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Best Hot Dog Buns

ByHani Updated on
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I’ve been making soft homemade Hot Dog Buns for years and they are our favorites! These easy-to-make bread buns are popular for their versatility. They can be used to make hot dogs, sandwiches, bread puddings, stuffing, appetizers, bread crumbs and so much more. And you can enjoy these buns sweet and savory.

Baked bread rolls on a cutting board.

updated from 2018

Growing up in Czechoslovakia these were the most sought-after soft buns you could get in the grocery stores. And to this day they are super popular in Slovakia and Czech Republic. If you visited Prague I bet you had one of these.

I also use them to make appetizers like Avocado Cream and Bacon Crostini and traditional Slovak Pupaky/Bobalky – cut-up buns soaked in hot milk, sprinkled with ground poppy seeds/sugar topping, and drizzled with melted butter. And, let’s not forget my mom’s bread pudding with a meringue topping. 

They are the kind you can eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Let me show you how to make the most delicious and my favorite homemade hot dog buns.

Baked bread bun filled with cooked hot dog and drizzled with mustard.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE HOT DOG BUNS

This homemade hot dog buns recipe consists only of 3 main ingredients: flour, yeast, and fat; not counting salt and water. And as far as the type of fat you can use, I’ve used soft butter, lard, duck fat, and vegan butter, too. So, if you need to make vegan hot dog buns you can definitely use this recipe.

Hot Dog Buns Ingredients

  • Flour
  • Yeast
  • Water
  • Honey or Sugar (pinch)
  • Fat: softened butter, vegan butter, lard, duck fat
  • Salt

What Flour Should I use?

Over the years I’ve made this soft hot dog buns recipe with a number of different flours. Here is what I’ve experimented with and what worked for me in my kitchen.

  • Bread Flour – brand or generic grocery store brand
  • Good quality All-Purpose Flour – King Arthur, Pillsbury
  • Blend of Bread Flour and All-Purpose Flour – for example, 1:1 ratio, 1:2 ratio, or 2:1 ratio – Bread Flour: Generic Grocery stores’ all-purpose flour or brand all-purpose flour. This can be useful if you have only so much bread flour and need to find a suitable filler.
  • For best results, look for bread flour with 11-13% protein content. If all you have is some bread flour and all-purpose flour with lower protein content, it’s ok to mix them together for this recipe (see the above ratios).

Prepare Yeast Sponge

Into a bowl or a plastic container add room temperature to warm water. Don’t use hot water. Into water add honey or sugar, dry yeast, and a tablespoon of flour. Whisk together and let sit for 5 minutes, until bubbly on the top.

TIP: Don’t use hot water, it will kill the yeast. If you don’t know how warm the water should be rather use room temperature water than water that is too warm/hot. Cooler water won’t kill the yeast but it may take longer for the yeast to start working its magic. This is normal.

Whisking dry yeast into water along with honey and flour.

Knead The Yeast Dough

Into a bowl of your stand mixer add flour and salt. Whisk to combine. Then make a well and pour in bubbly yeast mixture, soften butter of other fat you are using. Whisk to combine till all of the flour is absorbed. Then knead with a hook attachment until smooth and flexible dough is formed, about 5-10 minutes. If the dough appears too dry add 1 tablespoon of room temperature water. And if it appears too wet add 1-2 tablespoons of flour.

TIP: Different flours can behave differently, some can be drier than others. That’s why sometimes you’ll need to add an extra tablespoon of liquid. And if the dough is too wet add 1-2tablespoon of flour.

Kneading flour, yeast, water and butter in a bowl.

Let Yeast Dough Rise

After 5-10 minutes of kneading, the dough is soft and it’s okay if it’s sticking to the kneading hook. Dump the dough onto a clean work surface and knead it into a ball (steps 1-4).

Grease the bowl with olive oil or spray with a non-stick spray (steps 5-6). Place the yeast dough ball into a bowl. Cover with a damp towel and plastic wrap. Or just plastic wrap is fine, too. Let it rise in a warm draft-free spot for 30 minutes (steps 4-8).

Kneading yeast dough by hand.

Can I Make This Dough by Hand?

Absolutely. Into a bowl add flour and salt, and whisk to combine. Pour in the prepared yeast mixture and soften the butter or other fat you are using. Combine all ingredients with a wooden spoon. The dough will be rough and soft. Dump it onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes with your hands until it’s smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball. Place ball of dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a plastic wrap let rise in a warm and draft-free place for 30 minutes.

