This is the BEST Homemade Vegan "Hamburger" Bun recipe that's vegan and egg-free. It's so simple to make with only 7 ingredients and I'll show you easy step-by-step instructions so you can enjoy these soft and fluffy buns with your favorite plant-based meal!
Here's Why This Recipe Works
My top 3 favorite reasons:
- They're Soft + Fluffy
- They're 100% Vegan + Dairy-Free
- Made With Only 7 Ingredients
If you're ready to enjoy homemade plant-based buns with an easy recipe that only needs 7 ingredients, then you'll fall in love with this one.
Vegan "Hamburger" Buns
Calling this recipe "vegan hamburger" buns is indeed an oxymoron, but I wanted to make sure they weren't mistaken for dinner buns or dinner rolls.
They are vegan buns just waiting for you to add a healthy and delicious veggie burger in between them.
Although there are several steps to the recipe and a couple of hours of inactive time, they're really easy to make.
They're so soft and fluffy on the inside and slice very nicely with a bread knife.
You can use these vegan "hamburger" buns with homemade veggie burgers like these Vegan Black Bean and Quinoa Veggie Burgers for the perfect vegan meal!
Are Hamburger Buns Even Vegan?
Yes, they can be!
I know it's strange to have the word "hamburger" and "vegan" in the same sentence, but you can make a vegan version of these buns to go with your favorite veggie burger.
Here's what I did to make this Homemade Vegan "Hamburger" Bun recipe vegan:
- non-dairy milk (homemade almond milk) --> to replace cow milk
- coconut oil --> to replace butter
- flax egg (ground flax seeds + water) --> to replace egg
- vegan sugar --> to replace regular white sugar that could be processed with animal bone char (see "Tips" below)
"Feel good about what you eat..."
- Karielyn Tillman
How To Make This Recipe: Step-By-Step Instructions
Making plant-based vegan homemade buns is really easy and I'll show you how with step-by-step instructions below.
There is a little prep time involved by letting the dough rest and rise but just plan ahead for when you need them - the time it takes to make them is so worth it!
Begin by preparing a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and set it aside.
Step 1: Prepare the Flax Egg
First, prepare the flax egg by adding the ingredients to a small bowl.
Whisk it together until well combined and set aside.
Step 2: Prepare the Yeast Mixture
Second, add the ingredients for the yeast mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer.
Stir everything together and let it sit for a few minutes, or until dissolved.
Step 3: Prepare the Dough Mixture
Third, add all the ingredients for the dough to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Re-whisk the flax egg, add it to the mixing bowl and stir everything together until well combined.
Transfer the dough mixture to the mixer bowl with the yeast mixture and stir again until well combined.
Step 4: Add the Flour
Next, add the flour to the mixer bowl and stir everything together.
Using the mixer + the dough hook, knead the dough on low speed for about 10 minutes.
The finished dough should be smooth, feel slightly "tacky" and spring back when poked.
Cover the bowl containing the dough with a clean towel and let it rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size.
It should take approximately 1 hour to rise.
Step 5: Divide the Dough
After the dough has risen, prepare a work area with a flat surface dusted lightly with flour to prevent sticking.
Transfer the dough onto the prepared working area.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
Step 6: Shape Dough Into Balls
Take each of the 8 pieces and shape them into a ball, taking care to not over handle the dough.
Step 7: Let the Dough Balls Rise
Transfer the dough ball onto the prepared cookie sheet and let them rise for approximately 30-40 minutes.
They should look puffy and the size of a normal hamburger bun.
Step 8: Bake the Buns
Lastly, lightly brush a little coconut oil over the tops of the buns.
This helps the tops to brown and keeps the crust soft.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees then transfer the cookie sheet to the oven.
Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 15-18 minutes, or until the tops are golden.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can These Be Made Gluten-Free?
I'm sorry to have to report that I have not been able to make a gluten-free version of these buns 🙁
I have tried and tried but I haven't given up yet!
If I am ever able to make them gluten-free, I will post a link here in this section.
Are These Buns Healthy?
Well...I wouldn't call them 100% "healthy" only due to the white flour in them.
But - they are definitely "healthier" than buying store-bought hamburger buns!
Let's compare the ingredient list in store-bought hamburger buns:
Typical Ingredient List for S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) Hamburger Buns: Unbleached Enriched Wheat Flour (Flour, Barley Malt, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Soybean Oil (Non-Hydrogenated), Yeast, Salt, Contains 2% or Less of the Following: Wheat Gluten, Soy Flour, Dough Conditioners (Monoglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Ethoxylated Mono and Diglycerides, Ascorbic Acid, Enzymes, Soy Lecithin, Azodicarbonamide, Yeast Nutrients (Ammonium Sulfate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Calcium Sulfate, Calcium Propionate (To Prevent Spoilage), and May Be Topped with Sesame Seeds
Store-bought hamburger buns have a long list of ingredients and not many are good.
Some can contain GMO ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, soy flour, soy lecithin, and several different preservatives to keep them fresh for an extended period of time.
This "healthier" recipe is made with a short ingredient list with ingredients that you recognize and can pronounce, like unbleached flour, almond milk, coconut oil, cane sugar, dry yeast, and sea salt.
