These sourdough hot dog buns are fun to make, super soft, full of flavor, and could easily be made into hamburger buns, sub sandwich buns, or dinner rolls if you prefer. I've included instructions for using active/ripe sourdough starter OR sourdough discard...either way works really well.
To make these with ripe/fed/active sourdough starter, (call it whatever you want, I just mean that the starter has been fed and allowed to ripen/bubble until doubled in size. Here's a timelapse for the fun of it because watching it grow is so satisfying...
For active sourdough starter, the only yeast in this recipe is coming from the starter. Because there is milk and butter in this dough which can weigh down the dough, this dough take longer to rise. Don't fret if it seems like it's taking much longer than normal for your dough to rise. I found about 8 hours (overnight is great) at room temperature was needed. This nice slow rise is great for the resulting buns though, because the slow rise means added flavor development and a tremendously smooth, beautiful dough to work with.
If using sourdough discard, I recommend supplementing with a bit of instant or active dry yeast. This will help offset the lower activity level of the yeast in the discard starter, which also speeds up the rising process. This method takes only a couple of hours to rise compared to the starter-only method.
The use of milk as the liquid in this recipe helps to make for a more soft, velvety texture to the dough and also makes for a softer bun. It also helps keep the buns from drying out as quickly as water-based dough recipes due to the fat and sugars in the milk. (It's worth noting that milk does not need to be scalded for use in yeast bread recipes anymore due to pasteurization processes. Before milk was pasteurized, there was a bacteria that din't play nicely with yeast, so scalding was necessary. If your milk is not pasteurized, you may want to scald the milk just in case.)
Another trick to keeping these sourdough hot dog buns super soft is to brush them with a bit of melted butter immediately when they come out of the oven. Trust me on this one. It's so worth it and you won't regret making these buns. In fact, I made so many batches while testing this recipe that I even found a fantastic use for the leftover buns, so stay tuned for that recipe coming soon.
Sourdough Hot Dog Buns
These sourdough hot dog buns are super soft, flavorful, and can be made with either ripe sourdough starter or sourdough discard.
Ingredients
1 cup (220 grams) warm milk, between 100-110 degrees F.
3 tablespoons (37 grams) granulated sugar
½ cup (150 grams) ripe or discard* sourdough starter (stirred down if measuring by volume, see notes below)
1 teaspoon instant yeast* (only if using discard)
3 cups (400 grams) unbleached bread flour
2 tablespoons butter, very soft
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter, for brushing finished buns
Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, stir together the warm milk and sugar until dissolved. Add starter and yeast (if using). Stir to combine.
Add flour and turn mixer to low speed until a dough forms.
Add softened butter in pieces, then the salt.
Turn mixer to medium speed and let the dough hook "knead" the dough until very smooth, about 5 minutes.
Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled, (about 8-10 hours for starter-only, or 2-3 hours for discard + yeast...rise time will vary based on the level of yeast activity in your starter as well as the room temperature).
Divide dough into 8 equal portions. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax, making it easier to shape the dough into buns.
Shape each portion of dough into a log, about 6-inches long (or into a smooth ball for hamburger buns). Arrange dough on a silpat-lined baking sheet, about 1-2 inches apart so that the buns will touch when the dough has risen.
Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake 28-30 minutes or until golden, rotating halfway through if needed.
Remove from oven and immediately brush with melted butter. Let cool completely before pulling buns apart and slicing.
Enjoy!
Notes
For best results, measure ingredients by weight. If measuring sourdough starter by volume, results will vary GREATLY based on the amount and size of bubbles in the starter. Stir down the starter to pop some bubbles before measuring with a volume measuring cup.
*If using discard sourdough starter, it is necessary to use additional yeast to account for the lack of yeast activity in the discard. Do not use the additional yeast if your starter is fed/ripe.
Store covered, at room temperature. Best when enjoyed within 3-4 days.
Keywords: sourdough hot dog buns, discard starter, homemade hot dog buns, sourdough hamburger buns
more sourdough please!
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Magdelize
Excellent recipe, thank you so much for sharing it.
★★★★★
Mandy
So glad you enjoyed it!
andrea Hofer
★★★★★
andrea Hofer
What is the weight of each hot dog buns?
andrea Hofer
I made dinerroll buns with this recipe and 8 hours fermenting is to long. I didn't 5 hours but that still was to long.
andrea Hofer
I let the dough double overnight put it I fridge till I was ready to roll them. Put then the dough fall back.is that ok? Why did that happen ?
