Hamburger Buns Lab · Decision tree
Find your hamburger bun
Three questions sort all 143 recipes into 8 groups. Each question is about one of the ingredients recipes disagree on most, and splits the recipes in front of it at their own median, so each answer keeps about half of them. Every group ends with its median recipe in grams and the real recipes nearest it.
The questions
Question 1
More fat than most, or less?
Butter or oil keeps the bun soft enough to squash around a burger; brioche buns sit at the top.
All 143 recipes: median 10% of the flour weight, 50 g per 500 g of flour; middle half 6.7% to 15%.
Question 2
More egg than most, or less?
Eggs enrich brioche-style buns; plain buns often use none. The egg wash is an extra.
All 143 recipes: median 13% of the flour weight, 65 g per 500 g of flour; middle half 9.8% to 20%; 13% use none.
Asked within each answer to question 1, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.
Question 3
More sugar than most, or less?
A little sugar for a golden top and a faint sweetness.
All 143 recipes: median 6.3% of the flour weight, 32 g per 500 g of flour; middle half 4.2% to 8.5%.
Asked within each answer to question 2, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.
The key
Read left to right: pick an answer to question 1, then one of the answers beside it for question 2, and so on to a group. Each cell gives the answer, its bound in grams per 100 g of flour, and how many recipes give it.
| 1. Fat | 2. Egg | 3. Sugar | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| More10% or more77 | Moreover 14%41 | Moreover 6.4%20 | A20 |
| Less6.4% or less21 | B21 | ||
| Less14% or less36 | Moreover 6.7%18 | C18 | |
| Less6.7% or less18 | D18 | ||
| Lessunder 10%66 | Moreover 11%34 | Moreover 6.5%17 | E17 |
| Less6.5% or less17 | F17 | ||
| Less11% or less32 | More5% or more17 | G17 | |
| Lessunder 5%15 | H15 |
The 8 groups
Each median recipe is the median of every ingredient over the group's recipes, scaled to 500 g of flour, beside the typical batch of all 143. Bold rows are the ingredients the questions asked about.
Group A · 20 recipes · 13% of all
More fat, more egg and more sugar
Fat 10% or more, egg over 14% and sugar over 6.4% of the flour weight.
| At 500 g flour | Group A | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Liquid | 205 gabout 3/4 cup | 275 g |
| Fat | 75 gabout 1/3 cup | 50 g |
| Sugar | 46 gabout 1/4 cup | 32 g |
| Egg | 140 gabout 3 large eggs | 65 g |
| Salt | 8 g | 9 g |
| Yeast | 9 g | 8 g |
Bake365°F (185°C) for about 18 minutes, the medians of the 18 recipes here that state a temperature and the 20 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group A
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Cómo hacer pan para hot dog, súper tierno y esponjoso para tus mejores perritos · directoalpaladar.comfat 13% · egg 29% · sugar 7.1%
- Homemade Hamburger Buns · tastesbetterfromscratch.comfat 15% · egg 18% · sugar 10%
- Brioche Hamburger Buns · biggerbolderbaking.comfat 18% · egg 31% · sugar 7.8%
- Pão de Hambúrguer Tipo Brioche · receitasdeminuto.comfat 19% · egg 34% · sugar 8.5%
- Beautiful Burger Buns · kingarthurbaking.comfat 17% · egg 20% · sugar 12%
Group B · 21 recipes · 14% of all
More fat, more egg and less sugar
Fat 10% or more, egg over 14% and sugar 6.4% or less of the flour weight.
| At 500 g flour | Group B | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Liquid | 275 gabout 1 1/4 cups | 275 g |
| Fat | 75 gabout 1/3 cup | 50 g |
| Sugar | 25 gabout 2 tbsp | 32 g |
| Egg | 100 gabout 2 large eggs | 65 g |
| Salt | 10 g | 9 g |
| Yeast | 9 g | 8 g |
Bake400°F (205°C) for about 15 minutes, the medians of the 15 recipes here that state a temperature and the 17 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group B
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Brioche Burger Buns | perfekte Burger Brötchen · malteskitchen.defat 16% · egg 20% · sugar 6.3%
- Brioche Burger-Buns · oetker.defat 16% · egg 20% · sugar 6%
- Homemade Brioche Hamburger Buns · houseofnasheats.comfat 12% · egg 22% · sugar 5.5%
- Brioche Buns · preppykitchen.comfat 15% · egg 26% · sugar 6.4%
- Burger Buns · backenmachtgluecklich.defat 10% · egg 17% · sugar 5%
Group C · 18 recipes · 12% of all
More fat, less egg and more sugar
Fat 10% or more, egg 14% or less and sugar over 6.7% of the flour weight. 2 of the 18 use no egg.