How to Create a Warm and Draft-Free Spot?

Bring 3 cups of water to boil. Pour it into a shallow dish. Place the dish with boiling hot water on the bottom rack of your oven. Place bowl with the yeast dough either above it or next to it. Depending on how much room you have in the oven. Close the oven door and let the yeast dough proof for the recommended time.

TIP: Cooler the temperature slower the yeast will work and your yeast dough will take longer to rise. This is normal.

Weigh Hot Dog Buns

Invert raised yeast dough onto a clean work surface and weigh the dough. Divide it into even portions. Weight each piece so all buns weigh approximately the same.

TIP:  I usually weigh the dough so each unbaked bun weighs about 90 to 100 grams ( 3oz to 3.5oz). If you want them smaller adjust the weight accordingly.

Weighing yeast dough on a scale.

How To Shape Hot Dog Buns

Shape each piece of the weighted yeast dough into a small ball. Cover balls for 5 minutes with a kitchen towel. This helps to relax the gluten in the dough so it’s easier to roll out.

Shaping small pieces of yeast dough into balls.

To shape the hot dog buns I use a silicone mat and a rolling pin. You can use a wood rolling pin but in recent years I’ve been using a silicone rolling pin and it works even better than the wooden one. Silicone one doesn’t stick to the yeast dough as much as a wooden rolling pin.

Roll out a small ball of dough into a thin oval shape.

TIP: Rolling out yeast dough on a silicone mat works great. The dough clings to the silicone mat slightly. Silicone helps to keep it stretched making it easier to shape the buns.

TIP: Don’t dust work surfaces with flour!

Rolling out a small ball of yeast dough on a silicone mat.

Starting at a shorter side start rolling the piece of flattened yeast dough. Press the dough down with the palms of your hands as you are rolling the dough away from you.

Shaping rolled out yeast dough into a log.

Second Rise

Place shaped hot dog buns onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Space the buns about 2-3 inches apart to allow for dough expansion.

Placing shaped buns on a baking sheet lined with a parchment paper.

Cover loosely with a damp paper towel or a kitchen towel and let rise for 30 minutes.

Covering shaped buns with a damp paper towel.

How To Bake Hot Dog Buns

Preheat the oven to 425F/220C. Place a shallow oven-safe dish on the bottom rack of your oven.

TO BAKE HOT DOG BUNS YOU NEED :

  • A shallow tray ( I use a small tray from an old toaster) or use a shallow oven-safe dish.
  • And a spray bottle filled with room temperature water.
Shallow baking dish and a spray bottle filled with water.

Once the buns have risen, remove the damp paper towel or a kitchen towel and generously spray risen hot dog buns with room temperature water (steps 1-2).

Spraying unbaked buns with water before placing them into the oven.

Immediately place the baking sheet with sprayed buns into the preheated oven and pour about 1/3 cup of water into a shallow dish on the bottom rack. When water touches hot baking dish steam will form. Close the oven door right away.

TIP: You can also use ice cubes instead of water.

Pouring water into a shallow dish on the bottom oven rack.

Bake hot dog buns for 12-13 minutes until lightly golden brown. Take the buns from the oven and immediately while still hot spray freshly baked soft buns again with room temperature water. Then let them cool completely.  Repeat the process with the remaining buns.

Spraying freshly baked hot buns with water.

Can I Double This Hot Dog Buns Recipe?

Absolutely. This easy soft bread recipe can be doubled and even tripled.

Baked buns on a baking sheet.

Can I Make Vegan Hot Dog Buns?

Yes, you can. In the place of butter use a vegan butter substitute.

How Many Hot Dog Buns Does This Recipe Make?

One batch of homemade hot dog buns recipe makes 9 to10 medium to large hot dog buns. Do you want to make small or mini hot dog buns? To make mini hot dog rolls divide the yeast dough into smaller balls of dough (50 grams-70 grams, 1.7 oz. to 2.5oz), yielding 16-11 buns.

Tearing bread bun in half showing the texture and inside.

Can I Freeze Homemade Hot Dog Buns?

Yes. I freeze buns as soon as they are cool to the touch after baking. I freeze them in Ziploc bags for up to a month.

Drizzling mustard of a hot dog.

