Sourdough Hamburger Buns
Soft, golden, slightly tangy buns made with an active sourdough starter, milk, butter and a little sugar. They are sturdy enough for juicy burgers and still pillowy inside. Natural fermentation does all the rising, so no commercial yeast is needed.
- Prep
- 55 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Wait
- 7 hr
- Total
- 8 hr 15 min
- Makes
- 8 hamburger buns (about 4 inches / 10 cm wide)
Steps
Before you start
- Feed your starter 4 to 8 hours before mixing. It should have doubled, be domed and bubbly, and pass the float test (a spoonful floats in water).
- Take the butter out about 1 hour ahead so it is soft but not greasy, and let the milk and egg come to room temperature.
- Plan on about 8 hours from start to finish in a 74-78°F (23-26°C) kitchen. A cooler kitchen means a longer rise.
- Weigh ingredients with a kitchen scale if you can. Sourdough dough is sensitive to flour measurement.
Mix the shaggy dough
- In a large bowl, whisk the milk, starter, sugar and the beaten dough egg until the starter mostly dissolves and the mixture looks milky.
- Add the bread flour and fine sea salt.
- Stir with a sturdy spatula, then your hand, until no dry flour remains and the dough is a rough, shaggy mass.
- Cover the bowl and rest the dough for 30 minutes.
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Ready when: No dry flour remains and the dough looks rough but cohesive
Tip: Don't add extra flour at this stage. The dough will feel tacky and firm up as it rests and is kneaded.
Knead in the butter
- Knead on a lightly oiled counter for 3 minutes, or for 3 minutes in a stand mixer on low-medium speed.
- Add the softened butter cubes a few at a time and knead until each addition is absorbed.
- Continue kneading for 10 to 12 more minutes by hand (8 minutes in a mixer on medium-low) until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly tacky.
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Ready when: The dough is smooth and stretches into a thin, translucent windowpane without tearing right away. It should feel about 77°F (25°C).
Tip: If the dough looks greasy and slips around when the butter goes in, keep kneading. It will come together in a couple of minutes.
Bulk ferment with folds
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a clean, lightly oiled bowl.
- Cover.
- Over the first 90 minutes, do a set of stretch and folds every 30 minutes (3 sets): wet your hand, lift one edge of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over the center, rotate the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat 4 times.
- After the last set, let the dough rise undisturbed at 74-78°F (23-26°C) until it has grown by about 50 to 75 percent, about 4 hours in total.
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Ready when: The dough is puffy and jiggly, has risen by 50-75%, and shows a few bubbles on the surface and sides of the bowl. It should not be doubled.
Tip: Enriched sourdough ferments more slowly than plain sourdough. Judge by the volume, not the clock.
Divide and shape
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press out the large bubbles.
- Divide it into 8 pieces of about 125 g each, using a scale and a bench scraper.
- Shape each into a tight ball: flatten, pull the edges into the center and pinch, then flip seam-side down and cup your hand over the dough, rolling in small circles against the counter until the surface is taut and smooth.
- Rest the balls, covered, for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Each ball is smooth and taut on top with a sealed seam underneath
Tip: Use as little flour as possible on the counter. A little tackiness helps the dough grip and tighten.
Flatten and proofOven 400°F / 205°C
- Place 4 balls on each parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced about 3 inches (7.5 cm) apart.
- Press each down with your palm to a disc about 3½ inches (9 cm) across and ¾ inch (2 cm) thick.
- Cover loosely with a damp towel or oiled cling film and proof at 74-78°F (23-26°C) for about 2 hours.
- About 30 minutes before the end, move one oven rack to the middle and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
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Ready when: The buns are about 1½ times bigger, look puffy, and a gently poked finger leaves a dent that springs back slowly
Tip: Under-proofed buns bake up dense and with a pale crack on the side. If the dent doesn't come back at all, bake right away.
Egg wash and seeds
- Whisk the wash egg with the tablespoon of milk until smooth.
- Gently brush the tops and upper sides of the buns with the wash, using a light hand so the dough doesn't deflate.
- Sprinkle each bun evenly with the sesame seeds, about 3/4 teaspoon each.
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Ready when: Tops are evenly glossy and covered in seeds, with no egg pooled at the base
Tip: Don't let egg wash drip onto the parchment under the buns. It can glue them down and stop them rising.
Bake the bunsOven 400°F / 205°C
- Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack at 400°F (200°C) for 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the pan front to back after 10 minutes.
- If the tops brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last few minutes.
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Ready when: The buns are deep golden brown, and an instant-read thermometer in the center reads 190°F (88°C). The bottoms sound hollow when tapped.
Tip: Bake one sheet at a time for even browning. Keep the second sheet covered while it waits, and it may need a few extra minutes of proofing, which is fine.
Brush and cool
- As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush the tops with the melted butter.
- Transfer them to a wire rack and cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
- Split with a serrated knife and toast the cut sides in a hot skillet or on a grill for a minute before building burgers.
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Ready when: Buns feel just warm or at room temperature and the crust is soft and shiny
Tip: Slicing too soon makes the crumb gummy and squashes the bun.
Good to know
Tips
- Weigh the dough pieces so the buns are the same size and bake at the same rate.
- A cooler kitchen means longer rises. Set the dough in the oven with only the light on for a warm spot, but check the temperature stays below 82°F (28°C).
- For an extra-soft crust, cover the warm buns with a clean kitchen towel while they cool.
- For a wider, flatter bun to suit smash burgers, press the discs to 4 inches (10 cm) before proofing.
Make ahead
"After shaping and flattening (step 5), cover the trays tightly and refrigerate for 8 to 14 hours. Let them stand at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes until puffy, then egg wash, add seeds and bake as directed, adding a minute or two if needed. You can also bulk ferment the dough overnight in the fridge after the first 2 hours at room temperature, then let it warm up for 1 hour before shaping."
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: keep in an airtight bag or container for up to 3 days. Fridge: not recommended, as it dries the buns out faster. Freezer: slice, wrap well, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, or toast the slices straight from frozen. To refresh whole buns, warm at 300°F (150°C) for 5 to 8 minutes.
Substitutions
- bread flour → all-purpose flour. Buns will be slightly softer and less chewy. Reduce the milk by 1 to 2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) if the dough feels too slack.
- whole milk → unsweetened oat milk or 2% milk. 2% milk works well. Oat milk gives a slightly less rich crumb.
- sesame seeds → poppy seeds or everything bagel seasoning. Use the same amount. Skip the topping entirely for plain buns.
- granulated sugar → honey. Use 2 tablespoons (42 g) of honey. The crust browns a little faster.