These Homemade Vegan Buns (or Air Buns) are super soft, tender, and nearly melt in your mouth! They stay fresh for days and freeze exceptionally well. This is a no-fail recipe that is perfect if you are a beginner. This quick recipe makes 45 buns that are excellent for lunches and ideal for serving with vegan burgers or soups and stews.
My all-time favorite and most used recipe are these vegan buns. This is truly the best dinner roll recipe. These buns are also known as yeast rolls, air buns, or dinner rolls, and they are so easy and take hardly any effort to make. They are the perfect addition for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter dinner.
First off, let me tell you that I LOVE making my own bread. I have been practicing my breadmaking skills for the last 7 years. Homemade bread is always fresh, low in sugar and salt, contains no preservatives, and makes your house smell SO good. I have made dozens and dozens of these air buns over the last 2 years.
This recipe was my husband's grandma's recipe. My husband's aunt was kind enough to share this treasured family recipe with me.
Amazingly, this recipe is at least 80 years old, and oh...my...gosh!!! It is the perfect recipe!
I use it every week, and it is the easiest dinner roll recipe I have ever tried. Plus, it has turned out exactly right...every...single...time.
It makes 3 large loaves of vegan bread, 45 vegan rolls, 1 loaf of bread and 30 rolls, or 2 loaves of bread and 15 rolls. Anyway, you get the picture. It is just so darn good!
Plus, it never crumbles and stays fresh for days!
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❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Light and Airy: This homemade bun recipe produces fluffy buns that are soft and airy, perfect for sandwiches or enjoying on their own.
- Easy Recipe: This no-fail homemade buns recipe is so easy, even beginners will have success.
- Endless Possibilities: These fluffy buns can be used for various dishes such as veggie burgers, sliders, and sandwiches or simply enjoyed as a side with soups or stews.
- Cost-effective: Homemade buns are more cost-effective than store-bought hamburger buns, saving money while enjoying delicious freshly baked bread.
- Impress Your Guests: Serve these fluffy buns at gatherings or special occasions and impress your friends and family with your baking skills.
- No Preservatives: By making your own buns from scratch, you can avoid artificial preservatives commonly found in store-bought buns.
- Healthier Option: Vegan buns are made without animal products, making them healthier as they tend to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol.
🥖 Ingredient Notes + Substitutions
This vegan hamburger buns recipe requires only a handful of simple ingredients. You probably have everything you need in your pantry already. And if not, you can get everything at your local grocery store.
- Flour. The original recipe calls for white flour, which keeps the dinner rolls nice, light, and fluffy. However, I add some whole wheat flour (about 3 cups) to make the buns more nutritious. For the lightest, fluffiest buns, use bread flour. You can use up to 50% whole wheat flour, but I do not recommend using more than that; otherwise, the buns may be too heavy and dense.
- Yeast. I use quick-rising yeast if I'm in a hurry, but any kind of yeast works well, including instant yeast.
- Sugar. Use white sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar, raw sugar, or maple syrup.
- Oil. I use olive oil, but you can use avocado oil, canola oil, or even melted vegan butter or margarine.
- Vinegar. This is the secret ingredient in these air buns. The vinegar preserves gluten bonds, keeping them from popping. Vinegar is like a conditioner for dough; it keeps the yeast happy and helps it work better, making the buns expand.
- Salt. It slows the rising process, plus salt makes the bread taste better, resulting in a great-tasting bun.
See the printable recipe card for exact measurements and a complete list of ingredients.
🥖 Step-By-Step Instructions
These homemade burger buns can be made in a KitchenAid mixer with a dough hook attachment if you have one, which saves a lot of time. However, if you don't have a stand mixer, no worries; you can mix these up by hand quite easily. Just use a wooden spoon until you can't mix it anymore, then use your hands to mix the flour in.
Let's get started!
First, mix ½ cup lukewarm water, 1 tablespoon yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar in a medium bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes. It will start to get foamy on top.
Second, in your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, add 2 cups of HOT water. Add 2 teaspoon salt and ½ cup sugar to the HOT water and stir with a spoon until it dissolves. Then add 1-½ cups warm water, ½ cup oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 3 cups of flour. (If using whole wheat flour, use 3 cups of whole wheat flour).
Start mixing with the dough hook attachment or with a wooden spoon. Add the yeast mixture and keep on mixing. Keep adding white flour gradually, a cup at a time, until you have a smooth round ball.
The dough should just be starting to pull away from the bowl. It will still be slightly sticky, and that's okay. Continue to mix for about 5 minutes with the dough hook, or knead by hand on the countertop on a lightly floured surface.
Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size. I use the 'proof' setting on my oven, or you can turn your oven on at 350 for 1 minute, then shut it off and place your dough in there to rise. This is the first rise.
Divide the dough into 3 sections. Each section will make 15 buns. Roll the dough into balls 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter. Place each dough ball on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets for buns, or place a section into greased or parchment paper-lined bread pans for a loaf of bread.
Make the balls a bit larger if you want to make vegan hamburger buns.
Cover and let the dough rise for 1 hour more or until doubled in size again - this is the second rise. As above, I like to place them in the oven for the rise.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
If desired, gently brush the tops of the buns with soy milk, almond milk, or melted vegan butter or margarine, and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
Place buns in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. When done, take them out of the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool at room temperature.
Enjoy these fluffy vegan burger buns fresh out of the oven with some margarine or Homemade Raspberry Rhubarb Jam or Low Sugar Strawberry Jam. Yum!!! Just be careful not to burn your mouth!
They also go perfectly with my Creamy Tomato Soup Recipe!
💭 Expert Tips
- Use a mixture of whole grains and all-purpose flour for healthier buns.
- To ensure fluffy buns, it's important to properly measure the flour. Use a spoon to fluff up the flour in the container, then spoon it into the measuring cup and level off with a knife. Avoid packing the flour into the cup, leading to denser buns.
- Make sure your yeast is active by dissolving it in warm water with a pinch of sugar. The water should be around 110°F (43°C) - too hot can kill the yeast, and too cold won't activate it properly.
- Patience is key when making homemade buns. Allow enough time for the dough to rise and double in size. This usually takes around 1-2 hours, depending on temperature.
- Find a warm spot in your kitchen for proofing dough, such as near a window with sunlight or on top of a preheated oven (turned off).
- While kneading is important to develop gluten structure, over-kneading can result in dense buns. Once the dough becomes smooth and elastic, stop kneading.
- When shaping the buns, divide the dough evenly so they bake uniformly. Use kitchen scales if necessary for precise measurement and shape each portion into round balls.
- Let the buns cool completely on a wire rack before slicing or storing for best results. Cooling on a rack prevents them from becoming soggy on the bottom due to trapped moisture.
🌡️ Storage
Store leftover buns in an airtight container or sealable bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, freeze the buns and thaw them as needed.
📖 Variations
The options are endless with this vegan burger bun recipe! You can add in:
- 1 cup of oatmeal; just reduce all-purpose flour by the same amount.
- Flax seeds, ⅓ cup.
- Poppy seeds, ⅓ cup
- Chia seeds, ⅓ cup
- Hemp hearts, ⅓ cup
- Dip the top of the buns in grated vegan cheese for a tasty variation before baking for homemade cheese buns.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes, these homemade vegan buns freeze very well! They taste just like they were made fresh when they defrost; that is, if you have any left to freeze. Once cooled, you can freeze these buns in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. When you're ready to enjoy them, simply thaw them at room temperature or warm them in a low oven before serving.
Yes, you can over-knead the dough, which may cause the buns to be hard on the outside and dry on the inside. That's why it is important not to knead the dough for longer than 5 minutes.
Certainly! Feel free to customize your homemade buns by adding toppings like sesame seeds, poppy seeds, coarse salt, or even herbs like rosemary or thyme.
There could be multiple reasons why your dough isn't rising properly. It could be due to inactive yeast, water that was too hot or too cold while activating yeast, lack of warmth during rising, or expired yeast. Ensure your yeast is fresh and active, and follow the recipe instructions carefully.
Absolutely! Simply divide the dough into smaller portions and adjust the baking time accordingly. Keep in mind that mini buns will bake faster than regular-sized ones, so keep a close eye on them to prevent over-browning.
Absolutely! Feel free to experiment with additional flavors by adding minced garlic, dried herbs, or spices to enhance the taste of your homemade buns. Simply mix these ingredients into the dough during the kneading process.
👩🏻🍳 More Vegan Recipes You'll Love
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📋 Recipe
Easy Homemade Vegan Buns Recipe (Fluffy Air Buns)
Ingredients
Yeast mixture
- ½ cup lukewarm water
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
How to make the dough
- 2 cups HOT water
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sugar
- 1½ cups WARM water
- ½ cup oil
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 7-8 cups all-purpose flour unbleached
Instructions
Yeast mixture
- Mix ½ cup lukewarm water, 1 tablespoon yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar in a small bowl. Let it stand for 5 minutes. It will start to get foamy on top.½ cup lukewarm water, 1 tablespoon yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar
Make the dough
- Add 2 cups of HOT water to a large bowl or stand mixer.2 cups HOT water
- Add 2 teaspoon salt and ½ cup sugar to the hot water and mix until it dissolves.2 teaspoon salt, ½ cup sugar
- Next, add 1½ cups WARM water, ½ cup oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 3 cups of flour. Mix.1½ cups WARM water, ½ cup oil, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 7-8 cups all-purpose flour
- Add the yeast mixture to the bowl and keep mixing.
