the bagels come to room temperature before boiling, topping, and baking.
• This is also a great idea if you’re hosting company for breakfast or brunch!

Why do You Boil Bagels Before Baking?

In order for the bagels to develop that well-browned exterior and slightly dense chewy texture, they must be boiled briefly before baking. This works because the boiling water sets the exterior crust before it hits the oven, preventing the bagels from rising very much, while further developing that browned exterior.

The reason we add barley malt to the boiling water is to further develop that browned crust and to give it that distinct flavor we all know and love. I also add a little bit of baking soda to elevate the pH of the water solution, to encourage more browning on the bagel’s crust.

Tips for Preparing a Water Bath for Bagels

Use a wide heavy-bottomed pot and add the baking soda and barley malt first before turning the heat up, to avoid spillovers. A small mesh or wire skimmer or spider makes quick and easy work of dipping and removing the bagels from the water.

What to Put on a Bagel

• Cream cheese, obvs! Stick with plain, or try any flavor you’d like. Fresh herbs in cream cheese are delicious!
• Lox or gravlax with sliced red onion, tomato, and capers
• Egg and cheese for a breakfast bagel sandwich situation

How Long do Bagels Last?

Fresh bagels are the most delicious, but uncut bagels can be stored for up to 48 hours in a paper bag (or loosely wrapped in parchment). Slice and briefly toast before serving. See just below for freezing instructions. 

Can you Freeze Bagels?

Yes! To freeze bagels whole, wrap each in plastic then place in an airtight container. To freeze bagels sliced, slice them and place on a baking tray in the freezer until solid. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container or ziptop bag. Toast directly from frozen. Bagels may be frozen for up to 3 months.

Homemade Bagel Topping Ideas & Directions

It’s one thing to know how to make bagels, but it’s another to make any flavor you want! Customize your bagels by using my topping ideas below, or get creative and experiment with different dough add-ins and toppings! The full printable recipe is down below.

Basic Toppings

• Sesame seeds
• Poppy seeds
• Minced onion
• Coarse salt

Everything Bagel Topping

• 1 egg white, beaten
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons onion flakes
• 2 teaspoons garlic flakes or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt or coarse sea salt
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• Combine all ingredients and sprinkle over egg-washed bagels before baking.
• Find the full recipe + more tips on homemade everything bagel seasoning HERE.

Asiago Cheese Bagel Topping

• 10 ounces freshly grated Asiago cheese
• Make the recipe as instructed all the way until the water bath.
• Place the cheese in a shallow bowl.
• As the bagels come out of the water bath, immediately place them, one at a time, in the cheese.
• Turn to coat and press to adhere. Transfer back to the prepared baking sheet.