This versatile, no-nonsense recipe can be used to make Sourdough Hamburger Buns or Sourdough Hot Dog Buns using either active starter or discard. Of course these soft, fluffy-yet-sturdy buns are perfect for classic burgers and dogs, but don't stop there - I love to use them for buttery lobster rolls, egg or tuna salad, pulled pork sandwiches, and breakfast sandwiches too.
This recipe is perfect for summer grilling season and especially the 4th of July! Pile your burgers, pulled pork, or brisket onto these soft-yet-sturdy sourdough hamburger buns. And use the sourdough hot dog buns for hot dogs, bratwurst, sausage and peppers, or my personal favorite - lobster rolls!
If you are new to sourdough or interested in starting, be sure to check out my Easy Sourdough Starter Guide.
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Ingredients
Here is the simple and customizable list of ingredients you'll need to make either sourdough hamburger buns or sourdough hot dog buns. Be sure to read the list below for variations to make these buns dairy-free and/or vegan.
milk or water: I use either just depending on my mood and how much milk we have. I tend to use water more often because it's free and I think it results in an even fluffier bun texture. Milk is really nice though and contributes a bit more richness to the dough. Use water or an unsweetened plant-based milk for a vegan option.
sugar: A bit of sweetness is nice in these buns. You can also use honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, coconut sugar, sucanat, etc.
sourdough starter: active, bubbly starter that has been fed recently (4-12 hours before making this recipe) if you are making a true sourdough bun. Or discard/unfed starter plus a bit of yeast if you want a quicker discard style recipe.
yeast: The yeast is optional and you do not need it if you are using very active and bubbly starter and you want to long-ferment this recipe. If you are using unfed or discard you will need the yeast. And if you are using active starter you can still use the yeast to speed things up.
flour: Bread flour or all-purpose both work well here.
butter or oil: vegan butter or any neutral oil will work.
salt: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. If you are using a fine salt or table salt, you will need to reduce the amount by half.
toppings: for the burger buns I like to do an egg wash and sesame seeds for a classic finish. Everything bagel seasoning is nice too. For the hot dog buns I leave them plain for baking and brush with butter after baking for a softer crust. For a vegan option use a vegan egg substitute and/or vegan butter. Or read this post on How to Make a Vegan Egg Wash.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This dough comes together in about 10 minutes in a stand mixer. You can mix it with a wooden spoon or dough whisk and knead for 10-15 minutes by hand if preferred but I love the ease of a stand mixer recipe.
Add warm milk or water, sourdough starter, sugar, and yeast if using to the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir and let sit for a few minutes to activate the yeast.
Add flour, salt, and butter and knead on low for a minute or two until everything mixes together. Increase speed to speed 2 and knead for 5-7 minutes.
Cover and let rise - see below for options.
Active Starter - Long Fermentation Option
Once your dough is kneaded you will cover and let bulk ferment at room temperature for 6-8 hours (I like to do this overnight). Then, the dough can be refrigerated after the bulk ferment if desired for 12-24 hours. This cold rest allows for more fermentation and more flavor development if you like a stronger sourdough flavor.
After bulk ferment and optional cold ferment, divide and shape rolls and allow to rise again for about 3 hours until puffy and visibly risen (this could take more or less time depending on the activity level of your starter and the temperature of your kitchen). See photos for reference. They will not double. A good way to test when they are done rising is to poke them gently with a floured index finger, the indentation should very slowly bounce back. If it bounces back very quickly they are not quite done proofing. If it does not bounce back at all you may have over-proofed.
Bake as instructed in recipe card.
Same Day - Quick Discard Option
After dough is kneaded, cover and let rise for about an hour until doubled in size. Shape rolls and allow to rise again for about an hour until puffy and visibly risen. See photos for reference. They will not double. A good way to test when they are done rising is to poke them gently with a floured index finger, the indentation should very slowly bounce back. If it bounces back very quickly they are not quite done proofing. If it does not bounce back at all you may have over-proofed.
Bake as instructed in recipe card.
How to Make Sourdough Hot Dog Buns
Divide dough into 8 pieces. Flatten each piece into a rough rectangle and roll up tightly to form a roughly 6-inch roll. Place on parchment close together but not touching. They will touch each other when risen and during baking which is what you want.
How to Make Sourdough Hamburger Buns
Divide dough into 8 pieces for regular size hamburgers. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten slightly so it is about 3 inches across the top. Place on parchment lined sheet, cover, and let rise until puffed. This will take about an hour if using yeast and about 2-3 hours if using just sourdough.
Storage
Once cooled, store buns in an airtight bag or container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the freezer for a month.
FAQ
Yes! You can mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon or dough whisk until a shaggy dough forms and then knead on a floured surface for 10-15 minutes.
