These Homemade Slider Buns are truly the best type of bread all year round. They are small enough to pop into your mouth for a quick snack and dynamic enough to add to a full meal or even to create some of the tastiest sandwiches.
I have always been a bread skeptic. If I couldn’t make my way to my favorite bakery, I didn’t want to settle for the bread that I would find on a grocery store shelf. Now, there is nothing wrong with regular bread; however, in my home, when I would purchase a loaf of bread or a tray of Hawaiian rolls, we would never eat them, and they would be wasted.
I was already concerned about the number of ingredients on the bread labels meant to keep them fresh, and that freaked me out. So I decided to try my hand at making my own bread! And once I started, I never looked back. I can now make sourdough bread, artisan bread, white bread, brown bread, the list goes on! And I am excited to share my homemade slider bun recipe with you in this post, so you can get started on your bread-making adventure, too! I promise, you will thank me later.
These buns are my family’s favorite things to eat right now. My husband said they are almost like the soft, pillowy milk bread trending in the food world right now, but dense enough to act as a cocoon for some of his favorite sandwich toppings. I needed to make a few more of these buns for the week, since I included sandwiches on my toddler’s lunch menu for his lunch box. I thought I would share the recipe with you today, along with a video. If you have any questions, please let me know!
Ingredients
- Flour: I am on the bread-flour train. I used to think there was no point in using this type of four but it really does help with the texture of these buns. They are much lighter and fluffier than when I use other flours. However, if all you have is all-purpose flour, use it and sift it to ensure it is as smooth as possible.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar works best here.
- Butter: I like to use unsalted butter in this recipe and then add my own salt as I go (according to the recipe). You can use butter to grease your bowl, pan, and melt on top of your finished buns when you pull them out of the oven.
- Salt: I prefer a high-quality salt for my breads. I feel like salt is truly the make or break ingrident in this (and other bread) recipe. If you don’t add enough, you will not have a flavorful enough dough. When the buns are finished, and you’ve added butter to the top, sprinkle a bit of salt on top, and if you want to get fancy, try a nice flaky sea salt.
- Yeast: I like using regular yeast, but fast-acting yeast works well here, too. The steps in the recipe will help it bloom properly, so be mindful of the temperature of your wet ingredients.
- Water: I use potable tap water for this recipe. Because the water is heated, any water you have will be okay.
- Milk: You can use any type of milk you have. Traditionally, cow’s milk is used; however, I have used almond milk in this recipe as well.
- Egg: The egg in this recipe helps bind the ingredients and provides the structure we need for each bun.
- Cooking Spray: Used to coat the pan and the plastic wrap for this recipe. I used an avocado blend, but any other option you have should work fine.
See the recipe card for full measurements.
Recipe Method
In a large bowl, stir 2 cups of flour, the sugar, 1/4 cup butter, salt, and yeast with a wooden spoon or large spatula until well mixed.
In a saucepan, heat the water and milk over medium heat, stirring frequently until very warm. You can use an instant-read thermometer to measure the temperature to about 120 degrees to 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add the water mixture to the flour mixture and mix well. Then add the egg to the full mixture and stir until combined. You can beat everything with a stand mixer or by hand.
Then, with a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough is soft and bounces from the side of the bowl. The dough will be slightly sticky but easy to handle.
Knead the dough in a large bowl or on a clean countertop by lightly flouring the dough (and/or surface) by pushing the dough away from you with short rocking motions, turning the dough a quarter turn every few dough pulls.
Continue kneading for 5 minutes, sprinkling the dough or surface as needed. After five minutes, the dough will be smooth and springy. In a greased bowl, place the dough and turn it to coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
Grease the bottom and sides of a 13×9-inch pan with butter or cooking spray. Gently push the air out of the risen dough to deflate it. Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place them into the greased pan.
Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray, then loosely cover the pan with it, sprayed-side down. Let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. If the bread is browning too fast, tent the pan with foil and let it cook fully so the inside is cooked through without burning the top. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack, if desired.
Optional: Brush the tops of the buns with unsalted butter and top with flaky sea salt.
Recipe
The Best Homemade Slider Buns
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour all-purpose flour works well too
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoons regular or fast-acting dry yeast
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 milk
- 1 large egg
- Cooking spray or butter to grease bowl and pan
- 1 tablespoon butter or margarine melted
- Additional butter or margarine room temperature, if desired
- Flaky sea salt if desired
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir 2 cups of flour, the sugar, 1/4 cup butter, salt, and yeast with a wooden spoon or large spatula until well mixed. In a saucepan, heat the water and milk over medium heat, stirring frequently until very warm. You can use an instant-read thermometer to measure the temperature to about 120 degrees to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the water mixture to the flour mixture and mix well. Then add the egg to the full mixture and stir until combined. You can beat everything with a stand mixer or by hand. Then, with a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough is soft and bounces from the side of the bowl. The dough will be slightly sticky but easy to handle.
- Knead the dough in a large bowl or on a clean countertop by lightly flouring the dough (and/or surface) by pushing the dough away from you with short rocking motions, turning the dough a quarter turn every few dough pulls. Continue kneading for 5 minutes, sprinkling the dough or surface as needed. After five minutes, the dough will be smooth and springy. In a greased bowl, place the dough and turn it to coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 13×9-inch pan with butter or cooking spray. Gently push the air out of the risen dough to deflate it. Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place them into the greased pan. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray, then loosely cover the pan with it, sprayed-side down. Let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. If you feel like the bread is browning too fast, tent the pan with foil and let it cook fully so the inside is cooked through without burning the top. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack, if desired.
- Optional: Brush the tops of the buns with unsalted butter and top with flaky sea salt.
