These Easy Homemade Hot Dog Buns are perfectly soft and delicious! The dough is super versatile and can be used to make hot dog buns, subs or hamburger buns. I have provided tips and explained the basics to help you get perfect results every time, with this hot dog bun recipe!
Step by step instructions to make soft, perfect Homemade Hot Dog Buns.
Updated: April 2018
A softer, more buttery and milky variation of this – the New England Hot Dog Buns recipe can be found right here.
There’s a saying that the noblest of all dogs is the hot dog, because it feeds the hand that bites it. It may also be the most popular dog in America this time of year. Although hot dogs were not on our menu this past fourth of July weekend, we enjoyed quite a few the week before, with these delicious, soft, easy Homemade Hot Dog Buns that I made. I think that being able to handle and bake dough that’s versatile enough to be hot dogs, subs or hamburger buns is a basic yet fantastic skill to have. That’s why I’m so excited to share this recipe with you guys!
So, to all my American readers, how was your fourth?
Store-bought vs homemade hot dog buns
It’s easy to find hot dog buns anywhere, but not all of them taste the same. Supermarket hot dog buns are generally,
- Too hard or dense
- Collapse and disappear in your mouth
- Have too many chemicals to increase shelf-life
- Have an artificial taste
I do love my bread buns to be soft, but no one wants buns that are so flimsy that they simply dissolve in your mouth?
After a particularly disappointing experience with magical, disappearing hot dog buns at a local chili dog establishment, I started making my own hot dog buns at home. And thanks to my husband’s killer chili, and good sausages, we’ve never been disappointed in chili dogs or hot dogs ever since!
Why these homemade hot dog buns are better than store-bought
These hot dog buns are soft, but not too soft that they just collapse after that first bite. And the best part is you can make the buns as big or as small as you like. Make them small enough for small hot dogs, or big enough for larger and thicker sausages.
This hot dog bun dough is so versatile. You can use it to make buns for subs, New England style hot dog buns, or even hamburger buns!
Homemade hot dog buns are also excellent because YOU made them! So you know exactly what went into the dough and you can be confident that there are no artificial ingredients or chemicals.
I’m going to show you how to shape these hot dog buns in TWO different ways.
The first is a cutting method – where the dough is shaped into a slab and then cut into hot dog buns.
The second is the shaping method – where you individually shape each hot dog bun into the desired shape.
But first, let’s talk about the bread dough.
Usually with dough, there are two proof cycles. This lets the yeast develop which adds air and flavor, and it also lets the gluten in the dough develop too. The dough in this homemade hot dog bun recipe does require an overnight rise. I have tried it with and without the overnight rise, and I have to say the overnight rise results in a better taste and also makes the dough easier to handle.
Another great advantage of this technique/recipe is that you can cover the dough and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake the bread. You can do this for up to 24 hours (I have kept it for up to 1 ½ days actually).
What is Gluten?
Gluten in flour is actually two molecules – Glutenin and Gliadin. These two together form the all important lattice structure of bread. Glutenin is sort of like a coil that can be stretched out and Gliadin binds to these to create the bonds. More kneading and more protein in the flour, result in a more “organized” gluten structure, which in turn results in the kind of chewy bread we all like.
Proofing also gives the bread dough extra flavor. Who doesn’t love more flavor? It’s because the yeast ferments and multiplies, introducing CO2 (which creates more air pockets) and alcohol (which leads to the beer-like flavor).
By the way, do you know what the process of letting the dough rise slowly in the fridge is called?
It’s called retarding the dough. I know, right?
A colder environment (usually a fridge for us home bakers) means a slower rise due to the slowing down of yeast activity (metabolism). I do this for doughnuts as well, because it really does make it tastier and easier to handle.
And even though the yeast activity slows down in the fridge, bacteria and enzymes keep working to break down proteins to develop more flavor in that colder environment. How neat is that? 😀
What are the TWO ways in which I can prepare these easy homemade hot dog buns?
The first method of shaping the dough is the cutting method.
