Easy Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns

Learn to make tender, buttery sourdough discard hamburger buns with this same-day recipe. With some basic ingredients and a bit of discard, you can save yourself a trip to the grocery store and create homemade burger buns with the perfect texture and rich, wholesome flavor.

With the weather warming up, I see so many posts about grilling, cookouts, and picnics with fresh deli sandwiches. I’m right there with you.

Any time I can get at least some of the heat out of the kitchen in the warmer months, I’m on board. 

I also just love the warm weather and all that the garden will bring. Soon we will be enjoying glorious, fresh produce for daily meals, baking, and preserving.

I’m also a big supporter of recipes that utilize sourdough discard — both for the flavor and to be purposeful in not wasting good food. Check out some more great sourdough discard ideas here.

So in honor of warmer temperatures and cooking outdoors, here is a wonderful recipe for sourdough discard hamburger buns.

These buns are quick and easy, incredibly simple to prepare, and most importantly — delicious.

With a glossy, golden top and a soft, lightly sweetened crumb, these are a great choice for your summer cookouts. 

They are structured enough to hold a burger and all your toppings without being too chewy or too weak. 

It’s a good balance of not wanting to demolish your perfectly layered sandwich because you have to bite through a delightfully but obnoxiously chewy crust, and also wanting it to be firm enough not to become soggy from tomato juice or crumble under pressure.

For all those reasons, as well as the mild sourdough flavor, I’m really very pleased with these.

Since we are using discard rather than an active starter, this recipe calls for commercial yeast and a series of two short rises.

All in all, this is a quick recipe. You’ll have fresh hamburger buns in less than 3 hours!

Why You’ll Love This recipe

Discard recipe: This is another great recipe to use up your sourdough discard and sneak in the sourdough tang we all love.

Texture & flavor: This recipe produces soft buns full of buttery, sourdough flavor and a bit of sweetness from the honey. They are tender and fluffy while still being structured.

Versatility: I love how these buns can effortlessly serve as hamburger buns, sandwich buns, sliders, or dinner rolls. They can easily fit most occasions. 

Tips

• The temperature of the environment will determine the rise times. When I need a quicker rise, I place my covered dough in a warm place. This might be next to a heat source, on top of your fridge, or in a sunny window seat that traps heat.
• A stand mixer is not necessary, but if you prefer it, go ahead! Use a dough hook attachment for best results.
• The time listed for kneading the dough is a guideline. If your dough is still quite tacky, continue kneading until it feels smooth and workable. One of the benefits of working the dough by hand is the literal feel you have for when the dough is just right.
• You can adjust the size of these buns — larger or smaller, more or less — to fit the crowd or recipe. Bake time will need to be adjusted accordingly. 
• When shaping the buns, you can use a kitchen scale to produce perfectly even buns if you prefer. You also won’t go wrong by just eyeing it.
• Top with honey mustard glaze and poppy seeds for hot ham and cheese or shredded pork sandwiches. These are versatile, so don’t hesitate to change up the flavors on top! Fresh herbs, garlic, a variety of seeds — there are so many different ways to flavor these fluffy sourdough buns.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

Tools You May Need

Large mixing bowl or stand mixer

Wooden spoon

Two baking sheets

Parchment paper

Bench scraper

Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns Ingredients 

Milk – Warm, not hot, to activate the yeast.

Yeast – Instant dry yeast to provide a quick rise.

Honey – A bit of honey gives the perfect touch of sweetness.

Butter – Unsalted, melted but not hot.

Egg – A large egg, lightly beaten.

Sourdough discard – A small amount of starter discard adds delicious flavor.

All-purpose flour – Use your favorite here.

Salt – I use sea salt.

Egg Wash

Egg yolk

Water

Sesame seeds (optional)

How to Make Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns

Begin by adding the warm milk to your large bowl with the instant yeast and honey. Whisk until the honey is dissolved and the yeast is combined.

Add the melted butter, egg, sourdough discard, all-purpose flour, and salt to the same bowl. Stir well with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.

Turn this rough dough out onto your countertop and begin kneading. You will knead for about 4 to 5 minutes until the dough becomes smooth.

Form the dough into a ball, and place it into a lightly greased, large glass bowl. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap, and set it in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size. This will take approximately 90 minutes, depending on the temperature.

Prepare your baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.

With the dough on a hard work surface, begin dividing it into 8 equal parts. A bench scraper can be helpful here for cutting and moving around the dough.

Shape each dough piece into bun shapes by pulling the top smooth and tucking the sides underneath. You’ll space them out, 4 buns per baking sheet.

Cover and let the dough rise a second time until doubled in size. This may take around 60 minutes.

With the second rise completed, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prepare the egg wash by whisking the egg yolk with the water.

Brush the top of the dough with the egg wash, then sprinkle with sesame seeds or your topping of choice. The egg wash gives the buns a beautiful glossy crust.

Bake the buns for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are glossy and golden brown.

Cool completely before slicing and serving. You can use a cooling rack, or simply cool on the baking sheet.

Storage

While these are best served right away, you can store them in an airtight bag or container at room temperature for a few days.

If you’d like to freeze them for future use, let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight and freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then gently reheat them in the oven.

FAQ

More recipes from the farmhouse:

• The Best Sourdough Crepes
• Easy Sourdough Popovers
• Homemade Gnocchi with Einkorn Flour
• Easy Buttermilk Sourdough Bread
• Delicious Sourdough Breadsticks

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone

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