The Ultimate Secret Ingredient For Fluffier Slider Buns

At its core, a burger is an uncomplicated dish. All you need are a bun, a patty, and some cheese and ketchup for a meal in its most basic, satisfying form. In fact, Adam Richman says that the key to a great burger is simplicity, and just a couple of the right toppings can create the perfect result. Since a burger is only as good as its individual components, you're better off keeping the accoutrements to a minimum and focusing your attention on one of its key elements: the bun.

Saveur breaks down a few options for burger buns, such as potato rolls and sesame buns, and highlights each one's strengths, from flavor to softness. When it comes to popular types of burger buns, brioche is a top contender. The enthusiasm for this particular ingredient can be seen on Reddit, where one much-upvoted comment said their top choice for burgers is "brioche. Buttered and toasted on the inside only." 

While no one would turn up their nose at a juicy burger served on brioche or a pretzel bun, the real secret to impressing your guests at your next backyard barbecue is making homemade burger buns, complete with all the fluffy goodness you could ever crave.

To make a fluffier, more delicious burger bun, the Kitchn adds cream cheese to its slider bun recipe, which it says not only "helps with a delicate tender texture, but also adds a lovely lactic flavor." The recipe uses less than half a block of cream cheese for 18 mini buns, meaning the tangy dairy ingredient won't have too much of an impact on the taste of your sliders. Don't have cream cheese in the fridge? There are still plenty of ways to get that light and airy burger bun, which, per the Kitchn, often comes from fat. Mashed's recipe for burger buns has plenty of that, between milk, eggs, canola oil, and butter. 

Besides the ingredients, bread technique also has an impact on the fluffiness of your burger or slider buns. As Bob's Red Mill explains, bread gets lighter when the yeast has more time to grow, because this creates more gas. Although you don't want to overproof your dough, waiting for it to rise adequately is an important step toward getting fluffy buns. Additionally, measuring ingredients in grams for precision or adding a dough enhancer should also do the trick. Once you've gotten the perfect bake, cook up a juicy patty and remember all the key tips you'll need to make the ideal burger.