Sourdough Hamburger Buns

When we decided to make homemade burgers from the meat we ground during hunting season, Nash had one request:

“If we’re making burgers… we should make the buns too.”

So that’s exactly what we did.

These soft sourdough hamburger buns are made with fresh-milled flour, milk, butter, and honey, which gives them a rich flavor and soft texture that holds up perfectly to a big burger.

They’re sturdy enough for a fully loaded cheeseburger but still soft enough that you don’t feel like you’re chewing through dense bread.

And if you don’t mill your own flour yet — don’t worry. This recipe also works beautifully with store-bought bread flour, which we explain below.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Fresh-Milled vs Store-Bought Flour

We usually bake with fresh-milled flour, but many readers use traditional bread flour. Both work in this recipe.

Because fresh-milled flour absorbs more liquid, you’ll notice a small adjustment.

If using fresh-milled flour

Use the liquid amounts in the recipe below.

If using store-bought bread flour

Reduce the liquid by about 15%.

For example:

Fresh milled version
• 270 g milk

Bread flour version
• about 230 g milk

This keeps the dough from becoming overly sticky while still producing soft buns.

Fresh-Milled Sourdough Hamburger Buns

Yield : 10 hamburger buns

Dough Ball Size: 110 g each

Prep Time: 20 minutes active

Rise Time: 4–6 hours

Bake Time: 18–22 minutes

Ingredients

500 g fresh-milled wheat flour (about 4 cups)
- See “Fresh-Milled vs Store-Bought Flour” above for recipe adjustment if you do not mill your own flour
300 g active sourdough starter (about 1 cup)
270 g warm milk (about 1⅛ cups)
40 g honey (2 tablespoons)
56 g butter, softened (4 tablespoons / ¼ cup)
10 g salt (1½ teaspoons)
10 g vital wheat gluten (1 tablespoon)

Optional topping

1 egg + 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)
garlic powder or
sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Mix the Dough

In a large bowl combine:

fresh-milled flour
warm milk
sourdough starter
honey

Mix until combined. Then add:

butter
salt
vital wheat gluten

Mix until a shaggy dough forms.

2. Rest the Dough

Let the dough rest 20 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate and improves gluten development.

3. Stretch and Folds

Perform 3–4 rounds of stretch and folds, about 20 minutes apart. This strengthens the dough and helps create soft, fluffy buns.

4. Bulk Fermentation

Cover and let the dough rise until puffy and increased by about 50–75% in size.

This typically takes 3–5 hours, depending on your starter and kitchen temperature.

5. Divide the Dough

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.

Divide into 10 portions, about 105-110 grams each. If you don’t have a scale just shoot for 10 equal portions.

6. Shape the Buns

Shape each portion into a tight ball by tucking the dough underneath itself.

Place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

7. Final Rise

Cover loosely and let rise 1–2 hours, until puffy.

8. Bake

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Brush buns with egg wash and sprinkle with garlic powder or sesame seeds if desired.

Bake 18–22 minutes, until golden brown.

Internal temperature should reach about 200°F.

9. Cool

Let buns cool completely before slicing.

Tips for Perfect Homemade Hamburger Buns

Vital wheat gluten helps fresh-milled flour rise
Fresh-milled wheat doesn’t develop gluten as easily as commercial flour, so this small addition keeps the buns soft.

Milk makes the crumb softer
Using milk instead of water gives these buns a richer flavor and tender texture.

Egg Wash
Brushing the tops of the buns with a simple egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water) before baking gives them that beautiful golden color and slight shine you see on classic hamburger buns. It also helps toppings like sesame seeds or garlic powder stick to the surface. If you prefer a softer, more matte finish, you can skip the egg wash or brush the buns lightly with milk instead.

How We Used These Buns

These buns were made for Nash’s homemade cheeseburger dinner where we:

ground our own meat
baked the buns from scratch
built giant burgers for a taste test

The buns held up perfectly—even with two burger patties and all the toppings.

With that said, these buns are great for other sandwiches like:

Pulled Pork
BBQ Ham
Shredded Mississippi Roast
Egg/Tuna/Chicken Salad

Storage

Room temperature
Store in an airtight container 2–3 days

Freezer
Slice and freeze for up to 3 months