After the overnight rise, the dough is rolled out to a slab. This slab is cut into 10 – 12 sections, and then each section is placed on the baking tray, proofed for the second time and baked. This method is easier and less time consuming. With this method, the hot dog buns will have rougher edges where they were cut.
This is because the buns need be placed close to each other while baking. This way the buns support each other to rise UPWARD while baking, rather than flattening out. This will also result in the hot dog buns having soft sides as well.
The second method of shaping the dough is to portion the dough, and then shape each portion individually.
For this, the dough that was proofed overnight, is turned out on to a floured working surface and flattened to let out excess air. Then the dough is weighed, and then divided into portions equally (by weight, to ensure all will be similar in size).
For this recipe, I like dividing it into 12 portions (for smaller hot dog buns), or 10 for medium sized hot dog buns, or 8 for large hot dog buns.
Each portion is then rolled out into a flat piece that’s about 5 – 6 inches long and 4 inches wide. The dough is then TIGHTLY rolled up, and the edges are tucked in and sealed, to form an evenly shaped cylinder that’s about 5 inches long and 1 inch wide.
This method is more time consuming but yields neater results.
Once the dough is shaped, what’s next?
The next step is to let them proof for the second time. You can let these hot dog buns rise with good spacing between each, in order to have smooth sides. OR you can let them rise in close proximity, so that the dough sticks together as they rise and bake. This way you end up with pull-apart hot dog buns. The other option is to use a New England hot dog bun pan, which will give you soft sides, with pull apart hot dog buns.
Can I freeze unbaked hot dog buns?
After rolling out and cutting/shaping the dough into hot dog buns or burger buns (following the first overnight rise), you can freeze them (on a lined pan). Then you can store these frozen dough rolls in plastic bags in the freezer until you’re ready to bake them. However, if you do this, the second proofing at room temperature will be longer because now the bread rolls will have to defrost first and then rise.
However, this is not my preferred way to freeze hot dog buns.
What is the best way to freeze hot dog buns?
Baked and cooled hot dog buns. You can easily bake them all the way through, until they are golden brown. Once they are at room temperature, freeze the hot dog buns, and store the frozen buns in air-tight containers.
When needed, simply let them thaw out and use as normal. For an even better tasting buns, split and toast them lightly in the oven.
Par-baking the hot dog buns. You can also bake the hot dog buns, but remove them from the oven about 5 – 10 minutes before they are completely baked (when the tops aren’t completely golden brown). These buns are then frozen and stored in air-tight containers. When needed, pop the frozen buns in the oven and bake them until golden brown.
In the end, you will have perfectly soft, delicious homemade hot dog buns or burger buns that you and your family will LOVE!
What substitutions can I make in this recipe?
I often get asked by my readers about substitutions. You can substitute certain ingredients in this recipe, but please note that it can obviously change the texture and/or taste of these buns.
Can I make these hot dog buns with bread flour?
Yes you can! However, bread flour contains more gluten, and the dough may require extra milk/water to get the same consistency.
Can I use whole-wheat flour to make these hot dog buns?
I have used 50% whole-wheat flour and had good results. They are not as soft as the hot dog buns made with 100% AP flour, but they are still delicious! I’ve also had a reader, who made these buns with half whole spelt and half white spelt flour and was really happy with the results (thank you Devorah!).
How about the other ingredients?
These hot dog buns contain eggs. Specifically 1 egg. The egg adds richness and makes the bread tender and soft. These hot dog buns also contain dairy – milk and butter. Both these ingredients also make the buns soft.
Can I make these hot dog buns vegan?
While the eggs and milk can be substituted, they will change the flavor and texture of the final product.
Milk substitutions – You can absolutely use a non-dairy milk (almond, soy, coconut milk) instead of regular milk. Or in a pinch, use water instead.
Butter substitutions – For dairy-free or vegan substitutions, just add a vegan butter or oil. You can use vegetable oil so that it doesn’t add flavor to the dough. OR you could be adventurous, and add some olive oil or a flavored oil instead.
Egg substitutions – You can add extra milk or water to compensate for the liquid that the egg adds to the dough. The extra liquid can be between 3 – 4 tbsp. You could use a flax egg instead as well, which would add a different flavor to the dough. I have not tried this, however.