Julia
I just made those today. They smell divine and I really like the inside texture and the taste. However, the crust got harder on the outside than a "normal" hot dog bun; as I have no idea what causes that (yours seem to be perfectly soft on the outside) I'll have to try again ;) Thanks!
★★★★
Mandy
Did you brush them with butter after taking them out of the oven?
andrea Hofer
How heavy are you make your dinner rolls?
Sabina
These buns are fantastic! This is the first recipe I've successfully made with using only sourdough for leavening, and they were perfect. I wouldn't have thought it possible to make your own bread that was so soft. They are softer even than commercially made buns. And the taste is great. Just a hint of sour. I only used 1 tbsp. of sugar because I don't like bread to be sweet. I also used bleached all-purpose flour since that's all I could get. Other than that I followed the recipe exactly, weighing the starter and flour.
I want to try increasing the recipe by 1/2 to make twelve buns to match my number of hotdogs. I think you could fit an extra two buns horizontally on the top and on the bottom of the eight vertical buns in the pan.
Thank-you a million times for creating this recipe and posting it online. It's exactly what I wanted!
Sabina
I forgot to mention I also kneaded the dough by hand since I don't have a stand mixer. I kneaded it first in the bowl to get all the butter incorporated, and then on a silicon baking mat so I wouldn't have to add any extra flour. I just kneaded it until it seemed smooth. I don't remember precisely but it was probably about 15 mins.
Mandy
That’s a great idea, Sabina. It’s tricky to knead in the utter without a mixer so I’m so glad it worked well for you! Thanks so much for letting me know!
Mandy
So glad you liked it! It is truly my favorite dough to work with, especially lately. ?
Mandy
I think increasing it by half would work perfectly fine. I’ve made double batches several times with no issues, especially if weighing the ingredients. Happy baking!
andrea Hofer
Can some whole wheat flour be used in this recipe?
Martha Fincher
Could you use this dough in a hotdog pan?
Mandy
That should work just fine! I haven’t tried it in a hot dog pan, but I plan to pick one up soon. Let me know how works for you!
Martha Fincher
Can you put the dough in a hotdog pan?
Martha Fincher
Sorry I didn't see your reply. I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks
Mandy
Sounds good! Happy baking!
Connie
Oh gosh, these look amazing! I am waiting on a digital scale I’ve ordered to give them a try. My husband has sour dough starter we estimate was started over 100 years ago and he makes all of our bread loaves. Went camping a few weeks ago and purchased hot dog buns and found we just couldn’t stand “store bought” bread. I will be using your recipe for hot dog, hamburger buns and probably rolls. We already make sourdough pancakes and biscuits. Thank you!
★★★★★
Mandy
Amazing!!! I agree, once you have a taste for from-scratch bread, especially sourdough, store-bought hot dog buns are brutal! I hope your scale shows up soon! Have fun!
Small Corinne
What size is the pan you used to cook the buns
Mandy
I use a half sheet pan which measures 13x18-inches.
andrea Hofer
I let the dough double overnight put it I fridge till I was ready to roll them. Put then the dough fall back.is that ok? Why did that happen ?
Steve
These were awesome! I made exactly according to recipe.
I used the no yeast version. My starter seems to be pretty active.
Came out perfect!
★★★★★
Kori
I think I failed somewhere. My dough rose beautifully over night but then when I put them on the baking sheet they didn’t rise again. I’m not sure if I should keep waiting for them to rise or put them in the oven.
Mandy
It doesn’t sound like you failed if they rose well for the first rise. The second rise can be very slow if relying only on the yeast in your starter, so I’d recommend being extra patient and possibly moving the tray to a slightly warmer environment if need be. That being said, they should rise up fine during baking so you might do fine to just bake them up now. How long did you wait for a second rise without seeing any progress?
Stephanie
I made a half batch using the recipe as written (with active starter and no yeast). Perfect! We had pulled pork sandwiches and the buns were great at holding up to the messy and delicious filling! Thank you.
★★★★★
Tracy
I am struggling with the timing on this so I am planning to refrigerate the dough overnight after the first rise and before the dividing step. Then in the morning I plan to let the dough come to room temp (2 hrs) and then proceed with the recipe. Do you think it will be ok? I have done this with sourdough pancake batter and always do the cold ferment with artisan style bread so hoping for the best.
Mandy
I think it will be fine! You’re correct to not shape the buns until after refrigeration. Enjoy!
