Transform your next cookout with a batch of homemade hot dog buns. Made with freshly milled flour and teeming with flavor, these buns are a perfect addition to any backyard bbq. Serve alongside baked beans, potato salad or your favorite summer side dish.

several hot dog buns sit scattered on a kitchen countertop, one is slit open and filled with a grilled hot dog with ketchup and mustard

When the temperature heats up, we break out our grill to cook everything from steaks to grilled garlicky chicken. Most Americans love the idea of grilling out with friends and family but if I’m honest, the reason I love to grill is that it takes the heat out of the kitchen.

You see, our little 1930s home sits in a small country town surrounded by other houses. Rarely do we get a breeze blowing into our kitchen and when we do, the wind seems to nearly blow out the flame on our gas stove. In order to keep the house cooler (we don’t have central air), I like to bbq meat outdoors and serve “cold” sides like a 7-layer salad or deviled eggs.

Many of our summer meals consist of locally raised meat but when we want a quick meal or just something different than the norm, we do enjoy a delicious grass-fed hot dog. I realize that many don’t think of hot dogs as a healthy food but there are certainly ways to improve the nutrition of the meal by choosing an all beef, grass-fed hot dog and by skipping the bleached, denatured store-bought bun.

Homemade hot dog buns are easy to make and don’t take any more work than making a loaf of bread. The taste is fresh and flavorful and pairs wonderfully with a grilled dog. Personally, I usually top the hot dog with just mustard but if you’re looking for something a bit fancier, I have included several topping ideas below.

If your home heats up in the summer and you prefer to skip using the oven, make up a few batches of these buns on a cooler day and freeze them to enjoy all summer long.

What is the Best Bread for a Hotdog?

In my opinion, fresh milled flour is best for making hotdog buns. The flavor is not only more intense and bolder but buns made with freshly milled flour retain all of the vitamins, minerals and oils that you don’t get in commodity flour. For this homemade hot dog bun recipe, I recommend using hard white wheat or hard red wheat.

How to Shape Hot Dog Buns

Grab yourself a small piece of dough. Using a rolling pin roll the dough into a rectangular shape, approximately 4 by 6 inches. Roll up from the long side into a cylinder. Carefully pinch the ends to close them and place the bun seam side down onto a baking sheet.

hot dog buns sitting on a baking sheet while 2 more buns sit on a cooling rack next to each other

What are Good Toppings for Hot Dogs?

While must people think of ketchup and mustard as staple toppings for hot dogs, there are many more unique and flavorful toppings that go beyond the basics. Give these a whirl.

Caramelized onions
Relish
Chili
Melted cheese
Sauerkraut
Bacon
Baked beans
Coleslaw
Pickles

Ways to Use Leftover Hot Dog Buns

After your cookout is over, you may be thinking “what to do with leftover hot dog buns”? Don’t toss them out! Here are 7 ways to use old hot dog buns.

Garlic bread
Make homemade croutons
Turn into bread crumbs
Split in half to make a grilled cheese sandwich
Tear up and toss into a breakfast casserole
Coat in an egg mixture to make French toast
Use to make a sub sandwich

Can I Freeze Hot Dog Buns?

Yes! Homemade hot dog buns freeze well. To keep them fresh, toss the buns into a sealed freezer bag. For extra protection from freezer burn, wrap each bun individually with plastic wrap. Use within a couple of months. To thaw, remove from freezer and allow the bun to soften before serving.

a gold baking sheet features a pile of homemade hot dog buns

Homemade Hot Dog Bun Recipe

Hot dog buns with fresh milled flour are the perfect addition to your weeknight meal or Saturday night cookout. Pair these delicious buns with your favorite hot dog, a drizzle of ketchup or mustard and a side of fries.

Makes: 8 buns

Ingredients

1/2 cup warm milk
1/2 warm water
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1-2 teaspoons honey or agave
1 teaspoon vital wheat gluten, optional
4 1/2 cups freshly milled hard wheat flour
1 tablespoon yeast

Optional: 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)

Step by Step Instructions to Make Homemade Hot Dog Buns

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add water, milk, oil, honey, salt, vital wheat gluten and eggs. Mix to combine.

Add 2 cups flour and mix to create a batter. Add yeast and stir to incorporate. Slowly add remaining 2 1/2 cups of flour until a sticky dough has formed. Knead dough for 5 minutes. Cover bowl with dish cloth or flour towel and allow to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces.

rolling out dough to make homemade hot dog buns

Shape into hot dog buns by rolling into approximately a 4-inch by 6-inch rectangle. Rolling from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a cylinder until you reach the other side. Pinch the edges to the bottom of the bun and place seam side down. Repeat with remaining pieces. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for about 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 350°. If using an egg wash, mix egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash. Bake buns for 14-18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

close up of a homemade hot dog bun covered in an egg wash

To serve, slice the bun down the middle just before serving to prevent the bun from drying out. Add your hot dog and top with your desired condiments. Store buns in an airtight container at room temperature.

More Recipes Using Fresh Milled Flour

Homemade Hamburger Buns

Easy Roll Recipe

Soft Pretzel Recipe

Kefir Sourdough Bread

Yield: 8 buns