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The Best Soft and Chewy Sourdough Burger Buns

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A sourdough burger bun so satisfying you won’t ever go back to store-bought!

I’m really excited to share this recipe with you! I’ve been working on burger buns for years now and I think I’ve finally nailed it.

A collage of a burger and a stack of sliced buns with text overlay.

This bun is soft and chewy, making it perfect for holding lots of toppings. It won’t break or crack under the weight of a hefty, loaded burger like the dry store-bought buns do.

A burger made with sourdough buns.

Sourdough is classically stretchy and this bun recipe is no exception. And like all my sourdough, it is traditionally leavened during two long, slow ferments. Two long ferments means better digestibility, more unlocked nutrition, and great “real sourdough” flavor.

A close-up of sliced burger buns.

A close-up of a burger made with sourdough buns.

If You’re Like Me You’re Always Looking for a Place To Get a Really Good Burger.

But the truth is a really good burger starts at home with grass-fed meat from a sustainable farm, organic produce, and a real sourdough bun. So ditch the restaurant and make yourself the burger of your dreams!

Watch Me Shape and Bake This Recipe on YouTube

A close-up of stacked burger buns.

A stack of sliced buns with text overlay.

Soft and Chewy Sourdough Burger Buns

Soft and Chewy Sourdough Burger Buns

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Proofing: 12 hours
Total Time: 12 hours 50 minutes

Recipe yields 6 big buns (perfect for 1/3-pound burgers) or 8 medium-size buns (perfect for 1/4-pound burgers).

Instructions

Start the dough the night before

  1. In a stand mixer or a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, coconut sugar, starter, and water into a thick sticky dough. In a stand mixer, use a dough hook and knead the dough gently for 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Do this for four to six rounds, just until the dough is well developed. If mixing by hand, stir the ingredients together with a dough whisk until incorporated. Let the dough rest for several minutes. With lightly wet hands, stretch and fold the dough four to five turns every 5 minutes for four to six rounds until it's smooth and stretchy. It should be fairly sticky. Cover the dough and let the dough proof overnight at room temperature (65 to 70℉).

The next morning

  1. Deflate the dough by doing a round of stretch and fold in the bowl. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
  2. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
  3. Gently roll and pat the dough into a log. Cut the dough into six or eight equal portions. Working with one piece at a time, form nice tight balls of dough. Start by folding the top down to the center. Working clockwise with your right hand fold all the sides into the center and push them down firmly while turning the dough counterclockwise with your left hand.
  4. After eight or so turns, the dough should feel tight and rounded. Pinch the bottom of the bun and roll it gently in your hands to further shape it. Place the buns on a sheet of parchment paper atop a baking sheet to help you transfer the buns to a preheated baking stone once proofed.
  5. If baking on a baking sheet, proof the buns on parchment on the baking sheet — no need to preheat the baking sheet, in fact it might be wise to double the baking sheet to protect the bottoms from getting too dark.
  6. Once all the buns have been shaped, cover them and let them proof again for 3 to 6 hours (the proofing time will totally depend on the climate, activity of the starter, and so many other factors). You want the dough to rise to at least double if not triple its original size.
  7. Preheat your oven to 375°F. If using a baking stone preheat the oven with the baking stone inside.
  8. Mix the egg yolk and milk together in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the top of each bun with egg wash. Sprinkle the buns with sesame seeds.
  9. Slide the parchment with buns on top onto the preheated baking stone. Bake the buns for 30 minutes. Remove them from the oven and from the parchment paper to a wire rack to cool. Let them cool completely before pulling them apart if they are touching.
  10. Slice and top the soft and chewy buns with all your favorites! Enjoy your well-deserved burger!
A close-up of stacked burger buns.

Bridgette L

Monday 22nd of January 2024

These are delicious! Do you have any advice for shaping these into hot dog buns?

Bridgette L

Thursday 1st of February 2024

The link helps a lot. Thank you!

Bridgette L

Saturday 27th of January 2024

Thank you! I made them this morning. I definitely need to work on my shaping skills because they are the most crooked hot dog buns I have ever seen in my life 😂 but they are delicious and I will be making more!

Butter For All

Wednesday 24th of January 2024

Hi Bridgette!

So glad you like them! This dough makes great hotdog buns. Weight the dough to 75g portions and loosely pre-shape into round buns. Rest the dough until it's relaxed, then flatten it slightly into a rectangular shape. Then as if you were shaping a mini baguette, fold the top third down and press with your finger tips to seal. Bring the ends in slightly and roll the top two thirds down over the final third. Then place the buns seam side down on a parchment lined casserole dish. Put them close enough together that they touch completely when fully proofed. That will keep the sides soft and make the buns easy to open. Proof normally and lightly egg wash before baking. Let me know how it goes!

Happy baking!

Gary

Saturday 18th of November 2023

This is a great recipe, they came out perfect. I did make two slight changes due to what was in my pantry at the time. Instead of Coconut Sugar I used Maple Sugar and instead of Sesame Seeds had to use Everything Bagel Seasoning.

They proofed well and baked up soft and held up to the burger. I made two of them into hotdog buns as well.

Thank you so much, I've made many of your recipes and they have all come out perfect.

Butter For All

Tuesday 12th of December 2023

Gary,

I'm so happy that this recipe worked perfectly for you! Sounds like you have a pretty good handle on sourdough and are able to make those substitutions without fear. That's such a huge part of becoming a successful baker, so well done! I hope you stick around. I'm planning on publishing some new recipes soon! Happy baking to you :-)

Candace

Sunday 9th of July 2023

How do you get the tops and bottoms from being too crunchy? I figured the bottoms were because the cast iron was too hot and my gas stove runs a little hot. But this is the second time making them and the tops and bottoms were hard, not soft.

Butter For All

Monday 24th of July 2023

Hi Candace,

You can try an even lower temp like you initially suspected, and make sure you bake them in the lower part of your oven with a pan on the rack just under them. If they start to brown, put a sheet of parchment over the tops, that should really help!

Judy

Monday 24th of April 2023

These are absolutely amazing! I see a lot of comments about the dough being wet. These recipes will differ for most people as weather and many other things factor in. I've been in your shoes and have learned to add flour as needed while mixing. You will eventually get the hang of it. I did and I have a brain injury. Another mistake I made when learning how to make sourdough was not spending enough time doing the shaping and I'd end up with the flat, dense bread. Once I got both of those down, along with knowing when my starter is perfectly ready, I feel like a pro. Watch her video. It will help. Because of my disabilities, I couldn't shape the exact way she does, but I'm used to figuring out how to accomplish things and getting the same result. Hope this helps. Oh, and I used the Everything Bagel seasoning instead of sesame seeds. Oh my goodness! Yum!

Shirley

Tuesday 12th of March 2024

@Judy, I too am recovering from a brain injury (2+ years ago auto accident and I still have post concussion syndrome). I am finding my own ways too. I find great satisfaction in working with sourdough and the discard recipes. plus its great therapy! Carry on and well done— we stand united cuz the world can’t tell we are different; but we know: we are tough overcomers!

Butter For All

Tuesday 25th of April 2023

Judy!

You are spot on! I really appreciate you leaving such a thoughtful comment for the other bakers out there ❤️

Happy baking!

Jenée

Friday 21st of April 2023

This is my second time making these they are soooo good 😊 I appreciate your videos and clearly written instructions!

Butter For All

Tuesday 25th of April 2023

Hi Jenée,

That's great to hear! Thanks for leaving such nice feedback! :)

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