Fresh Milled Sourdough Hamburger Buns in the Bread Machine
Bread machines are great for loaves of bread, but they are also great for making other doughs! Follow my step-by-step instructions to make these fresh milled sourdough hamburger buns and let the machine do most of the work!
Made with 100% fresh milled flour and sourdough starter, these buns are perfect for burgers and sandwiches. And you can let the bread machine simplify the process by taking care of the kneading and first rise!
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- 100% Fresh Milled Flour – This recipe is made with all whole grain flour for a wonderful nutty flavor and increased nutrition. Store-bought buns can’t compare!
- Simple, Bread Machine Recipe – Let the machine take care of the kneading and the first rise using the bread maker.
- Uses Sourdough Starter – Naturally fermented with active sourdough starter for a full, tangy flavor!
- Soft & Fluffy – These buns are incredibly soft and fluffy! Perfect for burgers and sandwiches alike.
- Freezer Friendly – The perfect make ahead bread product as they freezer remarkably well.
What is Fresh Milled Flour?
Making home milled flour is made by milling wheat berry kernels through a grain mill. The resulting fresh ground flour is fluffy, nutty in flavor, and packed with nutrients.
This home ground flour absorbs water differently, so pay attention to the hydration of the dough when working with fresh flour.
If you are new to milling your own flour, START HERE!
Why use a bread machine for Sourdough Hamburger Buns?
Bread machine sourdough buns are much more hands off and great to make in a busy season.
- Consistency – With a bread machine, you will get consistent results especially with sourdough doughs. The programs are tested and timed for the perfect result every time.
- Great Gluten Development – The kneading program of a bread machine develops gluten extremely well for a soft, glossy dough that rises better.
- More Hands-Off – The convenience of using a bread machine speaks for itself as it kneads the dough to perfection and ferments the dough for a hands-off approach.
Try my TRADITIONAL SOURDOUGH HAMBURGER BUN RECIPE!
Ingredients for making Fresh Milled Sourdough Hamburger Buns
- Water – For best results, use filtered water or well water.
- Active Sourdough Starter – Use starter that has been fed within a week if stored in the fridge, or within 2 days if stored on the counter. Your starter should be bubbly before using.
- Olive Oil – Substitutions include avocado oil, melted butter, or melted coconut oil.
- Freshly-Milled Flour – I personally use Hard White Wheat Flour for my hamburger buns for its mild flavor and light texture. Other options that will work well with this recipe are Hard Red Wheat, Turkey Red Wheat, or a combination of either of these three.
- Salt
Full ingredient amounts can be found in the printable recipe card below
Looking for a fresh milled flour hamburger bun recipe made with active dry yeast? CLICK HERE!
Equipment needed for this recipe
Grain Mill – I use the NUTRMILL GRAIN MILL to mill my wheat berries.
Bread Machine – THIS is the bread machine I use.
Kitchen Scale – For my kitchen scale, I prefer the NUTRIMILL SCALE
Bench Scraper – For dividing the dough, I highly recommend using a BENCH SCRAPER
Baking Sheet – My favorite baking sheet by far is the USA PAN BAKING SHEET
How to make Fresh Milled Sourdough Burger Buns in the Bread Machine
Mill the Wheat
Weigh your wheat berries and mill on the fine setting of your grain mill.
Not sure which grain mill to choose? CLICK HERE!
Mix the Dough
In the bread pan of your bread machine, add the ingredients in this order:
- Water
- Sourdough Starter
- Oil
- Flour
- Salt
Place the bread pan in the bread machine and press the “raw dough” setting. On your particular machine this may be “knead” or “Mix”. Use the program that will knead the dough only.
My particular program is 23 minutes total mixing then kneading.
Ferment the Dough (First Rise in the Bread Machine)
After the dough has kneaded, proceed to press the “ferment” setting and set the time to 4 hours using the + button.
Tip: I spritz the top of the dough with a bit of water to help keep it from drying out
Shape the Dough
Once the dough has risen for 4 hours, turn the dough ball over onto a lightly floured surface or a silicone pastry mat.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
Shape each piece of dough by rolling it into a ball and pressing it down into a circular shape.
NOTE: YOU CAN ALSO SHAPE THESE INTO HOT DOG BUNS
Second Rise
Place the shaped buns on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap.
Let the dough rise for 1-2 more hours.
NOTE: RISE TIME MAY VARY DEPENDING ON THE TEMPERATURE IN YOUR KITCHEN. TRY TO FIND A WARM PLACE FOR THE DOUGH TO RISE. In a cooler room, let rise 2 hours, in a warmer room let rise 1 hours.
Bake the Buns
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Before baking, brush the tops of the hamburger buns with an egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake the buns for 18 minutes until golden brown.
Cool completely on a wire rack before storing.
Tips for the best Fresh Milled Sourdough Buns
- Avoid adding more flour – Even though the dough will be easy to work with, when first mixed it may seem sticky. Avoid adding flour at this point as the flour will absorb the water more fully as it kneads in the machine.
- Cover with towel after baking – Covering your baked goods with a towel after baking will lend to a much softer bread.
- Use hard white wheat – Hard white wheat is mild in flavor and has a lighter texture than hard red wheat.
- Let dough ferment fully – Be sure to ferment for the full 4 hours and 1-2 hours after shaping for the best results.
Troubleshooting Fresh Milled Sourdough (FAQs)
A couple of things, adding more flour than called for or not allowing the dough to ferment fully. To fix this: Use only the amount of flour in the recipe card and be sure to ferment for 4 hours for the first rise and 1-2 hours for the second rise.
My first instinct would be that your sourdough starter isn’t strong enough yet. If the dough hasn’t risen after 4 hours, start the ferment cycle again and keep an eye on the dough every hour for progress.
My best tip is to cover them with a towel while they are still warm and to store in an airtight container or bag after cooled completely.
Storage Tips
Store cooled homemade hamburger buns in a plastic bag or airtight container on the counter at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Freeze cooled buns in a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.
Fresh Milled Sourdough Hamburger Buns in the Bread Machine
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Water 220 grams
- 1/2 cup Sourdough Starter 130 grams
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil 20 grams
- 3 cups Fresh Milled Flour 390 grams
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt 11 grams
Instructions
- First, mill your wheat berries on the fine setting of your grain mill.
- In the pan of your bread machine, add the ingredients in this order: 1. water, 2. sourdough starter, 3. oil, 4. flour, 5. salt.
- Place the pan in the bread machine and choose the "raw dough" setting. On your machine it may be "knead".
- Set the time for 23 minutes.
- After the dough kneading cycle has ended, press the "ferment" cycle and set the time to 4 hours.
- Tip: Spritz the top of the dough with water to keep it from drying out while rising.
- After the dough has risen for 4 hours, turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
- Shaped each piece of dough by rolling into a ball shape and pressing out with the palm of your hand.
- Place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Cover with a tea towel or piece of plastic wrap and let rise for 1-2 hours.
- Tip: The rise time will vary based upon the temperature in your kitchen. Rise 1 hour in a very warm place or 2 hours in a cooler room.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Brush the top of the buns with an egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake in preheated oven for 18 minutes.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before storing.