I love how versatile these homemade hot dog buns are!
You can cut this dough into 8 portions for larger buns or hamburger buns, and into 10 – 12 portions for smaller hot dog buns. I prefer to shape the buns into 10 – 12 portions for hot dog buns, but have my burger buns be slightly larger.
This recipe always gives me ridiculously delicious and soft buns that are perfect for hot dogs, subs and hamburgers. These hot dog buns can also serve as a canvas for bigger, better and tastier creations like these curry chicken meatball sandwiches! 🙂
Do you prefer New England hot dog buns instead?
You can make New England hot dog buns with this same recipe, OR you can use THIS recipe right here for hot dog buns that are more buttery, and with an extra milky flavor!
Other recipes you may like,
The softest, Japanese Milk Bread loaf / rolls
EQUIPMENT & TOOLS I USED FOR THIS RECIPE
Stand Mixer – A stand mixer will make the process of kneading much faster. You could knead the dough by hand but this will take a longer time, and can be tiring.
Small rolling pin – This is to roll out the dough portions to help shape the buns. Rather than using large rolling pins, I prefer to use smaller fondant rolling pins for small jobs like this.
Pastry brush – to brush the tops of the buns to get that shiny crust!
Half Sheet pan – to bake the the hot dog buns
Cooling rack – To help cool down the buns to avoid soggy bottoms
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Easy Homemade Hot Dog Buns (or Burger Buns)
There is an overnight rise time in this recipe.EASY - This is an easy recipe, but there are a few techniques that require patience - especially with shaping the dough.
US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Common Measurement Conversions
Ingredients:
- 17.6 oz all purpose flour 4 US cups, measured by spoon and level method (please see notes).
- ½ cup warm milk
- ½ cup warm water plus an extra ¼ cup if needed.
- 2 tsp dry active yeast
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp softened butter / oil
- Extra oil to lightly oil the bowl
- 1 egg for the egg wash
Instructions:
- In a mixing bowl (of your stand mixer), combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt.
- In another small bowl, whisk together the water, milk and egg.
- With the paddle attachment in your stand mixer or a dough whisk, mix the dry ingredients and add the water-milk-egg mixture and mix to combine.
- Switch to the dough hook of your stand mixer, and knead the dough to bring it together. Add up to ¼ cup water, if the dough is too dry (the dough needs to be fairly wet and sticky). Knead for about 5 minutes, until you have a smooth ball of dough.
- Add the oil or butter and knead for a further 5-10 minutes (I knead it for about 8 minutes), until the dough is shiny, smooth and tacky to the touch.
- Lightly oil a big bowl and place the dough in it. Make sure the dough is lightly oiled on the surface as well.
- For best results, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight (8 hours) or for up to 24 hours. Alternatively, if you want to bake it on the same day, you can cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1 hour in a warm place, until it has doubled in size.
- On the day you bake the bread rolls - turn the chilled dough out on to a lightly floured surface and lightly dust the surface of the dough as well. If the dough wasn't chilled, you may need extra flour on your hands and on your work surface to prevent the dough from sticking.
FOR THE CUTTING METHOD FOR HOT DOG BUNS
- Roll out the dough into a rectangle that's about 16 inches in length and 4-5 inches in width. Cut the dough into 10 sections and place them on a parchment paper lined baking tray, with about 1.5 inches of space between each.
FOR THE SHAPING METHOD FOR HOT DOG BUNS
- Cut the dough into 12 (or 10) equal sections. I usually weigh the bread dough so that I know how much each section should weigh.
- Knead each portion for just a few seconds to form a smooth ball. Roll out each portion into a flattened piece of dough that's about 5 inches long and 4 inches wide. Then TIGHTLY roll up the dough to form a cylinder. Tuck in the sides/edges and pinch these edges and seams to seal. Place each portion on a parchment paper lined baking tray, about 2 inches apart.
FOR BURGER BUNS
- Cut the dough into 8 sections (for larger buns) or 10 sections (for smaller buns) and roll these portions in your hands to form smooth balls. Place them on the parchment paper lined baking tray, about 3 inches apart.
