The best hamburger buns are pillowy, squishy, and flavorful. They shouldn’t fall apart or have too big a crumb. Good hamburger buns should also be fairly firm, not too fluffy. We prefer an almost dense consistency that’ll smoosh with the burger patty, fusing the two together. Ideally, the bun should contain a hint of sweetness, too. Most of all, a good hamburger bun doesn’t distract from the star of the show, aka the meat.
We care about your cookout needs. That’s why each year when the weather starts to warm, we update our burger bun ranking to make sure all of the Grill Dads (a decidedly gender-neutral term) are working with the most up-to-date recommendations. We’ve got some really great finds on this list, from classic buns to seeded buns to pretzel buns—and we’ve even included the best gluten free hamburger buns and the best keto buns we’ve tried to date. After four separate taste tests, we’re proud of this list and we stand by it. Which buns cracked the top 11? Let’s find out.
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- Udi Gluten Free Burger Buns
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Even the best gluten free hamburger buns are going to taste a little different to anyone who regularly consumes gluten, and that’s okay. Udi’s gluten free burger buns are a little more grainy and dry than standard burger buns, but the gluten free fam knows the deal. Believe it or not, these are softer, springier, and more moist than everyone’s typical favorite GF bread brand, Schär. With their shiny tops, even proportions, and larger size, they also look more like regular burger buns. I know that might throw some of you for a loop, but it’s true! We were very impressed by these gluten free hamburger buns. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Bettergoods Keto Friendly Hamburger Buns
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Since our previous taste test, a lot of brands have released new keto hamburger buns, so we grabbed what we could find and reevaluated our ranking. And we have a new best keto hamburger buns brand. Bettergoods (aka Walmart’s “better,” millennial-coded brand) makes some really good keto buns. With 7g of protein, 18g of fiber, and 23g of carbs, these keto-friendly burger buns are squishy, flat, and exactly what you want for a thin, backyard burger. They’re bland—but sometimes that’s a good thing. They’ll let the meat shine. Most of all, they don’t come across as a keto product. Are they the best hamburger buns to buy overall? Nope. But if you’re following that keto diet and don’t want to wrap your burger in lettuce, Bettergoods makes the best keto hamburger buns for the job. — Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- King’s Hawaiian Sweet Hamburger Buns
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Naturally, King’s Hawaiian burger buns are much sweeter than the other burger buns on this list. It could be too much for your average burger eater. But the sweetness makes these the best hamburger buns to pair with spice—so if you like chili peppers, sriracha mayo, pickled jalapeños, and the like on your burgers, these buns provide a good balance. And they’re also some of the best hamburger buns to use when making breakfast sandwiches. Overall, these are incredibly squishy, soft, and delicious. We’re talking about King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls in burger bun form. What’s not to like? — Danny Palumbo
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Target
- Wonder Classic Hamburger Buns
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Wonder is a reliable, all-American product with great brand recognition. Wonder’s instantly identifiable squishy, sugary bread is a great addition to anything meaty. Their buns are so soft, they practically become one with the burger. We had a feeling Wonder would do good work here, and they did. If you want a burger bun to just stay out of the way and let the meat do the talking, this is the best burger bun for you. —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Walmart
- Dave’s Killer Bread 21 Whole Grains and Seeds
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Whole grain burger buns are often very dry and sad. But not this one. It’s pillowy and soft and it looks incredible with its wide array of seeds scattered like a textured galaxy across the top of the bun. (That’s how good these burger buns are, they inspired that level of poetry.) It’s definitely not too wheaty, either. If you’re opting for a slightly healthier bun, Dave’s makes the best burger buns to buy. It just further proves that Dave’s (makers of the best store bought bagels) really know what they’re doing in the bakery. — Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Arnold Country Potato Sandwich Buns
