Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns
These soft and fluffy homemade hamburger buns are the perfect buns for everything from backyard cookouts to easy weeknight dinners. They're sturdy enough to hold juicy burgers without falling apart, yet soft enough for sandwiches the next day. We love serving them with a generous spread of my homemade miracle whip recipe, as well as with my sweet dill pickle recipe, and slices of homemade mozzarella cheese for the ultimate from-scratch burger night. Pair them with crispy french fries and you've got a meal your family will request again and again. Best of all, this recipe is a delicious way to use up extra sourdough discard while making something far better than anything you'll find at the grocery store.
Quick Look: Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 2 hours
- 🍳 Cook Time: 30 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 2 hrs, 30minutes
- 👥 Servings: 10
- 📊 Calories: ~209 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cook Method: Oven-baked on baking sheet
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Soft and slightly tangy with a mild, buttery bread flavor and light sweetness.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy – beginner-friendly, simple mixing, shaping, and baking.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- A great way to use up extra sourdough discard. If you always have leftover starter in the refrigerator, this recipe is an easy way to put it to good use. Be sure to browse our favorite sourdough discard recipes for even more delicious ideas.
- Perfect for homemade sandwiches all week long. These buns aren't just for burgers—they're also delicious for BBQ chicken, breakfast sandwiches, or even our Chicken Melts Recipe
- Simple ingredients you probably already have. If you're baking with fresh milk from your homestead, learn how to make butter from raw milk to enjoy with these freshly baked buns.
- Beginner-friendly and ready in just a few hours. You'll get delicious homemade results without waiting for a long sourdough fermentation, making this a great recipe alongside our sourdough hot dog buns
- Freezer-friendly for easy meal planning. Make a double batch now so you'll always have homemade buns ready for quick lunches, family dinners, and weekend cookouts.
- Perfect for building a from-scratch kitchen. Pair these buns with your favorite homemade cheeses, garden-fresh vegetables, and other pantry staples to create simple meals your family will love.
Ingredients
- Salt I like to use Redmond Real Salt, but you can use whatever salt you have on hand. Salt is what gives the buns their delicious flavor, and it’s really important not to leave it out.
For a full list of ingredients needed to make this recipe, see the recipe card below.
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How To Make These Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns
Step 1: Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If it remains sticky after a few minutes, add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough is soft and no longer sticks to the bowl.
Step 2: Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until slightly puffy. If you have extra time, you can let it rise a little longer. Keep the dough covered with a lid or a damp tea towel to prevent it from drying out.
Step 3: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 8 to 10 equal pieces using a bench scraper. Shape each piece into a smooth ball by tucking the edges underneath to create surface tension. Place the buns on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one. It's perfectly fine if they touch as they rise.
Step 4: Cover the shaped buns with a tea towel and let them rise until doubled in size and nice and puffy. If your kitchen is cool, place them in a slightly warmed (then turned off) oven to help speed up the rise.
Step 5: For a shiny, golden finish, whisk together 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water. Gently brush the tops of the buns and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.
Step 6: Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with melted butter, if desired, for an extra soft crust.
Tips For Making This Sourdough Hamburger Bun Recipe
- Start with warm milk. Warm (not hot) milk helps activate the yeast and encourages a quicker rise.
- Use a stand mixer if you have one. It makes mixing and kneading the dough quick and easy, though you can knead it by hand if needed.
- Make sliders instead. Divide the dough into 16 equal portions for homemade slider buns.
- Freeze for later. Once completely cooled, freeze the buns in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns FAQs
Yes! Active sourdough starter works just as well in this recipe. Since the dough also contains commercial yeast, either active starter or sourdough discard will produce soft, fluffy buns.
Yes. After mixing the dough, cover it and refrigerate it overnight. The next day, let it sit at room temperature for about 30–60 minutes before shaping and continuing with the recipe.
If your buns didn't rise well, the yeast may have been expired, or the milk may have been too hot or too cold. The dough also rises best in a warm, draft-free place.
Absolutely! Let the buns cool completely, then store them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm them in the oven before serving.
Yes! Divide the dough into 16 equal portions instead of 8–10 to make homemade slider buns. Reduce the baking time by a few minutes and watch for lightly golden tops.
These buns are great for hamburgers, sloppy joes, BBQ chicken, breakfast sandwiches, deli sandwiches, or grilled chicken. They're sturdy enough for hearty fillings while staying soft and tender.
Yes, but the texture will be a little denser. For the softest buns, substitute only part of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat or freshly milled flour rather than replacing it completely.
Other Favorite Sourdough Recipes
If you try this recipe and love it, please come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @wagonwheelhomestead21. I can’t wait to see what all you make!
Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns
Equipment
- 1 Bosch mixer
- 1 measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Bench scraper
- 1 parchment paper
- 1 Baking sheet
Ingredients
- ½ cup active sourdough starter
- 1 ½ cups warm milk or buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 4 - 5 cups flour
Instructions
Mix Up The Dough
- Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Mix it until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. After mixing for a few minutes, if the dough still seems sticky, you can add a little more flour if needed, so that the dough doesn’t stick to the edge of the bowl. It should pull away from the mixer bowl, and not be sticky.
First Rise
- I like to put the lid on my mixer bowl and let it rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. If you have the time, you can let it rise a bit longer. The bosch mixer has a nice lid that seals down, keeping the moisture in the bowl and helping the dough to rise quickly. You can also put your dough in a separate bowl covered with a damp tea towel.
Shape The Buns
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 8 or 10 equal pieces using a bench scraper, depending on how large you want your hamburger buns. Shape them into buns by tucking the outsides underneath and placing tension on each ball of dough. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet with some space in between. I usually put them about three wide and four long on the baking sheet. I don’t mind if they end up touching each other after they raise.
Second Rise
- Cover the shaped buns with a tea towel, and allow the buns to rise until they look nice and puffy and have doubled in size. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, you can turn on your oven until it’s about 125 degrees. Shut it off and put the buns in there to rise where it’s warmer.
Egg Wash (Optional)
- Beat an egg yolk with 1 Tablespoon of water and gently brush it on top of the buns. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. This step is optional, but will make a beautiful golden top to the buns.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the buns for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven. Brush the tops with butter if desired. I usually do this if I didn’t brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash.
Enjoy
- Slice the homemade hamburger buns in half and serve with your favorite burger, condiments, cheese, pickles and oven fries baked in tallow. So delicious!!
Notes
- Use warm (not hot) milk to help activate the yeast.
- If the dough is sticky after mixing, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it pulls away from the bowl.
- Shape the dough tightly to help the buns rise tall and round.
- For shiny, golden buns, brush with an egg wash before baking.
- Freeze cooled buns in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
MMMM
Question... If I want to use discard for this recipe, would it be the same measurement amount as active starter?
I hope that makes sense.
Yes, same measurement.