[Photograph: Donna Currie] These would be great for any type of barbecue sandwich, with the added smokiness enhancing the sandwich in a way that a plain bun just couldn't do. Also great for a non-smoked sandwich where smoke would be... More

Andrea Nguyen, author of Asian Tofu is partial to the Uncle Jesse, a soft bun filled with fried tofu, crushed peanuts, cilantro, and a more sweet than spicy chile sauce. More

These buns combine spicy mayo, scallions, and pickled bean sprouts. They'd also be great with some hoisin sauce and sliced scallions or sweet Japanese mayo and shredded lettuce. More

These may bear more resemblance to a biscuit, but straight out of the oven, these quick-to-assemble buns are soft and dotted with melted cheese: a perfect addition to a pot of coffee and a crisp newspaper. More

It's hard to resist a bun recipe with honey, milk, and butter. These pain au lait buns from The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Bread Baking aren't as rich as brioche since there are no eggs, but there's enough butter and milk to add buttery flavor and a slight yellow color. The honey is subtle. More

Kolaches, those sweet little stuffed pastries of Czech origin are one of those regionally unique treats that's not too easy to find outside of a certain area of Texas. To satisfy her craving for these little yeasted buns, Lisa Fain, author of The Homesick Texan Cookbook, took it upon herself to recreate them in her tiny New York. She equates the challenge to tackling bagel-baking in Texas—ambitious with a touch of foolhardiness. More

Years ago, we used to go to a restaurant that was famous for its burgers. The buns had just a touch of rye in them. Not a lot—most people couldn't even figure out what was different about them. Just that they were different. But of course, bread geek that I was, I knew the secret. More

They aren't as orange or as sweet-potato-y as other bread I've made with this same flour, but it still adds a subtle flavor and a pretty color without hitting you over the head that they're different. The flavor is, for lack of a better term, buttery. More

[Photograph: Robyn Lee] Note: It's best to make the rolls the night before and allow them to rise in the refrigerator overnight. You can bake them anywhere between 10 and 24 hours after shaping and refrigerating them. Pearl sugar isn't... More

Fine-grained and soft-crumbed, these are a tad buttery with hints of vanilla and almond. The topping is sweet, but there's not too much of it—just a few crumbly nibbles on each bun. They're perfect with a little butter, but also really nice alone as a to-go snack while running out the door. More