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Homemade Sourdough Hot Dog Buns


Soft, golden, and naturally leavened buns that will make store-bought taste like cardboard.

 

Hot dogs deserve better. I said what I said.


If we’re going to all the trouble of finding the good sausages and grilling them to perfection, we’re not slapping them into some dry, bland bun from a plastic bag. Not in this house.

 

These sourdough hot dog buns are soft, fluffy, and have just the right chew. The flavor is next level (thank you, sourdough starter!) and they hold up like champs to all your toppings whether you’re team classic ketchup and mustard or doing the most with caramelized onions, kraut, and homemade relish.

 

Here’s how I make them from scratch:

 

Ingredients:

 

  • 1/4 cup salted butter, melted

  • 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed (not hot—just cozy, like a baby bottle)

  • 1 cup active sourdough starter (mine was nice and bubbly!)

  • 3 1/2 cups organic all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup raw honey

  • 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk (save the white for later!)

  • 1 1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt

  • 1 egg white + 1 tsp water for that glossy egg wash

 

Instructions:

 

Step 1: Mix the dough

In your stand mixer bowl, pour in the warm milk, honey, melted butter, sourdough starter, flour, whole egg + yolk, and salt. Let the mixer do the work with the dough hook on low until everything comes together—then turn it up just a bit and let it knead for about 10-12 minutes. It should look super soft and stretchy. Like, doughy Pilates flexible. Don’t add more flour unless it’s really sticky—trust the process.

 

Step 2: Bulk fermentation (aka rise and shine)

Grease a big bowl with a little butter or oil and pop your dough in. Cover it with a damp towel or lid and let it rise at room temp until it doubles in size—anywhere from 6 to 12 hours depending on how perky your starter is and the warmth of your kitchen. Mine usually takes 8-ish hours.

 

Step 3: Shape the buns

Once it’s puffed up, gently press down the dough to deflate it (think: soft pillow smoosh, not Hulk smash). Divide it into 9–12 pieces depending on how big you want your buns. Roll each piece into a smooth little log, about 5 inches long, and line them up in a buttered 9x13 pan (for 9 buns) or on a parchment-lined baking sheet (for 12). Give them a little breathing room, they’ll expand.

 

Step 4: Second rise

Cover the pan again and let those cuties rise for another 6–8 hours. They should look puffy and ready for the oven—like they’ve had a full spa day.

 

Step 5: Bake time

About 30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 375°F. Mix the reserved egg white with a teaspoon of water and brush the tops of the buns—this is how you get that bakery-style golden top. Bake for 20–25 minutes until they’re beautifully browned and the internal temp hits 200°F.

 

Step 6: Cool it down

Let them cool on a wire rack before slicing (if you can wait that long). Then… serve them up, toast them if you like, and enjoy the most extra hot dog buns your grill has ever seen.

 


From Scratch Tip:

These freeze like a dream. I stash extras in the freezer and pull them out for impromptu hot dog nights or even sandwiches.

 

Your cookouts just got a serious upgrade.

 
 
 

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