The no-knead dough for these brioche rolls comes together so quickly, and the rolls emerge from the oven light and airy, perfect for burgers or sandwiches of all kinds. Find step-by-step instructions and video guidance below 🍔

Light brioche buns on a sheet pan.

Making brioche rolls at home requires neither a stand mixer nor a complicated process nor kneading. It’s surprisingly easy, in fact, calling for basic ingredients you likely have on hand.

The secret to making light and airy brioche rolls is to use a high-hydration dough, meaning a dough with a high amount of liquid relrative to flour. Upon mixing, this high-hydration dough will look wet and sticky, making you think you’ll need to knead it, but you shouldn’t: kneading would require adding a lot more flour to the dough to make it manageable, which is what we don’t want.

The high-hydration dough makes for a light, airy crumb. Find step-by-step instructions as well as video guidance below. 🍔🍔

PS: No-Knead Brioche Bread

A halved brioche bun.

How to Make Brioche Rolls, Step by Step

First, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. As always, for best results, please use a digital scale to measure.

A bowl with flour, salt, sugar, and yeast aside a whisk.

Next, whisk together the cold water and the egg, then, in a small pot, heat the milk and butter together until the butter is melted. Whisk the milk-butter mixture into the water-egg mixture. The combined mixture should be perfectly lukewarm.

A pot with butter and milk aside a liquid measure with an egg and water.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients.

A bowl with wet ingredients added to dry ingredients.

Mix with a spatula, stirring just until a sticky dough ball forms:

Mixed brioche dough in a bowl, ready to rise.

Place in a warm spot to rise (see the tip in the recipe box below for creating a warm spot to rise), and let rise till doubled.

Brioche dough risen, filling up a large glass bowl.

Punch the dough down using two forks.

A glass bowl filled with brioche dough punched down.

Portion the dough into 8 to 10 pieces.

Brioche dough on a board portioned into 8 pieces.

Using flour as needed, shape each portion into a ball, using the pinky edges of your fingers to tuck the dough under and create tension. See video for guidance.

A board with portions of brioche dough shaped into balls.

Depending on the time of year and the temperature of your kitchen, the second rise here will take more or less time. The rolls likely won’t double in volume, but they’ll look considerably puffed, and they’ll feel light to the touch.

A large sheet pan lined with parchment paper topped with brioche balls.

Brush each bun with an egg wash.

A large sheet pan lined with parchment paper topped with brioche balls brushed with egg wash.

Transfer the pan to the oven, and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the rolls are evenly golden.

A sheet pan with freshly baked brioche buns.

These brioche rolls are perfect for burgers, pulled pork, and sandwiches of all kinds, but I especially love them with egg sandwiches:

Joanne Chang's famous egg sandwich on brioche bun.

You can sprinkle the rolls with seeds or everything bagel seasoning, too:

Halved Brioche buns on a board.
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The best brioche buns.

Easy No-Knead Brioche Rolls

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Description

The no-knead dough for these brioche rolls comes together so quickly, and the rolls emerge from the oven light and airy, perfect for burgers or sandwiches of all kinds.

Adapted from the light brioche recipe in Bread Toast Crumbs. 

Notes:

  • As always: for best results, use a digital scale to weigh the ingredients. 
  • To create a warm spot for your bread to rise, turn your oven on for one minute, then shut it off. That brief blast of heat will create a cozy place for your bread to rise.
  • Water: Some people find this dough very wet and tricky to work with. If you live in a humid area, I would consider cutting some of the water back. If you are measuring with cups, hold 1/3 cup water. If you are using a scale, hold 75 g. You can always add the water back in when you are mixing if it seems dry. Reference the photos above and the video for how sticky/wet the dough should appear. 
  • Yeast: I prefer using instant yeast, SAF being my preference but if you are using active dry yeast: Whisk the egg with the water. Add the heated milk-butter mixture. Stir to combine. The mixture should be lukewarm. Sprinkle the yeast over top and let stand for 15 minutes or until it gets foamy; then proceed with the recipe. 
  • A Fun Variation: After brushing with the rolls with the eggwash, sprinkle the rolls with seeds or everything bagel seasoning.
  • Timing:
    • Mix the dough, let it rise for 2 to 3 hours, then shape and bake.
    • Or you can mix the dough at night, store it in the refrigerator, and shape and bake in the morning.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups (512 g) bread or all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons (10 g) kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons (8 g) instant yeast, see notes above if using active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons (28 g) sugar
  • 1 1/3 cups (300 g) cold water, or less, see notes above
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup (78 g) milk
  • 4 tablespoons (57 g) butter
  • for the egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the flour, salt, yeast, and sugar.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cold water and the egg.
  3. Heat the milk and butter together until the butter is melted. Pour this hot mixture into the cold water-egg mixture. The combined mixture should be perfectly lukewarm. Add it to the flour bowl and stir with a spatula till you have a sticky dough ball. Drizzle a teaspoon or two of olive oil over the dough and rub to coat — this prevents a crust from forming on the dough during the rising. 
  4. Cover bowl and let rise in a warm area (see notes above) for 2 to 3 hours or until doubled. Alternatively, stick bowl in the fridge immediately and let it rise overnight or for 12 to 18 hours.
  5. Cover a work surface lightly with flour. Deflate dough, turn out onto work surface, and divide into 8 to 10 equal portions (use a scale and weigh each roll if you want perfectly even rolls: about 128 g each for 8 rolls and 102 g for 10 rolls). Using as much flour as necessary, roll each portion into a ball, and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan or two. I have an extra-large sheet pan (15x21x1) that I use to fit all 8 or 10 rolls on at once. (Note: If you refrigerate the dough, you can deflate it immediately after taking it out of the fridge … no need to let it come to room temperature first.)
  6. Let rise until the rolls puff and feel light to touch — 30-45 minutes roughly.  Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
  7. Brush rolls with egg wash. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden all around. Transfer rolls to wire rack to cool completely.
  • Prep Time: 3 hours
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: French, American