Sourdough Hot Dog Buns

Once you try these homemade Sourdough Hot Dog Buns, you’re never going back!

The sourdough hot dog buns are easy to make with a same-day or overnight option and super soft using the tangzhong method, yet sturdy enough for your favorite hot dog condiments and toppings. The fluffy buns also have so much more flavor than store-bought buns, which can be an afterthought.

This simple enriched hot dog bun dough has a pull-apart, tender texture. Plus, they stay fresh longer for your summer cookouts by pre-cooking some of the flour and milk together, and can be stored ahead of time.

The timings for the recipe are very flexible, and I’ve included a sample baking schedule for an evening bake below. However, it’s easy to adjust to fit your schedule if you’re doing an afternoon grilling cookout.

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👨‍🏫 Baker’s Percentage Chart

I include a baker’s percentage chart to easily scale a recipe up or down. With baker’s percentages, the total weight of all flour in the recipe is 100%.

If you want to learn more, the King Arthur website has a detailed reference page on why and how baker’s percentages are calculated.

Ingredients	Weight	Baker’s Percentage
All-purpose Flour	420g (includes 20g for tangzhong)	100%
Sourdough Starter*	120g	28.6%
Granulated Sugar	12g	2.9%
Salt	8g	1.9%
Whole Milk	260g (includes 100g for tangzhong)	61.9%
Egg	1 large (55g)	13.1%
Unsalted Butter	28g (2 TBS)	6.7%

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🛠 Tools Needed

• Half Sheet Pan
  • This recipe makes 10 hot dog buns. I proof them on a parchment-lined baking sheet with two rows of five hot dog buns baked close together so you can pull them apart like New England style hot dog buns or store-bought buns.
  • If you want individual buns that you don’t want to pull apart, proof and bake them on two half sheet pans.
  • Use these helpful half-sheet covers for proofing.
• Baking Scale
  • Measuring your ingredients by weight instead of volume is important so you get a more consistent and accurate bake.
  • For equal-sized buns, you’ll also need to weigh the dough at the end of bulk fermentation and divide by 10 to get equal-sized hot dog buns.
• Bench Scraper
  • Assists with easily dividing the dough.
• Pastry Brush
  • I recommend using a pastry brush (or an unused paint brush) to brush an egg wash on the buns for a shiny, brown crust.
• Stand Mixer with Dough Hook Attachment
  • I recommend mixing most enriched doughs like brioche with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
  • However, you can mix this dough by hand in a large mixing bowl.
• Optional: Brød and Taylor Folding Bread Proofer
  • This folding proofing box by Brød & Taylor is a game changer to keep your sourdough starter and doughs at the perfect temperature during fermentation.
  • The proofer folds up easily, includes a humidity tray, is multifunctional, and can even be a slow cooker.

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🛒 Ingredients Needed

See below for more ingredient information and possible substitutes.

• All-purpose Flour
  • I use King Arthur all-purpose flour for soft, tender, yet sturdy buns. You can substitute with bread flour for a slightly more chewy texture.
  • To make whole wheat hot dog buns, I recommend starting by substituting about 25-30% of the flour with whole wheat flour. You may need to increase the hydration slightly with more milk, as whole wheat absorbs more liquid.
• Sourdough Starter
  • It’s best to use an active sourdough starter for this recipe to get fluffy buns with the highest rise. If you use sourdough discard, add a pinch of instant yeast to help with the rise.
  • Don’t have a sourdough starter? Learn How to Make a Sourdough Starter and make a stronger sourdough starter with my top sourdough starter tips and why I maintain a small sourdough starter.
• Salt
• Granulated Sugar
  • There’s just a hint of sweetness to enhance the flavor and browning in these buns.
  • Sugar also helps feed the yeast with some added sugar so fermentation moves faster as the added milk, butter, and egg can slow down fermentation.
  • You can omit it completely if you don’t want to use it or substitute it with honey.
• Whole Milk
  • Full-fat whole milk gives these buns the most richness and flavor. The fat helps tenderize the buns, leading to a softer dough and a darker crust.
• Unsalted Butter
  • The small amount of butter helps tenderize the buns and add a bit of richness.
  • Substitute with a neutral oil or olive oil.
• Egg
  • Plus one more for the egg wash.

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⏰ Sample Baking Schedule

This is a sample baking schedule for quick, same-day or overnight homemade sourdough hot dog buns. This schedule works well for a weekend bake, so you have fresh buns for dinner grilling. However, most steps are flexible, depending on your own schedule.

You can also proof the dough overnight in the refrigerator for up to a couple of days to bake on your own time, or add a pinch of yeast if you’re short on time.

For an afternoon grilling session, divide, shape, and proof the buns in the morning so they’ll be ready to bake in the afternoon.