Preparing the dough for the second proofing
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise for 45 min in a warm place, until it has just about doubled in size. In winter, this can take a little longer than 45 min, and on very hot summer days, it can take less than 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F about 30 minutes prior to baking.
- Brush the hot dog rolls with the egg wash (lightly beaten egg) and bake in the preheated oven until they are golden brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped, which should take about 15-20 mins. (Optional - sprinkle sesame seeds or poppy seeds on the egg wash brushed dough before baking). SEE NOTES FOR FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS.
- Remove from the oven and let the buns cool down enough to be handled comfortably. Best eaten on the same day. Will keep longer in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Linda says
This recipe is the bomb.
Wayne C says
My dough is too dry even with the 1/4 water added. The recipe as is has a hydration ratio of 48%. I had to add a lot more water to make it moist enough. Otherwise, it turn out good. Am I missing something?
Dini says
Hi Wayne,
The total hydration is actually about 57% in this recipe (including the 75% hydration from the egg, and 20% hydration from butter). But with the extra 1/4 cup of water, the hydration goes up to about 69%. The recipe as written forms a soft, tacky, smooth dough (stickier with the extra 1/4 c water).
If you used cup measurements for the flour, then there is a chance that maybe more flour than intended was added, which could result in a drier dough.
I hope that helps!
Tim Martin says
Made hot dog buns today, and this is a fantastic recipe!
Thanks for sharing.
Diane Near says
this is a much needed recipe. You
all know what store bought hot dog buns taste like. Well, these hot dog buns are the answer to a great
HOT DOG… A real winner.
Sharon - Blackpool U.K. says
Thank you so much for this.
First time making.
I made 6 hot dog buns and 4 burger buns.
I’ve made bread before but never buns, they’ve not long come out of the oven and look amazing.
Never proved bread overnight in fridge before ,that’s a really good tip and seems to have worked excellently.
I used the method of rolling hot dog buns tight, then pinched in. Shape of them is very good.
Beautifully soft and tasty.
Thank you for the metric conversion ,really helpful.
Katherine says
Just made them – totally awesome! I’m a very experienced baker & have been underwhelmed by other bun recipes. I also made these vegan – used oat milk for reg milk & sunflower oil for butter. I also added 80 grams of my sour dough starter, because it always adds flavor. I did same day method, but can imagine they’d be even better after a refrigerator rest. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Christine Murphy says
what did you use for egg? I have no yeast so plan on subbing the water and some of the lour for sourdough starter. My kids don’t like the taste of flax eggs for some reason.
Shirley D says
I don’t have active dry yeast but I do have instant yeast. How much should I use of the instant yeast?
Dini says
Hi Shirley
I’m not sure unfortunately. Some sources have said that you can replace instant yeast as a 1:1 replacement, while some have recommended reducing instant yeast by 25% of the weight. I have had readers who have used instant yeast and have had good results though.
It is important to keep an eye on the dough during the proofing stages because instant yeast is more active and will proof the dough faster.
I hope that helps!
Rose says
The first time I made this recipe I was blown away by how light and delicious the buns turned out. My family has requested I make this on a regular basis, it’s that good! I have tried both the hot dog buns and burgers and they are both amazing. Thank you so much for your recipe!
Meags says
I’ve made these twice now and I just had to come back and thank you for this recipe. My husband says they are the best hot dog buns he’s ever had. I use a New England Hot Dog Roll pan, and I make them lactose-free by using kefir instead of milk, and ghee instead of butter to grease the pan. Just a fabulous recipe. Thanks again!
Dini says
Hi Meags, thank you so much for letting me know! I’m so happy you and your husband enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Jan says
This is a great recipe! I made hot dog buns yesterday. They turned out big but had great flavor! I made hamburger buns today. They look great! I did have to the hot dog buns longer. I upped the oven temp to 375 and still had to cook hamburger buns longer. They look terrific!
Jilly B says
Great recipe! Thanks for the metric conversions, really helped. Should have read the comment about dropping temp for fan oven but it doesn’t seemed to have harmed my buns never buying store bought buns again!
