Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it to your inbox. Plus get great new recipes from us every week!
There’s nothing like delicious homemade hot dog buns to elevate your summer grilling game. Whether you’re prepping for a holiday cookout, firing up the grill for backyard BBQs, or just planning a quick dinner, this hot dog bun recipe delivers bakery-style buns right from your kitchen. Made with warm milk, unsalted butter, and bread flour (or even whole wheat flour for a heartier bite), these buns are incredibly soft and perfectly golden brown on top. Say goodbye to dry store-bought hot dog rolls- once you learn how to make the perfect hot dog buns, you’ll be baking these again and again.
The Chemistry of Homemade Hot Dog Buns
So what makes these perfect homemade hot dog buns so soft and fluffy? They start with an enriched dough that includes warm water, warm milk, a large egg, unsalted butter, and sugar. These ingredients add fat and moisture, producing a soft dough that bakes up light and tender. Bread flour or King Arthur Flour adds structure, while a good knead using a dough hook attachment on low speed helps develop gluten.
Letting the dough go through a first rise in a greased bowl, covered with a clean kitchen towel, gives it volume and strength. After shaping, a second rise in a warm place ensures pillowy buns. Brushing the tops of the buns with egg wash right before baking helps them achieve that beautiful golden brown color.
Ingredients for Homemade Hot Dog Buns
Bread Flour
Is higher in protein and creates thicker treats. This is best used for bread and shouldn’t be used as a substitution for all-purpose or cake flour.
Milk
Adds moisture to the batter or dough. Milk adds protein and sugar (lactose) to your treat. It encourages browning and adds a bit more sweetness to your baked treat.
Yeast
Provides flavor and carbon dioxide, making your dough rise. It must be mixed with a warm liquid and sugar in order to activate.
Fine Sea Salt
Enhances flavor, adds balance, masks any bitter flavors. Salt is the most powerful and oldest preservative. Always make sure to use fine sea salt so it melts down at the right speed in the heat of the oven. If you use larger granule salt, it will not melt down fully when baked and will leave salt crystals throughout your treat, making it crunch like you dropped it into sand. All of my favorite salts are from Redmond and I have a discount code for you to get 15% off.
Granulated Sugar
Adds sweetness, provides a caramelized flavor and crisp texture. Sugar assists with rising when creamed with butter. It helps add moisture to your treat and helps it evenly spread as it melts into a liquid in the heat of the oven. Sugar also helps with naturally preserving your baked treat.
Eggs
Adds both a protein (egg whites) and fat (egg yolks). The egg whites help with rising because, when foamed, little air pockets get trapped inside the egg white mixture. The water content in egg whites encourages steam while baking, which helps with gluten formation, resulting in nice and thick treats. Egg yolks have emulsifying properties that bring batters and doughs together and help them from collapsing. Unless otherwise specified, always use large eggs.
Melted Butter
It is important to use melted butter when it is called for. Melted butter evenly coats the gluten in the recipe and helps bind the ingredients. You can also use melted butter as a substitute for vegetable oil.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Homemade Hot Dog Buns
- Add 3/4 cup warm milk, 1/2 cup warm water, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1/2 tbsp active dry yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add 1 large egg and mix briefly.
- Stir in 4 cups bread flour 1/2 tbsp salt, and mix with a wooden spoon or on low speed until combined.
- Pour in 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Knead with a dough hook attachment for 5 minutes or by hand on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let go through the first rise in a warm place, like your oven with the light on, for about 3 hours or until doubled.
- Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal portions.
- Shape each into a log by rolling tightly from the long side.
- Place shaped dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and let go through the second rise for 30-45 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Make an egg wash (1 egg + 1 tbsp milk), and brush the tops of the buns.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown or internal temperature hits 190 degrees F.
- Cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Recipe Troubleshooting for Homemade Hot Dog Buns
Making yeast bread recipes like this one can come with a learning curve. If your dough doesn’t rise, check if your instant yeast is fresh and your kitchen isn’t too cold. Yeast lasts about 4 months once opened or until the use-by date on the package. A warm place to allow your dough to rise if your kitchen is too cold is your OFF oven with the light on and the door shut.
