Preview: These Bread Machine Hamburger Buns will make your next sandwich memorable. Seven-grain cereal gives these buns all kinds of wonderful flavor.
Want to know how to make a sandwich memorable? Make it with homemade buns.
For example, I used these buns to make barbecue sandwiches that we took to a Rangers baseball game last summer. Weeks later, my husband was still raving about those buns and requesting a repeat performance. That’s how homemade buns can make a sandwich memorable.
Although designed for a bread machine, this recipe can be made in a stand mixer or by hand. See the directions in the recipe note.

As usual, I mix the dough for this recipe in my bread machine. I DON’T BAKE IT IN THERE. I only use it to mix and knead the dough.
You might try it if you have a bread machine and/or delight in eating homemade bread that is perfectly mixed and kneaded with little effort and time on your part.
If you are a new bread-machine user or somebody who thought they didn’t like bread machines, please check out my previous posts about using a bread machine.

What is a “7-grain cereal mix”?
Don’t let the 7-grain mix scare you away. Substitute the same amount of bread flour, whole wheat flour, or wheat bran if you prefer. I buy Bob’s Red Mill 7 Grain Hot Cereal, containing wheat, rye, triticale, oats, oat bran, barley, rice, and flaxseed.
It’s not always easy to find. Try Target, Whole Foods, or any grocery store with an organic food section (See the link below to order online.) This recipe is a variation on my Potato-Cheese Rolls which I love because the rolls naturally stay fresh longer because of the potatoes.
Ingredients and substitutions:
- EGG: The recipe was written for a large egg. If you only have medium eggs, add extra liquid. Warm egg before adding to the bread machine pan. If you want to leave the egg out completely, try substituting the equivalent amount of milk or cream.
- SUGAR: Granulated sugar is best. Brown sugar or honey would also be suitable.
- SALT: Use table or sea salt. If using Kosher salt, add at least a quarter of a teaspoon more.
- BUTTER: Substitute 1:1 margarine, shortening, or vegetable oil. Butter should be close to room temperature when adding to the pan.
- MASHED POTATOES: I like to use leftover mashed potatoes as opposed to difficult-to-find potato flour or bland-tasting instant potatoes. The salt, pepper, butter, and milk added when making everyday mashed potatoes seems to make these rolls even better.
Because I tend toward spur-of-the-moment baking, I freeze any leftover mashed potatoes passing through my kitchen into half-cup portions as seen in the picture above. They only need to defrost in the microwave before they go into my bread machine.
If you don’t have leftovers, cook a peeled potato in the microwave with a little bit of water, mash it with a fork and add a little bit of milk. Or make mashed potatoes with instant potatoes. - FLOUR: Bread flour is important in this recipe because of the non-gluten 7-grains cereal and the potatoes. All-purpose flour doesn’t have enough oomph to lift these ingredients into a nicely textured sandwich bun.
- 7-GRAIN CEREAL: Be sure to buy 7-grain cereal that you must cook before eating. We’re not talking about dry cereal that comes in a box designed to be poured straight into a bowl with a little milk. If you frequent a store with bulk bins, they often sell it by the pound.
- YEAST: I use nothing but instant, rapid-rise, or bread machine yeast. Active dry yeast can be substituted. See the notes at the end of the recipe for the how-to.
- SEED TOPPING: I like poppy seeds and sesame seeds. “Everything but the Bagel” seasoning would be perfect, too.

P.S. If you need a quick lesson in making perfect dough balls, watch the video below.
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Hope to see you again soon!
Paula
p.s. Questions or suggestions? Email me: paula at saladinajar.com.
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7-Grain Bread Machine Hamburger Buns

Make these 7-grain buns for your next cookout, tailgate, or party.
Ingredients
Dough:
- 2/3 cup milk (151 gr)
- 1/2 cup 7-grain mix (82 gr)
- 1 large egg (50 gr)
- 2 tablespoons sugar (24 gr)
- 1 teaspoon salt (6 gr)
- 1/4 cup softened butter cut into small pieces (57 gr)
- 1/2 cup well-seasoned mashed potatoes (125 gr)
- 2-1/2 cups bread flour (300 gr)
- 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast(6 gr)
Glaze:
- 1 large egg (50 gr)
- 1 tablespoon water (14 gr)
- Poppy seeds and sesame seeds
Instructions
- Pour the 7-grain mix into the bread machine pan. Heat milk for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Pour over the cereal. Add the egg, sugar, salt, butter, and mashed potatoes to the other ingredients already in the bread machine pan.
- Add the bread flour and last, the yeast.
- Select the DOUGH cycle and press START.
- When the dough cycle finishes, check the dough. Test with two fingers. The indentation should fill in slowly. If it fills in immediately, leave the dough to rise until doubled in size and it passes the indentation test
- When ready, remove the dough from the bread machine pan onto a floured surface. Divide into 8 portions and form into balls. Allow the dough balls to rise until double.
- Preheat oven to 375˚F.
- Severely flatten balls with the palm of your hand to keep your buns from being too thick in the middle.
- Make the glaze by whisking and egg and water together in a small bowl. Carefully brush the tops and sides of buns. Sprinkle with poppy seeds and sesame seeds.
- Bake in a preheated 375˚F oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 190 degrees.
Notes
Vary the seeds on top according to what you like and/or have on hand. Or, leave them off if you prefer. I like to make some with, and some without to please all the eaters around my table.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 393Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 385mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 8gSugar: 7gProtein: 14g
Antoine Dang
Monday 7th of September 2020
How much potato flour do I have to use instead of using mashed potatoes?
Paula
Tuesday 8th of September 2020
This is from the King Arthur website as I have not tried this myself.
"How to do it: Substitute 3/4 cup unseasoned mashed potatoes for every 1/4 cup potato flour called for in your recipe. Reduce any added liquid in the recipe by 50%, subsequently adding more flour or liquid if necessary to make a soft but not overly sticky dough."
Nicole
Wednesday 12th of February 2020
Great recipe I made these today for pulled pork sandwiches - they came out nicely. I did have potato flour on hand so I used it instead of mashed potatoes.
Paula
Wednesday 12th of February 2020
Good to know that potato flour will work instead. I will try that myself. Thanks for writing.
Liz
Friday 8th of April 2016
Hi Paula, I'am thinking of making these buns. But, in the recipe, you divide the dough into 8 pieces. Then, roll into balls. Question...do you make the balls the same as you do your dinner rolls? If so, when you flatten the balls, how flat should they be? I don't want them toooooo thick. I guess I could just use, trail and error. I've also, made same of you bread and loved it all. Thanks
Paula
Tuesday 12th of April 2016
Hi Liz, I would flatten them to the size of a small hamburger bun you would buy at the store. After a time or two, you will know how much to flatten them. They will rise a lot so I would flatten to about 1/2 inch.
Brooke Browning
Tuesday 1st of July 2014
Hey! It's just the recipe I was looking for. Quick question, if I don't want to use potatoes what would be a good substitute? I am avoiding potato due inflammation reasons. I know this post is older, but am crossing my fingers for a reply. Thanks!
Sangeeta
Saturday 22nd of June 2013
Dear Paula, I just made them. They were perfect.