Danny S says
I have my dough proofing overnight! First time making bread of any sort so fingers crossed!!! I have a question about the oven temp…
You state 180c oven temp, I’m assuming this is for a conventional NON fan oven? Would you recommend dropping the temp for fan to 165c?
Thanks for the recipe and info before it
Dini says
Hi Danny
Yes! This is for a conventional oven. For a fan oven or convection oven is it recommended to drop the temperature about 25f or 15c, so 165c would be accurate. I would also check on the hot dog buns a little earlier to make sure it doesn’t over bake.
I hope that helps!
Jen R says
Amazing! I appreciate that you put the weighed amount for the flour, so helpful. The buns were soft and fluffy but held their shape. Definitely sticking to this recipe!
KH - NORTH WALES says
Great recipe. Being in the UK, I struggle with the cup measurements, so it’s great that you have it in metric too. I used my dough to make 5 hot dog and 5 burger buns. Lovely and soft, not too sweet. Had parents over for BBQ and they really enjoyed them. Will make again.
Jutta Marka says
This is the absolute best recipe for white bread i.e. hot dog buns ever. I subbed the dry milk, which I didn’t have with dry coconut milk and also added extra liquid to the dough. Thank you for this excellent recipe.
Wendy rose says
Even my husband agreed that these are even better than store bought rolls!
Sandra says
Hello Dini and thank you for this post.
I would like to try this recipe but I have no mixer. How long do I need to knead this particular dough?
Dini says
Hi Sandra
Usually, if you knead it by hand, it should take twice as long. But I recommend judging it by how the dough looks and feels rather than time.
I also recommend not using too much flour to the work surface because the more flour that’s added to the dough the less soft and fluffy the buns will be.
Hope that helps!
CT says
I don’t need to proof the dry active yeast beforehand? Want to try this but wondering about the yeast. Thanks!
Dini says
Hi CT
If I know my yeast is fresh, and the granules are fine, then I don’t always activate it first. However if you’re not sure if the yeast is fresh/active or if the active dry yeast has larger granules, then I recommend activating them in some of the liquid (milk or water) from the recipe first.
Bambi says
I’ve used this recipe a few times and each time it’s turned out great.
Last week I made the dough the day before and felt lazt so thought I would bake it as a loaf of bread and I had to write to say it turned out absolutely amazing and went down a treat with the family. I have made 3 more since, and one in the fridge ready for tomorrow. I just altered the cooking time to about 30/40 mins.
Dave says
The flavor was great. However the buns were somewhat dense and not light and fluffy. Is that how it should be? Thanks
Dini says
Hi Dave!
Not at all. These are incredibly light and fluffy 🙂
Usually the buns come out dense if too much flour was used for the dough. This can happen if cup measurements are used (cup measurements can add too much flour if not measured properly). It can also happen if additional flour is added during the kneading process to make the dough “less sticky”, when the dough is SUPPOSED to be sticky – and as the gluten develops, it becomes less sticky.
This can also happen if the yeast wasn’t active, or if the dough was overproofed and it collapsed during the baking process.
I hope that helps!
Dave says
I did add some flour during the kneading process. My bad. I also left it in the fridge for 24 hours. Is that too long. Thanks
Dave says
I also didn’t use the spoon and levers method. Strike 2.
Mia says
I’m confused by the part of the recipe that says “1/2 cup warm water with an extra 1/4 warm water”
Am I supposed to put in the 1/2 cup warm milk with 3/4 cup warm water at the same time as the egg? Am I reading this wrong?
Thanks!
Mia says
Disregard my question. I figured it out. I didn’t need the extra water and my dough looks beautiful!
Dini says
24 hours is not too long at all. The longest I have left my dough in the fridge is 36 hours and it still came out great. The cold proofing helps with flavor development, so the longer you keep it there the more flavor develops.
And yes, the scooping flour from the bag/container will pack more flour into the cup. So you will end up with more flour than stated in the recipe. This can result in a dry dough.
Just as an example, if you spoon and level, 1 cup of flour can be between 120 – 125 g. If you scoop the flour out, then it can be 150 g (or even more).