Flat buns? The dough may not have had enough rise time, or your instant yeast didn’t activate properly.
Dense buns usually mean under-kneading or too much flour- a common mistake when kneading on a lightly floured surface by hand.
How do I knead by hand if I don’t have a stand mixer? Use a wooden spoon to combine the dry ingredients, then knead on a work surface for 10-12 minutes.
If your buns crack, it could be because they dried out during the second rise or you skipped covering them with plastic wrap.
Shaping also matters. Roll each piece of dough tightly from the long side and ensure even dough balls by dividing them into equal portions—a kitchen scale can help with accuracy. Don’t forget to let the buns cool on a wire rack after baking to avoid soggy bottoms.
Dry crust? Try brushing with melted butter right after baking.
Can I shape these into a round shape for sliders or dinner rolls? Sure! This particular dough is versatile.
Can I top with poppy seeds? Yes- sprinkle them on right after the egg wash.
What’s the best hot dog bun pan to use? A specialty pan helps if you want a uniform shape, but a baking sheet works great, too.
For better texture, let the buns cool completely before slicing.
Substitions
You can substitute the bread flour with white flour, all-purpose flour, or whole wheat flour, depending on your preference.
This easy hot dog bun recipe can be adjusted for dietary needs: try a gluten-free flour for gluten-free hot dog buns.
Serving Suggestions for Homemade Hot Dog Buns
Serve warm with hot dogs, bratwursts, or veggie links. Dress them up with classic condiments, or go gourmet with caramelized onions, slaw, or mango salsa. These also make great mini sandwiches or lobster rolls.
Don’t forget to pair your hot dogs with some homemade lemonade to make it a complete summer meal.
Storage Tips for Homemade Hot Dog Buns
Room Temperature– Store cooled buns in a plastic bag or an airtight container for up to 3 days. To keep them extra soft, place a paper towel inside the bag. Reheat briefly before serving for a fresh-from-the-oven texture.
Freezer– You can freeze the homemade hot dog buns for later. Freeze either the shaped dough before baking or fully baked buns. Wrap tightly and store for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in a 300°F oven.
Making Ahead– Make the dough a day before and refrigerate after the first rise. Bring to room temperature before shaping and continuing. This makes prep easier if you’re short on time.
Recommended Products
Perfectly Soft Hot Dog Buns You Can Make at Home
Look no further if you’re looking for the best homemade bread to pair with your hot dogs this season. These soft and fluffy buns are a must-have for summer parties, family cookouts, or casual weeknight dinners. They’re simple to make, easy to freeze, and completely customizable. Once you try them, you’ll never want to buy buns again.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it to your inbox. Plus get great new recipes from us every week!
Beginner-Friendly Homemade Hot Dog Buns
Ingredients
- 4 cups bread flour
- ¾ cup milk room temperature
- ½ cup water
- ½ tbsp instant yeast
- ½ tbsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 4 tbsp melted unsalted butter
- egg wash
Instructions
- Add 3/4 cup room temperature milk, ½ cup water, ½ tbsp instant yeast, 1 tbsp granulated sugar and 1 egg in a standing mixer with the dough hook attachment. Mix until combined.
- Pour in 4 cups of bread flour, 1/2 tbsp fine sea salt and mix but don't fully combined.
- Pour in the 4 tbsp of melted butter and mix until a dough forms.
- After the dough forms, knead for 5 minutes with the dough hook on medium speed.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise for 2 hours or until it doubles in size.
- Break the dough up into 12 even pieces. Roll them into long snakes and place the dough onto two light-metal colored cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Cover the pans with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix the egg wash in a small bowl (1 egg + 1 tbsp milk). Paint on each bun with a pastry brush.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until each bun is 190 degrees internal temperature.
- Remove and allow the buns to fully cool before slicing.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
I’d love to see it! Follow @_mrs.madi_ on Instagram and tag your photos with #mrsmadi.
