Slider Buns
My go-to recipe for buttery soft slider buns. These slider buns are easy to make and are delicious, with a golden brown crust and soft center.
If you’re a fan of sliders, then you know the bun is just as important as the filling! These soft, fluffy slider buns are a game changer and will take your slider recipes to a whole new level. Imagine biting into a warm, freshly baked bun that perfectly cradles juicy pulled pork, spicy buffalo chicken, or savory meatballs. The texture is light and airy, with a buttery flavor that complements any filling you choose.
In this post, I’ll share my tried-and-true method for making the most delicious slider buns right in your kitchen. Whether you’re hosting a game day party, a casual get-together, or simply craving some comfort food, these buns are sure to impress your family and friends. Plus, with my easy-to-follow steps for blooming yeast and shaping dough, you’ll feel like a pro baker in no time. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and dive into the world of homemade slider buns that will have everyone coming back for seconds!
How To Make Slider Buns:
First thing you have to do is bloom the yeast so it activates and starts multiplying.
How To Bloom Yeast
Blooming yeast is all about waking up dormant yeast before diving into dough-making. If you’re using instant yeast, lucky you—you can skip this step! Instant yeast goes straight into the dry ingredients without any fuss. But for those of us using active dry yeast, follow these simple steps to bloom it perfectly:
- Warm Up: Pour warm water (around 110°F) into your stand mixer bowl. If you want to ensure it stays cozy, swish some hot water around the bowl before dumping it out.
- Sweeten the Deal: Add 2 teaspoons of sugar or honey to the warm water and stir until dissolved.
- Sprinkle and Wait: Gently sprinkle the yeast on top of the liquid. Let it sit until frothy—this means it’s active and ready to party!
How to Make Slider Bun Dough
Next, it’s time to mix everything together! Here’s how:
- Dry Ingredients: In your stand mixer, combine the dry ingredients along with the bloomed yeast.
- Wet Ingredients: In a separate 2-cup glass measuring cup, mix melted butter, milk, an egg, and salt.
- Combine: Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and turn your mixer to low. Gradually increase the speed to kneading speed (for my Kitchenaid, that’s speed 2) and let it knead for about 5-7 minutes. This is crucial because yeast can only feed from flour that’s nearby, so kneading ensures even distribution.
- Check the Dough: The dough is ready when you poke it and the indentation fills back in. Now, place the dough in a non-greased bowl to rise for 1-2 hours, or until it doubles in size.
Shaping Slider Buns
Shaping slider buns is super simple once you get the hang of it. Here’s the step-by-step:
- Portion the Dough: Use a dough scraper to divide the dough into 12 equal pieces.
- Shape the Buns: Take one piece, stretch and fold it over to the center, pinching it to form a ball. Turn the dough and repeat this process until the surface is smooth.
- Arrange: Place each dough ball in a greased 9×11 casserole dish. Cover the dish with a clean dishtowel and let it rise again for about 30-45 minutes. They should puff up and nearly double in size during this time.
These have risen a second time, are roughly twice as big and are ready for the oven. They will rise a third time in the oven, this is called oven-spring.
What Size is a Slider Bun?
A slider bun is typically about the size of a regular dinner roll—roughly half the size of a McDonald’s hamburger bun. If you’re in a pinch, feel free to use dinner rolls as an alternative for your sliders!
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Slider Buns
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
- ½ cup warm water
- 2½ tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp butter
- â…” cup milk
- 1 Large eggs
- 1¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Large eggs
- 1 tbsp water
- poppy seeds or herbs
Instructions
- In the bowl of a standmixer, add 2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast, ½ cup warm water and 2½ tbsp sugar. Wait for it to get activated and frothy.
- Melt 3 tbsp butter in a 2 cup glass measuring cup. Add ⅔ cup milk, 1 Large eggs and 1¼ teaspoon salt. Stir to combine.
- Turn the standmixer on low and add 3 cup all-purpose flour, one cup at a time. Add the milk mixture and turn the mixer up to the kneading speed. Mine is at 2. Allow the dough to form and then knead for 5-6 minutes or until a fingertip indention fills back in after pressing.
- Remove bowl from standmixer. Pick dough up and pull the sides into the bottom and pinch until you have a nice round dough ball. Put it back in the standmixer. I NEVER grease the bowl first. Every time I grease the bowl my bread never shapes well and that bothers me. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it sit for 1-2 hours, until it has doubled or more in size.
- Preheat oven to 375℉.
- Grease a 9×11 casserole dish well with butter.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 pieces. Stretch the outside of the dough into the center and pinch together. Do this until the dough is round and stretched. Place the dough balls in the casserole dish, 4 wide and 3 across.
- Brush tops with egg wash, by combining 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Sprinkle with poppy seeds or dried herbs if you desire.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the center of the bread is baked and the tops are golden brown. Allow to cool before using them in sliders.