I hope that helps! 🙂
Mickey Maringa says
I love this recipe, I got it right the first time! I am not going to buy store buns again! Thank you
Dini says
Thank you Mickey, I’m so glad you liked the recipe! 🙂
Rachel says
I tried these twice in two days and they totally flopped. They aren’t browning in the oven at all and they are just a dense mess.
Dini says
Hi Rachel!
Could I know what kind of yeast you used to make the hot dog buns? Did the bread proof during the proofing stages? Has your oven been calibrated?
There shouldn’t be any reason why the dough isn’t browning in the oven unless the oven isn’t heating up properly. If this is the case, then the bread dough isn’t rising properly as it bakes, and is not hot enough to brown the dough on top and will result in bread that is dense and white/yellow on top.
Rachel says
I used a new jar of yeast. I know it’s good yeast cause I’ve made several things with it already and they worked. I hadn’t thought about the oven temp. I recently moved in and doubt it’s been calibrated any time recently. I’ll check it. Thank you
Irene says
I think the issue may be that there is a typo. It says 17.6 oz of flour which is 2 cups and not 4 cups if my calculation is correct?
Dini says
Hi Irene, that is not a typo. 17.6 oz is indeed 4 cups of flour, because 1 US cup flour is = 4.4 oz in weight. You can check my measurement conversions page for more information.
Corinne says
I was so disappointed mine just turned out rock solid hard 🙁 anyways will try again I love trying new things
Dini says
Hi Corinne
This can happen if you add too much flour into the dough, or if your yeast wasn’t working. It can also happen if you overproofed the dough and it collapsed after baking.
Was the dough sticky and tacky to work with? Did you use cup measurements or weight measurements? Sometimes it is possible to add quite a bit more flour than intended if cup measurements were used. It’s important to keep a high hydration dough (tacky dough), to keep the rolls soft.
Jean says
I also added to much flour…so I looked and found that I could add water after the dough had set all night they turned out wonderful. Thanks for the recipe
Sue Morgan says
I made this today, these were amazing! There’s only 2 of us. Next time I’ll make some hot dog buns, some hamburger buns and some dinner rolls all from the same batch.
Anna Watson-Smith says
Tried these today and they were the best hotdog rolls we’ve ever had, will use for burger buns next time, thanks!
Mark T says
Awesome recipe – I had hotdogs but no buns, so looked up and made this recipe. The buns were delicious and I have enough left over to freeze.
Sean says
Hi Dini,
Just tried this recipe your instructions were amazing!
Just wondering what could have caused my buns to be super dense almost like a pretzel. They are very heavy.
Thank you again for the recipe
Dini says
Hi Sean!
Thank you! 🙂
The bread can be too dense if too much flour was added (the dough is supposed to be a little tacky and soft). It can also happen if the gluten development wasn’t great or if the bread wasn’t proofed enough. It can also happen if the yeast wasn’t active (and therefore the bread didn’t proof).
Can I ask if you used cup measurements or did you weigh the ingredients?
Sean says
I used cup measurements but I think my issue was that the yeast wasn’t active.
Does is matter they brand of flour we use I have been reading that different brands of AP flour have different levels of protein, not sure if I should go with a flour that has a higher or lower count.
Thank you!
Karen says
I can’t find dry active yeast. What would I need to do to use instant yeast for this recipe?
Dini says
Hi Karen
I haven’t used instant yeast with this recipe, however another reader mentioned that she used instant yeast and they came out well.
Instant yeast is more active than active dry yeast, so the proofing times will be shorter.
I hope that helps!
Jessica says
These turned out great. They are firm enough for a heavy polish dogs, but also light and well flavored. Excited about this recipe, saving it for sure!
wanita curtis says
I really want to make this for our barbacues this summer !! They would be real good for just about anything you have to stuff in them !!
Gil says
I’ve been baking bread for most of my life and always kind of failed at making rolls. I read through your post and made 50% whole wheat hot dog rolls for our daughters sixth birthday. She enjoyed them more than the generic white store buns. Anyone who knows a kid knows this says something. The key note I picked up on was that the dough should be fairly high hydration.