Sourdough Hamburger or Hot Dog Buns Recipe
This versatile, no-nonsense recipe can be used to make Sourdough Hamburger Buns or Sourdough Hot Dog Buns using either active starter or discard. Of course these soft, fluffy-yet-sturdy buns are perfect for classic burgers and dogs, but don't stop there - I love to use them for buttery lobster rolls, egg or tuna salad, pulled pork sandwiches, and breakfast sandwiches too.
- Total Time: 2 hours to 24 hours (varies)
- Yield: 8 buns
Ingredients
1 cup milk or water heated to 110 degrees F
½ cup sourdough starter (100 grams active or 125 grams discard)*
4 tablespoons sugar
1.5 teaspoons active dry yeast*
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) soft unsalted butter or oil
3 cups (420 grams) bread flour or all purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt (reduce amount by half if using table salt)
for brushing hot dog buns after baking
about 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) melted butter
for topping burger buns before baking:
one egg mixed with a splash of water
2-3 tablespoons sesame seeds
Instructions
Make the dough:
Add warm milk or water, sourdough starter, sugar, and yeast if using to the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir and let sit for a few minutes to activate the yeast.
Add flour, salt, and butter and knead on low with dough hook for a minute or two until everything mixes together. Increase speed to speed 2 and knead for 7-10 minutes.
Cover and let rise - see below for options.
Active Starter - Long Fermentation Option
If using active starter and no yeast: Once your dough is kneaded you will cover and let bulk ferment at room temperature for 6-8 hours until doubled (I like to do this overnight). The dough can then be refrigerated after the bulk ferment if desired for 12-24 hours or you can proceed with the recipe right away.
After bulk ferment and optional cold ferment, divide and shape rolls and allow to rise again for 2-3 hours until puffy and risen - this will take a bit longer if the dough is cold. (this could take more or less time depending on the activity level of your starter and the temperature of your kitchen). See photos in blog post for reference. They will not double during the second rise. A good way to test when they are done rising is to poke them gently with a floured index finger, the indentation should very slowly bounce back. If it bounces back very quickly they are not quite done proofing. If it does not bounce back at all you may have over-proofed.*see shaping options below
Same Day - Quick Discard Option
If using sourdough starter plus yeast: After dough is kneaded, cover and let rise for about an hour until doubled in size. Shape rolls and allow to rise again for about an hour until risen and puffy. (this could take more or less time depending on the activity level of your starter and the temperature of your kitchen). See photos for reference. They will not double. A good way to test when they are done rising is to poke them gently with a floured index finger, the indentation should very slowly bounce back. If it bounces back very quickly they are not quite done proofing. If it does not bounce back at all you may have over-proofed.*see shaping options below.
shaping hamburger buns:
divide dough into 8 pieces for regular size hamburgers. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten slightly so it is about 3 inches across the top. See photos in blog post for reference.
shaping hot dog buns:
Divide dough into 8 pieces. Flatten each piece into a rough rectangle and roll up tightly to form a roughly 6-inch roll. Place on parchment close together but not touching. They will touch each other when risen and during baking which is what you want. See photos in blog post for reference.
Baking the rolls:
After rolls have risen: For burger buns: brush with egg wash and top with sesame seeds if desired. Leave hot dog buns as-is. Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature of buns has reached 190-200 degrees F. After baking, brush hot dog buns with melted butter if desired.
Notes
This recipe was tested using a 1:1:1 sourdough starter. If you use a dry starter, you will need to adjust it for this recipe.
This recipe was tested with white all-purpose flour and with white bread flour, both from King Arthur. I have not tested this with whole wheat or freshly milled flours.
You will use active, bubbly starter that has been fed recently (4-12 hours before making this recipe) if you are making a true, long-fermented sourdough bun. Or use discard/unfed starter plus a bit of yeast if you want a quicker discard style recipe.
The yeast is optional and you do not need it if you are using very active and bubbly starter and you want to long-ferment this recipe. If you are using unfed or discard you will need the yeast. And if you are using active starter you can still use the yeast to speed things up.
the cold rest can be done with either dough option and it will result in a more complex flavor as well as make the dough a little easier to work with and shape. It is also a nice option to help this recipe fit into your schedule and break it up over two days.
Divide the dough into 12-16 pieces for mini buns or slider buns.
Flour amount was updated from 360 grams to 420 grams. A cup of flour averages 140 grams in my kitchen when scooped from the bag or flour jar. I was previously using the King Arthur measurement of 120 grams which is not accurate in my opinion.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes active plus rising
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: sourdough, bread
- Method: sourdough, baking
- Cuisine: American
Sunkyung says
Hello, Anita!
