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sourdough burger bun with salmon burger on a white plate
Kyrie |

Sourdough Burger buns

These long-fermented sourdough burger buns have a slightly tangy flavor from the sourdough and a perfectly soft texture perfect for any type of burger. This sourdough recipe is made with no commercial yeast and relies only on natural yeast to rise the buns.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Fermenting time 12 hours
Total Time 13 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 buns
Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, dinner, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 300
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 420 grams bread flour I like King Arthur Organic bread flour.
  • 12 grams sea salt Celtic sea salt is great for this recipe but any sea salt will do.
  • 30 grams coconut sugar you can use regular sugar but this makes it a tad healthier.
  • 125 grams fed sourdough starter active and passes float test. You can learn how to make a sourdough starter here.
  • 295 grams filtered water make sure it's filtered or you risk killing your off yeasts. We use a Berkey warer filter to truly filter out all the contaminants in our water.
  • 1 egg yolk this is just for brushing the tops of the buns so the seasoning sticks.
  • 2 tsp milk we like to use raw milk, you could use any milk alternative. This is for the egg wash for the tops of the buns. Filtered water would even work.
  • 2 tsp everything bagel seasoning This is where you can get creative! See my ideas for topping burger buns below.

Equipment

  • Stand mixer not necessarily but makes this recipe so much easier.
  • Kitchen scale weigh your ingredients - trust me.
  • Dough scraper you'll thank me later. These bad boys make working with your dough a million times easier.

Method
 

  1. The night before you want burger buns: In a stand mixer, mix the flour, salt, coconut sugar, starter, and water into the dough (will be thick and sticky).
  2. Use a dough hook to 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. The dough should pass the windowpane test.
  3. Cover the dough and let it proof overnight at room temperature.
  4. The next day: Deflate the dough by doing a round of stretch and folds in the bowl then let it rest for 5 minutes.
  5. Gently turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
  6. Roll and pat the dough into a log. Cut the dough into eight equal balls.
  7. form tight balls of dough by folding the top down to the center. Working clockwise fold all the sides into the center and push them down firmly while turning the dough.
  8. After eight or so turns, the dough should feel tight and rounded.
  9. Pinch the bottom of the ball and roll it gently in the palm of your hand to shape it.
  10. Place the buns on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  11. Cover with a tea towel and let proof for 3-6 hours or until doubled or tripled in size.
  12. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  13. Mix the egg yolk and milk together in a small bowl. Using a brush, lightly coat the top of each bun with egg wash. Sprinkle the buns with everything seasoning.
  14. Bake the buns for 30 minutes.
  15. Remove them from the oven and from the parchment paper to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting.

Notes

how to store sourdough burger buns

Room temperature

Store your baked sourdough burger buns at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can store them in an airtight container, or wrapped in plastic or a tea towel.

freezer storage

Store your baked sourdough burger buns in the freezer for up to three months. You can toss them in a freezer bag, or air-tight container.

sourdough burger bun Tips

  1. Grams vs. Cups – For best results, you'll want to use grams vs. cups. Every sourdough starter, flour, etc. weigh something different. Weighing your ingredients give you the best results.
  2. Active sourdough starter - make sure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly and passes the float test (meaning if you put a dollop of starter in a glass of water the starter would float). This ensures you'll get a good rise out of your buns.
  3. Shaping - This dough may be sticky so be sure to flour your surface You may even want to oil your surface as well (just rub some coconut oil on the counter prior to dusting with flour).
  4. Non-reactive bowl - don't let the dough ferment overnight in a metal bow. This will kill your yeast.

what to serve on sourdough burger buns

  • Cheeseburgers - good old-fashioned cheeseburgers are delicious on these sourdough burger buns. These buns hold up very well so you can load up your burgers!
  • Salmon burgers - the pictures in this post show my salmon burger recipe from my Spring and Summer 2022 meal plan.
  • Breakfast sandwiches - Sounds weird, but I make egg patties with some peppers, onions and cheese and put those on the leftover buns from the night before and they're delicious!
  • Dinner rolls - Eating these buns as a dinner roll works great as well!

what to top burger buns with

Sesame seeds
Dehydrated onions
Everything bagel seasoning
Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
Zaatar middle eastern seasoning (similar to my Zaatar bagel recipe)
Minced garlic and herbs
Pumpkin seeds
Hemp and flax seeds