Sandie Smith says
I made the dough on Monday,good overnight rise ,rolled out well ,shaped well but were not soft after baking…
Dini says
Hi Sandie
Was the dough a soft, sticky, smooth dough after you kneaded it?
Usually the hot dogs are hard if too much flour was added (or not enough hydration) and sometimes if the gluten wasn’t developed enough. It can also happen if the yeast wasn’t fresh, but if the second rise (after shaping the buns) happened well too, the yeast wouldn’t be the problem.
JSV says
These small delicious! However, one concern. While I am jot an expert baker—I’m pretty practiced. Every step of this dough went according to plan…I proof led over night the dough was beautiful today, had a good amount of spring back when I rolled out, lovely second rise. All good…
Until I brushed on the egg wash while I preheated the over. Buns seems to “deflate” a bit. Was hoping they would puff up some shoring baking and they did—but still a little flat.
Any suggestions?
We will eat these anyway—again, they smell wonderful. But want to make this right
Dini says
Hi Jsv!
If the buns deflate while they are being brushed with eggs, that means they were proofed for too long during the second proofing.
I recommend proofing for a shorter time next time. The time varies according to the environment (cold – longer proofing; hot – shorter proofing). The way you can tell if you have proofed the dough sufficiently is to do the “finger test”.
If you gently press the dough with your finger, and it springs back up completely, then it’s under-proofed.
If you gently press the dough with your finger, and it springs back up a little leaving an indentation, then it’s ready to be baked.
If you gently press the dough with your finger, and the dough deflates, then it’s over-proofed. This is what happened in your case. If this happens, you have to re-knead the dough a little and re-shape it and let it proof again.
This test is a great way to tell if any bread dough is proofed properly before baking. 🙂 It’s a good test to use for loaves, buns, rolls and even more advance dough like croissants.
I hope this helps and your next batch comes out better! 🙂
Marisa thompson says
Followed recipe to a t, chilled in fridge over night. Cut and then left to rise in a warm place and they hardly rose at all. Next time I won’t refrigerate over night. Bit of a disaster when flour and yeast are in short supply and you can’t buy bread rolls. Oh well try again.
Dini says
Hi Marisa!
I’m sorry that the recipe didn’t work for you. However, storing dough in the fridge is a well known technique in making bread.
If the dough didn’t proof, it’s more likely that the yeast wasn’t active, or it wasn’t proofed long enough. If you are using the yeast again, I recommend activating the yeast (if it’s active dry yeast) to make sure that it is still active before using it.
I hope that helps!
Mary POLAK says
I made these for the first time yesturday with great success. I used a 50/50 of WW and AP flour, overnight rise and proofed in a closed oven with the oven light on. If anything i was concerned they would over proof.
Katy B. says
This recipe is great!
Laura says
Ok, New-ish to making bread products, followed the recipe exactly, buns ended up more like dense breadsticks. I had done the overnight rise, then they seemed to rise right for the second proof too but then deflated when i baked. Any ideas where I went wrong?
Dini says
Hi Laura
Usually bread will deflate after baking if gluten development was poor. The structure of the bread is unable to hold in the air and deflates as it cools down. It can also happen if you over proof the dough, because too much air has been incorporated into the dough and it deflates as it cools down, but this option usually still results in soft bread that is just wrinkly.
I recommend kneading the dough until the it comes off the sides of the bowl when being mixed. It should be tacky but not stick to your fingers, and smooth and shiny as well.
I hope that helps!
Komal George says
I had exactly the same experience, looking at your reply Dini, I suspect that I hadn’t added enough water to leave it a little tacky when I was making the dough and also when I kneaded it. My dough didn’t stick to my hands at all, sounds like the dough has to remain a little wet in order to produce a tacky enough dough.
Dini says
Hi Komal!
You are right! This dough is pretty tacky. If you are kneading it by hand, then it will be sticking to your hand at the beginning, and will transform into a tacky smooth dough. It’s tacky, in that it will want to stick to you fingers, but you can still cleanly pull your fingers off the dough too.
The high hydration is what keeps these hot dog buns soft 🙂
I hope that helps!
Sylvain Perrier says
15 000 words to make some buns? Please shorten it down to one page.
