Are you a hot dog lover? Do you enjoy baking bread? I love making and eating hot dogs that have homemade hot dog buns. They are incredibly light, fluffy, and super yummy.
Maybe you don’t want to eat hot dogs? This recipe can also be used to make homemade hamburger buns if you like. Or you can make a combination of the two and make everyone in the family happy. They are really easy to make, if I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get baking!
Step 1: Gather the tools and the ingredients
In order to make these homemade hot dog buns you just need a handful of everyday ingredients. Chances are you already have them in your pantry. You will need the following:
- Water – I always use filtered water when cookie and baking, because my tap water tastes terrible.
- Sugar – Sugar will be used for the yeast as well as to flavor the buns.
- Active dry yeast – You can use rapid rise or instant yeast as well.
- Oil – I generally use olive oil for these but vegetable or canola oil will work too. The fat in the oil helps to make the buns more tender.
- Egg – The egg will aid in the rising of the dough as well as aid in creating a lighter softer texture.
- Flour – Bread flour works really well with this recipe but you can use all-purpose/plain flour as well.
- Salt – The salt will balance out the flavor and enhance the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Butter – Butter will be used to baste on top of the buns.
Tools
- Bowl
- Plastic wrap or cloth
- Sheet pan or cooking sheet
- Parchment paper or silicone mat
- Basting brush
- Dough cutter or knife
Step 2: How to Make Homemade Hot Dog Buns
Begin by prepping the yeast. In a medium bowl combine the hot water (105 to 115F/40 to 44 C) and about 1 tsp. (5g) of the sugar. Then add the yeast. Mix them a bit with a fork and then allow the mixture to sit undisturbed for 5 to 10 minutes until it gets nice and foamy/frothy. If after 10 minutes you don’t have any foam or froth, start all over, the yeast may be old or bad or the water was too hot or not hot enough.
Step 3: Add in oil, sugar, and egg
Once the yeast has been activated add in the oil, rest of the sugar, and whisk the egg and pour that in. Whisk all those ingredients together well. If these turn out a little too sweet once you make them the first time, you can reduce the sugar by half.
Step 4: Finish making the hot dog buns dough
Now in a separate bowl combine the flour with salt. Next add a cup of the flour to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Use a wooden spoon or a stand mixer to do this. Once that cup of flour has been incorporated do another cup, etc. Until the dough forms. You will have somewhere between 1/4th of a cup of flour and 1/2 cup of a flour left over. Pour that out onto the counter to add in while you knead the dough.
Step 5: Knead that homemade hot dog bun dough
Place the dough on a floured surface. Then knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes. Add extra flour when it gets too sticky. To knead the dough place your hands on the dough and press down and out stretching the dough. Then fold it over onto itself and turn it one quarter of a turn. Repeat. Keep dough that.
If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook you can use that too if you like. Once the dough has been kneaded take a large bowl and spray the inside with kitchen spray or use a little bit of oil. Place the dough in it and cover it with a damp cloth and allow it to rise for an hour until it doubles in size.
Step 6: Shape and cut the dough
Next punch down the homemade hot dog buns dough and place it on the floured surface. Divide the dough into equal pieces. You should be able to get 16 standard size hot dog buns or 10 to 12 really large buns. If you want to be really precise use a scale to weigh the total amount of dough first then divide it in equal parts by weight.
Shape the dough pieces into balls first and then roll them out into long hot dog shapes. Another method is to roll them flat and then fold in the dough into thirds. Flipping the dough over and placing it seam side down. Shape the dough however you like. Once done place the dough on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Baste the tops of the buns with melted butter. Then cover them loosely with plastic wrap and then a damp towel over the plastic wrap. Allow them to rise another 30 minutes.
Step 7: Bake and cool
Once the hot dog buns have risen, preheat the oven to 375 F/190 C. Bake them for 20 to 25 minutes until they are nice and golden brown. After you remove them from the oven baste them again with melted butter on the top. Allow them to cool a bit before slicing them and serving. Enjoy!
Can I freeze homemade hot dog buns?
