I’m not going to lie to you.  As of a couple of years ago, I was a complete wuss when it came to just about any spicy food.  But somehow, somewhere along the way, my tastes have changed (Kyle loves this) and I’m all about spicy foods now.  If you were at our housewarming party a couple of weeks ago, you would have found me next to the antipasti platter popping hot cherry peppers stuffed with prosciutto and provolone into my mouth like they were candy.  Totally addicting.

When I decided to make those tex mex sloppy joes sandwiches a few weeks back, I knew I wanted homemade buns…but not any ol’ bun would do.  I’d had my eye on Shawnda’s jalapeño cheddar buns for months and since the buns aren’t really generalizable to the population foods you put on hamburger buns, because you know, they are made with jalapeños, I plucked this recipe as my first choice for the sloppy joes.  And it was the perfect choice indeed.  The buns are an adapted version of these rocket rolls (which I already adore) and with the addition of sharp cheddar cheese and chopped up spicy peppers, you honestly can’t go wrong.  They are unbelievably soft and plush yet sturdy enough for a messy dinner like sloppy joes and I’ve got a few leftover in the freezer for either another round of “joes” or another idea I’ve been cooking up.  Dare I say I’m excited?!

Before you check out the recipe, how about heading over to enter the first of my Holiday Giveaways 2012?  You’ve got the chance to win 5 of my favorite cookbooks, one of which is a signed copy!

Jalapeño Cheddar Hamburger Buns
source: adapted from Confections of a Foodie BrideIngredients:

  • 1 package (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast
  • 1 cup lukewarm water (about 110 degrees F)
  • 2 tbsp oil (vegetable, canola, or olive) plus more for greasing bowl
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 6 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
  • 3 large jalapenos, seeded and chopped

Instructions

  1. Add warm water to the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and sprinkle the yeast over top of the water. Let sit for 5 minutes until most of the yeast has dissolved.  Stir in the, oil, 1 egg, and sugar into the yeast mixture.  With the mixer on low speed, mix in the flour, salt, cheese, and peppers until the dough forms a shaggy mass then switch to the dough hook.  Knead on medium-low for about 2 minutes. The dough should clear  the sides of the bowl; if the dough sticks, knead in additional flour by the tablespoon until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.  Increase speed to medium and knead the dough for 5 minutes.
  2. Transfer the dough to a large bowl that has been lightly greased with oil.  Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Once the dough has risen, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide it in half.  Divide each half into 4 equal pieces (or 6 if you want 12 smaller buns).  Roll each piece in to a boule (ball) with any loose ends tucked under the bottom of the boule.  Place each boule on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart and flatten each a little bit with your hand.  Cover with a damp paper towel or kitchen towel and let them rise for 20 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 350.  Allow the dough to continue to rise while the oven preheats.  Whisk the remaining egg with 1 tbsp water in a small bowl and set aside.
  5. Once the oven has pre-heated, brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Let the buns cool on a the baking sheet (on a wire rack) for 10 minutes before slicing.  Leftover buns can be stored in a well-sealed bag for 1-2 days but I recommend freezing the leftover buns within one day of making them to preserve freshness.

Yields: 8 large or 12 small hamburger buns