Description
This fun and creative recipe transforms classic cheeseburgers into spooky Skull-Shaped Cheeseburgers with homemade skull-shaped hamburger buns. Perfect for Halloween or any themed party, the recipe includes soft, buttery skull buns and juicy grilled skull-shaped beef patties topped with gooey cheese and classic burger fixings.
Ingredients
Scale
Skull-Shaped Hamburger Buns
- 5 tablespoons (56 grams) salted butter, softened
- 3 ½ cups (420 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon (9 grams) instant yeast
- ¾ cup (170 grams) lukewarm water (100-110°F)
Skull-Shaped Cheeseburgers
- 32 ounces 80/20 ground beef
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter, lard (bacon fat), or vegetable oil
- 8 slices white cheese (American, Cheddar, Provolone, Havarti, etc.)
- Burger toppings: tomato, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, onions, pickles
Instructions
- Prepare the Skull-Shaped Hamburger Buns: Liberally grease 8 skull cavities in your Nordic Ware skull pans with 1 tablespoon softened butter. Reserve 2 tablespoons of butter for brushing later and cut remaining 2 tablespoons into small pieces. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter pieces with flour, egg, sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Pour lukewarm water over the ingredients and mix until well blended using a spoon or a stand mixer with dough hook.
- Knead the Dough: Knead the dough on a floured countertop or with a stand mixer for 5-7 minutes until elastic and it springs back when poked. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
- Shape the Buns: Once risen, deflate the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces (~95 grams each). Press each piece into the greased skull cavities. Cover the pans with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise again for 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) near the end of the rising time.
- Bake the Buns: Bake the buns for 14 minutes for lighter color or about 18 minutes for deeper golden brown, rotating the pans midway. Remove from oven and invert the buns onto a cooling rack.
- Butter the Buns: Melt the reserved 2 tablespoons of butter and brush the tops of the buns generously for a shiny finish. Add a second layer of butter if desired. Let cool completely before slicing in half.
- Shape the Burgers: Divide ground beef into 8 portions and gently shape each into a skull shape by hand or using a cookie cutter. Keep refrigerated until ready to cook.
- Cook the Burgers: Season the burgers with salt and pepper just before cooking. Heat 1 teaspoon butter, lard, or oil in a cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Cook 3 burgers at a time, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare (135°F). Place a slice of cheese on each burger, cover skillet with lid to melt cheese. Repeat for remaining burgers. Alternatively, cook burgers on electric skillet, grill pan, or outdoor grill.
- Assemble and Serve: Place cheeseburger patties on sliced skull buns. Add desired toppings such as tomato, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, onions, and pickles. Serve immediately and enjoy your spooky skull cheeseburgers.
Notes
- Thinner Buns: For thinner skull buns, divide dough into 10 pieces (~75 grams each). You may need an extra ½ pound of ground beef for more patties or make thinner burgers.
- Storage: Buns can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Baked buns also freeze well for up to 2 months.
- Make Ahead Cooking: Burgers can be cooked in advance and reheated before serving. Cook to rare (120°F) to retain juiciness when reheated. Using fattier ground beef (70/30 or 73/27) also helps keep burgers juicy after reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cheeseburger with bun
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
