Name: Sourdough Hot Dog Buns
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 8 h 50 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 20g starter; 60g bread flour or all-purpose flour; 60g water; 440g bread flour or all-purpose flour; 50g granulated sugar; 8g salt; 120g water; 160g whole milk; All the sourdough starter (around 120g); 45g unsalted butter, softened; 1 large egg + 1 tablespoon water

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These soft and fluffy sourdough hot dog buns are perfect for anyone looking to elevate their hot dog game. They’re great for BBQs, picnics, or simple family dinners. The buns are soft and fluffy with a thin and delicate crust.

Making your own hot dog buns is pretty simple and tastes great! The dough for these sourdough hotdog buns is the same dough I use in my sourdough dinner rolls but with a touch more sweetness.

I like to make it by hand, but it can also be made in a stand mixer. I mix the bulk of the dough first, then knead in butter and work it in until it’s soft and smooth. The dough undergoes two rising times and an optional cold-proof.

The cold-proof can be lengthened or shortened according to your schedule and whether you want same-day hot dog buns or overnight sourdough buns.

Ingredients

Here’s what you need for these homemade sourdough hot dog buns. Find the amounts written in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Active sourdough starter – Refreshed and ripe sourdough starter that’s not acidic. It is easy to keep the acid content low in a starter if you refresh your starter regularly and use a small amount of seed starter each time you feed it.
All-purpose flour or bread flour.
Granulated cane sugar or soft brown sugar. You can also use honey or maple syrup
Salt
Water
Whole milk
Butter. This can be salted butter or unsalted butter
Egg. This is just for the egg wash on the tops of the dough to make them golden. It can be omitted.

Hand holding a hot dog with mustard and tomato ketchup.

Baker’s Schedule For Same Day

In the evening – Feed the starter
9 am – Knead the dough
9:20 am – 1:30 pm – Let the dough ferment in a warm spot until bulked out by half.
1:30 pm– Shape the hot dog buns
1:45 pm- 4:45 pm – Rise in a warm spot
4:45pm– Bake your homemade hot dog buns

The dough can also be refrigerated for up to 24 hours after the first fermentation. When ready, take it from the fridge and shape the buns. Allow them around 4-6 hours to rise in a warm spot.

Method

The evening before, feed your starter.
In the morning, add flour, sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Add the water, milk, and active starter to this and mix it into a shaggy dough.

birds eye of sourdough starter and flour in a bowl.

Tip this dough onto a work surface and use a slap-and-fold kneading method to bring the dough together. It will be sticky, but kneading it will give it strength.
Knead it for 5 minutes. This can also be done in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.

Add in the cubed butter and knead it in. The butter will make it extra sticky, but the dough will already have some strength from the previous kneading.
Continue slapping and folding for a further 6-8 minutes until it starts feeling stronger and smooth.

Bulk fermentation

Add the dough to a large bowl and let it rest in a warm spot (ideally around 25°C/77°F) covered with a damp tea towel for around 4 hours until it bulks out by around 50-60%, looking noticeably bigger and puffy.

If you have a cold kitchen, you can create a warm and humid spot by placing the dough into a turned-off oven alongside a large cup of boiled water. Replace the water as needed when it cools down. For best results, watch the dough and not the clock, as the dough rise time will differ depending on the environment. You might need to increase the time if your environment is cold or decrease it if it is warmer.

After this first rise the dough can go in the fridge overnight (cover it so it doesn’t dry out) before shaping, or the hot dog buns can be shaped right away.

Shaping

Deflate the dough and pull it from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface.

Weight the dough and divide it into 10 equal portions with a bench scraper or sharp knife.

With a rolling pin, roll out each piece into a 5×4-inch (12x10cm) flat piece. Roll it up tightly lengthwise to form a cylinder.

Tuck in the edges slightly and pinch the seam closed.

Place the buns seam-side down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, either spaced apart or closer together if you like pull-apart sides. Loosely cover them and let them rise for 2-3 hours in a warm spot until doubled in size.
When they have almost finished rising, heat the oven to 375°F/190°C.

Whisk together the egg and water for the egg wash. Brush the top of the buns with egg wash.

Bake the hot dog rolls for around 20 minutes until golden brown. Let them cool to room temperature on a wire rack before serving.

Serving and storing

Keep leftover buns in an airtight container for freshness for up to 3 days. Rewarm them in the microwave to soften them on the following days. Alternatively, freeze them for longer storage.

These sourdough hot dog buns are incredibly versatile, especially for grilling season! Fill them with traditional hot dogs, gourmet sausages, or vegetarian options. Don’t forget the condiments!

Related Sourdough Bread Recipes

If you liked these sourdough hot dog rolls you might like these others too!

Sourdough Hot Dog Buns

Yield: 10

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours 50 minutes

These soft and fluffy sourdough hot dog buns are great for BBQs, picnics, or simple family dinners. The buns are soft and fluffy with a thin and delicate crust.

Ingredients

Starter

20g starter
60g bread flour or all-purpose flour
60g water

Hot Dog Bun Dough

440g bread flour or all-purpose flour
50g granulated sugar
8g salt
120g water
160g whole milk
All the sourdough starter (around 120g)
45g unsalted butter, softened

Egg Wash

1 large egg + 1 tablespoon water