Karielyn's Expert Tips + Ingredient Substitutions:
Here are some of my expert tips to make this recipe perfectly:
Stand Mixer. I used a stand mixer (Kitchen Aid mixer) but if you don't have a mixer you can knead the dough by hand by following the original recipe instructions.
Yeast. Make sure your yeast is fresh! This is important for the dough to rise.
Homemade Almond Milk. I like to use homemade almond milk whenever I can, but you can always use your favorite non-dairy milk.
Coconut Oil. You probably don't want your buns to have a coconut flavor. Therefore, I recommend using organic refined coconut oil which has zero coconut flavor or taste. Also, make sure it is melted before adding it to the dough mixture.
Vegan Cane Sugar. This is really important if you want the buns to be 100% vegan. Make sure you use "vegan" sugar, as most white sugar products are made with animal bone char. The brand I use does not use animal bone char.
Warm Water. The temperature of your water is very important. For example, if the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast and the dough won't rise well. The water should be warm to the touch with your fingertips.
Himalayan Pink Salt. This is the salt of my preference but you can substitute it with sea salt.
Rising Tip. Make sure your kitchen isn't drafty - it can affect the success of the dough rising. Sometimes my kitchen is drafty depending on the time of the year I make these, so I have a special tip to overcome this. I put my mixing bowl in my dehydrator (with all the trays removed) set at 95 degrees for the one-hour rising period and it works great!
How To Make Vegan "Hamburger" Buns
Equipment
Ingredients
For the flax egg:
- 1 tablespoon organic ground flax seeds
- 2 tablespoons water (filtered/purified)
For the yeast mixture:
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- ½ cup warm filtered/purified water
For the dough mixture:
- ½ cup homemade almond milk
- 2 tablespoons organic refined coconut oil (melted/liquid)
- 2 tablespoons organic vegan cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
For the flour add-in:
- 3 cups organic all-purpose unbleached flour
Instructions
Prepare the flax egg:
- Add all the ingredients for the flax egg to a small bowl and whisk until well combined.
- Set aside while you work on the rest of the recipe.
Prepare the yeast mixture:
- Add all the ingredients for the yeast mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Stir everything together and let it sit for a few minutes, or until dissolved.
Prepare the dough mixture:
- Add all ingredients for the dough mixture to a medium-sized bowl.
- Re-whisk the flax egg, add it to the mixing bowl and stir everything together until well combined.
- Transfer the dough mixture to the mixer bowl with the yeast mixture and stir until everything is well combined.
Add the flour:
- Add the flour add-in to the mixer bowl and hand stir everything together until it forms a "shaggy" dough.
- Using the mixer + dough hook attachment, knead the dough on low speed for about 10 minutes. The finished dough should be smooth, feel slightly "tacky" and spring back when poked.
- Cover the bowl with the dough and let it rise in a warm spot until it's doubled in size (approximately 1 hour).
Assembly:
- Once the dough has risen, prepare a work area with a flat surface dusted lightly with flour to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Transfer the dough from the mixing bowl onto your work area.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
- Shape each piece into a ball, taking care to not over handle the dough.
- Transfer the balls onto the prepared cookie sheet and let them rise for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until they look puffy and are the size of a normal hamburger bun.
- Brush a light coating of melted coconut oil over the tops of the buns. This will help the tops to brown and keeps the crust soft.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake at 375 degrees for approximately 15-18 minutes, or until the tops are golden.
- Let the buns cool at room temperature before slicing and using.
- Store in an air-tight BPA-free container.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
Copyright Notice
The instructions, notes, and photographs for this recipe by Karielyn Tillman of The Healthy Family and Home™ website are copyrighted material. This copyrighted work is protected and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International License and the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) and cannot be legally used without my written permission.
Want More Healthy Vegan Bread Recipes?
Check out these:
- Gluten-Free Vegan Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Focaccia with Roma Tomatoes and Onions
- Chocolate Chip Scones
- or my Real Food Vegan™ 14-Day Meal Plan Program with 42 plant-based vegan + gluten-free recipes made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!
Natasha says
Really good! First time I made them I didn’t use my convection oven and they ended up a bit hard. I also think my yeast was a bit old. Tried again tonight and nailed it! Thank you so much for this recipe and all your work!
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there Natasha! I'm thinking the old yeast could have been the reason and why they weren't fluffy, but I'm so glad you were able to pinpoint a solution to make them work and that you tried again! Thank you for trying out the recipe (twice!) and for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it...I sincerely appreciate it. Karielyn 🙂
Miranda says
These buns look great !
Question - does the raw dough freeze well ? I would like to make a batch and freeze the remaining.
Thanks !
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there Miranda! I'm afraid I have never tried to freeze the raw dough so I couldn't tell you 100% if that would work. I did find this article which might be helpful: https://thebreadguide.com/freeze-dough/.
I'm sorry I couldn't answer your question but if you give it a try, please come back and let me know! Thanks so much, Karielyn 🙂
David M. says
These where easy to make, tasted fresh and just as good as store-bought buns. I can't believe they are vegan too. Thanks for the recipe!