I am wondering if I’m able to use discard without yeast if I’m not in a hurry? I’m eager to try this recipe! 🙂
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Sunyung! Yes, you can do that. I give those instructions in the blog post as well as in the recipe card. Let me know if you have any other questions. 🙂
Julia says
They turned out delicious! I doubled to make hamburger and hot dog buns! I loved that I was able to make it in the same day for dinner! They did not, however, turn out to be that beautiful golden brown color. They ended up being the normal dough color and I am not entirely sure as to why. I did the egg wash on both burger and hot dog buns. They were fully cooked though and very delicious! We were tempted to eat just the bread! Thank you for this recipe!
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Julia! Thanks for this great feedback! I'm so happy you loved these buns and I LOVE that you made both hamburger and hot dog buns. I wonder why they didn't brown though. Do you use a gas or electric oven? I know that gas ovens sometimes don't brown as much as electric ovens. In the future, you can use just the yolk and a tiny bit of water for an egg wash instead of the whole egg. This will make them darker after baking. I'm glad they were soft and delicious even though they weren't brown. Thanks again! - Anita
Sophie says
Burger buns were okay just smaller than I expected for the store bought sized patty so I would have only made 6 per batch if I knew they wouldn't rise as much but the hotdog buns were super duper flat. I've only taste tested one hotdog bun but it tastes really weird, not like sourdough and not like regular dough/buns and dry. I'm going camping and put them in the fridge so I could cook them the day before and I don't have time to re-try the recipe.
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Sophie. It sounds like you did not give the buns enough time to rise before baking. If they don't rise enough before baking, they won't magically rise in the oven. These buns will be nice and fluffy after baking (like you see in the photos) if given the proper time to rise. I find 8 buns shaped to 3-4 inches to be just right for large burgers but it sounds like your burger patties were extra large - they do not rise out, they rise up, so you'll want to shape them to the diameter you're shooting for. And as for the taste, I'm not sure what yours tasted like, but when made according to the sourdough recipe they taste like soft sourdough buns with a bit of pleasant tanginess. If made according to the discard recipe with added yeast they are not quite as tangy as true sourdough and are softer and fluffier than the long-fermented recipe. Either way, they definitely do not taste or feel like store bought buns which is kind of the whole point. And finally, did you place the shaped dough in the fridge? If so, you'll need to cover them well with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out and I would not let them go more than 12 hours for the discard option and 24 hours for the long-fermented option. Thanks for giving the recipe a try and for your feedback. - Anita
Allison says
I’m making these now and I’ve doubled the recipe to make both burger buns for tonight, and hot dog buns for later. I used the discard + yeast option and have already shaped each, waiting for second proof now. I’m realizing I could probably cold ferment the hot dog buns and bake tomorrow so they will be even fresher, is that possible after shaping step? Alternatively, could I freeze before baking hot dog buns or should I bake and then freeze if I want them stay fresh until we have hot dogs in a day or so.
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Allison! Because of the yeast, I'd be afraid they might overproof in the fridge if they've already risen at room temp before you put them in the fridge. If you wanted to shape them, cover, and then place in the fridge for a long cold rise that would work best. Unlike true sourdough, conventional yeast will often rise quite a bit in the fridge so you just have to be wary of over-proofing in that case. Another option is to make the dough and place it in the fridge for a long cold rise, then pull it out, shape, and let rise at room temp before baking.
And as far as freezing, for such short term I'd probably just bake and freeze. But for longer term, you could freeze them shaped before second rise, thaw in fridge overnight, and let rise at room temp the next day before baking. This is a great way to stock the freezer with buns, rolls, loaves to have ready whenever you need them! I hope that helps and it all makes sense. Let me know if you have any more questions and thank you for giving my recipe a try!! - Anita
Maritza says
Hello! Currently making these and they’re on their second rise and they already look beautiful! However I was out of unsalted butter so I used grass fed salted butter and so I skipped the kosher salt but now that I tasted the dough they’re kinda sweet should I not skip the salt next time? How would I adjust if I used salted butter again?
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hey Maritza! I'm so happy they're working out for you! I would not skip the additional salt altogether next time, maybe just reduce it by a 1/4 teaspoon or 1/8 teaspoon. There isn't a ton of salt in salted butter so I might actually just leave it as is even with the addition of salted butter. But I'm a salty gal so maybe that's just me! Let me know if you have any other questions! - Anita
Tina Kaw says
I made this recipe with fresh milled flour and did half hamburger and half hot dog buns. I did the egg wash on both with sesame seeds on the hamburger buns and everything bagel on the hot dog buns. I made these with my starter over 2 days. They turned out fantastic, thanks for the recipe!
Shelley says
Found this recipe super easy, even after I questioned myself if I really wanted to make my own hot dog buns. I am so glad I did. These turned out delicious, super soft and not dry like store bought buns. I followed the recipe exactly and had no issues, now I can't go back.
