Step 1

Put all the ingredients in your bread machine and set it on the dough setting.

Step 2

When the dough is ready, pull it out and cut into 16 pieces (or 8 if you want BIG burger buns). Preheat the oven to 170 F, then turn it off. This provides the perfect warmth for rising the dough. Spray two baking sheets with cooking spray.

Step 3

Shape each piece of dough into a ball, then pull the dough down from the top of the ball, pinching it together on the bottom to smooth out the surface. Set the ball on the baking sheet, leaving 2 – 3 inches of space between them to allow room for rising. Repeat until all 16 buns are shaped.

Step 4

Spray the buns with cooking spray (or lightly brush with melted butter or oil), then cover loosely with a clean towel and set them in the warmed oven. Let rise for about 40 minutes or until they are nice and puffy.

Step 5

Set a shallow baking pan in the bottom of the oven and pour about 1/2 cup of water in. Gently remove the towel from the top of the buns and turn the oven to 400 F. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until the tops of the buns are a deep golden brown. I set them on a rack to cool. Brush the tops of the buns lightly with butter or olive oil — or spray lightly with cooking spray — to soften the tops of the buns.