These Slider Buns are perfect little mini buns perfect for burgers and small enough that you can eat three of these without feeling guilty. Nothing beats a homemade bun, the aroma of bread baking in the oven, the warm buns, there’s nothing better.
Ah, these slider buns, love me some slider buns. So here’s the thing. I’ve been wanting to make some sliders forever now, but I just can’t seem to find the right buns for them. Eventually I got tired of looking and waiting so I decided to make my own slider buns. Bread is bread, so it’s not that difficult.
I’m so glad I did, these little slider buns turned out amazing, cute little buns, buttery, delicious and best of all only 91 calories a slider bun. Can you believe that? I just love that! I guess that means we can have a few, not just one. Who can eat just one?
Ingredients
Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for full ingredient amounts and instructions, or click the Jump To Recipe button at the top.
- Flour – all you need is all purpose flour.
- Salt – Salt is important in any baked good, it ensures that all those flavors we’ve incorporated above really shine.
- Water – At room temperature, this is the liquid we use today in our buns.
- Yeast – I’m using instant yeast today so that we can incorporate it right in the dough without priming it in water first.
- Sugar – To add a little bit of sweetness to our rolls. You could also use honey.
- Egg – 1 large egg at room temperature.
- Margarine – you can use margarine or butter. You’ll also need some melted butter to brush over the rolls.
How To Make Slider Buns
- Make the dough: Add all ingredients to the bowl of your mixer (excluding the 2 tbsp of butter for brushing). Using the hook attachment, mix everything together on medium low for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic and the side of the bowl is clean. The dough should be a bit sticky but manageable. If the dough is too hard or dry add a bit more water, or if it’s too sticky add more flour.
- Let the dough rise: Cover the bowl with a clean damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Shape the buns: Drop the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out so that it’s about 1/3 inch in thickness. Using a 2 inch cookie cutter, cut the sliders. You should get about 25 sliders from all this dough. Use the leftover dough by kneading it a couple times and re-rolling it to a 1/3 inch in thickness. Place the cutout sliders onto the prepared baking sheet leaving a little space in between them, as they will continue to rise.
- Second rise: Cover the buns with a damp kitchen towel and let them rest for another 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Bake: Brush the slider buns with melted butter and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Can I Use Active Dry Yeast
You absolutely can. The difference is you need to active the dry yeast first. To do this add a bit of room-temperature or slightly warm water to a bowl and the yeast, let it sit for a minute or two and then stir it with a spoon or fork until the yeast dissolves.
You’ll notice the yeast will start to form bubbles, this means the yeast is good, if you see no reaction at all, chances are your yeast is old and need new fresh yeast.
The Best Place For Dough To Rise
If you are having trouble getting that dough to rise and double in size, I’ve got a perfect little trick for you to ensure your dough fluffs up properly. Heat your oven to 200 F degrees then turn off the oven and place your dough when needing to rise in the oven with the door closed. This will ensure a warm environment for your dough and the dough will rise fairly quickly, assuming the yeast was good.
Tips And Tricks
- Be sure to check the expiry date of your yeast as it’ll affect the effectiveness of these buns.
- If using active dry yeast, please make sure you activate it first by dissolving it in a bit of warm water. If it does not begin to froth up, do not continue with the recipe.
- To keep your yeast fresh and longer lasting, unopened yeast packages or jars should be stored in a cool or dry place such as your cupboard.
- It is so important to let your rolls double in size! This will ensure that your rolls are light, tender, and fluffy.
Storing Leftover Buns
You can store these rolls right on the counter wrapped in foil or plastic wrap for up to 5 days. You can freeze these rolls easily, just place them separately on a baking sheet and freeze before transferring to a freezer bag or airtight container. They will last for up to 6 months and can be thawed right on the counter when ready to eat.
More Recipes You’ll Enjoy:
- Texas Roadhouse Rolls
- Parker House Rolls
- Dinner Crescents
- Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
- Soft Buttermilk Dinner Rolls
- No Knead Hot Cross Buns
- Honey Rolls
- Classic Dinner Rolls
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Homemade Slider Buns
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp rapid rise yeast
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp margarine or melted butter
- 2 tbsp butter for brushing
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the bowl of your mixer (excluding the 2 tbsp of butter for brushing). Using the hook attachment, mix everything together on medium low for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic and the side of the bowl is clean. The dough should be a bit sticky but manageable. If the dough is too hard or dry add a bit more water, or if it’s too sticky add more flour.
- Cover the bowl with a clean damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Drop the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out so that it’s about 1/3 inch in thickness. Using a 2 inch cookie cutter, cut the sliders. You should get about 25 sliders from all this dough. Use the leftover dough by kneading it a couple times and rerolling it to a 1/3 inch in thickness. Place the cutout sliders onto the prepared baking sheet leaving a little space in between them, as they will continue to rise.
- Cover the buns with a damp kitchen towel and let them rest for another 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Brush the slider buns with melted butter and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Recipe Notes
- To speed up the time required for the dough to rise, preheat your oven to 200 for a couple minutes, just until it’s warm in the oven. Turn oven off and place your bowl with the dough, covered with the towel. Close the oven door and let it rest until the dough has doubled in size. If the yeast is fresh it should be ready in half hour to an hour.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Do you added 2 T melted butter to the recipe and then add 2 T melted butter to the tops of the buns before baking them?
Yes, you can add 2 tbsp of melted butter or margarine to the mix and the other 2 tbsp of melted butter leave aside for the finishing touches when you brish them over the buns for that nice final glow.
Is it possible to cut the recipe in half? I don’t want to make so many rolls and have no room in my freezer to freeze excess. Would I just scramble the egg and only use half of it? Please advise
Absolutely! Use the same amount of yeast as called for in the recipe card and cut everything else in half.
Had no problem with the dough; it rose beautifully the first rise, but covering it with a damp cloth for the second rise should be qualified. Since the dough is cut into circles at that point and put on a sheet pan for the second rise, putting ANYTHING on top of the dough makes the damp cloth or damp plastic wrap stick to it, deflating the buns and basically ruining everything. Covering really isn’t necessary here.
We haven’t had a problem with sticking! You can sprinkle the tops with flour if needed. Covering is necessary as to not dry your buns out.
Is it possible to reduce the sugar? Seems like a lot for a savoury-type thang. Thanks!
Yes, for sure!
What can i substitute for egg. Thx
Here’s a great resource: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/egg-substitutes
Delish! I just added a little more salt to the dough and when I melted the butter for brushing I added a little honey.
So glad you liked them!
Aha…..I made mine bigger than 2″. That’s why i only got 15.
Love the recipe. Thanks!
I guess I didn’t roll thin enough because i only got about 15 buns. I was worried about them being too thin for prime rib (leftover) sliders.
These turned out amazingly well! They were light and easily paired with burger meat—which was my biggest concern when making tiny fluffy burger 🍔 buns.
2’’ was a perfect size if you’re making traditional sliders.
Be sure not to over bake, as that’s the only thing that can impact bread density (burned bottom/top).
I made mine in my bread maker on the dough setting.
I will be tucking this away as a great future meal staple!