| At 500 g flour | Group C | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Liquid | 310 gabout 1 1/3 cups | 275 g |
| Fat | 80 gabout 1/3 cup | 50 g |
| Sugar | 47 gabout 1/4 cup | 32 g |
| Egg | 60 gabout 1 large egg | 65 g |
| Salt | 9 g | 9 g |
| Yeast | 9 g | 8 g |
Bake375°F (190°C) for about 23 minutes, the medians of the 14 recipes here that state a temperature and the 17 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group C
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Potato Burger Buns · handletheheat.comfat 15% · egg 13% · sugar 11%
- Panini per hamburger – burger buns · soniaperonaci.itfat 10% · egg 11% · sugar 7.1%
- Burger Buns · leitesculinaria.comfat 16% · egg 11% · sugar 11%
- Whole Wheat Burger Buns · handletheheat.comfat 10% · egg 12% · sugar 7.5%
- Homemade Hamburger Buns · thereciperebel.comfat 14% · egg 6% · sugar 8.5%
Group D · 18 recipes · 12% of all
More fat, less egg and less sugar
Fat 10% or more, egg 14% or less and sugar 6.7% or less of the flour weight. 3 of the 18 use no egg.
| At 500 g flour | Group D | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Liquid | 295 gabout 1 1/4 cups | 275 g |
| Fat | 50 gabout 1/4 cup | 50 g |
| Sugar | 17 gabout 1 1/2 tbsp | 32 g |
| Egg | 48 gabout 1 large egg | 65 g |
| Salt | 8 g | 9 g |
| Yeast | 7 g | 8 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 18 minutes, the medians of the 13 recipes here that state a temperature and the 14 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group D
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Homemade Hamburger Buns · thestayathomechef.comfat 10% · egg 8.9% · sugar 4.4%
- Burger Buns Recipe · sugarspunrun.comfat 14% · egg 9.8% · sugar 4.9%
- Buns au Thermomix · cuisineaz.comfat 10% · egg 14% · sugar 2%
- Buns à hamburger · chefnini.comfat 12% · egg 3.6% · sugar 2.5%
- Pain pour hamburger rose · chefsimon.comfat 10% · egg 13% · sugar 3.8%
Group E · 17 recipes · 11% of all
Less fat, more egg and more sugar
Fat under 10%, egg over 11% and sugar over 6.5% of the flour weight.
| At 500 g flour | Group E | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Liquid | 265 gabout 1 cups | 275 g |
| Fat | 34 gabout 2 1/2 tbsp | 50 g |
| Sugar | 43 gabout 3 1/2 tbsp | 32 g |
| Egg | 85 gabout 1 1/2 large eggs | 65 g |
| Salt | 9 g | 9 g |
| Yeast | 8 g | 8 g |
Bake375°F (190°C) for about 20 minutes, the medians of the 17 recipes here that state a temperature and the 17 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group E
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Classic Hamburger Buns · foodnetwork.comfat 8.5% · egg 17% · sugar 7.5%
- Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns · baking-sense.comfat 6.7% · egg 12% · sugar 10%
- Hamburger Bun Recipe · baking-sense.comfat 6.7% · egg 12% · sugar 6.7%
- Seeded Hamburger Buns · kingarthurbaking.comfat 8.5% · egg 25% · sugar 7.6%
- Homemade Hamburger Buns · daringgourmet.comfat 9.7% · egg 11% · sugar 8.6%
Group F · 17 recipes · 11% of all
Less fat, more egg and less sugar
Fat under 10%, egg over 11% and sugar 6.5% or less of the flour weight.