To Make Homemade Hot Dog Buns You Need

  • Find all the tools you need in my Amazon Shop
  • Baking Sheets
  • Kitchen Scale
  • Parchment Paper
  • Stand Mixer
  • Bowls
  • Spray Bottle
  • Silicone Baking Mat
  • Rolling Pin
4.86 from 7 votes
Baked buns on a baking sheet.
Print
Best Hot Dog Buns
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
13 mins
Dough Proofing
1 hr 15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 38 mins
 

The recipe makes 9-10 medium to large hot dog buns.

Oven temperature 220C/425F. 

Hot dog buns can be frozen.

Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, French, German, Slovak
Keyword: bread, homemade hot dog buns, hot dog buns, soft hot dog buns
Servings: 10
Calories: 130 kcal
Hanielas.com: Hani B.
Ingredients
HOT DOG BUNS
  • 500 grams bread flour/ about 3 1/2 to 4 cups (or good quality all purpose flour or 1:1 ratio Bread Flour : All Purpose Flour)
  • 1 1/4 tsp salt
  • 30 grams 2tbl soften butter or use lard, duck fat, vegan butter
Yeast Mixture
  • 300 ml 1 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 2 1/2 tsp dry yeast
  • 1 tbsp flour
Instructions
HOT DOG BUNS RECIPE
Special Tools You Need

  1. You will need a small spray bottle filled with room temperature water to spray the buns before and after baking. And a shallow oven-safe dish.

Yeast Mixture

  1. In a small dish whisk together warm water (1cup + 1/4 cup warm water, 300ml), honey (1 teaspoon), yeast (2 teaspoons+ 1/2 teaspoon), and flour (1tablespoon). Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.

    Tip: Don't use hot water. Hot water will kill the yeast.

Knead Soft Yeast Dough

  1. In a bowl of your mixer whisk together flour(3 1/2 cups to 4 cups, 500grams) and salt (1 teaspoon and 1/4 teaspoon).

  2. Pour the foamy yeast mixture and soften butter (2 tablespoons) into the bowl with the flour mix. Attach a hook attachment onto your stand mixer. Knead until a smooth dough is formed. If the dough appears too dry you can add 1 tablespoon of room temperature water. Alternatively, if it appears too wet add a little more flour, 1-2 tablespoons.

    TIP: Don't a have a mixer with a hook attachment? You can make the dough by hand.

  3. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes. Dump onto lightly floured work surface and knead with your hands till it comes to a ball, 1 to 2 minutes.

1st Proof

  1. Transfer the ball of dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot, for 30 minutes.

Shape the Hot Dot Buns

  1. Dump the risen dough onto a silicone mat. Weigh the dough and divide the dough into approximately the same portions. I use a scale to weigh them so they are about the same size around 90-100 grams each.

    Shape each piece into a small ball. If smaller rolls are desired you can make them smaller, no problem. Cover balls of dough for 5-10 minutes. This helps to relax the dough and it's easier to roll out.

    Tip: Don't use additional flour on your work surface, it makes it harder to shape the buns.

  2. To shape the hot dog buns first you need to roll out each small piece of dough (one at a time) into a thin long oval shape.

    With a rolling pin flatten each piece of dough on a silicone mat into a oval shape, about 1/8 inch (3mm) thick and thinner.

    TIP: Silicone mat helps the dough to cling slightly to it so it doesn't retract as much and it's easier to shape the rolls.

  3. To form the hot dog buns use both of your hands and shape a rolled-out oval piece of dough into a log. Start at the short side of the oval, having your hands close together. As you are rolling the dough into a log stretch the dough log using your hands going outwards, while putting a little bit of pressure on both ends of the log.

    TIP: Place the shaped hot dot buns seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Leave about 3 inches between the rolls.

2nd Rise

  1. Cover rolls on a baking sheet with a damp paper towel or a damp kitchen towel and let rise for 45 minutes in a warm, draft-free place.

BAKE THE HOT DOG BUNS

  1. About halfway thru the 2nd rise place a small shallow dish on the bottom rack of your oven and preheat the oven to 425F.

  2. Remove the kitchen towel or damp paper towel from the risen buns. Spray them generously with room temperature water. Then immediately place the baking sheet with sprayed buns in the oven (2/3rack).

  3. And then immediately pour about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water on a shallow dish on the bottom rack. When water touches a hot dish it will produce steam. Quickly close the oven door, not letting the steam escape.

    TIP: You can also use ice cubes in place of water, use about 4-5 medium-size ice cubes.

