Ingredients
1 cup milk or water heated to 110 degrees F
1/2 cup (140 grams) sourdough starter, active or discard*
4 tablespoons sugar
1.5 teaspoons active dry yeast*
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) soft unsalted butter or oil
3 cups (360 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. *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. *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.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes active plus rising
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: sourdough, bread
- Method: sourdough, baking
- Cuisine: American