Potato Hamburger Buns (Bread Machine Dough)

Use your bread machine to mix and knead the dough for these light-textured hamburger buns made with real potato. Shape by hand and bake in your oven for tender, flavorful rolls that freeze well and hold up to hearty fillings.

10 buns

pulled pork sandwich on a potato burger bun made with a bread machine

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Mixing and Rising Time 2 30

Total Time 3 5

Ingredients

1 medium (1 medium) russet potato (7-8 oz) - (You will need 100 g or ½ cup of cooked potato flesh.)
¾ cup + 1 tablespoon (184 g) milk (any fat content)
1 large (50 g) egg
¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter (chopped)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons table or sea salt
3 ⅓ cups (400 g) bread flour
1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast

Egg Wash

1 large (50 g) egg
1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

Microwave the potato: Cook 1 medium russet potato (7-8 oz) in a microwave oven on HIGH for 3-4 minutes (time may vary according to the size of the potato and the wattage of your oven) until the potato is soft and squishy. Let rest, then scoop out ½ cup (100 g) of flesh.
Add ingredients to bread machine: Add the prepared potato flesh from the previous step, ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon milk (any fat content), 1 large egg, ¼ cup unsalted butter (chopped), 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1½ teaspoons table or sea salt, 3 ⅓ cups bread flour, and 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast in the order listed. Select the DOUGH cycle and press START.
Check the dough twice: Lift the lid to take a peek. Do this right after the machine starts to see if the paddles are correctly engaged and the dough is starting to form a ball.
Recheck the consistency of the dough again 15 minutes into the DOUGH cycle.
If your dough is too wet, add flour one tablespoon at a time. The dough should stick to the side, then pull away cleanly.
Conversely, if the dough is too dry, add one tablespoon of liquid at a time until the dough looks just right. Find out more about this surprising secret to success with a bread machine here.
End of DOUGH cycle: The dough should be doubled. If not, give it more rise time until it is. Restart the DOUGH cycle and knead for 5 seconds to deflate the dough. Stop the machine and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a smooth ball, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.
Shape the buns: Divide the dough into 10 pieces, more or less depending on how big you want your buns. Weigh the portions for uniform buns, or make a mix of sizes. Shape into round balls by pulling the dough from the bottom to the top and pinching it shut to create tension when you turn them over. Watch the video to see how I do it. Place 5 buns on each of two greased or silicone-lined baking sheets. (Parchment paper tends to wrinkle during flattening.)
Cover and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
Flatten the dough balls to less than 1-inch thickness with your palms or a small flat plate. I do this with a piece of wax paper between the dough ball and a flat meat pounder. (See picture above.) Cover with a tea towel to rise one more time.
Preheat oven: About 15 minutes before you think the rolls will be ready to bake (when they are quite puffy), preheat the oven to 400˚F (200˚C).
Glaze and bake: Whisk 1 large egg and 1 tablespoon milk together in a small bowl. Brush evenly over the buns without letting the glaze pool on the tray. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired—they also help disguise small shaping flaws.
Bake the rolls for 12-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 190˚F (or 88˚C) and the rolls are golden brown all over.
Cool and slice: Transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife.

Notes

Heads-up: Avoid doubling this recipe. Anything above 4.5-5 cups of flour won’t knead properly in most machines and can cause overheating. More details here.

Make Ahead: Dough can be refrigerated after the DOUGH cycle or shaped first and chilled overnight. The next morning, shape if needed, then let the buns rise until soft and puffy before glazing and baking.

Freezing Options:

Unbaked dough: Freeze after the DOUGH cycle or after shaping (before final rise). Defrost in the fridge overnight. Shape if needed, then let rise until puffy before glazing and baking.
Baked bread: Double-wrap and freeze up to one month. Reheat gently.

Storage tips: Cool completely before storing. Keep unsliced in a plastic bag or bread box. Avoid refrigeration as it speeds staling.

Alternative Mixing Methods:

Stand Mixer: Mix until moistened, then knead with a dough hook (speed 2–3) until smooth and elastic (5–10 minutes). Let rise, deflate, and shape as directed.
By Hand: Mix to a shaggy dough, knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic (10–20 minutes). Let rise, deflate, and shape as directed.

Nutritional Information