Delicious Sourdough Hamburger Buns
This recipe for sourdough hamburger buns is soft, flavorful, and easy to make. This enriched dough starts with a homemade sourdough starter and a mixture of flour, milk, eggs, and butter, making the most delicious sourdough buns for your burgers.
Hamburger buns are essential to any great burger, providing a soft and sturdy vessel for your favorite fillings. Sourdough can take your burger game to the next level when you make the best hamburger buns.
Why make these buns
- Flavor: The sourdough starter adds a depth of flavor and subtle tanginess that enhances the overall taste of the buns.
- Texture: Sourdough contributes to a soft, moist, and chewy texture, making the buns more enjoyable to eat.
- Longevity: Sourdough buns tend to stay fresh longer than regular buns due to the acidity of the sourdough, which acts as a natural preservative.
- Authenticity: The use of sourdough starter in this recipe adds an authentic touch reminiscent of artisanal bakery-style hamburger buns.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Flour – I highly recommend bread flour if you love a chewy texture to your sourdough bread. But you can also certainly use all-purpose flour. And if you want to make whole-wheat sourdough buns, you can substitute two cups of bread flour with whole-wheat flour.
- Salt – You can use coarse salt, but I prefer to use fine kosher salt to help the dough absorb it well.
- Sugar – This is a sweet bread, but you can reduce the sugar by half if you prefer. And you can also use honey or maple syrup.
- Butter – Makes the dough rich and buttery with a soft crumb.
- Eggs – Add a lot of flavor to the bread, give a tender crumb, and strengthen the texture. I’m using whole eggs, but you can also use more egg yolks for a richer flavor.
- Milk – Enhances the flavor and tenderizes the dough, giving it a soft texture.
- Levain – Levain is a larger amount of wild yeast that is made from a small quantity of sourdough starter.
Step-by-step: Easy sourdough burger buns
- Active Starter/Levain – In a medium bowl, combine the sourdough starter, water, and flour. Stir well to combine. Then cover and let it rise at room temperature for 3 to 5 hours, until doubled in size.
Pro tip – You can make the levain up to 5 days in advance and leave it in the fridge.
Dough
- Autolyze – In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add the milk, eggs, and sugar. Combine well. Then, add the flour and salt, followed by the starter. Stir well with a wooden spoon or spatula. Then, cover the bowl and leave it to rest for 60 minutes.
Pro tip – Autolyze will help strengthen the gluten formation in the dough. In the video, I combined the wet and dry ingredients separately, but you can also do it all together in a stand mixer.
- Knead – Next, knead the dough with a dough hook attachment on medium speed for 4 to 6 minutes. Then, add the soft room-temperature butter and knead for another 4 to 6 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
Pro tip – The dough will still be very soft yet smooth, shiny, and very elastic when you do the windowpane test.
- Bulk ferment – Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Leave the dough to rise in the refrigerator (38°F / 3°C) for 6 to 8 hours.
Pro tip – The dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours. The highly enriched dough will rise very slowly.
Shape
- Degas – When doubled in size, punch down and transfer to a clean work surface. Break any large air bubbles and shape the dough into a ball again.
Pro tip – At this point, if you are not ready to shape and bake the dough, you can put it back in the oiled bowl and let it rise again in the fridge for another 6 to 8 hours. - Divide – Transfer the dough to a clean work surface. Next, divide the dough into two portions, and then each portion into six equal pieces, to make a total of 12 buns, each about 120 grams.
Pro tip – You can also make 16 smaller buns of about 90 grams each.
- Shape each portion into a tight ball. To do this correctly, roll into a ball, tucking all the seams under tightly. Then, roll the ball on an unfloured surface. The unfloured surface creates the tension we need in the dough.
Pro tip – Do not over-roll these for too long, or you will rupture the smooth top skin. - Tray – Place the shaped buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving enough room for them to rise. Then, flatten each bun so that it bakes like a flat bun, rather than in a ball shape.
Pro tip – Flattening the buns makes a better base for the hamburgers. Also, they won’t topple so easily. - Proof – Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to proof. Then, let the buns rise for about 2 to 3 hours, or until they are almost doubled in size.
Pro tip – Spray the plastic wrap with oil to prevent it from sticking to the rolls. In summer, the dough may rise in 90 minutes, while in winter, it can take up to 3 hours.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) or Gas mark 5 for at least 20 minutes.
- Brush – Brush each bun with an egg wash. You can also sprinkle the buns with some sesame seeds or sugar pearls.
Pro tip – Egg wash is a full egg with 2 tbsp of water. An egg wash will give a nice golden color. If you can’t use egg, milk or cream will work just as well. However, do not use oil or butter, as it will create a crust. - Bake small buns for 15-20 minutes and larger buns for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Pro tip – When baked, the internal temperature of the hamburger buns should be about 195°F. Bread will have a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. - Keep them soft – As soon as you take the buns out of the oven, cover them with a clean kitchen cloth to keep them soft. You can also brush them with melted butter.
Pro tip – Do not leave the buns on the tray for too long; transfer them to a cooling rack. Otherwise, the steam will make the bread soggy on the bottom. Covering the buns with a cloth will help them retain moisture and prevent them from drying out.
Frequently asked questions
How long will these buns keep? How do I store sourdough hamburger buns?
Store the buns in a paper bag or bread box at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. For longer storage, freeze them as mentioned below.
Can I reduce the rise and proofing time?