Andrea says
This is a delicious recipe! I used oat milk, plant based butter, bubbly starter and yeast (needed them quick). Started them at noon and by 5:00 delicious buns were ready for dinner! Only regret is not doubling the recipe and having a batch in the freezer! 🙂 Thanks so much!
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Andrea! I am so happy to read this! Thank you for your kindness and for this excellent feedback. Having a batch of these in the freezer is a habit I've gotten into and it is a real lifesaver! Thanks again so much!! - Anita
Kathy Catanzaro says
Actually, first try was with peak starter. Second try with yeast and discard, plus by volume worked. I’ll try again with starter only with the long ferment and let you know!!
Kathy Catanzaro says
Hi Anita.
Because I use discard, I used the yeast method. When I measured by volume, they came out fine!!! I think that’s my issue. I am a sourdough baker, and my starter is very active and tried-and-true!!
They were delicious once I got the consistency right!!! Thank you!!!
emily says
I've made these buns several times now in various ways, with milk, with water, with active starter, with discard and yeast, and even just discard with a longer ferment and they turn out soft and yummy every time!! it's pretty hands off in my opinion which is a plus!! so glad I found your recipe!!
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Emily! Thank you for this excellent feedback! I really appreciate you taking the time to leave this kind comment and I'm so happy you've been enjoying this recipe! Thanks again! - Anita
Steph says
Thanks for this recipe! The buns came out amazing for me on the first try! I have often made homemade buns and my family has not liked them as much as store bought… they said these are better than store bought!
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Steph! I am so happy to read this! Thanks for giving my recipe a try and for taking the time to leave such a kind comment. I appreciate it so much! - Anita
Lisella Rogers says
Hi, I have a question. I have problems with store-bought Yeast, Can I use all sourdough starter, active and bubbly? What would the measurements be?
Thank you Lisella
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Lisella. I give those instructions under the "Active Starter - Long Fermentation Option" heading in the blog post as well as in the recipe card. You will just omit the yeast and use active, bubbly starter - and of course increase your rising times significantly. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck! - Anita 🙂
Deanna says
Not sure what happened the first time I made these but really struggled to get a good rise out of them and the dough was really stiff and tough - not enough hydration in the dough most likely. I made them with milk and should've known that milk is only about 90% water, and I always add extra water to sourdough when using milk. I made them again today but added 1/2 cup water in addition to the 1 cup milk and they are PERFECTION. I've wanted to stop buying buns from the store and now I definitely will!!
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Deanna! I'm glad these worked out better for you the second time. I make them on repeat in our home. 🙂 There are many things that can affect the outcome of a bread recipe such as humidity, temperature, elevation, under or over kneading/proofing - but the biggest culprit is over-measuring flour if you are using volume measurements as opposed to gram measurements. All flours are different, some are drier and/or more compacted than others, varying protein contents, etc. And of course, all starters are very different too. It is truly one of the challenges of sharing sourdough recipes! I wish I could share a "your dough should feel like this" button. 🙂 But again, I am so glad you had success the second time and thanks very much for sharing this feedback! - Anita
Chenoa says
Hi I would really like to make this recipe but I was wondering if you could clarify some of the directions for me. In this portion you said “SAME DAY - QUICK DISCARD OPTION…If using sourdough starter plus yeast…”
Are those directions for discard plus yeast or fed starter plus yeast? Thanks!
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Chenoa! Those are for discard plus yeast but you can use fed starter plus yeast if that is what you have and you may just have an even faster rise and a fluffier outcome. 🙂 I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions. - Anita
Chenoa says
Thank you for the very quick reply I appreciate it so much!
Samantha Butler says
How much are the buns supposed to rise after you shape them. it's been 3 hours and mine are puffier but not doubled or anything
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Samantha, the buns will be noticeably puffy but not quite doubled - you can get a visual guide by looking at the photos in the blog post. They will puff up quite a bit in the oven as well so don't worry. A good way to test if any bread is done rising is to lightly flour your finger and press it about 1/2 inch into the dough. If the dough springs back very quickly, it needs more rising time. If it springs back slowly, it's ready to bake. If it doesn't spring back at all, it has risen too long.
Deborah says
I tried making the hotdog buns for lunch. They were amazing and so tasty. My husband loved them and told me to never buy hot dog buns again. I would add pics but I don't know how to post them here.
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Deborah! I'm so happy to read this! Thank you to you and your husband for making, eating, and loving these hotdog buns! I don't have a way to post pictures here on my website but you can post them on instagram and tag me so I can see! Thanks again! xo - Anita
Diana Steinmetz says
Ohhhhhh I am anxious to try this! I have been wanting to make hamburger buns!! And, I wonder if this would work to use as my bread for bierocks. I have cabbage now and wanting to get some made up for the freezer.
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Diana! I think this dough would work well for bierocks! Let me know if you give it a try!!