Yes you can freeze the homemade hot dog buns. Place them in a plastic bag and deflate as much air out as possible, then tie it with a twisty tie. Place them in the freezer where they will last up to 3 months.
Can I use this recipe for homemade hamburger buns?
Yes you can use this same exact recipe for homemade hamburger buns.
Homemade Hot Dog Buns
Equipment
- Bowl
- Plastic wrap or cloth
- Sheet pan or cooking sheet
- parchment paper or a silicone mat
- Basting brush
Ingredients
- 1 1/8 cups of water I use filtered (267mL)
- 1 Tbsp. active dry yeast 8g
- 1/3 cup oil olive, vegetable, etc. (71g)
- 3 Tbsp. of white granulated sugar 38g
- 1 large egg
- 3 to 3 1/3 cups of bread flour or all-purpose/plain flour (360 to 400g)
- 1 tsp. salt 4g
- Butter for basting
Instructions
- First, get the yeast started. Add the hot water (105 to 115F) to a large bowl. Next, add a pinch of the sugar to the water. Now add in the active dry yeast. Agitate the yeast in the water a little bit and then let it sit until it gets foamy (5 to 10 mins).
- Now add in the oil and sugar. Beat an egg in a separate bowl and then add that in as well. Combine all those ingredients together well with a whisk.
- Whisk together the flour and the salt then add in a cup at a time to the large bowl of other ingredients. Use a wooden spoon or dough hook on a stand mixer from this point on. Continue stirring or mixing and adding the flour until a nice dough forms. You will have some flour left over.
- Knead the dough by hand or with a stand mixer for 8 to 10 minutes add the extra flour as necessary.
- Cover the dough with a damp towel and or plastic wrap and let it rise for 1 hour or until doubled.
- After the dough has risen, punch down the dough and cut it into 16 equal pieces or if you want them larger into 12 equal pieces. Roll them out into hot dog bun shapes or hamburger bun shapes. Place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Baste the tops of the homemade hot dog buns with butter and then cover them loosely with plastic wrap and a damp towel. Let them rise for about 30 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and towel.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F/176 C. Then bake the hot dog buns for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown on top. Again baste them with butter and then allow them to cool before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutritional facts based on the smaller sized hot dog bun. Nutrition
Do you like this recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it. If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.
Here are a few more recipes you may like:
Two words,super delicious !!
Glad you like it!! 🙂
Matt, I made this recipe the other day and have to tell you they were the BEST buns I’ve ever made and probably the tastiest ones I’ve ever eaten! I divided the dough into thirds to make hot dog buns, burger buns, and a few sub buns (which I HIGHLY recommend, the turkey subs I made were so good!!) I followed your recipe exactly using bread flour and cutting the sugar in half because I knew I wanted less sweet rolls and you really knocked it out of the park with this recipe, Matt. I cook and bake a lot and this is the first time I have just had to review and rave about a recipe.
Thank you so much, Dee!! I am so happy you gave it a try and liked it. I really appreciate the kind words and review as well. 🙂 🙂
I hate store bought bread products. This was simple and easy and delicious.
Glad you like it! 🙂 Yeah, homemade is the best!
Wow, Matt! Never buying hot dog OR hamburger buns again!!!! Didn’t have enough AP flour so added some whole wheat in and the results were amazing! Light, fluffy, and lovely taste. Thanks for the keeper!
So awesome, Darcy! Glad you liked it. Try this recent recipe of mine next and see how you like it compared to that one. I think I may even like this one a little bit better. 🙂 https://inthekitchenwithmatt.com/homemade-hamburger-buns
I have made this recipe multiple times, in different conditions, and they turn out fabulous every time. The only issue I have is that I can never buy buns from a store again. Quick and easy!
So glad you like them Debbie, and keep making them. 🙂 🙂
Will try sometime. These look great.
Thank you so much! 🙂
love the buns made half hot dogs and half hamburger buns let them rise longer when I shaped them they came out big fluffy amazing and easy
So awesome!! Glad you made them and liked them! 🙂 🙂
Made your hot dog rolls today. So easy and so good. Thank you Matt.
