How to Make Simple Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns
Once you make your own buns, it’s hard to go back to store-bought buns. These are soft, buttery, and just the right size. You’ll get that perfect golden brown top and a light, fluffy middle every time.
This recipe uses sourdough discard or active sourdough starter—whichever one you have on hand. It comes together fastish (give yourself time to let it rise), and it’s easier than you think. Plus, you feel amazing after you make these for your family! So beautiful!
Simple Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns
Ingredients
Method
- Pour the warm milk into a large bowl. Add in the yeast and honey. Stir until combined.
- Stir in the melted butter, egg, sourdough discard, all-purpose flour, and salt. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead on a hard surface for 3-4 minutes until the dough is smooth and not shaggy.
- Form the dough into a ball, place it into a large bowl, cover it with a tea towel or wax paper and set it in a warm place to rise. This will take about 1½ hours.
- After it has risen, divide the dough into 8 equal parts.
- Shape the dough into buns by pulling the dough up, in, and towards the center. That will be the bottom.
- Put parchment paper on a baking sheet, space the buns out, cover them, and let them rise for 1 hour.
- After the second rise, preheat the oven to 350°.
- In a small bowl, mix together the egg yolk and the water for the egg wash.
- Brush the top of each bun with the egg wash and sprinkle them with the sesame seeds. Everything Bagel seasoning is yummy too.
- Bake them for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. The egg wash will look a bit shiny. Enjoy!!
- It is good to let them cool before slicing, but we usually cut them because we can't hardly wait. You know what I mean?!
Ingredients for the Dough for Sourdough Buns
Here’s what you’ll need for these soft, simple buns:
• ¾ cup warm milk
• 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast (just one packet of rapid rise yeast)
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 1 egg
• ½ cup sourdough discard or active sourdough starter
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
For the egg wash:
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon water
• Sesame seeds (optional, but they make it feel extra homemade)
Let’s Make the Dough with Simple Ingredients
First, warm your milk. I just pour it into a measuring cup and microwave it for 15 seconds. Then check it. Add five more seconds if it’s not quite warm.
Pour the warm milk into a large bowl. Add the instant yeast and honey. Whisk until the yeast and honey dissolve.
Now add the melted butter, egg, sourdough discard, all-purpose flour, and salt to the same bowl. Stir it together until a shaggy dough forms.
Flour your counter and turn the dough out. Knead it for about three minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it starts to feel smooth and soft.
Form the dough into a ball. Place the dough ball in a lightly greased large bowl. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap. For the first rise, set it in a warm spot to rise until doubled—about an hour and a half.
Tip: I’ve done this in the summer and just put the bowl in a shaded corner of the porch. It worked great.
Sourdough Hamburger Bun Recipe: Shape the Buns
Once your dough has doubled, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Divide the dough into eight equal parts. You can eyeball it or use a kitchen scale. You just want eight close to equal pieces.
Shape each piece into a bun by pulling the top smooth and tucking the sides underneath. Place the buns on the sheet, spaced out so they don’t touch.
Cover the pan loosely and let the buns rise again. This is what they call the second rise. Give them about an hour until they’re puffy and nearly doubled. Again, the rise time will be faster if they are in a warm place. Think sunshine.
Time to Bake these Beautifully Shaped Buns
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
In a small bowl, whisk your egg yolk and water. This is your egg wash. Brush it over the tops of the buns. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you like.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops turn that gorgeous golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let them cool on the pan for a few minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Full honesty? We don’t always wait. Sometimes we slice into one while it’s still warm and slather on some butter. And it’s perfect. It’s hard to resist these fluffy buns.
Tips and Swaps for Sourdough Burger Buns
• You can swap sourdough discard with active starter—both work great.
• Don’t have sesame seeds? Skip them or try a different sprinkle of seasoning..maybe Everything Bagel seasoning.
• Want smaller slider buns? Divide the dough into 10 or 12 pieces and reduce the bake time by 2–3 minutes.
• Store cooled buns in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days.
* You can also use whole wheat flour or bread flour for this recipe. Feel free to experiment with ratios.
Why You’ll Love These Homemade Sourdough Hamburger Buns
These homemade hamburger buns have a soft, tender bite and a little tang from the discard. They hold up to juicy burgers, sandwiches, or breakfast eggs. You can even slice them and toast for a morning sandwich. I love the delicious flavor of the simple homemade burger buns.
And once you know how to make them, you’ll never run out again. Keep some bubbly starter on hand, and you’re good to go. It’s a great way to use up discard.
This is one of those recipes you’ll come back to. Save it. Print it. And make it for your next cookout or cozy dinner night.
Anna Barbour
Hey there, my name is Anna, and I am so excited to share Keep It Simple Anna Sue with you. I am a wife, mother of two young men, and currently in a pre-empty nester season of life. God knew I needed blogging way before I did. Being a pre-empty nester has left me with…extra time. I decided to use that time for creativity and for helping others to see that if I can do it, they can do it too. Learn more about me.
