Burger Buns

Ingredients

Buns

• 3/4 to 1 cup (170g to 227g) lukewarm water*
• 2 tablespoons (28g) butter, at room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 3 1/2 cups (418g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast

Directions

Buns

1. Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — to make a soft, smooth dough.
2. Cover the dough, and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until it's nearly doubled in bulk.
3. Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 8 pieces. Shape each piece into a round ball; flatten to about 3" across. Place the buns on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise for about an hour, until noticeably puffy.
4. Brush the buns with about half of the melted butter. Top with sesame seeds.
5. Bake the buns in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden. Remove them from the oven, and brush with the remaining melted butter. This will give the buns a satiny, buttery crust.
6. Cool the buns on a rack.