Soft Sourdough Hamburger Buns (Easy Recipe)

These soft sourdough hamburger buns have a pillowy texture, a slightly sweet flavor, and a bit of sourdough tang. 

When it comes to this classic dinner recipe, the bun makes the burger.  And this sourdough version is flavorful, incredibly soft, and out-of-this-world delicious. 

Jump to Recipe

Topped with sesame seeds or bagel seasoning, these hamburger buns taste almost like a soft pretzel.

Coupled with free-range hamburger and gooey cheese, this is a gourmet hamburger your whole family will love!

Cheeseburgers and homemade fries are a staple in our family.  I was tired of feeding my kids store-bought buns, so I decided to create a wholesome, long-fermented recipe.

If you love easy sourdough recipes, check out my sourdough bagels, sandwich bread, or cheddar biscuits. 

Why You’ll Love Them

• These soft sourdough buns require just a few ingredients you most likely have on hand.
• This recipe requires very little hands-on time, just mix up the dough and head straight into bulk fermentation.
• Sprinkled with sesame seeds or bagel seasoning, these sourdough buns have a gourmet flavor and are extra delicious.
• The long fermentation process helps to break down the gluten in these homemade buns, making them easier to digest. 

Baker’s Timeline

Here is the easy timeline I use for these sourdough burger buns.  I make them the night before we are planning to eat burgers:

2:00 pm: Mix dough, cover, and leave at room temperature to bulk ferment

10:00 pm: Transfer dough to refrigerator

8:00 am: Remove dough from the fridge, divide and shape hamburger buns. Cover and let rest for 2-4 hours.

11:00 am:  Bake.

Ingredients:

This easy sourdough recipe requires just a few simple ingredients:

• 420 grams (3.5 cups) all-purpose flour (bread flour will also work)
• 2 TBSP Honey
• 1.5 tsp Salt
• 57 grams (1/4 cup) melted butter 
• 100 grams (1/2 cup) Active sourdough starter: Feed your starter 4-8 hours prior to making this recipe. 
• 176 grams (3/4 cup) warm water 
• 2 eggs: 1 egg for the dough and one egg yolk for an egg wash on top of the buns
• Sesame  seeds or bagel seasoning (optional)

How To Make Soft Sourdough Buns

Using a kitchen scale, weigh the starter, water, melted butter, honey, and one egg into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk together with the whisk attachment. 

Add in the flour and salt and knead using the dough hook attachment on low speed for 8-10 minutes.  The dough will become smooth, slightly sticky, and elastic. 

Transfer the dough ball to a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel.  You can also remove the dough from the kitchen mixer bowl, lightly grease the bowl, and return it. 

First Rise: Let the dough rest in a warm spot for 6-8 hours or until doubled in size. Move the dough to the fridge and let it chill overnight for up to 12 hours. 

The next morning, dump the dough onto a clean work surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces with a bench scraper (or butter knife). I like to weigh the dough on the kitchen scale and then divide it into equal portions. 

Pre-line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Tuck the edges of each individual dough ball under and roll into a ball shape. Place the buns seam-side down on the pre-lined baking pan. Use the flat of your palm to flatten the top of the dough—this will help create the hamburger bun shape. 

Cover the buns with plastic wrap or a light, damp tea towel and let rest for the second rise for 2-4 hours or until visibly puffy.   The dough will almost double. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Whisk one egg yolk with one tablespoon of water to create the egg wash.   Lightly brush the egg yolk over the buns with a pastry brush and sprinkle with sesame seeds or bagel seasoning. 

Bake the sourdough buns for 25-28 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.  Let cool on the rack for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. 

Storage

These homemade sourdough buns will stay fresh for up to 3 days.  Store them in an airtight container or ziplock bag. 

To freeze, wrap each bun in plastic wrap and put them in a freezer-safe bag. When ready to eat, pop them in the toaster to enhance the texture and flavor. 

Tips

• These buns are delicious when sprinkled with bagel seasoning.  It’s like eating a pretzel cheeseburger!  You’ll have to try it. 
• Warmth is needed for these buns to rise properly. For best results, keep the temperature of your kitchen at 72 degrees F. 
• Conversely, warm weather will speed up fermentation.  Keep an eye on your dough in warm temps so it does not over ferment. 

I hope you enjoy these soft, fluffy sourdough buns!  Let me know in the comments if you tried and enjoyed them!