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi David, thank you for taking the time to try out my recipe and I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it! Karielyn 🙂
Hot chocolatey milk says
Good recipe. The specks of flax seed are cute. I think these turned out well and have given me more confidence for working with dough moving forward. I used olive oil instead of coconut oil, and I kneaded by hand, using about 3 and 5/8c flour total in PNW wet climate.
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there! I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed working with the dough because it also intimidates me too! But these are super easy to make even without having extensive dough making experience. I love how you used olive oil as a substitute (thanks for sharing!) and were able to make the flour adjustments based on your location. Thank you for trying out my recipe and for sharing your feedback! Karielyn 🙂
Chris G. says
The biggest problem I’ve had since going vegan has been finding good hamburger buns that aren’t filled with tons of crap. This recipe has eliminated that problem. Excellent buns and pretty easy.
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there Chris! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe and that it gives you a healthier option for your veggie burgers!
Thanks so much for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know how much you liked it...I sincerely appreciate it 🙂
Alison says
This is my favourite vegan burger bun recipe ever! Make it at least once a week and always a winner.
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there Allison! Yay! I'm so excited to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for giving it a try and for letting me know you liked it...I sincerely appreciate it 🙂
Lisa says
Really enjoyed this recipe -
I found I actually used more than the 3 cups of flour, but I'm wondering if that was due to the garbanzo flour substitution.
I used 1/2 garbanzo flour to up the protein content, and bread flour for the rest. I also cut the sugar in half. I often cut the sugar in half for recipes as I find personally find people overuse sugar. (My opinion only - no judgement) I had to eat one right out of the oven - they smelled so good! Split it and spread a little vegan butter on it - oh my!
I think next time I'll cut it into 6 vs 8 rolls as I'd like a slightly larger base for my veggie burger. 🙂
Delish - thanks!
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there Lisa! I'm so glad to hear you liked the recipe and I love the substitutions you made - thanks for sharing!
Thank you for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it...I sincerely appreciate it 🙂
Alexis says
As somebody who bakes often, I questioned the amount of flour right off the bat. However I have the recipe the benefit of the doubt and followed it correctly, using the full 3C of flour. It was too much. I suspect anywhere from 2 and 1/4 C - 2 and 1/2 C would be sufficient. The dough was was too dry and shaggy to even come together. The buns were incredibly heavy and dense, like bricks. The shapes were off and they had creases in it because the dough never came together. I would try this again but would definitely start with 2C of flour and gradually add some in a little at a time until the dough came together.
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there Alexis! I'm sorry to hear the recipe didn't work out for you 🙁
Many people have had great success with the recipe and it has a 4.93 rating from 52 different readers. In fact, the comment that came in within hours of yours (from Connie S.) gave it a 5-star rating and said: "they turned out perfect, fluffy and yummy".
So naturally, I'm concerned when you didn't get the same results.
I'm wondering if the reason they were heavy and dense and didn't rise is that the yeast didn't activate or wasn't fresh? Or maybe was the flax egg omitted (I've done that many times in recipes!)?
Also, there are comments from the original recipe post regarding "dense" buns if you live in a dry place because "your flour will be drier and will absorb much more water". The recommendation for this issue was to add a little more water until the dough becomes "tacky".
However, I'm glad you are willing to give them another try and I agree with starting with less flour next time to see if that makes a difference.
Thank you for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to share your feedback...it is greatly appreciated 🙂
Connie Sawatzky says
Literally the best home made vegan hamburger buns! All the family thought they were delicious. Followed the instructions very carefully and turned out perfect, fluffy and yummy.
Oh.....I'm allergic to coconut anything so I used olive oil and turned out perfectly.
Don't hesitate to make these. I'm heading to the kitchen right now to make another batch!
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there Connie! I'm so excited to hear that both you and your family liked the buns! And thanks for letting us know that olive oil works as a good substitution.
Thanks so much for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it...I really appreciate it! 🙂
Steve Johnson says
I made these last night with Unbleached Bread Flour and plain Soy Milk, the rest as specified. For larger buns, after the first rise, I divided by 6 rather than 8 (292 calories each), and proofed the dough rounds overnight in the refrigerator. This morning, I allowed a second rise for two hours, oiled the tops, and then baked for 20 minutes.
The resulting buns were not fluffy, like your pictures, but firmer, with a denser crumb. Also, I found them lacking in salt. Health benefits aside, one of the problems with Himalayan pink salt is that it doesn't go into solution and diffuse through the dough as well as table salt.
My wife and I split one and after an initial virgin bite, ate it with PB&J, like a crumpet or English muffin (which they resembled). They tasted fine (except for the missing salt), and I look forward to a homemade Impossible Burger later today and your bun.
Next time, I'm going to increase the Pink Salt by half (or grind to a powder first), and skip all the sugar. You don't need 2 Tablespoons!! of sugar to "activate" the yeast. A pinch of sugar in the warm water will "proof" the yeast (is it alive?), the wet dough will activate fresh yeast just fine. I also think the stand mixer overworked my dough, so next time it'll be hand kneading for 1-2 minutes, period.
