Want to elevate your burger game? These homemade Sweet Potato Hamburger buns are so soft and fluffy, yet still sturdy enough to handle your biggest burgers! These are definitely not your average burger buns, and these hamburger buns will easily be your new go-to bun recipe. You’ll never want to settle for plain store-bought burger buns again.
I love making bread, and I have dedicated much of my days to baking all types of bread. I am very much a carb lover, so I am no stranger to making homemade pizza dough, cheese rolls, cinnamon rolls, and much more. There is just something about the smell of freshly baked bread in the oven that fills my heart with warmth! Mixing dough and baking is also very cathartic for me. It’s one of those things I can do and just zone out to relieve stress. When it is time to make burgers, I am up early making the dough to ensure we have the tastiest foundation for our burgers.
These sweet potato hamburger buns take about the same amount of time to make and rise as most standard yeast bread recipes. The only difference is that you will need to spend a few extra minutes to cook and mash the sweet potatoes. I assure you that these few extra steps will be well worth it for a beautiful, delicious batch of these show-stopping buns! Weekend cookouts and family gatherings will never be the same with sweet potato hamburger buns, and if you have any leftover buns, they are also freezer-friendly 🙂
RECIPES TO MAKE WITH SWEET POTATO HAMBURGER BUNS
Are you asking yourself what to serve with these hamburger buns? These buns can perfectly pair with any kind of burger you can imagine. If you are looking for some inspiration, try some of these:
- The Best Cowboy Bacon Burger Patties
- The Most Delicious Smoky Chipotle Burger Patties
- Tomato Bacon Jam
- Homemade Peach Iced Tea
SWEET POTATO HAMBURGER BUN INGREDIENTS
Jump to the bottom of the recipe card below this post for full ingredient measurements and instructions.
Flour – I prefer using bread flour because it contains more gluten, making the buns soft and chewy. If you do not have bread flour, this can be substituted with all-purpose flour.
Water – It should be between 108-110°F.
Butter– unsalted butter, melted
Yeast – any brand of instant quick-rise yeast or active dry yeast
Salt – fine sea salt
Egg – one large egg at room temperature
Sugar – adds moisture and sweetness, substituted with honey
HOW TO MAKE SWEET POTATO HAMBURGER BUNS
Follow these steps to make this recipe:
- Prep the potatoes: Prepare the potatoes, by boiling until fork tender, then mashing until smooth. Strain any excess water from the sweet potatoes using cheesecloth, then set aside.
- Make the dough: Mix the warm water, yeast, egg, salt, sugar, and butter, and set aside until the yeast begins to bubble. Then add the sweet potato and flour and knead for 6 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour about 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Allow dough to rise: Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it into a smooth ball. Place in a greased bowl and cover. Place the dough in the warmest area of the kitchen for 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Divide the dough: Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, then flatten to form into disks. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour.
- Bake: Brush buns with eggwash or butter, and sprinkle with sesame seeds if using. Bake the buns for 15 to 18 minutes.
BURGER BUN RECIPE PRO TIPS
- Don’t overheat the water. Overheating the water could kill off the yeast and the result is dough that will not rise. The best way to ensure your water and butter are at the correct temperature is to use a food-grade thermometer. It should be between 108-110°F.
- Use room-temperature eggs. I always take out my eggs ahead of time or place them in warm water to ensure that they are not too cold before adding them to the dough.
- Weigh the flour. It’s important to add the correct amount of flour by weighing it with a kitchen scale, preferably. If you do not own a kitchen scale, be sure to fluff up the flour in its container, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level the top.
- Strain. Be sure to strain as much of the excess water from the sweet potatoes before adding to the dough.
- Use a food scale. To ensure that all of your buns are the same size, use a food scale. Each bun should weigh between 2-2.2 oz.
- Topping. Make these buns even tastier by topping them to your liking. You can top these buns with sesame seeds, coarse salt, or even honey butter!
HOW TO STORE THE BUNS
Room temperature: Place any leftover buns in an air-tight container or bread box at room temperature to enjoy for up to 5 days.
Freezing: You can also place the buns in a resealable plastic storage bag and freeze for up to one month. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours or place in the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
CAN I MAKE AHEAD?
These buns are indeed make-a-head. To make this recipe ahead, follow the steps to make, rise, divide, and bake. Then, wrap the buns tightly in plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or freeze for up to one month.
Sweet Potato Hamburger Buns
8
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Ingredients
3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour or bread flour
2 cups sweet potato, peeled, diced
1 Tbsp instant yeast
1 large egg
3 Tbsp melted butter
3/4 cup warm water (108°F -110°F)
1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
2 Tbsp sugar or honey
eggwash, for brushing tops
black or white sesame seeds, optional
Directions
- In a medium pot of water, boil the diced sweet potatoes until fork tender, then drain and mash the potatoes until smooth. Then, using cheesecloth or a strainer, squeeze the excess water from the potatoes and set aside to cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a large bowl, add the yeast, egg, sugar, salt, butter, and water. Combine well until the yeast has dissolved. Cover the mixture and set it aside for 5 minutes or until the yeast has started to froth and gathers at the top of the mixture.
- Add the mashed sweet potato and the flour then mix by hand or using a stand mixer with a dough hook for about 6 minutes, until a smooth, elastic dough forms. The dough should be slightly sticky. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour about 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Cover the dough and allow the dough to sit out in the warmest area of the kitchen for 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out into a lightly floured surface then punch the dough down to release the air. Then, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Using both hands, round each piece of dough to form a ball. Use a rolling pin or the palm of your hand to flatten each piece of dough into a 3 ” disk.
- Place the disks on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F, then remove the plastic wrap from the buns. Brush them with eggwash or butter, and sprinkle with sesame seeds if using. Bake the buns for 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with additional butter, if desired.
- Cool the buns on a wire rack before slicing.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Overheating the water could kill off the yeast and the result is dough that will not rise. The best way to ensure your water and butter are at the correct temperature is to use a food-grade thermometer. The water should be at a temperature between 108-110°F.
- The dough should be slightly sticky. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour about 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Strain the sweet potatoes. Be sure to strain as much of the excess water from the sweet potatoes before adding to the dough.
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