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Take your barbecue to the next level with homemade hot dog buns! These hot dog buns are fluffy, flavorful, made with whole grain flour and sure to make your hot dogs even tastier.
Barbecue season is still in full swing for us, and it’s time to share my whole grain hot dog buns recipe!
Having your own homemade hot dog buns and hamburger buns with fresh milled flour really elevates the meal and gives it that special homestyle touch.
We love making a big batch of buns every so often so we can enjoy a quick from-scratch meal on busy nights.
They taste much better than the packaged buns we used to buy, and I have fun making them!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Better than store-bought: Homemade buns fresh from the oven are just absolutely delicious! They beat packaged alternatives any day.
- Simple ingredients: I love making my own bread products because I can make them with 100% whole grains and choose the ingredients carefully. Store-bought bread products tend to have a lot of added ingredients, and I like to keep it simple when it comes to food.
- Fun to make: If you enjoy baking, you’ll love this recipe! It’s a fun and easy bake, perfect for whipping up while you’re prepping the rest of dinner.
- Save money: Okay, this recipe probably won’t save money compared to purchasing the cheapest bag of hot dog buns you can find. But if you consider the price of whole grain hot dog buns at the store, making your own will save you a lot of money!
Ingredients
- Whole grain flour: You can mill your own or purchase bagged flour. I like to mill my own wheat berries for most of my whole grain recipes.
- Milk: I use whole milk. Warm it to about 100-110°F — too warm will kill the yeast, and cold milk won’t bloom it properly.
- Yeast: You’ll need active dry yeast. This makes beautifully fluffy whole grain buns.
- Sugar: Just a touch of sugar gives the buns that classic, well-balanced hot dog bun flavor.
- Salt: Whatever sea salt you have on hand will work perfectly.
- Eggs: You’ll need one for mixing the dough and another one to make an egg wash right before baking.
- Butter: We will be mixing some into the dough for a tender, chewy bun. If you like extra soft buns, plan to have some more butter on hand to brush on them after baking.
How to Make Hot Dog Buns With Fresh Milled Flour
Step 1: Whisk the yeast into the warm milk and let it sit for 5 minutes to proof.
Step 2: In a mixing bowl, combine 2¾ cups flour, sugar, and salt.
Step 3: Add the proofed yeast mixture, one egg, and melted butter. Mix well. The dough will be sticky—don’t add the reserved flour yet. Cover and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Step 4: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead, slowly adding the reserved flour until the dough comes together.
Step 5: Lightly grease your mixing bowl, place the dough back in, cover, and let it rise for about 30 minutes.
Step 6: Punch down the dough to release air.
Step 7: Divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece between your hands into a log about 5–6 inches long, pinch the ends, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 8: Make an egg wash by whisking the remaining egg. Brush the tops of the buns.
Step 9: Cover gently and let rise for 10–15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F during the last few minutes of rise time.
Step 10: Bake on the center rack for 12–14 minutes, until golden brown.
Tips for Success
- If your dough is too sticky while kneading, dust your hands and the counter with a little flour instead of dumping in too much at once.
- Don’t skip the resting times; they give the dough structure and make the rolls light and fluffy.
- For softer tops, brush the rolls with melted butter right after baking.
- Allow the buns to cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting into them for best results.
- I like to slice these buns right before serving so they stay as soft and fresh as possible. Be careful not to slice them all the way through, so they hold your hot dog and condiments without breaking.
- New to freshly milled flour? Learn everything you need to know in my tutorial about how to mill your own grains.
Storage
These whole grain hot dog buns can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days, or a little longer in the fridge.
They will last some time, but keep in mind that homemade bread products tend to mold more quickly than store-bought because they are made without preservatives.
For longer-term storage, these rolls freeze really well. Just let them cool completely, then store them in a freezer bag for up to 6 months. Reheat them in the oven when you’re ready to serve!
Recipe FAQs
Certainly! They are on the smaller side since they’re made for hot dogs, but they would make a delicious small sandwich bun. You could also try whole grain bagels or whole grain rolls for your sandwiches!
The egg wash makes them shiny and golden, but if you prefer a softer crust, skip it or brush with milk instead. Give it a try each way and decide how you like them. That’s the fun of making your own breads!
The dough may simply take longer than expected to rise if the temperature of your house is cool. If it’s been a while and it still hasn’t risen, this is probably because the yeast is old or the milk is the wrong temperature. Make sure your yeast is fresh and within date, and warm your milk to around 110°F to ensure a good rise.
More Whole Grain Bread Recipes
- Whole Grain Biscuits
- Whole Grain Artisan Bread
- Easy Whole Grain Brioche Bread
- Whole Grain English Muffins
If you tried this Hot Dog Buns Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Hot Dog Buns With Fresh Milled Flour
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons yeast
- 1 cup warm milk
- 3 cups whole grain flour reserve 1/4 cup
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs one for the dough, one for the egg wash
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Whisk the yeast into the warm milk and let it sit for 5 minutes to proof.
- In a mixing bowl, combine 2 3/4 cups flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add the proofed yeast mixture, one egg, and melted butter. Mix well. The dough will be sticky—don’t add the reserved flour yet. Cover and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead, slowly adding the reserved flour until the dough comes together.
- Lightly grease your mixing bowl, place the dough back in, cover, and let it rise for about 30 minutes.
- Punch down the dough to release air.
- Divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece between your hands into a log about 5–6 inches long, pinch the ends, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Make an egg wash by whisking the remaining egg. Brush the tops of the buns.
- Cover gently and let rise for 10–15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F during the last few minutes of rise time.
- Bake on the center rack for 12–14 minutes, until golden brown.
Video
Notes
- If your dough is too sticky while kneading, dust your hands and the counter with a little flour instead of dumping in too much at once.
- Don’t skip the resting times; they give the dough structure and make the rolls light and fluffy.
- For softer tops, brush the rolls with melted butter right after baking.
- Allow the buns to cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting into them for best results.
- I like to slice these buns right before serving so they stay as soft and fresh as possible. Be careful not to slice them all the way through, so they hold your hot dog and condiments without breaking.
- The egg wash makes them shiny and golden, but if you prefer a softer crust, skip it or brush with milk instead.
- These buns freeze really well. Just let them cool completely, then store them in a freezer bag for up to 6 months. Reheat them in the oven when you’re ready to serve!
What wheat berries have you used?
I use hard white wheat berries for these hot dog buns!
Looks so good! Can’t wait to try!
I hope you love it! Let me know what you think!