Pioneer Recipes

Grain-free Burger Buns (nut free & gluten-free)

These grain-free burger buns may not be exactly like traditional buns, but they are as close to grain-free perfection as one can get! They also taste amazing with a perfectly grilled venison topped with some dairy-free cheese, bbq sauce, and some pickles. It’s the perfect grill-out recipe if you ask me! These buns just require a few simple ingredients and a few minutes of your time, then you will have some perfect hamburger buns to pair with your burgers, BBQ, or whatever else you need a grain-free bun for! Go ahead, whip up a batch of these easy buns, ’cause what’s a burger without a bun!? That’s like macaroni without the cheese!

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Modern Pioneer Recipe

These grain-free burger buns are a modern pioneer recipe. While making your own bread and baked goods is definitely a pioneer life skill (and one that you can start on by making a batch of these rolls!), making burger buns probably wasn’t the most common bread product early pioneers made.

However, venison burgers are a staple summer meal in my house so I absolutely had to come up with a homemade bun to pair with my burgers.

These grain-free burger buns arose from the need to create a bun that was light, tasty, held together, and was easy to make. They had to rise up and not be flat in order to make a good burger bun. I didn’t want to use grain-free flours that contained nuts (like almond flour) or were not very common (like tigernut flour). I also didn’t want to include cheese, like in my grain-free cheese roll recipe.

So, these buns use tapioca flour and cassava flour as the flour, eggs as the binder, and a little bit of corn-free baking powder to help them rise. I think these grain-free burger buns came out perfectly and they worked great as burger buns! They are also delicious toasted and drizzled with honey or sprinkled with garlic salt!

These homemade burger buns not only use simple ingredients, but they are also allergy friendly! These modern pioneer burger buns are…

  • gluten-free
  • grain free
  • dairy-free
  • nut free
  • corn free
  • yeast free
  • low inflammation
  • sugar free

And these buns don’t just have to be used for burgers! Pair them with some homemade pulled bbq venison or some grilled fish for more delicious summer sandwich options!

Modern Pioneer Food Prep: Burgers

Burgers can come in all flavors and varities. You can get real fancy with your burgers and mix the meat with other flavors or even other meats. Or you can just go plain and simple using ground meat and a few herbs to keep things flavorful. However you like your burgers, I have a few modern pioneer meal prep tips for you to keep this meal as heritage and clean as possible!

The Base: Burgers

On my homestead, ground venison is the primary meat that we use for our burgers. Every fall we harvest whitetail deer and freeze the meat for eating throughout the year. Ground venison is usually plentiful in our freezer!

On your homestead you may consider using ground beef or even ground turkey as your burger meat of choice. Sourcing meat from your own homestead is a great way to make burgers a modern pioneer meal! You can also mix meats. Mixing a little ground pork into any meat always adds some nice flavor and moisture. Try mixing in some bison, lamb, or ground duck for some more exotic burgers!

Burgers are meant to be a simple, easy meal, so I never go to complicated with my burger prep. I simply unthaw my burger meat, shape the burgers, add a little seasoning (salt and pepper are the classics) and drizzle on some vinaigrette dressing to keep the burgers moist.

Need some more ground meat recipe ideas? Make sure you check out these epic grain-free meatballs or this amazing gluten-free tamale pie!

The Extras: Spicing Things Up!

Yeah, a classic burger sandwiched between these grain-free buns would be good. But what’s even better is when you add a few extras to spice things up! Here is where you can get creative and create as many different burger pairings as you can think of! Some of my favorite classics include:

As a modern pioneer, try to source your extras from the homestead. Some homegrown lettuce, home sprouted sprouts, or homemade pickles are all great additions to any burger.

Let’s Get Saucy!

Lastly, a good burger not only has a bun and a few extras, its got to have some sauce too! My favorite sauce to pair with burgers (okay, just about any meat really) is bar-b-que sauce. Whether its quick and easy like a paleo store-bought bbq sauce or its some good ol’ fashion homemade bbq sauce, a good burger has got to have some bbq sauce!

If you’re not into bbq sauce, there are plenty of other modern pioneer sauce options for you. Although not a sauce, some homemade pickle relish would be amazing paired with your burger! Up for a pesto burger? Make some homemade basil pesto to spread on your burger.

The options are nearly endless when it comes to sprucing up a modern pioneer burger!

Recipe Questions & Tips

Can I substitute in other grain-free flours in this recipe?

I have not tested this recipe with any other grain-free flours besides tapioca flour and cassava flour. Tapioca flour helps keep the buns light and cassava flour helps give the buns some structure along with a more bun-like texture.