Do they freeze well once cooked?
Thank you, Brenda! Glad you made them and liked them. 🙂 Yep, they should freeze nicely. 🙂
I’ve tried many hot dog/burger bun recipes over the years, and have never really loved them. Until this recipe! This will be my new “go-to”. Thank you very much for sharing 🙂
So happy to hear that, Amanda!! 🙂 🙂 You are so very welcome. 🙂
I made it yesterday. It was quick and easy. I weigh the flour and yeast. I started with 390 grams of flour and added as needed. I had a packet of instant yeast, but that was only 8 gram, so I added another packet. After kneading I let it rest in my warm oven for over an hour. Than I just followed the instructions and baked for about 21 minutes. It came out great and the taste was so much better than store bought buns.
So glad you made it and liked it, Terry! 🙂 🙂
I am confused. In similar recipes with roughly equivalent amounts of ingredients, they ask for 2 1/4 – 2 1/2 teaspoons (or 1 packet) of yeast. Your recipe calls for 2 TBS – tablespoons. What’s up with that?
Hello, Suzy! You can certainly use 1 packet or (2 1/4 tsp.) it will still work fine. But I make it with 2 tablespoons. Always have. 🙂
These did not turn out at all and I followed your recipe to a T? They are more like breadsticks. The rose beautifully in both rises but did not rise in the oven very well ….
Hi Rebecca, sorry you had issues with it. Are you using metric or American measurements? What temp did you have your oven at? Something went wrong along the way. They always turn out great for me. Are you sure you measured everything correctly? did you make any substitutions at all? Also if they didn’t rise in the oven, it sounds like an issue with the oven, not the dough. When is the last time you calibrated it? Here is some interesting information about dough not rising in the oven, when it rose as the dough. https://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/7749/why-doesnt-my-bread-rise-in-the-oven-not-first-rise
Hey Matt thanks for the prompt reply! I used 3 1/3 cups of flour … measured loosely …. had my oven at 375. I have been doing a tonne or baking lately and everything is turning out perfect so I was quite surprised ! How do you calibrate an oven ?
No worries, Rebecca! 🙂 Is it humid where you live by chance? And those are American cups right not Australian cups? Calibrating the oven is just heating the oven to let’s say 350 F. Then adding an oven thermometer. And letting the thermometer check what the actual temp is. Sometimes after time, the oven can run hotter or colder than what the actual setting is. And then if you know that the oven is 15 degrees off or something, you can compensate when baking. I am wondering if it was just a fluke though, that one time. If you get the chance try making them again. Maybe use a bit less flour.
Just pulled these out of the oven. Sadly, I rolled them too long. A few will make good h.d. buns, but most look more like breadsticks. I had thought the dough would kind of shrink down, but it didn’t! They smell awesome and taste great though – so, hey breadsticks are good too. When your instructions said to add the salt, I was like, “Wait, what?!” It’ not listed in the ingredients. I then watched your video where you said it was 1 tsp. Otherwise, I would have been guessing…. Thanks. Gonna try again. Any suggestions of how long to roll them?
Hi Donna! Darn, I totally missed writing the salt amount in the recipe, lol. Sorry about that! I have it in there now, good catch! I would roll them as long as a hot dog frank/wiener or polish sausage or whatever you plan on using, then they will rise an be a bit larger than that. If you want them closer to bun length then roll them about an inch shorter than the bun, if that makes sense? Then after rising and baking it will be great. You can probably get about 14 to 16 buns or more depending on how small you make them. I guess it just depends on how long you want them. Let me know how the second attempt goes. 🙂
Had hotdogs today but with store-bought buns, these look so much better and easy to make. in fact, with all the time I’m going to have on my hands I’m going to practice for BBQ season
Awesome! 🙂 Let me know how they turn out.
I´m not good at baking bread, but I can´t say no to a hot dog! Thanks for this great recipe – now I´m having some serious hot dog cravings lol
Thank you, Anna! 🙂