- Keep adding flour gradually, one cup at a time, until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. It should be a smooth, round ball.
- Continue punching down for 8 to 10 minutes, or 5 minutes with a stand mixer with the dough hook.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size.
- Divide the dough into 3 equal sections. Each section will make 15 buns. To shape the buns, roll out the dough into 1.5 to 2-inch balls. Place dough balls on cookie sheets covered with parchment paper.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
When buns are as big as you want them:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place buns in the oven and bake for 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Proof the yeast: Always proof your yeast before using it in the recipe. This step ensures that the yeast is active and will result in a successful rise. If the yeast fails to become foamy during proofing, it is best to discard it and use fresh yeast.
- Let it rise: During the first and second rise, allow the dough to double in size. To create an ideal environment for rising, place the covered dough in a warm area. This can be done in the oven on the 'Proof' setting, which creates the perfect environment. You can use the residual heat in your oven if you don't have the 'Proof' setting. To do this, preheat your oven for 1 minute at 350 degrees F, then turn it off. The residual heat will create a warm environment for your dough to rise in.
- Baking: Keep a close eye on the buns when they are baking to avoid over-browning. Once baked, transfer the buns to a wire rack to cool. This helps maintain their texture and prevents them from becoming soggy.
- Freezing: If you have leftover buns or want to prepare them in advance, they freeze well. Let the buns cool completely before placing them in a ziplock freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible from the bag to prevent freezer burn. When ready to enjoy, defrost the buns at room temperature for a few hours.
Isabelle morhart
I am just making the buns the dough is really sticky and I used a lot more flour in order to form the buns is it possible to use flour to form the buns
Jeri Walker
Hi Isabelle. How much flour did you use? Are you using a stand mixer or mixing by hand? It is okay if the dough is a bit tacky, you just want it to pull away from the sides of the bowl if using a stand mixer, and it should form into a round ball before the first rise. If it is sticking to your fingers too much, add a tiny bit of flour, a little bit at a time, until you are able to knead it into a round ball.
Lili
I wonder if the dough can be made the night before and let it sit in the fridge overnight? Do you think it might work?
Jeri Walker
Hi Lili! Yes, you can make the dough and put it in the refrigerator overnight. Once the dough is made, cover it and place it in the fridge overnight. The next morning, form it into buns or bread and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, then bake as directed. I hope this helps! 🙂
Lili
Done and in the fridge. Lets hope it doesnt over proof overnight.
Jessica
The rolls are perfectly fluffy!! They were great straight outta the oven smothered in butter and just as good for sandwiches the next day. Will be making them again for Thanksgiving. Thanks!
Jeri
I'm so glad you liked the Jessica!
Megan Ellam
These look fabulous! I have bookmarked for later and pinned. Thanks for sharing.
Andrea White
big bread fan over here! these are absolutely fantastic!
Agnieszka
These are so easy to make! My family loved them.
Natalie
These buns look gorgeous. So soft and delicious. I'm seriously craving these buns right now. Have to make them asap.
Lillian
The texture of these is perfect! I also love the add ins that you suggested and can't make some variations on the original.
Kayla DiMaggio
Love these air buns! I always find making bread a challenge, it always comes out dense, however these came out perfectly soft and fluffy!
Eileen
This is the best bread, bun recipe that I have made so nice and light just an excellent recipe Thankyou for sharing really enjoyed it
Jeri Walker
Thank you for your kind words about the bread! I'm so glad it turned out great and that you enjoyed it! Sharing my recipes with others is always a pleasure - happy baking! 🙂
Jean
love the smell of this homemade bread! easy to prepare and steps are easy to follow.
Addie
They’re so soft and fluffy!
Oscar
These buns look so soft and love that they are dairy free. I'm going to make them for an upcoming dinner party I am having and use them as dinner rolls.
Natalie
Yum! These buns look fantastic. I can't wait to make this. Thanks for lovely recipe.
Audrey
These were great with our dinner!
Alexandra
These are so delicious and simple to make!
Jeri
Thanks, Alexandra!