We shall see! Thanks for posting the recipe. I've been a dietary Vegan for 25+ years, and am always looking for good ideas.
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there Steve! Thanks so much for your thoughtful feedback! I'm glad you were able to use the initial batch you made and hope that the next batch with the modifications you mentioned will come out even better.
I appreciate you trying out the recipe and for taking the time to share your experience 🙂
Patsy Foulkes says
Hi there, I usually make sourdough bread and have made reasonable burger buns but have been searching for something also vegan and more fluffy, I shall try your recipe. I want to point out though that sugar is not needed to activate yeast, by all means test your yeast out first by activating with a little sugar to make it fizz, just to check that you have a good batch. Flour contains natural sugars and once you have added liquid to it those sugars are released. I don't use sugar if I can help it and sweetness in burger buns is the reason I don't buy shop bought ones. No one needs extra sugar if it can be avoided.
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there Patsy! Thanks so much for sharing the helpful tip and I hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
Amaylah Israel says
Thanks for this recipe! They did turn out pretty well, although I must say that the buns were a little dense, and not as light and airy as the (not so wholesome) storebought ones. I did sub in 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour... could that be why? Thanks!
Karielyn says
Hi there Amaylah! I've never tried the recipe with whole wheat pastry flour, but since it does act differently than white flour, I'm thinking that could be the problem. I've never had any issues with the white flour - maybe you could try them again using organic unbleached white flour? 🙂
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for leaving feedback...it's appreciated!
J.G. Ungar says
Great recipe! I think I see a small error, however: there is only 1 tsp of salt in ingredients list but it’s mentioned twice in the directions - step 4 says to add flour and salt, but we already added the salt to the liquid mox in step 2...
Karielyn says
Hi there J.G.! I'm so glad to hear that you liked the recipe!
And thank you for pointing out the error in my instructions...you are correct. The salt should not be included in Step 4 and I will update the recipe instructions to reflect that.
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it and about the error...I sincerely appreciate it 🙂
Michelle says
My third time making these and they are wonderful. My question is when do you actually add the salt? - you have it listed with the wet and the dry in the directions. Does it matter? Once again thanks for the great recipe!
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there Michelle! I've updated the recipe instructions to be more clear for when to add the salt. It should be added with the "dough mixture" along with the non-dairy milk + melted coconut oil + vegan sugar into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
I'm so glad to hear that you've been enjoying the recipe and appreciate you taking the time to let me know...I sincerely appreciate it 🙂
Annie says
Hi! Any idea why mine came out hard? I mean they taste good! But they're very hard and heavy. I followed your recipe but added a bit more flour as the dough was sticking to my hands like crazy. Thanks
Karielyn says
Hi there Annie! I'm sorry to hear the recipe didn't come out for you 🙁 I don't think they would have been hard and heavy by adding a little flour to form them...it wouldn't have been enough to cause that.
The only thing I could think of that would make them hard is if they didn't rise properly. Did you get a good "rise" both times - after mixing the dough and again after forming them into balls? If they didn't rise both times, it could be that the yeast didn't activate properly (wasn't fresh, the water was too hot or too cold, etc).
Thanks for trying out the recipe and I hope you give them another try 🙂
Martin says
I've been baking all my own bread for over 12 months now; I've done just about every combination of flours and grains in just about every size and shape I can think of but I have never been able to bake a decent soft, tasty burger bun, until now! Thank you so much for posting this life saver. This is a very forgiving dough that can be made as quickly or as slowly as you like and the results are always top notch. I've made the 8 buns, batches of 6 and 4, put the whole mix in a tin for a sandwich loaf and shaped it into the biggest and best cob you'll ever see.
Well done and again, many thanks.
Karielyn says
Hi there Martin! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for giving it a try and for letting me know how much you liked it...I really appreciate it 🙂
Martin says
Great recipe! These buns turn out good every time. When I bake in the winter where I live in Canada my kitchen is always too cold to get a good quick rise out of my dough. I have a toaster oven that goes down to 50°C on the warm function so I let it warm up and then switch it off when I put the dough in to rise. This seems to work really well.
Karielyn says
Hi there Martin! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe thanks for sharing the tip about using the toaster oven to help the dough rise! I appreciate you trying out the recipe and taking the time to let me know you like it 🙂
Nancy says
These buns are delicious! It’s not fussing to make and turns out great every time I make them. Thank you for the recipe.
Karielyn says
Hi there Nancy! I'm so glad to hear that you liked the buns! Thanks so much for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it...I really appreciate it! 🙂
Gail says
I will try your wonderful sounding recipe tomorrow, one thing though. I have made hamburger buns in the past and I don’t know why but they hold up better if the dough is rolled out and cut with a drinking glass or round cookie cutter.
Karielyn says
Hi there Gail! I've used the procedure you described to make cut-out biscuits but I've never tried it with this bun recipe. It sounds like a great idea...especially if it works! 🙂
If you give it a try, please come back and let us know. We'd love an update and I hope you enjoy the recipe!!
Brooke Belton says
I have to let you know... This is THE BEST vegan burger bun in the whole world wide web : )
After trying many many different recipes online, I will be making this one for the eighth time! Thank you kindly for sharing!
