Sourdough Buns

I finally made some very good buns with my sourdough starter. I had been using the same hamburger bun recipe for 30 years and this one just replaced it. These were still not sour enough for me but I have starter aging and I think eventually I will be able to get the exact taste I want.

The Recipe:

4-5 c. flour
1 1/2 c. water

1/2 c. sourdough starter
1 tsp. instant rise yeast
1 T. honey
1 tsp. salt
olive oil to coat the bowl
1 egg beaten with a tsp. of water for brushing the rolls

Put the water, starter, honey, yeast and salt into your mixer bowl. Gradually add flour (you might not use all of it) into the liquid until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. The amount of flour depends on how wet your starter is. Knead until you have a smooth elastic dough. Place it in a slightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap and set it aside until it doubles in bulk. Separate it into 16 balls and shape them into nice tight round balls. Cover with a towel and allow to rise for about an hour or until doubled. Brush with beaten egg. You can also top with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, sea salt or all three. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes. They should be golden. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.

Put the starter, water, salt, honey and yeast into your mixing bowl.


Slowly add the flour and beat until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of your mixing bowl.


Place the dough in an oiled bowl and roll it over to cover the dough with a light coating of oil.


Cover it with plastic wrap and allow to proof.


This really rises so keep and eye on it so it doesn't spill over the sides of the bowl.
Gently press it down to deflate.


Lightly coat your counter with flour.


Dump the dough out of the bowl onto the flour.


Shape it into a long log.


Cut it in half.


Then cut each half in half.


Keep dividing pieces in half until you have 16 pieces. These will make the perfect sized hamburger bun. If you want them smaller, continue to divide.

Form them into nice round balls and place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Cover them and let them proof until doubled in size. Just before baking, brush them with the beaten egg and add toppings.


Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.


This produces a very nice crumb.


If you place them too close together this is what happens. Gently pull them apart to separate.