Soft and tasty buns braided around juicy hotdogs then topped with sesame seeds, these Braided Hotdog Buns are filling and addictive!
When one is hungry, he should not look at my Instagram feed, unless he wants to crave all sort of mouth-watering food.
You see, being a food blogger, I follow a whole lot of foodies, fellow food bloggers, and people who share the same passion for styling and staging food for the camera. Once click on the Instagram icon will expose you to hunger-inducing pastries, burgers and saucy stuff.
Most often though, I am the victim of my own feed. When I saw some very pretty braided hotdog buns one day (thank you #bread), I automatically craved a hotdog, and I kept staring at the photo, thinking how on earth were those intricate braids done.
I mean, I see hotdog sandwiches all the time (hello Costco!) but braided hotdog buns? They are a sight to behold.
These are very tasty because the large hotdogs are wrapped in soft and delicate bread, making the savory meat stand out. The sesame seeds toppings add an interesting texture and a great touch of flavor. Gosh, I am hungry writing this at 4 am!
How to Make Braided Hotdog Buns?
Okay, first things first. The Dough. Proof the yeast in warm water in a bowl. I like to add a tiny sprinkle of sugar in the yeast and water mixture to yield a really foamy yeast.
Add the egg, milk, butter, more sugar and salt. Stir everything well using a wooden spoon or spatula.
Add 3 cups of flour, one cup at a time and stir until incorporated. Now turn to the remaining one cup of flour and gradually add it to the mixture. Stir as you add.
Once the dough has gathered into a shaggy mass in the center of the bowl, stop adding more flour. There may be leftover flour and that is okay.
Turn the dough over on a lightly floured board. With your hands, start to knead the dough, pushing it down and away from you using your palms and the weight of your lower body, then folding it inwards after the pushing motion. Dust the dough and the board with a bit of flour as needed to prevent sticking.
Repeat the series of actions until the dough is smooth, elastic and can stretch thinly. New to kneading? Check out my How to Knead Bread Dough with Video.
Shape the kneaded dough into a ball and place it in a bowl. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for 1 to 1 and 1.2 hours, or until it has doubled in bulk. After rising, gently punch the dough down.
Assemble the Braided Hotdog Buns
Fun part guys! Assembly time. Divide the deflated dough into 12 portions. Using your palms or a rolling pin, flatten the portion into an oval or rectangle, roughly 4×3 inches in size.
Place a hotdog vertically in the center of the oval/rectangle. The hotdogs are larger than a regular one. See the recipe for the hotdog size.
Now to the left and right side of the hotdog, there will be uncovered space of dough. Cut horizontal slits on both of those dough areas to yield strips of dough that are about half an inch thick. Use a knife to do this.
Alternately wrap the hotdog with the strips of dough, beginning on one side then the other, and so on until all the strips are wrapped around the hotdog.
Arrange the assembled hotdog buns on a baking tray lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Leave about an inch of spaces in between. Cover them loosely with a towel and let them rise for about an hour, or until soft and puffy.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat the egg and brush the surface of the buns with it. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Bake the braided hotdog buns for 18-25 minutes, or until the buns are lightly golden.
And there my friends, the kind of hotdog that does not require any sort of fixin’. You will love these, guaranteed.
More Delicious Bread to Try:
- Swedish Cardamom Buns
- Pan de Leche
- Tuna Buns
- Easy Focaccia
- Whole Wheat Focaccia with Caramelized Onions
- Garlic Herb Bread
- Sweet Greek Bread
- Ube Loaf Bread
- Cinnamon Roll Bread Loaf
Braided Hotdog Buns
Soft and tasty buns braided around juicy hotdogs then topped with sesame seeds, these Braided Hotdog Buns are filling and addictive!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup warm water 105-115 F
- 2 and 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 3/4 cup warm milk
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup softened butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg for egg wash
- 12 large hotdogs about 5.5 inches long and 3.5 inch thick
Instructions
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In a mixing bowl, combine yeast, about a teaspoon of the sugar and warm water. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes, or until foamy. Add the warm milk, the egg, the butter, sugar and salt. Stir everything well with a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon.
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Add three cups of flour, one cup at a time, and stir well until incorporated. Add the remaining flour gradually while stirring, stopping when the dough gathers in the center of the bowl into a shaggy mass. You may not need all of the flour.
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Turn the dough over on a floured board. Knead the dough, sprinkling flour when needed to prevent the dough from sticking too much. Knead until the dough is elastic, smooth and can stretch thinly. Shape the kneaded dough into a ball and place it in a bowl. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for 1 and 1/2 hours or until it has doubled in bulk.
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Once risen, gently punch the dough down and divide it into 12 portions. Using a rolling pin or your palms, flatten a portion into a 4x3 inches rectangle or oval (does not need to be exact). Place a hotdog vertically in the middle of the rectangle. Cut horizontal slits using a knife (about half an inch thick) on both the sides of the dough that surrounds the hotdog.
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Wrap the hotdog with the strips of dough, alternately folding from the left and then the right, over to the center. Repeat with the rest of the portions. Arrange the assembled hotdog buns on a baking tray lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Leave about an inch of spaces in between. Cover them loosely with a towel and let them rise for about an hour, or until soft and puffy.
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Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat the egg and brush the surface of the buns with it. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Bake the braided hotdog buns for 18-25 minutes, or until the buns are lightly golden.
Recipe Notes
Hotdogs used are slightly larger than regular ones (recommended). See the recipe fot he hotdog size.
Can I add cheese beaide the hotdog?
Yes you can 🙂 Yum!