Karielyn says
Hi Brooke! I am so excited to hear that! Thank you for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know how much you like it...I really appreciate it 🙂
Sally says
These look delicious! We aren't eating added oil in anything, so I wondered if I could leave it out, or if there is an oil free substitute?
Karielyn says
Hi there Sally! I haven't made these without oil, so I'm not sure how they would turn out. The original recipe called for vegetable oil, which I substituted with coconut oil. I don't know what else would work except maybe vegan butter maybe? But I'm not sure...sorry!
Thanks for the question and I hope you get to try them out...they are really good 🙂
Sally says
Do you think coconut butter would work? Vegan butters are made out of oils, so we can't use those either.
Karielyn says
Hi Sally, I've never tried coconut butter, so I don't know if it will work. But, I have made biscuits with coconut oil (https://thehealthyfamilyandhome.com/vegan-coconut-oil-biscuits/), which is a little similar to coconut butter and they came out good, so I would give the coconut butter a try and see what happens. The good thing is the ingredient list for the "hamburger" buns doesn't have expensive ingredients so it would be a good one to experiment with.
Thanks for your question and I hope it works out! 🙂
Dr. Debora Tallio says
I don't use oil either. I made mine with McDougall Corn Butter (recipe in the drmcdougall.com newsletter under October recipes) and they came out fabulously!!
Karielyn says
Hi there Debora! Thanks so much for sharing the tip! 🙂
Taimy says
"Tip #2: I used the standing mixer option but if you don’t have a mixer you can make and knead them by hand by following the original recipe instructions."
I don't own an standing mixer and I don't find the instructions on how to knead by hand. Can you please share the link? Thanks!!!
Karielyn says
Hi Taimy! The link for the original recipe can be found at the end of the recipe under the "Notes" section.
Thanks for the question and I hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Haroun says
Hi thank you so much for putting this recipe out there. I have a question though: why do you use sugar ?
Is it only for the taste or it has a function ?
Karielyn says
Hi there Haroun! The sugar in this recipe is needed to activate the yeast so the dough will rise, so it is really a necessity and not for taste.
Thank you for the thoughtful question and I hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Kai says
Thanks for the recipe! If I wanted to freeze, would I be freezing the bun after baking or the dough?
Karielyn says
Hi there Kai! I haven't tried freezing them either before or after making them, but if I were to try, I would freeze them after baking. But...I've never tried it, so I don't know how they would come out.
Please come back and let us know if you give it a try 🙂
Natasha says
I made it yesterday and really liked the result.
Thank you!!
Karielyn says
Hi there Natasha! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for giving it a try and for taking the time to let me know you liked it...I really appreciate it 🙂
Jared says
Thanks so much for the recipe! I made a batch last night for BBQ Spaghetti Squash sliders. It was one of the better meals we've had in a while. Our guest demanded to take a few buns, and the recipe home with her. I didn't try any fancy substitution as I'm just learning how to bake bread, so I tried to be as "by the book" as possible. Really delicious!
Karielyn says
Hi there Jared! I'm so glad to hear you liked the recipe and that you chose to make it for guests! I love the idea of using them for the spaghetti squash sliders too...great idea!
Thanks so much for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it...I really appreciate it 🙂
Becky says
Rice milk worked! The buns turned out great. Thanks so much.
Karielyn says
Hi Becky! YAY! Thank you ~so~ much for trying out the rice milk and for taking the time to come back and let everyone know it worked!! 🙂
Becky says
I am allergic to coconut and almonds (sad I know). What do you suggest as substitutes? Thanks!
Karielyn says
Hi there Becky! I'm sorry to hear about your allergies to coconut and almonds 🙁
You could use any non-dairy milk that you prefer to replace the almond milk. For the coconut oil, I haven't tried this but you could try a vegan butter (like Earth Balance).
Hope this helps and that you are able to make and enjoy the recipe 🙂
Becky says
Thanks! Milk allergy too but I found rice milk and will give it a go!
Karielyn says
Hi there Becky! I think rice milk is a great idea...let us know if it works! 🙂
Sondy G says
I made these today and they were wonderful! Thanks for a great recipe.
Karielyn says
Hi there Sondy! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed them!
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for letting me know you enjoyed it...I really appreciate it 🙂
Renee says
These are the best buns! I live in an intentional community that is off-grid so we don't buy much store bought stuff like buns. I always triple or quadruple the recipe and have made these at least a handful of times and they are always a big hit! Thank you!
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there Renee! I'm so happy to hear that you've been enjoying the recipe and are avoiding store-bought items as much as possible - yay!
Thank you for taking the time to let me know how much you like them...I sincerely appreciate it 🙂
Karin says
I made these today, and oh em gee!! These are the best homemade (or otherwise) hamburger buns I've ever tasted! I didn't have coconut oil and had to use extra virgin olive oil, and I ended up needing 4 cups of flour, but I otherwise followed the instructions. They turned out incredible! In case anyone is wondering, each bun has 274 calories per entering the recipe into myfitnesspal.
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there Karin! I'm so glad they turned out well for you and thanks for sharing the helpful tips of the substitutions you used!
