Question: What’s better than a juicy burger on a summer day? Answer: A juicy burger on a fresh homemade bun.
Lucky for you, we happen to have a recipe for delicious oat buns that will take your burgers and sandwiches to a whole new level.
While these buns are hearty enough to stand up a big burger patty with all the fixings, they’re also soft and have just the right amount of “smoosh.” We’ve made them with a mix of quick oats, whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour, making them a unique hybrid – not quite a whole wheat bun, not quite a white bun, let’s call it an oat bun.
But we did promise you an upgrade. Aside from being tasty, the addition of oats makes these buns a nutritional step up from the usual. Oats contain complex carbs, the healthiest kind of carbohydrates because they break down slowly, keeping you satisfied longer and preventing big blood-sugar spikes.
Plus, you’re also getting lots of fiber and vitamins. Now, those are some nice buns.
If you’ve never baked homemade buns before, this is the perfect place to start. We know making bread or buns from scratch can seem like a daunting task, but trust us, the results are worth the effort. And it’s not going to be a whole-day affair. We promise.
In fact, you’re only actually working on these buns for just 15 minutes! Most of the time in this recipe is spent waiting for the dough to rise, and then rise again. For anyone nervous about the kneading part, don’t be. Using oat flour can actually help make kneading easier – as it can prevent the dough from getting hard while kneading. This is a very forgiving dough, so don’t be afraid.
Even if your first batch doesn’t look perfect, it’ll still taste great!
What are you waiting for? Soon the aroma of fresh baking will fill your kitchen, and before you know it, you’re biting into a soft oat bun.
Honey Oat Buns
Ingredients
- 2 cups water warm, 100–110°F (500 ml)
- 1 Tbsp active dry yeast (15 ml)
- 1/4 cup honey (60 ml)
- 3 Tbsp canola oil (45 ml)
- 2 tsp salt (10 ml)
- 1 cup quick oats (250 ml)
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (500 ml)
- 2 cups flour all-purpose (500 ml)
- oat flour or all-purpose flour, for kneading (plus additional, if required)
- 1 egg large, beaten
- 1/4 cup rolled oats or quick oats (60 ml)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together yeast and 1/2 cup of the warm water.
- Let stand for 10 minutes to dissolve and activate the yeast.
- Stir in remaining water, honey, oil, salt and quick oats. Stir in whole wheat and all-purpose flour, to form a soft dough.
- Turn out onto an oat-floured surface and knead until dough is smooth, adding additional flour, if required.
- Place in a lightly oiled bowl and let rest, covered for 30 minutes.
- Divide rested dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece of dough into a round bun and flatten slightly.
- Place buns on a parchment-lined baking tray, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise for an additional 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Brush the tops of each bun with egg wash and sprinkle each with a few oats.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before serving.