| At 500 g flour | Group F | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Liquid | 285 gabout 1 1/4 cups | 275 g |
| Fat | 33 gabout 2 1/2 tbsp | 50 g |
| Sugar | 25 gabout 2 tbsp | 32 g |
| Egg | 95 gabout 2 large eggs | 65 g |
| Salt | 8 g | 9 g |
| Yeast | 6 g | 8 g |
Bake400°F (205°C) for about 15 minutes, the medians of the 15 recipes here that state a temperature and the 16 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group F
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Hamburger Buns · tasteandtellblog.comfat 9.1% · egg 16% · sugar 4%
- Ofenfrische Burger Buns · kuechengoetter.defat 8.5% · egg 20% · sugar 5%
- Receta de pan de hamburguesa tierno · directoalpaladar.comfat 4.2% · egg 15% · sugar 3.1%
- Buns au Kitchenaid · cuisineaz.comfat 6.3% · egg 30% · sugar 5%
- Pain burger · cuisine.journaldesfemmes.frfat 6% · egg 20% · sugar 4%
Group G · 17 recipes · 11% of all
Less fat, less egg and more sugar
Fat under 10%, egg 11% or less and sugar 5% or more of the flour weight. 9 of the 17 use no egg.
| At 500 g flour | Group G | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Liquid | 295 gabout 1 1/4 cups | 275 g |
| Fat | 32 gabout 2 1/2 tbsp | 50 g |
| Sugar | 37 gabout 3 tbsp | 32 g |
| Egg | none | 65 g |
| Salt | 10 g | 9 g |
| Yeast | 7 g | 8 g |
Bake400°F (205°C) for about 18 minutes, the medians of the 15 recipes here that state a temperature and the 16 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group G
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Panini per hot dog · ricettedalmondo.itfat 5% · egg 0% · sugar 8.2%
- Hamburger- oder Hot Dog Buns · gutekueche.atfat 8.9% · egg 0% · sugar 8.7%
- Receita de Pão para cachorro quente · comidaereceitas.com.brfat 8% · egg 0% · sugar 10%
- Panini per Hamburger : Ricetta originale, Consigli · tavolartegusto.itfat 9.2% · egg 0% · sugar 6%
- Pains à burger maison (buns) · ptitchef.comfat 6% · egg 10% · sugar 5%
Group H · 15 recipes · 10% of all
Less fat, less egg and less sugar
Fat under 10%, egg 11% or less and sugar under 5% of the flour weight. 6 of the 15 use no egg.
| At 500 g flour | Group H | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Liquid | 290 gabout 1 1/4 cups | 275 g |
| Fat | 25 gabout 2 tbsp | 50 g |
| Sugar | 13 gabout 1 tbsp | 32 g |
| Egg | 36 gabout 1/2 large egg | 65 g |
| Salt | 7 g | 9 g |
| Yeast | 6 g | 8 g |
Bake400°F (205°C) for about 15 minutes, the medians of the 10 recipes here that state a temperature and the 14 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group H
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Pain à hamburger · ptitchef.comfat 5.4% · egg 10% · sugar 2.5%
- Pain hamburger avec map : la meilleure recette · marmiton.orgfat 5.4% · egg 10% · sugar 2.5%
- Pains à hamburger · cuisine.journaldesfemmes.frfat 5% · egg 8.3% · sugar 2.1%
- Pains à hamburger · cuisineaz.comfat 5% · egg 5.5% · sugar 4.2%
- Buns à hot dog · chefnini.comfat 3% · egg 10% · sugar 2.5%
How the questions are chosen
Each ingredient is ranked by how much recipes disagree on it: the width of the middle half of recipes (25th to 75th percentile) divided by the median, less 4% for each place it sits down this lab's list of ingredients, so the ones that define the dish win near ties. For hamburger buns the order is fat (0.84), egg (0.82), sugar (0.68), yeast (0.60) and liquid (0.30), and the first 3 are asked. Salt is never asked about: recipes differ on it mostly by brand and taste.
Every split is at the median of the recipes in front of it, rounded to the percentage shown. Recipes exactly at the median go to whichever side leaves the two halves more even. No answer may keep fewer than 5 recipes; a group that could not be split further says so.
The recipes listed under each group are the 5 nearest its median on every ingredient at once, each scaled by how much recipes vary on it. Every recipe page links to the original for the method.