The best sourdough bread is made using a slow fermentation that helps build a tangy flavor and chewy texture. But you can reduce the rise and proof time by leaving it on the counter rather than in the fridge.
Can I make sourdough hamburger buns without a sourdough starter?
While a sourdough starter is typically used to make sourdough bread, you can also use a commercial sourdough flavoring or starter culture to achieve a similar flavor profile.
Can I knead this dough by hand?
Absolutely, to knead the dough by hand, follow the classic method:
1. Autolyze – combine all ingredients except salt and leave on the counter for 60 minutes.
2. Then, add the salt and rest for 30 minutes.
3. Using wet hands, do three coil folds for 30 minutes.
4. Then, let the dough ball rise/retard – fridge for 6 to 8 hours (or counter for 3 hours).
5. Next, transfer the dough to a floured surface and shape the buns.
6. Proof for 3 hours or until they have doubled in volume.
7. Bake as directed in the recipe.
Can I use whole wheat flour to make sourdough hamburger buns?
Yes, you can substitute whole wheat flour for some or all of the all-purpose flour in the recipe. However, keep in mind that whole wheat flour may result in a denser bun. Adjust the hydration as needed.
Sourdough Hamburger Buns
This is a recipe for sourdough hamburger buns that are soft, flavorful, and easy to make. This enriched dough starts with a homemade sourdough starter and a mixture of flour, milk, eggs, and butter, making the most delicious sourdough buns for your burgers.
Video
Ingredients
Method
- Active starter/ Levain – In a medium bowl, combine the 50 g of sourdough starter, 50 grams of water, and 50 grams of flour. Stir well to combine. Cover and let it rise for 3 to 5 hours at room temperature, until it has doubled in size.
- Autolyze – In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add the milk, eggs, and sugar. Combine well. Add the flour and salt, followed by the starter. Stir well with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cover the bowl and leave to rest for 60 minutes.320 grams Whole milk, 150 g Egg, 30 g Sugar, 750 grams Bread flour, 16 grams Kosher salt, 150 grams Active sourdough starter
- Knead – Next, knead the dough with a dough hook attachment on medium speed for 4 to 6 minutes. Then, add the soft, room-temperature butter and knead for another 4 to 6 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.60 g Butter
- Bulk ferment – Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Leave the dough to rise in the refrigerator (38°F / 3°C) for 6 to 8 hours.
- Degas – When doubled in size, punch down and transfer to a clean work surface. Break any large air bubbles and shape the dough into a ball again.
- Divide – Transfer the dough to a clean work surface. Divide the dough into two portions, and then each portion into six equal pieces, to make a total of 12 buns, each about 120 grams.
- Shape each portion into a tight ball. To do this correctly, roll into a ball, tucking all the seams under tightly. Then, roll the ball on an unfloured surface. The unfloured surface creates the tension we need in the dough.
- Tray – Place the shaped buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving enough room for them to rise. Flatten each bun so it bakes like a flat bun, rather than a ball shape.
- Proof – Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to proof. Let the buns rise for about 2 to 3 hours, or until they are almost double in size.
- Preheat the oven – Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) or Gas mark 5 for at least 20 minutes.
- Brush – Brush each bun with an egg wash. You can also sprinkle the buns with some sesame seeds or sugar pearls.
- Bake – Small buns for 15-20 minutes and larger buns for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Keeping them soft – As soon as you remove the buns from the oven, cover them with a clean kitchen cloth to keep them soft. You can also brush them with melted butter.
Notes
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- To get the best outcome from bread recipes, it is best to weigh the ingredients rather than use cup measurements.
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- The timeline for bulk fermentation and proofing is quite large, 8 to 16 hours from counter to refrigerator. This means you can start the process 24 hours in advance without feeling overwhelmed.
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- That said, the timeline is a guide and can be adjusted to your convenience.
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- Also, use a kitchen scale when baking with sourdough, because that will give you an accurate measure.
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- This dough has 53% hydration and a 100% hydration starter. This means I use an equal amount of dough, water, and starter to make my levain.
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- The dough is not very loose, but it is quite stretchy. So, if you are new to sourdough, take your time and work slowly. In winter, it helps to work with chilled dough.
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- For the best rise, preheat your home oven for at least 20 minutes before baking.
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- Cool the buns on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before serving. This will prevent the bread from drying out.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
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These buns are so crisp on the outside and moist inside. Loved the recipe.
Sourdough is the best bread and these hamburger buns are perfect!
Perfect for summer! Thank you for all the step by step photos… getting my starter out now to feed can’t wait!
Such a great article and full of helpful tips and hints about sourdough! I’ll definitely give these rolls a go!
These turned out really great! The charts were helpful and great for quick references. I used a really good quality of butter which I think helps when baking. I need to make them again to keep perfecting my skills but these were great and this is a solid recipe!
Thank you so much Amanda for the lovely feedback. I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe.
I made dozens of burger buns, but this one is far more the greatest of all! Thanks!
Thank you, Natalie, for the lovely feedback. Happy you enjoyed these
Everyone loved the rolls and it was a big hit will make these again so good!
Thank you so much claudia. Happy you enjoyed these.
I love anything sourdough, but I have never had it as a burger bun before. I can’t wait to try it.
I’m not a great bread maker but this recipe looks easy to follow and is full of plenty of tips for people like me. Delcious buns for burgers too.
Your thorough instructions and lovely process photos make these buns seem doable – even for a sourdough novice like me. Excited to try these!!