Guides
Soft sourdough burger buns
Light, pillowy, sesame-topped burger buns leavened with sourdough. Enriched with milk, butter and egg, with an overnight cold proof so they're ready when you fire up the grill.
Mix the enriched dough
Combine starter, flour, milk, egg, sugar and salt. Knead 8 to 10 minutes, then work in the soft butter until smooth and elastic.
Bulk ferment
Cover and rise warm 3 to 4 hours until puffed, then refrigerate overnight (or skip the fridge and proceed once doubled).
Divide and shape
Divide into 8 equal pieces (about 100 g each) and shape each into a tight, smooth ball. Place well apart on the lined sheet and flatten slightly.
Final proof
Cover and proof 2 to 3 hours at room temperature, until puffy and springy to a gentle poke.
Wash and top
Brush the tops with egg wash and scatter generously with sesame seeds.
Bake soft and golden
Bake at 190 C for 16 to 20 minutes until deep golden. Cool on a rack; for extra-soft buns, brush the warm tops with a little melted butter.
The bun that doesn't fall apart
A good burger bun is soft and light but sturdy enough to hold a juicy patty without turning to mush. Sourdough nails this: the enriched dough bakes up tender and pillowy, while the slow fermentation gives a structure that holds together. Milk, butter and egg make them rich; a glossy egg wash and a scatter of sesame finish them like the bakery version.
What you need
Makes 8 buns. Start the dough the day before for an overnight cold proof and morning shaping.
Notes and swaps
Brioche-style buns want a richer dough - bump the butter and add a second egg yolk. For pretzel buns, dip the shaped buns briefly in a baking-soda bath before the egg wash. The overnight cold proof is the same enriched-dough patience as our sandwich loaf and cinnamon rolls; a lively starter is essential, so feed it the day before. Logging the proof timing in Sourdough Tracker means the buns land fresh exactly at grill time.
FAQ
Frequently asked
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Written by
Julia Yukovich
Co-Founder + CEO
Julia is one of the Co-Founders. She handles design, development, product direction, and most of the support replies that arrive in the morning.
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