Steps	Time
1. Make the Tangzhong	7:00am
2. Mix Dough	7:15am
3. Bulk Fermentation	7:30-1:30pm (about 6 hrs at 78ºF)
4. Cold Proof (optional)	1:30pm-overnight or continue for same-day
5. Divide and Shape	1:30pm
6. Final Proof	1:45-5:00pm (about 3 hrs at 78ºF)
7. Bake	5:00pm-5:20pm

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🌭 How to Make Sourdough Hot Dog Buns

Follow this visual and detailed guide to help you make these soft sourdough hot dog buns.

1. Make the Tangzhong

Tangzhong is an East Asian technique of pre-cooking flour and milk/water like a roux. It’s commonly found in Japanese milk breads to helps keep these buns fluffy for days. It’s the perfect technique to keep these hot dog buns soft and improve their texture!

Yudane is a similar cooked flour method I use for my Sourdough Brioche Bread, Sourdough Dinner Rolls, and Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls.

To make the tangzhong, constantly stir 20g of flour and 100g of whole milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it forms a mashed potato-like consistency with a thin film on the bottom.

Immediately remove from the heat and stir in 2 TBS of cold butter to incorporate, which will cool the tangzhong so you can immediately mix into your dough.

2. Mix the Dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, egg, sourdough starter, and all of the tangzhong.

Warm the milk in the same saucepan you made the tangzhong in just until it’s about 100-110ºF (don’t get too hot or it will kill your yeasts). Pour it into your stand mixer bowl.

Mix on medium-low speed for a few minutes. At first, it will be a dry and shaggy dough.

Continue mixing on medium speed for 10-15 more minutes until the dough becomes smooth, tacky (not sticky), wraps around the dough hook, and doesn’t stick to the bowl.

3. Bulk Fermentation

Transfer the enriched dough to a large mixing bowl, cover, and place in a warm location for bulk fermentation.

Bulk fermentation, or the first proof, takes about 6 hours in a warm location (75-80ºF).

At the end of bulk fermentation, the dough will double in size, be smoother, domed, and feel full of air.

If you feel like your dough was undermixed or weak, add a couple of stretch and folds during bulk fermentation.

4. Cold Proof (optional)

Transfer the dough to the refrigerator to proof for an hour or even overnight.

The overnight proof will slow down fermentation so you can bake on your own schedule and improve flavor. Plus, shaping cold dough is easier.

If you want to make same-day sourdough hot dog buns, skip the cold proof.

5. Divide and Shape the Hot Dog Buns

Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a scale to weigh it.

Then, divide the total weight by 10 to get 10 equal-sized hot dog buns. Mine are usually about 85-90g each. Use a bench scraper and scale to divide and weigh the dough into 10 equal-sized portions (image 1 below).

Then, use the palm of your hand and the friction of a clean work surface to roll the portions into rounds (2). If the dough is sticky, lightly flour the work surface.

To shape hot dog buns, use the palm of your hand to pat down the round dough into a flat rectangle (3). Then, start at the top edge to roll it up into a cylinder like making Sourdough Breadsticks, Sourdough Pretzels, or Sourdough Garlic Knots.

Use the palm of your hands to gently roll the buns out evenly about 5-6 inches long with about the same thickness and not tapered on the ends. For consistency, lay the pieces out in front of each other to try to match (4).

6. Final Proof

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place five hot dog buns about an inch apart in two rows on the baking sheet.

Proofing close together will create New England-style hot dog buns that bake together, and you can pull apart. If you want individual buns, proof them on two baking sheets with more distance between the buns.

Cover lightly with plastic wrap or these helpful half sheet covers and proof in a warm location (ideally 75-80ºF) for about 3 hours until the hot dog buns are full of air, start touching, and at least double in size.

7. Bake

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC) with a rack in the middle of the oven.

In a small bowl, beat an egg and a teaspoon of water or milk. Then, use a pastry brush to gently paint the egg wash on the buns.

Bake for 18-20 minutes until the tops are golden to dark brown.

Remove from the oven and cool completely on wire cooling racks.

Finally, pull apart the buns and slice them open with a serrated bread knife before filling with hot dogs, sausages, and your favorite condiments and toppings.

I usually turn the buns sideways to slice like traditional buns, but you can also slice from the tops for a New England-style bun.

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How to Store Sourdough Hot Dog Buns

These soft sourdough hot dog buns are best fresh the first day they’re made, but can be stored at room temperature or frozen.

To store at room temperature, don’t pull apart or slice the buns until you’re ready to serve them so they don’t lose moisture. They can be stored in an airtight container for about 4 days. If they lose their softness, gently reheat them in an oven or toaster oven before serving.

Finally, to freeze hot dog buns, slice them in half and place the buns in a freezer-safe bag for up to three months. Before serving, thaw and simply reheat in an oven or toaster oven until the buns are warmed through!

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❓Frequently Asked Questions

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