Homemade Hot Dog/Hamburger Buns
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So, today I decided to be a little ambitious and try making my own hot dog buns. I found a recipe for Homemade Hot Dog/Hamburger Buns on Mel’s Kitchen Café. The recipe is actually for rolls, but Melanie uses it for buns, and several other people on pinchingyourpennies.com also recommended this recipe.
I liked the fact that the ingredients were simple: water, yeast, flour, sugar, salt, and oil. Pretty simple! I followed the recipe for the most part. The only thing I changed was that I used canola oil, and I let my KitchenAid do the 8 minutes of kneading time. It worked out pretty good.

Now granted, my hot dog buns weren’t as nice as the ones from the grocery store, but hopefully, over time, I’ll get better at shaping the dough. You can get 8-10 hamburger buns or 10-12 hot dog buns from this recipe. If you shape the dough to be the size of your hotdogs, you should end up with the perfect size once it rises.
However, trust me, if you have a little bun left over at the end of your hot dog, you won’t want to just leave it on your plate. These buns were also a lot more filling than the store-bought ones from the grocery store. I am going to give these a try again and make hamburger buns to put bbq beef on.
Ingredients for Homemade Hot Dog/burger Buns
- WATER
- ACTIVE DRY YEAST
- WHITE SUGAR
- VEGETABLE OIL
- SALT
- ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
Instructions for Homemade Hot Dog/Hamburger Buns
Start by activating the yeast: In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, stir together warm water, active dry yeast, and sugar. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes, until it becomes foamy and creamy. This means your yeast is awake and ready to work its magic.
Build your dough: Add the vegetable oil, salt, and 2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture. Stir until mostly combined. Then, add the remaining 1 to 1½ cups of flour, about ½ cup at a time, mixing until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and starts to form a soft, slightly tacky ball.
Knead the dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it by hand or in the mixer for about 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. If it sticks, sprinkle with a little more flour as needed. I knead it with my dough hook on my KitchenAid.
Let it rise: Lightly oil a clean bowl, place dough inside, and turn it to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. I preheat my oven to 170 degrees and turn it off. Then place the dough in the oven. I can get it to rise in about 30 minutes this way.
Shape the buns: Punch down the dough and transfer it to a floured surface.
- For hamburger buns, divide dough into 10 equal pieces and shape them into smooth, round dough balls.
- For hotdog buns, divide into 12 equal portions and form dough into logs about 6 inches long.
- For smaller sandwich or dinner rolls, divide into 12–14 pieces as needed.
Place the shaped dough on a lightly greased baking sheet/cookie sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Cover loosely with a damp cloth or greased plastic wrap, and let rise for another 40 minutes, or until puffy and nearly doubled. I place them back in my oven, and it’s still warm.
Bake to golden perfection: While the buns are rising, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). I wait until the buns have risen, remove them from the oven, and then preheat my oven. Bake the buns for 12–13 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Let them cool slightly before slicing and filling with your favorite grilled favorites.

Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the dough in advance and refrigerate it overnight?
Yes, place it in the refrigerator for a slow rise. Bring to room temperature before shaping and baking.
Can I freeze homemade hot dog/hamburger buns?
Absolutely! Once baked and cooled, store them in a freezer bag. Then thaw at room temperature when ready to use.
Can I make these buns whole wheat or gluten-free?
Yes, you can substitute part or all of the flour for whole wheat or gluten-free alternatives, adjusting the liquid as needed.
FOR MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS, TRY:

Homemade Hot Dog/Hamburger Buns
Real Mom Kitchen
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water 110 degrees F/45 degrees C
- 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups flour
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
- To the yeast mixture, add the oil, salt, and 2 cups flour. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
- Deflate the dough, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces for hot dog buns, 8 equal pieces for hamburger buns, or 12-14 equal pieces for rolls, and form into the desired shape. Place on lightly greased baking sheets at least 2 inches apart. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth (or greased saran wrap), and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Bake for 12-13 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.