Homemade Sourdough Discard Hot Dog Buns{Easy Discard Recipe}
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I’m sure you’ll love how soft and golden these Sourdough Discard Hot Dog Buns turn out. They are a go-to summer recipe, just like my same-day bake, 100% Sourdough Hot Dog Bun recipe, but can be prepped and baked even quicker!
With just a 30-minute bulk rise in a warm kitchen, these buns come together faster than most yeasted recipes. No special hot dog pan is needed and an egg wash gives them a golden brown finish. Soft and fluffy, these hot dog buns are the perfect companion to any last minute BBQ this summer.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
There’s at least three good reasons to love these buns.
Homemade buns with delicious sourdough flavor:
This easy recipe uses discard (or the same amount of active sourdough starter) plus a bit of commercial yeast to make soft, fluffy sourdough hot dog buns that beat store-bought every time. You get that sourdough flavor you love, with a soft, chewy bite that’s perfect for hot dogs or burgers fresh off the grill.
I’ve tested this recipe with a ripe sourdough starter, and here’s the fully-fermented Sourdough Hot Dog Buns recipe, made with 100% active sourdough starter, if you want to try it out.
Simple ingredients, easy process:
A few simple ingredients and your stand mixer turn discard into fluffy buns without too much effort. It’s a no-brainer if you want to up your hot dog game. And if you have leftovers, tear them up and turn them into a killer French toast casserole the next morning.
The fermentation process really makes a difference.
The bulk fermentation and second rise give the dough a light, airy texture that holds up well, which makes these buns perfect for grilling season. Don’t toss your sourdough discard. Turn it into flavorful homemade hot dog buns instead.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Milk – Make sure the milk is no hotter than 110°F; otherwise, it can kill the instant yeast and prevent your dough from rising. I used whole milk, but you can swap in non-dairy options like almond milk.
- Sourdough Discard – I like to use fresh sourdough discard, no older than 1-2 days, at room temperature. If you use discard straight out of the fridge, this will slow down how quickly your dough will rise. You can use active sourdough starter, just use the same amount in grams.
- Sugar – If you prefer, swap the sugar for honey using the same amount in grams.
- Flour– You can use all-purpose flour, but I highly recommend bread flour because it has a higher protein content that makes for fluffier buns.
- Instant yeast – It is important to use instant yeast, not active dry yeast. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in liquids before using and takes longer to rise dough. Instant yeast can be added directly to dry ingredients and works much faster.
Baking Time For
|
Time |
Process |
|---|---|
|
3:30 PM |
Mix and knead dough |
|
3:40 PM |
First rise |
|
4:10 PM |
Shape hot dog buns |
|
4:25 PM |
Second Rise |
|
5:10 PM |
Bake |
How to Make Sourdough Discard Hot Dog Buns
Follow these steps closely and you’ll end up with delicious sourdough discard buns. If they don’t turn out quite right, no worries. Just shoot me an email or drop a comment below; I’m happy to help.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the milk, sourdough discard, egg, egg yolk, melted butter and sugar. Mix until smooth.
- Add the flour, instant yeast, and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed, then knead the dough on medium speed for 6-8 minutes.
- Remove the dough and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let it double in size.
- Once the dough has at least doubled in size, punch the top of the dough to remove all the air bubbles. Then, place the dough on a lightly floured work surface.
- Gently stretch the dough into a rough rectangle and divide the dough into 10-12 equal pieces.
- Shape the pieces of dough into hot dog buns, then place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Once shaped, cover the baking sheet with this plastic cover and let the dough rest for its second rise. The final proof is complete when the hot dog buns have almost doubled in size and look puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush the top of each bun with the egg wash and bake.
How to Store Leftover Sourdough Discard Buns:
Store leftover buns in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Avoid the fridge because it dries them out faster.
If you need to keep them longer, place in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready, thaw them at room temperature while still wrapped, or warm them in a 300°F oven for a few minutes to bring back that fresh-baked flavor.
FAQs
Definitely! I wrote this recipe with a stand mixer in mind, but kneading by hand works just fine. You’ll just need a little more muscle. Plan on kneading for about 10 to 12 minutes on a lightly floured surface, aiming for a smooth, elastic dough that pulls back when stretched and passes the windowpane test.
The windowpane test means you can stretch a small piece of dough thin enough to see light through it without it tearing. Setting a timer can help, and it’s all about the rhythm. Push the dough away with the heel of your hand, fold it over, give it a quarter turn, and repeat. It’s a bit of a workout, but the payoff? Soft, fluffy discard buns.
Instant yeast is ready to go right into your flour. No need to dissolve it in water first. It activates faster and helps your dough rise more quickly, which is why I recommend it in this recipe. Active dry yeast takes longer because it needs to be proofed in warm water first. If you only have active dry yeast, you can still use it, but you’ll need to adjust the method and give your dough more time to rise.
You sure can go with a non-dairy option. I prefer whole milk because it adds a rich flavor and makes my discard buns extra soft. But non-dairy options like almond, oat, soy, or even cashew milk work just as well. Just make sure you’re using something plain and unsweetened.
Flavored or sweetened milks, like vanilla almond milk, can throw off the taste. Keep in mind I tested this recipe with whole milk and that results may vary slightly. You’ll never know until you try.
