Confetti Hot Dog Buns | Sourdough Hot Dog Bun Recipe
- November 12, 2023
Today, we’re bringing the fun festivities home with Confetti Hot Dog Buns! This sourdough hot dog bun recipe includes (optional) sprinkles that can make these fun for any backyard BBQ or Birthday party. Inspired by the Carn-Evil hot dog from Halloween Horror Nights, these buns are here to turn any meal into a party!
Made with the tanginess of sourdough and speckled with a rainbow of edible confetti, these buns are soft, delicious, and a feast for the eyes. They’re perfect for kids’ parties, family gatherings, or just when you want to add a little extra pizzazz to your plate. Let’s get the party started in your kitchen with these delightful buns!
Ingredients:
- 100 grams sourdough starter, active and bubbly
- 1 tsp active yeast
- 400 grams strong bread flour
- 30 grams honey
- 12 grams salt
- 230 grams warm milk
- 35 grams unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles (edible confetti)
- 1 egg +1 TBS milk (for egg wash)
- Additional rainbow sprinkles for topping
Carnival-Ready Kitchen Gear:
To ensure your baking adventure is as enjoyable as the buns themselves, here’s what you’ll need:
A Good Stand Mixer: We’ve burned our way through too many Kitchen Aids for us to recommend them for bread making! Instead, we recommend the Bosh Universal Plus Stand Mixer (available on Amazon). This mixer can still be used for cakes and frostings, but it handles breadmaking like a champ!
A reliable kitchen scale: As always, for good consistent results, you’ll need to measure by grams. We’ve used our Jennings CJ-4000 Scale since 2017 and it is still going strong!
Hot Dog Mold: While not strictly necessary, using a hot dog mold will keep your buns looking more uniform than if you shape them by hand. We use the WeBake Silicone Hot Dog Molds. They are easy to clean and are inexpensive!
A baking sheet: While Silicone molds are great, I never put them directly on the oven rack. You’ll need a basic baking sheet to balance them on. This Wilton Baking Sheet Set has thousands of great reviews on Amazon, and won’t break the bank.
A Silicone pastry brush: Rather than having all the bristles fall off into the stuff you’re baking, we prefer to use a silicone pastry brush. This Silicone Pastry Brush Set is great! Easy to clean and no eating the bristle hairs!
Having these tools at hand will make your baking experience feel so much easier!
Sourdough Hot Dog Buns – Basic Instructions:
- Starter Spark: Attach the dough hook attachment to your stand mixer. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the active sourdough starter and instant yeast with warm milk, honey, and melted butter. Make sure the milk is not over 85 degrees F, or you risk killing all the yeast! We use instant yeast in this recipe so our recipe rises more predictably.
- Flour Frenzy: Add the flour and salt, and begin to mix until a dough starts to form. Knead the dough in the stand mixer for about 5 minutes on medium speed, or until the dough passes the “window pane” test. Need to learn more about the window pane test? See our free masterclass on sourdough here.
- Stretch & Party: Stretch your dough out on a lightly oiled surface, as thin as it will go without tearing. Evenly spread your sprinkles across the dough, and then fold the dough in half, and then in half again. You’re just trying to distribute the sprinkles here, so exactly how you fold it doesn’t particularly matter.
- Rise & Shine: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a cloth, and let it rise until it has almost doubled in volume. You’re looking for a 75% increase in volume. This should take about 1 to 2 hours.
- Shape the Celebration: Once the dough has risen, divide it into 8 equal portions (by weight) and shape each into a hot dog bun. Place them into your greased silicone hot dog mold.
- Second Rise: At this point you have two options for rising: 1) Cover the shaped buns with a cloth and let them rise again for about 2-3 hours, or until doubled. OR 2) you can cover the buns and place them in the fridge over night. If you choose to do the overnight proof your hot dog buns will have SO much more flavor. But, if you’re in a hurry, then the room temp option works as well.
- Preheat the Party: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Egg Wash and Sprinkles: Just before baking, brush the buns with an egg wash and sprinkle more rainbow sprinkles on top.
- Bake the Fun: Bake the buns for about 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
- Enjoy the Extravaganza: Let the buns cool for about 20 minutes before enjoying. Then slice them open and fill them with your favorite hot dogs and condiments.
Now that you have your Confetti Sourdough Hot Dog Buns, every bite is a reason to celebrate. Whether you’re recreating the Carn-Evil experience or crafting your own culinary carnival, these buns are sure to bring the fun to your table. Happy baking, and let the good times roll!
