Gluten Free Sourdough Seedy Buns
Soft and chewy, these buns are ready for your next burger night! Made with 70% whole grain flours, sunflower, sesame and chia seeds, they have an earthy-nutty flavor and a supple, yet sturdy texture that won’t fall apart when stacked high with fillings. These lil’ buns are made without artificial binders, gums or refined sugar. Recipe will make eight medium sized buns, perfect for your next BBQ!
Burgers. Whether it be black bean, bison or salmon, there is something SO satisfying about a burger, am I right?? I’ve been gluten free since 2011, and in that time I have ordered a whole lot of burger salads in restaurants, bars and diners as a semi-reliable eating out option. For some reason, people often find this request mind-boggling. The number of times I’ve asked for a burger on top of a salad and gotten a literal piece of lettuce hiding under my burger… Anyway, all of that to say, I craved the experience of all the kinds of burgers the way it was intended: inside a soft and chewy bun! Don’t get me wrong, a well done burger salad is still insanely delicious… but why not have it all?
These buns are so freaking good! I added seeds to the recipe which is optional, but they add a gorgeous texture and nutty flavor that pairs excellently with pretty much everything. The egg wash on top is optional, but helps with the soft crust and color, but can easily be left out for a vegan bun option. The seeds are optional as well, if you are looking for a simpler option. Use these buns for burgers, sandwiches, or served as dinner rolls. Pesto eggs and kale on one of these bad boys has been my go to breakfast while developing this recipe. I highly recommend it! Let me know in the comments what you think ⇣.
Ingredient Fun Facts:
- buckwheat flour: makes up the largest percentage of the flour mix for this bread. Buckwheat is a high-protein grain, which creates a great structure for breads and pastries, and provides a satisfying hearty, earthy taste
- brown rice flour: less processed than white rice flour, is quite sticky and naturally tangy in flavor. This flour can be replaced with white rice flour or millet, but I’ve found to be pretty widely available for purchase
- oat flour (gluten free): oat flour is the 3rd whole-grain flour in the mix, which can be bought or made at home from gluten-free rolled oats processed in a blender. It is important to buy certified GF oats/flour if you have celiac! Oats are often processed in the same facilities as wheat. Oat flour has a fantastic sweet and nutty flavor that balances out the buckwheat and brown rice beautifully. It can be replaced by sorghum flour as needed
- tapioca and arrow starches: grain-free, these root vegetables are dried and processed to remove the starch. This high starch content makes this flour incredibly sticky and helps to keep the bread together without the gluten or artificial binders.
- ground flax seed: element 1 of the faux-gluten in this bread, ground flax seed is highly absorbant and when mixed with water creates a gel that helps give the bread structure. Flax seeds have a fabulous nutty flavor and are very high in fiber (and grinding them makes the fiber more available to our digestive system).
- psyllium husk powder: element 2 of the faux-gluten, psyllium husks are also highly absorbant and when mixed with water create a gel mixture. Combined with the flax seed, this natural binders are what allows the bread to hold shape, be handled and rise in the oven without collapsing and making a dense bread.
- active gluten-free sourdough starter: the life source of our bread, the gluten-free sourdough starter should be fed and then allowed to about double in size before using. More information on sourdough starter here.
- olive oil: added at the end help create a well-hydrated, smooth, and cohesive dough that can be gently shaped after the initial rise
- egg wash: using an egg wash (1 egg + 1 tsp of water whisked together) on the tops of the buns before baking gives them a shine and a softer crust.
Optional: for a crispy top crust, sprinkle the tops of the buns with cornmeal and score an X on top before baking
How to Make Gluten-Free Sourdough Seedy Buns:
Note: The whole process of making a loaf of sourdough takes about 24 hours in total, but it really involves just little bursts of effort! 24 hours in advance, do necessary preparations to get your gluten-free starter active. For more information on how to do this, visit my post on starter care and use here.
Make the dough:
1. About 13 hours before you’d like to bake the buns, thoroughly combine all dry mix ingredients into a large bowl, preferably by weight
2. In a separate bowl measure out the flax seed, psyllium, and sourdough starter, then pour the water overtop. Stir vigorously so that the mixture becomes a smooth viscous liquid. Add the salt and maple syrup and mix again
3. With a soup spoon or large wooden spoon in hand, pour the wet ingredients into the dry and immediately begin stirring vigorously in circles in the center. As the dry ingredients are incorporated, you can begin widening the circle and trying to incorporate all the flour into the wet ingredients. Put some muscle into it, the dough will be quite thick and sticky! I don’t recommend using your hands to mix.