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Arnold’s buns have that wonderful potato bun squishiness and flavor, plus a really shiny and buttery exterior that’s quite alluring. The chew is incredible, and the buns are dense enough to soak up all that delicious burger juice.You might see online that Oroweat and Arnold are actually the same company, and their products do, in fact, look identical, but they both make products we liked for different reasons. — Danny Palumbo
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Amazon
- Alfaro’s Artesano Bakery Buns
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These buns feel like they’re bakery fresh. They’re fluffy, sweet, and just a little bit doughy. Quite honestly, these satisfied our indulgent, fancy food cravings more than any brioche buns we tried—none of which ended up making our list of the best hamburger buns. These probably aren’t the best burger buns for a plain or meagerly topped burger, but if you’re adding some bacon, sharp cheddar, or flavored mayonnaise, these buns will complement those ingredients well. They’re meaty and doughy and dense in a way that works with a lot of toppings. Buy Alfaro’s when you want to step up your burger game, while not venturing too far into gourmet territory. — Danny Palumbo
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Amazon
- Dave’s Killer Bread Burger Buns Done Right
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These buns look appetizing. They’re dusted with flour as if they just came out of the oven. And they come cut all the way through, so you don’t have to worry about ripping into the bun too much. They’re a little sweet, wonderfully chewy, and sturdy enough to handle a couple of smash burger patties. I do think they could use some toasting (but I’m a toasted bun kind of gal). They’re made without bleached flour and they tout 6 grams of protein. Want to feel a little better about scarfing down a greasy burger? These are the best hamburger buns for you. — Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- King’s Hawaiian Pretzel Hamburger Buns
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These pretzel buns are an unconventional pick, but the flavor here is undeniable. They check every box you want to check when you’re looking for the best hamburger buns: The squish factor is great, the texture is wonderful, and the flavor is sweet. Combine that with the toasty, salty, malty flavor of a pretzel, and this is a damn winner. The sweet and salty flavors play off of each other really, really well, and the soft texture is a damn delight. King’s Hawaiian rolls are iconically squishy and sweet, and the burger bun version only confirms their stellar reputation. (They’re also the only pick when it comes to the best slider buns.) These were the hamburger buns we couldn’t stop eating. They may be too unconventional to be #1, but they’re definitely the best pretzel buns. — Danny Palumbo
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Target
- Oroweat Premium Golden Seeded Sliced Buns
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These Oroweat buns may be thick, but they condense nicely if you squish your burger and all its fixings between your palms. They’re soft, flavorful, and have a good amount of sesame seeds on both the top and the sides of the bun. The extra texture from the seeds is a welcome addition and earns these buns a spot among the best hamburger buns. And they’re also huge. These are the best burger buns if you want to make at-home Big Macs. — Danny Palumbo
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Amazon
- Francisco Deli Hamburger Buns
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A list of adjectives to describe these burger buns: sweet, squishy, dense, tangy, and buttery. A friend recommended these a while ago, and once we got a hold of them, we fell in love. On Instacart, these are $4.47 for 16 (sixteen!) hamburger buns, and that’s a huge reason they are the best hamburger buns. That’s incredible value for a really good product. If you’re looking for a utilitarian hamburger bun for a cookout, Francisco is your guy. This is the most affordable, practical recommendation for your cookout needs—and you can buy them at Costco, where you can also score a cow’s worth of frozen hamburger patties. — Danny Palumbo
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Instacart
Best Gluten Free Hamburger Buns
Best Keto Buns
Best Sweet
Best Crossover
Best Whole Grain
Best Potato Buns
Best Bakery Bun
Best Organic
Best Pretzel Buns
Best Sesame Seed Bun
Best of the Best
Other burger buns we tried: Sprouts Hamburger Buns, Kirkland Artisan Hamburger Rolls, Nature’s Own Brioche Buns, Marketside Brioche Hamburger Buns, Signature Select, Signature Select White Artisan Hamburger Buns, St. Pierre Brioche, Trader Joe’s Seeded Hamburger Buns, Ball Park Burger Buns, Kroger Carbmaster Classic White Hamburger Buns, Oroweat Onion, Orowheat Potato, Orowheat Superior Keto Buns, Favorite Day Bakery Brioche Hamburger Buns, Rudi’s Organic Rocky Mountain Sourdough Hamburger Buns
