These brioche buns are so dangerously good that you’ll want to eat a whole tray of them. And you could, considering how you can use them as burger buns, dinner rolls, or even sandwich bread. They’re as versatile as they are tasty. When making brioche, these principles apply—lots of butter, lots of patience, and kneading. After working with brioche dough for several years, I feel the best way to handle the dough is to have it rest overnight. Not only does it make it easy to work with, but it also gives it that superb taste and a pleasant tender crumb. 😍 It’s not a dessert bread, but it pairs well with both sweet and savory dishes.
Recipe Ingredients
How to Make Brioche Buns
Make the Brioche Dough
Warm Milk – Microwave coconut milk in a safe medium bowl until warm; this may take about 30 seconds. It should be lukewarm, not hot. Let it cool if it gets too warm. Add Yeast – In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine lukewarm milk and yeast. Let it sit until it dissolves, about a minute. Add sugar, salt, and eggs, and continue mixing on medium speed. (Photos 1-2) Dry Ingredients – Remove the paddle attachment, attach the dough hook, and add the flour. Continue mixing for 2-4 minutes or until the dough is firm and elastic and doesn’t stick to the bottom of the bowl. (Photo 3) Butter – Next, add half the butter and continue mixing until the butter is fully incorporated – you may have to stop the mixer and mix by hand. Add the remaining butter a little at a time until finished. It’s okay if the dough looks loose. (Photo 4) Knead – Continue kneading for 4-5 minutes or until it’s smooth, soft, and shiny. The easiest way to know when the dough is ready is when it slaps against the bowl as the dough hook turns. (Photos 5-6) Hand Knead – Take out the dough and place it on a lightly floured board. Knead it a couple of times, then place the brioche dough in a large greased bowl. (Photos 7-8) Let Rise – Cover the dough loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for an hour or two or until doubled. Then, punch the dough down. Chill – At this point, you can refrigerate the dough overnight or until ready to bake (It also improves the flavor 😉). Final Stretch – Bring the brioche dough to room temperature when ready so it’s not so stiff to work with. It will take 30-60 minutes.
Form the Brioche Dough into Rolls
Divide the dough into 16 pieces. (Photo 9) Form – To form round balls, tuck the edges underneath the dough, then roll the dough against the board or between your palms until round. Arrange on a greased brioche bun pan or baking sheet. (Photo 10) Brush – Next, lightly brush the dough with egg wash. Sprinkle with coconut sugar, crystalized sugar, or sesame seeds. Leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour and a half or until it has at least doubled in volume. (Photo 11)
Bake the Brioche Rolls
Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃). Bake the brioche rolls or buns until the crust turns a deep golden brown—18-20 minutes. (Photo 12) Serve – Remove the rolls from the brioche pan and let them cool slightly. Serve warm.
Bake a Brioche Loaf
Divide the 16 balls between two greased loaf pans—eight balls each. Let them rise until doubled, and brush with egg wash. Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃). Bake until the crust is deep golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped (30-35 minutes). Serve – Remove from the baking pan and let cool slightly. Enjoy it right after it rests, or freeze it for later.
Recipe Variations
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can freeze brioche buns for up to three months, making them super make-ahead friendly. I always double the recipe when making brioche specifically for that purpose. I freeze half so that whenever I need bread, I can just thaw it out and warm a few buns in the oven.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve brioche buns warm out of the oven for a truly heavenly experience. Or you can serve them at room temp. Store leftover brioche in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also keep it in the fridge for up to a week.
What Goes With Brioche Buns
Brioche buns go great as dinner rolls with pineapple honey-baked ham or a baked spatchcock turkey with all the fixings. Or you can use them as homemade hamburger buns for an indulgent Wagyu burger. They make a great breakfast or a snack, along with a steamy chai tea latte. I told you they were versatile! 💁🏿♀️
More Rockin’ Roll Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”hpjnLyvS” upload-date=”2020-08-17T02:28:51.000Z” name=”Homemade Brioche Buns” description=”Brioche Buns – rich, buttery and soft buns with crisp and tender crumbs. Perfect for breakfast and even during snack time. So pillowy and tasty!” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”] This blog post was originally published in May 2014 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
