Soft, sturdy, flavorful, and enticing—everything a good burger bun should be.
Imagine, if you will, a juicy BBQ pulled pork sandwich, dripping with sauce, and topped with crisp coleslaw. As you go to dig in, the anticipation is sky-high. You take a bite and the soggy middle of the bun gives out. Total letdown.
Now imagine a juicy cheeseburger, thickly stacked with all your favorite add-ons. You unhinge your jaw just slightly to get a complete bite. Unfortunately, the overly dense bun causes all the toppings to squish out the back end. Disappointing.
You’ve probably experienced something like this before, I know I have (and my shorts were never the same after). Luckily, these scenarios are not fate.
It was with these tragic bun experiences in mind that I developed my honey whole wheat sourdough burger buns. They are both hearty and tender—sturdy enough to handle juicy fillings, yet soft enough to give you a good bite of them.
And while the texture is spot on, you might wonder about the taste. Well, with a savory sourdough tang, nutty whole wheat charm, and the comforting sweetness of honey, they strike a delightful balance in that category too.
The topping of sesame seeds makes for quite handsome looking buns, if I do say so myself. I’ve used them for sloppy joes, pulled pork sandies, and various burger iterations. With these buns they have all been supremely tasty, easy on the eyes, and I haven’t had a single shorts accident. That’s the dream.
More like these honey whole wheat sourdough burger buns:
For more buns that are also soft, study, and flavorful, try my sourdough brioche, which can be made as buns, hoagies, or rolls. For more wholesome whole wheat wonders, check out my collection of whole wheat recipes, which includes breads, pancakes, cookies, and even dog treats.
Honey Whole Wheat Sourdough Burger Buns
Ingredients
Dough
- 125 grams (½ cup) active sourdough starter (see note)
- 300 grams (1¼ cup) water
- 42 grams (2 tbsp) honey
- 25 grams (2 tbsp) olive oil
- 234 grams (1½ cup) whole wheat flour
- 213 grams (1½ cup) all-purpose or bread flour
- 9 grams (1½ tsp) salt
Topping
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- Sesame seeds (optional) for topping
Instructions
- In a medium bowl whisk together starter, water, honey, and olive oil until starter and honey have dissolved and mixture is bubbly.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer whisk together flours and salt. Add wet ingredient mixture to dry ingredients and mix to form a shaggy dough.
- Knead dough until soft, supple, and slightly tacky (but not sticky). This may take about 6-8 minutes by hand or 5-6 minutes in a mixer with dough hook on medium-low speed.
- Transfer dough to a clear container or bowl. Mark the doughs position on the side the container with a washable maker or rubber band and cover.
- Leave dough to rise at room temperature until it has increased in volume by about 50-100%. This may take around 4-6 hours (see note).
- Line a half sheet pan (13×18 inches) with parchment. Fill a small bowl with water and use it to wet your hands. Punch down dough then gently release from the sides of the container and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Divide dough into 8 equal portions with a knife or bench scraper (for best results, weigh portions for accuracy).
- Pinch and pull the edges of each portion of dough into the center until taut balls form.
- Arrange buns evenly spaced on sheet pan. Cover and allow to rise until about doubled in volume, this may take around 3-6 hours (see note).
- When ready to bake preheat to 350°. In a small bowl whisk together egg and heavy cream. Brush top of buns with egg wash. Top generously with sesame seeds if desired. Bake 25-35 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature is at least 200°F.
- Leave on the pan for 10 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