Thank you for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you liked them...I sincerely appreciate it 🙂
Autumn says
These buns are great! I've made them several times and they even worked doing a quick rise with the oven on 170 (the lowest temp mine will go). I am sooo happy to find bread that is good that I can eat too. Allergic to wheat protein, egg and cow milk, etc. My fiance' even preferred them to regular "good" bread. I am getting ready to get some more spelt to make two batches and freeze some to take with us on our vacation since it's REALLY hard to eat at most restaurants. The spelt works great and has enough gluten to really rise nice too. My past batches also lasted me quite a while in the veggie drawer where I hide my special foods so others who can eat regular stuff don't get 'em. Thanks so much for this great recipe.
Karielyn says
Hi there Autumn! I'm so glad to hear that you are enjoying the bun recipe and love that you've tried spelt too...that's a great idea!
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you liked it, I really appreciate it 🙂
dan says
Interesting recipe and interesting site! I need to eat healthier, so I'm going to check it out.
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there Dan! Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
Lynsey Jade says
Fantastic recipe! I am dairy free not vegan, so used an actual egg instead of a flax egg and they turned out great! I needed to cook mine for 22 minutes for them to come out cooked, but they were so lovely and fluffy! Great for veggie burgers! Will definitely be making again. Thank you! L x
Karielyn says
Hi there Lynsey! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe and thanks for sharing your substitutions and tips.
Thank you for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you liked it...I really appreciate it 🙂
Tobius Holmes says
I am looking for a vegan, yeast free hamburger bun, you wouldn't happen to know of one would you? 🙂
Karielyn says
Hi there Tobius! You may want to check out LexisCleanKitchen.com for a couple of paleo bun recipes she has, but you would need to substitute the eggs for flax eggs to make them vegan.
I haven't tried to make them or veganize them, but that's what I would try.
Thanks for the question and good luck 🙂
Cathey says
I don't have any organic all-purpose flour, cane sugar, or homemade almond milk. Do you think it will be okay if I used regular all-purpose flour, sugar, and unsweetened silk almond milk? I'm new to being vegan and this is my first time making anything bread like so I just wanted to make sure and ask.
Karielyn says
Hi there Cathey! Congratulations for being new to vegan...yay! Yes, you can definitely use the ingredient substitutions you listed. I just like to use, and recommend, the cleanest and healthiest versions in my recipes, but everything you listed would work fine. The organic flour, cane sugar and homemade almond milk are just my preferences 🙂
Thank you for the question and I hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Ruby says
I made these bad boys today to go with my homemade veggie patties and french fries. I've literally never baked bread in my entire life, but these came out perfectly. so delicious and fluffy. I had my mom over for dinner and she couldn't believe I made them. thanks very much for your guidance!
Karielyn says
Hi there Ruby! I am ~so~ excited to hear they came out great and that you enjoyed them! That is awesome news and I'm extra glad you were able to impress your mother...very nice!
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you liked it...I really appreciate it 🙂
anni says
Hi! I'm a new vegan and am so excited to try these! Would you recommend any alterations to the recipe if they are being baked at a high altitude? I live way up in the mountains and it seems like sometimes bread dough has a little trouble rising as high here.... Should I knead it longer? Thanks!
Karielyn says
Hi there Anni! First, congratulations for starting a vegan diet…yay!! Second, I'm terribly sorry but I am not familiar at all with baking at high altitudes. I am in the "deep south" so I've never had to take altitude into consideration when baking 🙁
Here's a good article I found with tips on baking in high altitudes that might be helpful: https://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/baking-tips/baking-cooking-high-altitudes
The only thing in this recipe that makes it vegan from a regular recipe is it doesn't use any cow milk and/or butter, so you should be able to follow general tips for high altitude baking with success.
Thanks for the question and I'm sorry I couldn't be more help 🙂
Janelle says
Hi! Thanks for this recipe!! I hunted for quite awhile looking for a gluten free vegan bun recipe.. Well all I came up with had many ingredients I didn't have on hand. Gluten free baking is definitely a learning process so I hestiated with following this recipe.. But I am so glad I did! I used Bob Mill's all purpose flour in lieu of regular. Then added 1 & 1/2 teaspoon of Xanthum gum and 1 heaping tablespoon of corn starch. They rose nicely the first time, but after forming the buns they barely rose again, unfortunately. Tney baked quickly. And while they ended up a bit dense (not sure if baking powder could have been helpful, my family ate them up! And my oh so picky five year old who is the reason we are gluten free asked for more!! So successful in my house! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! If you have any tips to make them lighter or fluffier I would definitely be interested in hearing what I could do differently! Thanks again! 🙂
Karielyn says
Hi there Janelle! I'm so glad you decided to try out the recipe! I am the same way with gluten-free baking...I've been steering away from unfamiliar flours and the the need for xanthum gum, arrowroot, tapioca starch, etc because they really intimidate me! I usually stick with almond flour, oat flour, coconut flour and occasionally use Bob's All Purpose Gluten-Free flour (so I'm really glad to hear you tried that!).
