Sourdough Hamburger Buns (Made with Discard) Recipe
Light and airy sourdough buns made with sourdough starter or discard that are ready in about 2½ hours with only 20 minutes of hands-on time.
How to Make the Best Sourdough Hamburger Buns (Made with Discard)
These sourdough hamburger buns are the perfect way to use up your sourdough discard while creating bakery-quality buns at home. Unlike traditional sourdough bread that requires long fermentation times, these buns use a combination of sourdough starter and instant yeast to give you that wonderful tangy flavor in a fraction of the time.
The secret to these light, airy buns is embracing the sticky dough. It may feel counterintuitive, but adding more flour will only result in dense, heavy buns. Trust the process—the stickier dough creates that pillowy, brioche-like texture that makes these buns so special. Whether you’re making burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, or just want fresh bread for breakfast, these versatile buns deliver.
With just 20 minutes of hands-on time and about 2½ hours from start to finish, you can have fresh, homemade hamburger buns that far surpass anything from the store. Top them with sesame seeds for a classic look, or try everything bagel seasoning for an extra flavor punch.
Sourdough Hamburger Buns (Made with Discard)
Light and airy sourdough buns made with sourdough starter or discard that are ready in about 2½ hours with only 20 minutes of hands-on time.
Ingredients
Dough
Topping
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Mix warm milk, unfed sourdough starter, oil, and egg in a large bowl or stand mixer.
- Mix in salt, sugar, instant yeast and flour.
- Combine with fork to form a ball and knead for 5-6 minutes with a wet hand or dough hook. The dough will be quite sticky—resist the temptation to add more flour, which will result in a heavy bun.
- Oil the dough in the bowl, cover, place in a warm spot (70-80°F) and let double, about 1 to 1½ hours.
Shape and Bake
- On a floured surface, gently divide into 6 pieces, form into balls and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Let rise again, 30-45 minutes, while you preheat oven to 375°F.
- Whisk together egg and water for the egg wash. Brush buns with egg wash, sprinkle with salt and seeds.
- Bake 20-22 minutes on the middle rack until perfectly puffed and golden!
Notes
- If using regular active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, dissolve it in the warm milk for 5 minutes before adding to the mixture.
- For extra tender buns, you can substitute half-and-half for the milk.
- The stretch and fold technique can be used instead of kneading—do 2-3 sets, 15 minutes apart.
