Emulsifier Free Classic Hot Dog Buns

Total time2 hr 13 min

Prep time25 min

Cook time18 min

4.7

(23)

Soft, pillowy hot dog buns made entirely from scratch hit differently than anything you'd pull from a plastic bag at the grocery store. Store-bought buns are a surprisingly common source of hidden additives — emulsifiers like mono- and diglycerides show up in the ingredient lists of even the most ordinary-looking packages, making it genuinely tricky to find a clean option. This recipe sidesteps all of that by relying on nothing but whole milk, egg, butter, flour, yeast, sugar, and salt — real pantry staples that do all the heavy lifting on their own. The butter is worked into the dough gradually, which builds a tender, slightly rich crumb without needing any synthetic help. Spacing the shaped logs close together on the baking sheet means they bake up connected and pull apart beautifully, just like the buns you remember. A final brush of melted butter straight out of the oven gives them that glossy, golden finish that makes it hard to wait the full ten minutes before digging in. Whether you're loading them up for a backyard cookout or just want to know exactly what's in your bread, these are worth every minute of rise time.

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Ingredients

8 servings

¾ cup whole milk, warmed to 110°f (43°c)
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp fine salt
1 large egg, room temperature
3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

For brushing

1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1
Combine the warm milk, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl). Stir briefly and let stand for 5–8 minutes, until the surface is foamy and the mixture smells yeasty.
2
Add the flour, salt, and egg to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook (or stir with a wooden spoon) until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes.

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