  4. Bake hot dog buns for 12-13 minutes. Buns shouldn't be white, they should be light golden brown/yellow on the top. Take the buns out of the oven and immediately while still hot use a spray bottle and spray them the second time with water. Allow cooking completely before freezing or serving. Repeat the baking process.

Recipe Notes
  • CAN I FREEZE HOT DOG BUNS? – Yes, absolutely. That’s what I do all the time. I let the buns cool completely and then freeze them. They freeze with no problem for up to 2-3 months. If you plan on freezing them for longer be sure to use a freezer paper. It protects the bread from freezer burns.
  • HOW CAN I MAKE VEGAN HOT DOG BUNS? – Use vegan butter in place of dairy butter.
  • I DON’T HAVE BREAD FLOUR, WHAT NOW? – Use can use good quality All Purpose Flour (King Arthur All-Purpose, Pillsbury, look for flour with 11 to 13 % protein content). I haven’t had good luck using generic grocery store brand all-purpose flours on their own. Instead, I’ve made my own mix using all-purpose and bread flour. That seems to be working well. You can use ratio 1:1, 1:2,2:1 (bread :all-purpose flour)
Baked buns on a baking sheet.

This post was originally published on April 2nd, 2018. On March 20th, 2020 I updated this post with step-by-step pictures, written text, and a video.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no cost to you. I only recommend products that I use and love. Learn more about my affiliate policy here.

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26 Comments

  3. I don’t know where to begin to thank you for this wonderful, simple, delicious recipe. I made it for our new year’s party and we were all blown away. I made some more today because we love it sooooo very much. God bless you
    We are plant based so we used vegan butter, this was one of the best recipes I’ve ever tried. Thank you kindly

    Reply

  4. When I made these the damp paper towel stuck to the dough when I went to remove it. But I discovered that if you spray it before removing the paper towel and lift it from the center and not t edges it will come off even if it was sticking to begin with. Hope this helps save someone else’s batch. Right now I’m waiting for the first batch to come out of the oven. 😬😁

    Reply

  6. WARNING: You NEED to include a warning about adding water to a glass container. I was following your instructions to a T, but when I added water to a dish in the bottom of the oven, it exploded. You cannot use glass for this step!!!

    Reply

    1. HI Sarah, so sorry your glass dish broke.
      I generally don’t use glass in the oven above 400F unless it’s marked safe above 400F by a manufacturer. Unfortunately not all glass oven safe dishes are made to be used at high temperatures.
      It’s best to make sure that the dish you are using is oven safe at high temperatures. I assume you glass dish though oven safe it probably wasn’t designed to be used at over 400F.

      Reply

  7. These have the perfect consistency for hot dog buns. I only needed 4 buns so turned the rest into rolls and they turned out great. I’m going to roll them out next time into burger buns. I’m guessing about 1/4″ thick and around 4 inches round for the second raise.

    Reply

    1. Thank you Karrie, I’m glad you like them. I think 1/4 to 1/2 inch should be fine. Let me know how it goes. Thank you.

      Reply

  8. Since staying in, I’ve been searching for breads, buns etc. Today we wanted to bbq smokies but had no buns and thankful that I came across your recipe! This is an awesome, easy recipe. Your step-by-step instructions with visuals helped tons. I am so pleased with this recipe. My whole family loved them. I may even use this same recipe to make hamburger buns. Thanks Hanuela!

    Reply

    1. Hi Lori,

      So happy to hear you enjoy the recipe. I make them bi-weekly now. They also freeze well. Thank you.

      Reply

  9. My hot dog buns are doing their second rise now…here’s to hoping I didn’t accidentally kill the yeast (fingers crossed).

    Reply

  10. I made these today for the munchkins! So so delicious! I had a hit dog on one and snuck one right out of the oven with butter on it. Heaven!

    Reply

  11. A tablespoon of salt!!!
    Made these and had to throw them out way too salty.
    Made again using a teaspoon of salt and perfect, you need to edit your recipe

    Reply

    1. Hello Geoff,
      I’m glad you like the buns after you adjusted the amount to salt. Thanks for trying them again and for your feedback. Have a great day!

      Reply

    2. Made a double batch last night using bacon fat, they are Perfect! I’ve tried so many hot dog bun recipes but these win! Love the texture, we’ll be snacking on them for more than just hot dogs!

      Reply

      1. HI Mikayla,
        That’s so awesome!
        I made double batch last night, too for real. What a coincidence.
        I’m so glad you enjoy them. Stay Safe.

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