Hot Dog Buns

Soft and pillowy homemade hot dog buns using our organic Butler's Gold 00 flour and whole wheat flour. Great for those summer camping trips or backyard cookouts!

Download a printable version of the recipe here.

Hot Dog Buns 

*This is an overnight recipe

 Yield: 12 hot dog buns

Ingredients: 

Tangzhong:

30g BSM Butler's Gold 00 flour

130g whole milk

Dough:

200g whole milk (cold)

28g sugar

8g instant yeast

40g milk powder

7g salt

1 large egg + 2 yolks

325g BSM Butler's Gold 00 flour

35g BSM Butler's Gold whole wheat flour  

72g unsalted butter (softened)

1 large egg (for washing)

 Tangzhong method:

In a small sauce pan, weigh 130g of whole milk and 30g flour. Whisk out any lumps and continuously whisk over medium heat until it forms a thick paste. Set aside.

In a standup mixer, add the Tangzhong, 200g cold milk, and sugar. Whisk to dissolve and to allow the hot Tangzhong to cool from the cold milk. Add the yeast and whisk to dissolve. Let stand for 15 min to allow the yeast to bloom. Add the eggs to the liquid mixture.

Measure both flours, milk powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the yeasted liquid, and switch to the dough hook for 12-15 min on medium-high speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure all of the dry is incorporated. The dough will be sticky. Allow to rest for 10 min.

Add the butter, half at a time, while using the dough hook on medium speed. Once all the butter is added, continue on medium speed for 5 min. Do a windowpane test.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead by hand for 2 min until an elastic dough ball is formed. Add a little flour at a time to your work surface if needed while kneading to prevent sticking.

Spray a clear plastic container or bowl that is more than twice the size of the dough ball with pan pray to prevent sticking. Place the dough ball in the container and cover with plastic food wrap. The dough should double in size in the refrigerator overnight (8 hrs give or take). This allows the dough a long cold bulk fermentation for the flour to fully hydrate.

(Note**This can be made the same day: 2-2 ½ hours bulk ferment at room temperature or when doubled in size. For best results, a longer cold fermentation is recommended.) A 75°F room temp is best for the dough to rise properly. Remember, temperature is an ingredient in bread making!

To shape hot dog buns:
Remove dough from fridge and let stand for 15min. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a log about 3 inches thick. Using a bench knife, divide and weigh the dough into 75g dough pieces. De-gas each dough piece by flattening out onto the work surface. Starting with the top end of the dough length wise, roll each piece into a small log and use the work surface to create tension, creating a seam at the base of the dough log. Use flour on the work surface and your hands if needed to prevent sticking.

Place each shaped dough log onto a parchment-lined baking sheet pan so the logs are just slightly touching one another. Take a large sheet of plastic food wrap and lightly spray with pan spray. Cover the sheet tray of dough logs loosely with the sprayed side down as this prevents sticking to the plastic. Allow the dough logs to do their final rise/proof for approximately 2 ½ hours, depending on the temperature of the room. Always go based on the look of the dough and not the time. A rule of thumb to check for readiness: Gently press your index finger into the dough. If it springs back instantly it needs more time to proof. If it holds an indention, it’s ready to bake.

**Note:** If your kitchen tends to be cool, without plastic, place the sheet pan in your non- heated oven on the top rack with a tray on the bottom rack filled with hot water. This will create a proofing environment. If you have a proofer setting on your oven, turn this setting on before placing the tray in the oven for a total of 2 hours to final proof. Be sure to remove plastic or simply do not cover at all if using an oven proofer setting!

Preheat to 350F.

Gently brush the tops and sides of the dough with egg wash. Bake for 15-17 min, depending on your oven.

Cool the hot dog buns on a cooling rack. Will store on the counter for 3-4 days, or refrigerate to extend their shelf life. These can also be frozen for up to 2 months if completely cooled and tightly wrapped.