Tracy
It was fine! They turned out tasty and beautiful. I made the full batch and shaped 4 hotdog and 4 hamburger buns. The sourdough taste was strong but good. I found the bun flavor competing too much with my turkey burger. Maybe my overnight cold ferment was the culprit? I buy a light brioche bun that I prefer for sandwiches so I will make this again but as a dinner roll.
★★★★★
Mandy
Yes, the overnight ferment makes for a much more pronounced sourdough taste, which isn’t always what you’re looking for! I hope you’ll try it again sometime. You can also add just the tiniest bit of commercial yeast to speed the process which also reduces the sour flavor.
Happy baking! Thanks so much!
andrea Hofer
How many hours did it take you for the first rise? I didn't overnight and my bowl was before night was over. Then I put I fridge and it fall down.
Roxanne Buckman
If I needed to make the dough in the morning and not cook the buns until the next day, would it be better to put it in the refrigerator during the day and then set out on the counter overnight, or to set out for the day and then move to the refrigerator at night?
Mandy
Either way would be fine. What I would recommend is to do the first rise at room temperature, then refrigerate. The next morning you’ll need to shape the buns and rise at room temperature.
Forrest
Hi, I’m confused the difference between ripe starter and discard, since doesn’t the discard get discarded after it has doubled in size, so then what is the difference between that and the ripe starter you described? Thanks!
Mandy
It depends on when you discard, but generally discarding is done prior to feeding so it would not be as active as ripe or recently fed starter. What you’ve described though would be considered ripe if it has just doubled.
VC
Oh wow this recipe!!! I made the buns today and they are sooooo good! Thanks for sharing it.
★★★★★
Mandy
Thank you!! So glad you enjoyed them.
Mara
Ten Stars!
Bee
Do these buns keep well - overnight for a next day bbq or can they be made in advance and frozen?
Mandy
They will be fine if wrapped well overnight!
Shauna
Absolutely delicious and they looked good to boot. :) Thank you!
★★★★★
Marshall Nauck
Wonderful recipe! Thank you! We used a hotdog bun pan and they came out perfect. Just an idea... we like to grate the butter into the flour and that seems to work very well. Thank you for making our first ever hotdog bun attempt a great success!
★★★★★
Sarah
I've made these once doubling the recipe and my family loved them. They never want store bought buns again. I am trying them tonight for hamburger buns but I am using honey instead. They are just about ready to go in the oven and look amazing. The only thing I am going to do now and in the future is make smaller buns. The first time they came out so big. This time I made a single batch and divided it into 16 pieces for smaller buns. Honestly I don't think anyone was upset, but they go further this way. Thanks so much for this recipe!!
★★★★★
Mel
The hunt is over! These are hands firm the best I’ve had/made 🙌🏼
★★★★★
Diane
These buns looks really good! I make sourdough bread at least weekly and have ripe starter. I don't have a stand mixer though--do you think I could just mix it with my hands? Dough tends to crawl up my hand mixer beaters. I have a bread machine (not for sourdough, just an old, regular one)--would I be better off having it mix in there? TIA!
Mandy
I’d either knead by hand or try the bread machine for the mixing stage. It can certainly be done by hand, it’s just a bit sticky and time consuming.
Dee
These came out fantastically.
My starter was ripe (100% hydration 75% bread flour and 25% rye flour). Following the recipe yeilded moist, pillowy hotdog buns.
2 buns got scarfed down before we could even put hot dogs in them!!
Like the recipe states, you will want to add instant yeast if your starter is not ripe and you definitely don't have the time to refresh it.
I've also tried this with starter that had risen and fallen a day earlier (so semi-active) and it took longer to get a solid rise out of the dough. Regardless of the starter's activity, the flavour is spot on and this will be my go to recipe for buns when using discard!
★★★★★
Éowyn
A change in party plans delayed the need for hot dog buns, so I popped the day in the fridge after the first long rise, and it made THE most delicious stove-top, hamburger cheesy naan breakfast things all week long!
★★★★★
Chrisy
Made these for dinner tonight. They were delicious!! Will definitely be making these again. Great taste!!! Easy to make.
★★★★★
amelie
sorry to be the one to ask but can I omit the sugar here? does it perform any function beyond flavor? thanks!
★★★★★
Mandy
The sugar helps a lot with softness in addition to flavor, but you're welcome to leave it out if you'd like and they'll taste fine, just not quite the intended texture.