When I first made this recipe, I was eating foods with regular flour (organic, unbleached) but since only eat gluten-free now and haven't been able to enjoy these buns when I make them for my family. I would love to try to make a gluten-free version so I'll definitely put that on my to-do list.
Thanks again for trying them out and for taking the time to share your feedback...I really appreciate it 😉
Katja says
I tried them today, and loved them! The only thing was, they turned out very small, but super cute 🙂 since it is cold here I think I have to prove them more. Also i used spelt flour, they were so tasty so thank you for the recipe!
Karielyn says
Hi there Katja! I'm so glad to hear you liked the buns and also that spelt flour worked well too...that's awesome!
Thanks so much for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it...I really appreciate it 🙂
Deborah Mickow says
I just made 4 instead of 8 and, made them bigger.
Karielyn says
Hi Deborah! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
pam says
Have you tried these with applesauce instead of oil? I'm going to try them that way since they sound delish the way they are and I need a recipe oil free!
Karielyn says
Hi there Pam! I sure haven't tried it with applesauce but that would be a great idea to make them oil-free. I hope you come back to let us know if that works 😉
Kayla says
I made these tonight to make a falafel sandwich. They turned out great! I hand needed but otherwise followed your instructions. Thanks for a great recipe!
Karielyn says
Hi there Kayla! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe and I bet they were good with falafel!
Thanks so much for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you liked it...I really appreciate it 🙂
Dan Krebs says
I've made these several times now. Using the bread machine to mix everything together. They turn out perfect everytime. Really soft, they really are better than store bought.
Karielyn says
Hi there Dan! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed them and also that you've been using a bread machine to mix the ingredients. I have a bread machine but have never tried it with this recipe to mix everything so thanks for sharing that tip!
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it...I really appreciate it 😉
Karielyn says
Hi there Dan! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed them and also that you've been using a bread machine to mix the ingredients. I have a bread machine but have never tried it with this recipe to mix everything so thanks for sharing that tip!
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it...I really appreciate it 😉
Karielyn says
Hi there Dan! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed them and also that you've been using a bread machine to mix the ingredients. I have a bread machine but have never tried it with this recipe to mix everything so thanks for sharing that tip!
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it...I really appreciate it 😉
tamia says
Hi karielyn, I'm a new vegan, I made these bun and they are so delicious!! They r a billion times better than to store bought ones vegan or otherwise,I'm so happy that I found ur blog,kneading the dough by hand is so the therapeutic for me, I let my handy kitchenaide start the process for me by using the dough hook til it formed nice ball, then I removed from hook and knead for 10 minutes it was great! Great Job!! Keep up the great work!
Karielyn says
Hi there Tamia! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! My family really enjoys them too and although they take a little time to make (as opposed to just picking up a pack at the grocery store), you're right...they are ~so~ much better and worth the time and effort!
And I'm the same way about kneading the dough and making foods from scratch...it's such a good feeling!
Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know you liked the buns, I really appreciate it 😉
Soo says
Hi, I made the dough for these last night. Only substitutions I made was to use bread flour mainly because I had so much of it. Let it rise once, divided up the dough and shaped per your instructions. Next day got home from work, took them out to let it rise some more, about an hour and baked them up. Served oh she glows chickpea burgers on them. They were absolutely delicious with nice light crust and so soft on the inside. Thanks so much for sharing! I will definitely be using this recipe to make hamburger buns and rolls, double batch next time!
Karielyn says
Hi there Soo! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed them! I'm glad to hear that letting them rise again the next day worked...that's good to know!
Thank you so much for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you liked it 😉
Dawn says
Hi Karielyn, I wish I knew how to post the photo.. Lol. My husband who decided about a month ago to try Veganism loved these.. It was a factor in him trying the lifestyle... Although he had seen what foods I was eating as a vegan he was skeptical... I also did a tweak and made Hawaiian style dinner roll size bun using your recipes but substitute the almond milk with coconut milk and the sugar with agave and some pineapple juice... Made some Jack fruit in the slow cooker and made a homemade BBQ sauce.. Makes awesome little sliders... Thanks again..
Karielyn says
Hi there Dawn! I'm so glad to hear that everyone loved them...and most importantly, that they were husband approved!
Even though they take more time to make than picking up a pack at the grocery store, I keep making them because my husband loves them so much and always comments about how soft and fresh they are.
I really like your idea about the Hawaiian dinner rolls...my daughter loves those (the bad kind from the grocery store) but I never thought to try to make them at home. I may try to make a batch for her.
I also love your jack fruit idea too! I've seen recipes with it before but have never tried it. I think that's something that my family would enjoy too.
Thanks so much for sharing your ideas and for letting me know you enjoyed the recipe...I really appreciate it 😉
kristel says
Can I use gluten free all purpose flour instead? Or Spelt flour?
Thanks:)
Karielyn says
Hi there Kristel! So far, I haven't tried to make these gluten-free, but it is on my "to-make" list since I am unable to enjoy these when I make them for my family 🙁
When I give it a try, I would probably start with an all-purpose gluten-free flour and then try something else if that didn't work.