Dini says
Hi Sylvain!
Thank you for the message! 🙂 For those who are very familiar with the process of making buns, there’s a jump to recipe button right at the top so they can skip the detailed information (2600 words) in the post.
The information here is catered towards beginners, and those who like to learn more about the process. I hope that helps! 🙂
Kathleen says
Dini, we’re making this recipe for the first time. I’m weighing the flour (usually I measure in cups). 17.6oz was only just over 3 cups. Is this okay? A chart I’m finding online shows 4US cups as 20.46oz.
Dini says
Hi Kathleen
The flour weight to cup conversion is based on the spoon and level method. This method gives the most consistent results.
However if you SCOOP and level the measuring cup in the flour, then you will be adding more flour into the cup, because it gets packed in. How much flour is packed into the cup will depend on the force you use to scoop the flour out of the jar / box / packet. That’s why my measurement conversions are based on the spoon and level method for flour as there is much less room for error. You can read my measurements conversion page here for more information.
That being said, weight is the most accurate and if you go by weight, then you should be fine! And for this recipe, it is 17.6 oz AP flour. 🙂
I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Ash BW says
Imagine complaining about free resources that someone was kind enough to research, develop, and present for you. Incredible.
Thank you for the post, I had great success with it!
Kate says
These were delicious & so easy to make. I will be making these again & am going to freeze a bunch for use this summer. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Kara says
Sorry new to baking buns.. so I don’t need to put the yeast in water first?
Dini says
Hi Kara!
If you know you have active yeast (less than 3 months old) then you should be able to just mix it in. However, if you are not sure that your yeast is fresh/active, then I recommend activating it first.
I hope that helps!
Kelly Fife says
Hi!!! I need hotdog buns and the stores all out! Figured I’d give this a shot. My mixer doesn’t have a hook for kneading though. Can I use a bread machine to knead and give it its first rise? If so, should o put it into the fridge overnight still, or move onto cutting it into hotdog shapes. Thanks so much in advance! These look divine!
Dini says
Hi Kelly!
You should be able to use a bread machine to knead the dough together. You can also let the dough rise as well.
Even if you use a mixer, you can skip the overnight proof, if you proof the dough at room temperature. However the reason why I prefer the overnight proof is to make it easier to handle the dough, as it is really soft when at room temperature.
You can absolutely go ahead and cut and shape the dough into hot dog buns after the first proof, but just be aware that the dough may be really soft and a little sticky. Use lightly floured hands and surfaces to keep the dough from sticking.
I hope that helps!
Sue Morgan says
I made the dough in the breadmaker, it turned out perfectly.
Kathleen Shaw says
I made this twice in the last week. My boys love the flavor and consistency! Very easy to follow instructions.
Aleta says
Made these last night because I forgot to buy hot dog buns ♀️ The dough was a bit difficult to work with, with having to add extra water and then the butter, but holy moly were they delicious! I’m not a bun person at all but I had to try one and then I had to have a second one! Been sharing this recipe with everyone I know because these buns are just so delicious! I rolled them all separately the way to explain to roll the dough up tight to make a cylinder and wow, they turned out so soft and flaky. Thanks so much!
Nicole C says
Thank you. These were great. I think I will double and use this recipe for my sandwich rolls from now on. I didn’t do the egg wash because I don’t like wasting an egg but otherwise I followed the instructions as written, using avocado oil and shaping each bun individually. Serving hot dogs to my kids never leaves me feeling like the mom of the year but making homemade buns helped. 😉
Nicole Chavez says
P.S. I didn’t refrigerate the dough overnight. I mixed it then did the first rise, shaped it then did the second. Then baked immediately. I used instant yeast.
John Doe says
If you liked it without an overnight rest, you’ll love it with one! Allowing a retarded fermentation brings out a ton of flavor and has the benefit of making the dough easier to work with. Believe me, I know it’s a pain to have to plan ahead for bread and rolls, but it really is worth it!
Dini says
Thank you so much for letting me know Nicole, I’m so glad they came out well and your kids enjoyed them! 🙂
Barbara says
I forgot to rate these.