Soft Gluten-Free Hamburger Buns (Hot Dog Rolls & Sandwich Rolls Too!)
If you’ve been searching for a gluten-free bun recipe that is soft, flexible, and sturdy enough for burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, and even sub rolls, this is the recipe.
This dough was originally taught during my Summer Buns Challenge and quickly became a favorite because of its versatility. With one simple dough, you can make fluffy hamburger buns, classic hot dog rolls, sandwich rolls, and more.
One of the things I love most about this recipe is how adaptable it is. It works beautifully with my Grain-Free Flour Blend, my Number 2 Flour Blend, and many commercial gluten-free flour blends as well.
Important Flour Blend Note
If your gluten-free flour blend contains a pure starch as the first ingredient (such as tapioca starch, cornstarch, potato starch, or wheat starch), replace the tapioca starch called for in this recipe with an equal weight of additional flour blend.
This helps maintain the proper balance between flour and starch and creates a better texture in the finished buns.
Why You’ll Love These Buns
- Soft and fluffy texture
- Egg-free recipe
- Great for hamburgers and cheeseburgers
- Perfect for hot dogs and sausages
- Can be shaped into sandwich rolls or sub rolls
- Freezes beautifully
- Works with a wide variety of gluten-free flour blends
Flour Blend Recommendations
For best results, I recommend:
- Chef Alina’s Grain-Free Flour Blend (click for recipe)
- Chef Alina’s Number 2 Flour Blend (click for recipe)
- Cup4Cup
- Better Batter Original (use code CHEFALINA for 30% off on their website)
- Gf Jules
- Caputo – only for those not allergic to wheat – follow the directions in the recipe notes
Shape One Dough Multiple Ways
This recipe can be used to make:
- Hamburger buns
- Hot dog rolls
- Sandwich rolls
- Hoagie rolls
- Sub rolls
- Dinner rolls
Simply adjust the shaping and size to fit your needs.
One question I know I’ll get is, “Why did you make another hamburger bun recipe?” The answer is simple – I love continuing to improve my recipes. This version is the result of everything I’ve learned since publishing the original. It has a richer flavor and an incredibly soft texture, but because so many readers still love the first recipe, I decided there was no reason to choose between them. They’re both great recipes, and now you have both options.
A Quick Note About Gluten-Free Bread
One of the most common questions I get about gluten-free bread is why it seems softer when it’s fresh and firmer the next day.
The answer is simple: starches naturally firm up as they cool. This happens in all breads, but it is especially noticeable in gluten-free baking because gluten-free breads rely more heavily on starches for structure.
The good news is that this is completely normal and very easy to fix.
For the softest texture, warm your buns before serving.
My favorite method is 20–30 seconds in the microwave. The gentle heat softens the starches beautifully and brings the bread back to a soft, fresh-baked texture.
No microwave? Wrap the buns in foil and warm them in a 300°F oven until heated through.
I actually recommend warming gluten-free buns before serving, even on the day they’re baked. The texture becomes softer, more tender, and much closer to what most people expect from traditional bakery-style buns.
If you plan to store the buns longer than a day or two, freezing is your best option. Simply thaw and reheat before serving.
Gluten-Free Burger Buns (New Recipe)
Ingredients
- 215 g 1:1 gluten-free flour*
- 115 g tapioca starch*
- 9 g konjac powder or 15 g whole psyllium husk
- 20 g sugar or honey
- 7 g instant yeast / rapid rise 2¼ teaspoons/ 1 packet
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 360 g warm milk 80–100°F / 27–38°C *
- 60 g unsalted butter softened (can sub vegan butter)
- 15 g apple cider vinegar
*See class notes for flour blend guidance including modifications for Caputo.
Instructions
- Add all dry ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine. Add the milk, apple cider vinegar and butter. Mix using the paddle attachment: start on low to combine, then increase to medium / medium-high and mix for 4–5 minutes until smooth and well developed. The dough will be fairly sticky and soft -this is correct.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 15–20 minutes at room temperature. This allows the starches and binders to fully hydrate and improves structure.
- Divide the dough into equal portions 100 - 130g each. On a lightly floured surface, shape according to whichever shape and pan you are using. Place the shaped rolls into lightly greased pans to rise.
- Cover loosely and let proof until increased by about 50–70% in size. They should look visibly lighter and puffy, but not fragile or over proofed. Lightly brush with egg wash or egg free alternative and add any toppings/ seeds.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 208°F. (This number will be lower if you are at elevation)
- Remove from the pan to wire racks to cool. Brush with melted butter while still warm for an even softer and super delicious crust.
- Let cool on a rack before slicing.
Notes
•Dough is intentionally soft and a little sticky - do not try to stiffen it.
•Tapioca starch is the preferred starch but if you have an allergy you can sub cornstarch or potato starch
.•If using a 1:1 flour that has starch as the first ingredient, omit the extra tapioca starch and replace it with additional flour (My grain free 1:1, GF Jules, Caputo)
•If using Caputo flour reduce the milk to 250g and omit the konjac/psyllium
.•If using my grain free blend use whole psyllium husk as your binder – Konjac will make them gummy
•If subbing nondairy milk use one that has at least 4g fat per cup or use half plant milk and half nondairy coffee creamer.
•For an even richer, softer roll replace half of the milk with ½ & ½ or non-dairy creamer
