Easy Homemade Hotdog Rolls Recipe — Better Than Shop Bought
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There is something deeply satisfying about making your own bread and hotdog rolls are no exception. Soft, pillowy and with that gentle sweetness that shop bought rolls never quite manage, homemade hotdog rolls are one of those things that once you’ve made them yourself you’ll wonder why you ever bought them at all.
The rolls you can buy from the supermarket are so often really disappointing. One bite and you realise they are more air than substance! They have very little flavour and are stuffed full of additives and preservatives that keep them soft (but not necessarily fresh) for weeks.
Impress your guests
These are the rolls I reach for every summer — piled into a basket lined with a clean tea towel to keep them warm, waiting beside the barbecue while the sausages sizzle. They’re simple enough to make on a weekday morning and impressive enough to make your guests ask where you bought them. When you tell them you made them yourself the look on their faces is worth every minute.
Easy To Make
This dough is wonderfully forgiving and works just as beautifully in a stand mixer, just like our ever popular Homemade Bread Recipe, as it does kneaded by hand. Once you have made these wonderful rolls you’ll find it opens up a whole world of possibilities beyond hotdogs. The same recipe makes the most glorious iced buns — soft, white iced and deeply nostalgic — and the most wonderful cream filled splits, split down the middle and filled generously with whipped cream and strawberry jam. But that’s a story for another day.
So, why bake your own hotdog rolls?
From a budget point of view, it makes perfect sense to make all of your own bread at home. It’s cheaper and far tastier than anything you can buy in a supermarket. The nearest equivalent is handmade artisan bread from speciality bakers and we know how much a loaf costs from there!
Making your own hot dog rolls will give you tasty, fresh and pillowy soft rolls that you can make any size and shape you like, from traditional finger rolls to extra long finger rolls for those with a very large appetite! Or maybe small bite-size rolls for little ones or as party food.
Ready To bake?
So, roll up your sleeves and let’s get baking! This simple recipe makes wonderfully soft and pillowy rolls that are perfect for not just hotdogs they are also great for packed lunches or even a sweet treat!
Before you start – A few useful things to know
- These rolls freeze beautifully – make a double batch and freeze half for next time.
- Brush the tops with milk to keep them beautifully soft.
- Don’t over bake! The rolls should have a lovely even golden colour, not too dark. Overbaking will give them a much tougher crust
- As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, put them onto a cooling rack and cover with a clean tea towel to ensure they stay as soft as possible
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You Will Need:
If you want to make good bread regularly and as easily as possible, a stand mixer is probably the best investment you can make. I love my Kenwood stand mixer but whichever one you choose, make sure it has a dough hook.
All baking requires accuracy when weighing out the ingredients. A good set of digital scales makes this easy. A good quality heavy duty baking tray will give the best results, bake the rolls evenly and will last for years.
Easy Homemade Hotdog Rolls
Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 baking tray
Ingredients
- 500 g Strong white flour about 4 cups bread flour
- 7 g easy blend yeast 2 ¼ teaspoons or 1 packet yeast
- 20 g caster sugar 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons superfine or granulated sugar – either works perfectly well
- 10 g salt 1 ¾ teaspoons
- 30 g unsalted butter 2 tablespoons
- 1 large egg beaten
- 300 g / ml warm milk warmed to around 40°c (1 ¼ cups, warmed to around 104°F)
- a little extra milk for brushing the roll tops before baking
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, rub the butter into the flour until all large pieces of butter are incorporated.
- Stir in the caster sugar, salt and yeast
- Make a well in the centre of the flour and add in the beaten egg along with the warm milk.
- Mix together with a wooden spoon or spatula until a dough is formed.
- Tip the dough onto a floured board or work surface and knead for around 10 minutes until the dough is smooth.
- Or use a stand mixer to make the mixing and kneading so much easier – place the ingredients in the bowl and mix on minimum speed until the dough forms. Turn the mixer speed up a little to no. 1 and allow the dough to knead for about 5 minutes. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and bring it together into a ball.
- Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with a damp cloth or cling film. Leave until doubled in size, around 1 – 1 ½ hours, depending on the warmth of your room.
- When the dough has doubled in size, tip it back onto the floured board or work surface and gently knead for a minute or so to dispel any large pockets of ait.
- Divide the dough into however many rolls you want to make. I like to make 16 small rolls, which match the size of a supermarket bun and is just right for a frankfurter sausage! You can of course make them as large as you like!
- To form the hotdog roll, take a piece of your dough and, working on a floured surface, use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into a rectangle shape.
- Working from the shorter end, fold the end over to about a third of the length and press down along the edge. Fold again to about two thirds of the length and press down the edge again.
- Finally, fold the dough over for the last time, turn the roll over and pinch the seam together underneath to create a nice taught roll.
- Gently roll the dough with your hands to increase it’s length if necessary.
- Place the rolls onto a baking sheet that has either been greased and floured or lined with baking parchment or a silicone baking mat.
- Leave until well risen.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°c fan / 200°c / gas 6/ 104°F
- Brush the rolls with milk just as they are ready to go into the oven
- Place the rolls into the hot oven and bake for around 15 – 20 minutes until lightly golden brown.
- As soon as the rolls are baked, remove them from the tray and place them onto a cooling rack and, most importantly, cover them with a clean tea towel. This will keep the rolls beautifully soft so don’t skip this step!
- Once cool they’re ready to enjoy straight away or freeze so you’re always ready for an impromptu BBQ or a delicious snack
Variations
You can of course make these round and you will have excellent burger buns too, perfect to go with our Easy Homemade Beef Burger Recipe. You can even sprinkle them with sesame seeds for that classic burger bun look. These rolls also make excellent sweet treats too, such as a classic iced bun or a split cream bun as well as excellent picnic rolls or for a packed lunch.
Storage & Freezing Tips
Store the rolls in a bread keeper like this stylish one or this more simple and budget friendly one for a day or two or they can be frozen with excellent results, making sure you always have some on hand for a quick meal or snack.
To freeze, cool the rolls completely. Wrap tightly in a bag or container and they’ll be good for 3 months.
To defrost, allow the rolls to thaw at room temperature on a cooling tray. To give them an extra boost of freshness, pop them in the microwave for a few second until slightly warmed.
There is something very special about homemade bread. Bringing together a few simple ingredients and a little time creates something far better than you can ever buy in a supermarket.
Everyone who bites into one of your hotdog rolls will certainly taste the difference and be back for seconds!
Take a look at other bread recipes too
If you try this recipe, we’d love to hear how your rolls turned out! Leave a comment below or share a photo and tag us on Instagram @thethriftysquirrels so we can all see your creations and build a happy supportive community
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