Can I use a different oil other than olive oil?

You can use any liquid baking oil in this hamburger bun recipe. Avocado oil and melted coconut oil are two other dairy-free options. You can also use melted butter or melted ghee in this recipe instead of olive oil.

How do I get the sesame seeds to stick to the bun?

An egg wash is necessary if you are adding sesame seeds. Once the buns have been brushed with the egg wash, the sesame seeds will stick to the dough without falling off. The egg wash also gives the buns a more crispy exterior and makes them brown up nicely when baked.

What if my dough is too sticky? What if my dough is too dry?

Slight variations of the dough may occur if you use different size eggs or slightly different flour measurements. Using different brands of flour can also cause some differences in the recipe. If your dough is too sticky, just keep adding a little tapioca flour at a time until the dough can be handled.

If your dough is too dry, add some more olive oil a little bit at a time until the dough is soft and holds together.

Can this recipe be made egg-free?

I have not tested an egg-free version of this recipe. The eggs really help add structure to the buns as well as provide moisture and protein. Protein is essential for the buns to hold their shape and not be crumbly. The protein in the eggs also helps the buns rise and gives them their texture.

Why did the tops of the buns crack when baked?

The tops of the buns will crack when you bake them. This is due to the baking powder being activated. Even though the buns contain eggs and tapioca flour which act as binders, there will still be some cracking. Phsyllium husk powder often helps prevent cracking in grain-free rolls, however, I tend to stay away from phsyllium husk powder because it is hard to digest.

Can I make the buns smaller?

Yes! You can make these buns any size you want so that they will work for burgers, sandwiches, bbq rolls, or whatever else you need them for! Just keep in mind that smaller rolls will need to bake for less time and larger rolls will need to bake for longer.

If you need more bun options, check out these grain-free artisan bread rolls!

Grill up some venison burgers, slap on some cheese, bbq sauce, and pickles, and sandwich everything between these grain-free burger buns for the perfect, healthy summer meal option on the homestead! They are also very simple to make and won’t take long to prepare!

Print

Grain-free Burger Buns (nut & gluten-free)

Recipe by The Pioneer Chicks
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings 4 buns
Author Alexa Lehr

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 3/4 cup Otto's Naturals cassava flour
  • 3/4 cup + 3 T. Bob's Red Mill tapioca flour
  • 4 large organic, pasture-raised eggs
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 egg, scrambled egg wash (optional)
  • seasame seeds (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the cassava flour, tapioca flour, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine.
  • Add the eggs and olive oil. Stir until a smooth dough forms. Knead the dough a couple of times with your hands. If it seems too sticky, add a little more tacioca flour until the dough can be handled.
  • Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Shape them into a bun and place on the baking sheet.
  • Brush some scrambled egg onto each bun and sprinkle with seasame seeds. This step is optional and you can leave off the egg wash and the seasame seeds if desired.
  • Bake for 22-25 minutes. The buns should be golden brown. Allow the buns to cool on a cooling rack before slicing, toasting, and adding your burger!

Where to Find the Ingredients

These grain-free burger buns use simple ingredients, are quick to make, and are the perfect grain-free bun for your summer grill-out or bbq! Pair them with turkey burgers, venison burgers, bison burgers, or any burger really for a classic burger experience. They may not be soft and doughy like traditional burger buns, but they are certainly the best grain-free substitute when it comes to enjoying a hamburger bun while sticking to a grain-free diet. Your burgers won’t have to be bun-less again now that you have this simple recipe!

Don’t miss any other modern pioneer or heritae pioneer recipes! Make sure you are a part of our modern pioneer newsletter community so you con’t miss any other chuckwagon recipes!

by Alexa

ThePioneerChicks

We are graphic designers who love to bake & cook, go crazy about chickens, have a passion for photography, are naturally adventurous, each have our own crafty talent, respect nature, strive to live a sustainable lifestyle, and aren't restricted by our dietary limitations! Our goal is to become modern pioneers! Learn more about us and why we started The Pioneer Chicks on our About page.

View Comments

  • I made these to the letter and they came out very dense and dry, overpowering my wagyu burger. Oh well. Being 8 years Paleo, I'm use to recipes sometimes just not coming out as I'd hoped. Thank you for putting it out there, regardless!

    • Hi Kristin! Thank you for sharing your experience! Sometimes the brand of flours you use or the size of the eggs used will affect a recipe. - Alexa

    • Hi Hannah! These buns will stay fresh for 3 days when kept in an airtight container at room temperature. They can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days and they also freeze and unthaw well too!- Alexa

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