If you happen to try out the recipe with a gluten-free flour before I can get to it, come back and let us know what worked 😉
Dawn says
I made these today using wheat flour.. They were delicious ! I used my Okinawan sweet Potatoe and black bean burger on them..Thanks so much for a fantastic recipe!!!
Karielyn says
Hi there Dawn! I'm so glad hear that you enjoyed them and also that wheat flour worked well for those who prefer wheat.
I would have loved to try that burger you made with them...it sounds ~so~ good!!
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for letting me know you liked it...I really appreciate it 😉
Tara D says
Oh, my goodness, these are absolutely delicious and so easy to make! I made them today and they were fluffy while still being able to hold their shape. I used bread flour in the recipe and vegan margarine on the top. Thank you for a fantastic recipe. I will definitely make them again and will try to form them into hot dog buns as well.
Karielyn says
Hi there Tara! I'm so glad you enjoyed them and my family raves about them too!
One of the things we always comment on is how the store-bought buns will not mold for weeks on end...it makes you think about what's in them to make them do that!
Luckily these don't last that long so you don't have to worry about them going bad or getting moldy lol!
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you enjoy them 😉
Jerri says
Hello,
I am very excited to make these! I do have one question.
Can i prepare the dough and put in fridge tonight and take out tomorrow for the rise process?
I am doubling the batch, need them done tomorrow so i can use part for crumbles in a veggie patty recipe for the following day.
Thanks so much!
Karielyn says
Hi Jerri! I've never tried to do that before so I'm not sure if it would work or not.
I'm thinking that it might not work because I'm not sure how the flax egg and yeast would react after it's been cold in the refrigerator for a while, and the coconut oil will definitely harden a little once it's refrigerated.
For those reasons, it may cause problems trying to get it to rise properly the next day.
I'm sorry...I know that's probably not good news but if you give it a try, I hope it works 😉
ErinElizabeth says
While this is obviously too late for the poster, I'll reply just in case anyone else wonders. I'm a non vegan baker who bakes bread regularly and I can't see any reason why this dough wouldn't work fine refrigerated overnight. You may end up with an even tastier roll. It's done with standard and enriched (i.e. butter) dough routinely and the slow rise that occurs at that temp does wonders to help develop more flavor.
I'm hunting for a roll recipe to bring to a vegan Thanksgiving and this looks good so I'll give it a try in the next few days and I'll even try the overnight rest as that's what I'll want to do for Thanksgiving anyway. I'll let you know how it goes.
Karielyn says
Hi Erin! Thanks so much for the tip about refrigerating the dough overnight. I had never tried that before but am glad to know that's an option.
It would really come in handy in trying to get a head start on making them since there are a couple of hours "resting/rising" time involved.
I'd love to know how they come out that way if you end up making them.
Thanks again 😉
lisa says
One question...may I substitute soy flour for the flax egg? Thank you!!!
Karielyn says
Hi Lisa....I'm not sure about using the soy flour...I've never used it before.
You can try it if it would be an equivalent substitute for the flax egg, which I used to replace a traditional egg.
The only other thing I can think to try (which I haven't tried myself) is maybe an Ener-g Egg Replacer egg.
Or, if you don't need them to be vegan, you could always use a traditional egg.
I hope that helps and that you enjoy them if you make them 🙂
lisa says
I can't wait to try these!
They look so good.
... I had no idea iodized salt was toxic!!
Karielyn says
Hi Lisa! Thanks so much...I hope you like them if you try the recipe.
Yes, yes, yes iodized salt is very bad for the body.
If you do a google search for "dangers of iodized salt", you can find lots of articles describing the detrimental effects it has on our bodies. Here's a good one that gives a detailed overview: https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/dangers-of-salt/
I've read somewhere a while back (I can't remember where off hand) that it takes up to four hours for our bodies to try to eliminate the iodized salt from our of bodies because it sees it as a toxin.
Basically it's highly processed and refined and all the minerals have been removed except for two.
Pink himalayan salt is unprocessed, unrefined and has 84 minerals (plus other health benefits) which is why it is my salt of choice.
When I used to eat iodized salt (or eat something outside of my home that has it as an ingredient), I retain fluid very badly. This does not happen when I use the pink himalayan salt. It's still salt though, so should be used in moderation.
I hope this helps and thanks for stopping by 🙂
Connie says
I was planning on making these last night but then I noticed that were was not an oven temperature?
Karielyn says
Hi Connie! Oh snap...I'm so sorry. It should be at 375 degrees. I'm going to correct the recipe now. Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Ana says
Can I make these gluten free?
Karielyn says
Hi there Ana! I haven't tried to make these gluten-free yet (it's on my to-do list!) but you could try it with a 1:1 all purpose gluten-free flour mixture, which is what I will do when I will try to make them gluten-free.
Thanks for the question and let us know how it turns out if you give it a try 🙂
Maria says
Hi there!! Is it 375 deg celsius or Farenheit?
Thanks
Karielyn Tillman says
Hi there Maria! The temperature for the oven should be 375 degrees Fahrenheit in the recipe instructions.
Thanks for your question and I hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says
These look WAY better than the store bought ones, love!
Karielyn says
Hi Abby! Yes, I agree and the best part...the fresh bread smell when they come out of the oven! 😉