Temperature matters too. The milk should be warm, not hot. If it’s hotter than 110°F, it can kill the yeast, which means your dough won’t rise like it should. A good rule of thumb is to aim for the temperature of a warm bath. If it feels comfortable to the touch, you’re in the right range.
Yes, you can, but just know that cold discard will slow things down a bit. The dough will take longer to rise, and you might wind up with buns that are a little more dense than you’d like.
If you’ve got the time, use fresh discard that’s about 1 to 2 days old. Let the discard come to room temperature before you start mixing. Room-temp discard gives the yeast a great environment to do its thing, which means a quicker rise and softer, fluffier buns.
Sourdough Discard Hot Dog Buns
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Ingredients
- 240 grams milk, warm 1 cup
- 100 grams sourdough discard, room temperature scant 1/2 cup
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 57 grams unsalted butter, melted 4 Tablespoons
- 24 grams sugar *see notes 2 Tablespoons
- 500 grams bread flour 3 1/2 cups
- 10 grams instant yeast 3 1/3 teaspoons
- 11 grams salt 1 3/4 teaspoons
Instructions
Mix Dough
- To a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the warm milk, room temperature sourdough discard, egg, egg yolk, melted butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until smooth.You can mix and knead the dough be hand.My milk was 110 degrees F. I love using this instant read thermometer to check that the milk isn't hotter than that, otherwise this can kill the instant yeast, which will prevent your dough from rising. If you are using discard from the fridge, add it to the warm milk. Reheat the milk until it reaches 110 degrees F.240 grams milk, warm, 100 grams sourdough discard, room temperature, 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, 57 grams unsalted butter, melted, 24 grams sugar *see notes
- To the wet ingredients, add the flour, instant yeast and salt. With the hook attachment, mix again on low speed. Stop to scrape the sides of the bowl to incorporate all the dry ingredients and then continue to mix on low for 1-2 minutes.500 grams bread flour, 11 grams salt, 10 grams instant yeast
- Continue to knead the dough on medium speed for 6-8 minutes.You’ll know the dough has been kneaded completely when it is smooth and elastic. The dough will completely pull away from the sides of the bowl and it will pass the windowpane test.
- McKenna's Tip: What is the Windowpane Test? This means when you stretch a small section of dough into a thin film, the light will be able to pass through without the dough tearing. If this is accomplished, the dough has been properly kneaded.
- Remove the dough and place it in a lightly greased bowl and cover
FIRST RISE:
- Place the dough in a warm place in your kitchen and allow the dough to double in size.In my 70 degree proofing box, this took about 30-45 minutes. The bulk rise greatly depends on the temperature of your dough and kitchen. If you have a colder kitchen or used cooler ingredients, the rise time will take longer. If your kitchen runs warm, the first rise will take less time.
SHAPE:
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch the top of the dough to remove all the air bubbles. Then, place the dough on a lightly floured work surface.
- Gently stretch the dough into a rough rectangle shape. With a bench scraper or serrated knife, cut the dough into 10-12 equal pieces. Each should be about 85-105g.I found that if I was using these buns for small hot dogs, dividing the dough into at least 12 pieces was best. For larger hot dogs and brats, dividing the dough into 10 pieces worked well.
- Taking one rectangle piece of dough at a time, stretch out the dough into a 5-in wide by 2-in long rectangle. On the long side closest to you, press the dough into your work place. This helps to dough to stay put while your roll. Refer to the photo above.
- Starting with the edge furthest from you, roll the dough TIGHTLY, like a cinnamon roll, to form a cylinder. Pinch the edges and seams to seal, then gently roll the dough to help further seal the seams. Place each hot dog bun on a parchment paper lined baking tray, about 2 inches apart.
SECOND RISE
- Once shaped, cover the baking sheet with this plastic cover and let the dough rest for its second rise. The final proof is complete when the hot dog buns have almost doubled in size and look puffy. This took about 35-50 minutes.
BAKE
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together an egg and a splash of water, then lightly brush the top of each bun with the egg wash with a pastry brush.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the buns are beautifully golden brown and the internal temperature is 190 – 200 degrees F. If the buns are starting to brown too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil and continue to bake.
- Remove the Sourdough Discard Hot Dog Buns from the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack. Serve the Sourdough Buns at room temperature with a grilled hot dog or brat. Enjoy!
Notes
- Milk – Make sure the milk is no hotter than 110°F; otherwise, it can kill the instant yeast and prevent your dough from rising. I used whole milk, but you can swap in non-dairy options like almond milk.
- Sourdough Discard – I like to use fresh sourdough discard, no older than 1-2 days, at room temperature. If you use discard straight out of the fridge, this will slow down how quickly your dough will rise. You can use active sourdough starter, just use the same amount in grams.
- Sugar – If you prefer, swap the sugar for honey using the same amount in grams.
- Flour– You can use all-purpose flour, but I highly recommend bread flour because it has a higher protein content that makes for fluffier buns.
- Instant yeast – It is important to use instant yeast, not active dry yeast. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in liquids before using and takes longer to rise dough. Instant yeast can be added directly to dry ingredients and works much faster.
Such a great recipe to have when you want sourdough hot dog buns in a pinch! My family couldn’t believe how soft they are.