4. Once the dough is well combined, it will look like a wet, shaggy ball of dough. Add the olive oil across the top and sides of the dough and with the spoon or a silicone/baking spatula if you have one, spread the olive oil on all sides of the dough while simultaneously smoothing and shaping the dough into more of a ball of dough.
Rest and Shape:
5. Cover the dough in an airtight container and leave to rise in a warm, non-drafty place for 2-3 hours depending on the temperature. I like to use a glass bowl for this part so I can check the bottom and see how the air bubbles are forming, this indicates when it is ready. The dough will expand but not double in size, this won’t be as obvious from the top of the dough. Hot tip: use a shower cap and a plate over the bowl to avoid using single use plastic wrap!
6. After the dough has risen, using a silicone spatula as an aid, gently roll the dough from the bowl on to a baking sheet/plate/whatever will fit in your fridge. The bottom of the risen dough is now the top, and should look almost sponge-like in appearance.
7. Using a long knife, carefully slice the dough into 6 or 8 triangles. Coat your hands in a small amount of olive oil and shape each triangle of dough into a smooth ball and re-oil your hands as needed. Try not to completely flatten the dough, to maintain as much of the air from the first rise as possible.
10. Arrange the balls on the sheet so they sit touching each other, this will act as a little bit of structural support while they proof overnight in the fridge.
11. Cover the buns using a plastic bag (or plastic wrap), place the baking sheet inside and tuck/tie the ends of the bag under the sheet, to create a bubble. Let the the bread rest in the fridge overnight for 10-12 hours, ready to bake hot buns in the morning!
Baking:
13. In the morning, at least 30 minutes before desire baking time, preheat the oven to 500ºF and place a baking sheet or pizza stone on the middle rack in the oven. Fill up a roasting pan with about 1-2 inches of water and place on the bottom rack in the oven. Hot tip: If using a pizza stone, let preheat at 500℉ for an additional 15 minutes to get the stone really raring hot.
14. Right before baking, make the egg wash: whisk 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl.
15. Remove the bread from the fridge, and turn each bun over. Brush the new tops of the buns with egg wash, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Turning the buns over helps the bottom-most layer of the buns to rise properly in the oven.
Optional: instead of the egg wash, sprinkle both sides with cornmeal and deeply score an X on top for a crispy crust variation
16. Carefully transfer the buns to the hot baking sheet/stone so they are touching, and cover with a tall lid or aluminum foil (make sure there is nothing pressing on the buns as they rise)
17. Bake covered for 15 minutes, then remove the cover and reduce the oven temperature to 450℉, and bake for another 25 minutes. The crust should achieve a beautiful golden brown, and the sides where the buns are touching should appear dry.
18. Slide buns, keeping them still connected, onto a cooling rack for at least an hour, then pull apart the buns
19. Store loosely covered in til foil or in a bread box for up to 3 days (unless in high humidity, gluten-free bread molds more easily than normal). For the best long term storage and freshest taste, the day after baking, slice the bread and freeze in a ziploc bag for up to 1 month. They toast back up again very well, even after living in the freezer for awhile.
Black bean burgers with aged cheddar, lettuce, beet relish and caramelized onion.s
Gluten-free Sourdough Seedy Buns
Ingredients:
- 140g buckwheat (1 cup)
- 80g brown rice (1/2 cup)
- 80g oat flour (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp)
- 70g tapioca flour (1/2 cup)
- 70g arrowroot flour (1/2 cup)
- 40g sunflower seeds (1/3 cup), optional (but highly recommended)
- 2 tsp of chia seeds, optional
- 32g ground flax seed (4 tbsp)
- 20g psyllium husk powder (2 tbsp)
- 540g water (2 1/4 cups)
- 150g active room temperature starter (1/2 cup)
- 14g fine sea salt (2 tsp)
- 15g maple syrup (2 tsp)
- 13g olive oil (1 tbsp)
- 1 egg (for egg wash, skip if vegan)
- sesame seeds (for topping)
Instructions:
- About 13 hours before you’d like to bake the buns, thoroughly combine all dry mix ingredients into a large bowl, preferably by weight
- In a separate bowl measure out the flax seed, psyllium, and sourdough starter, then pour the water overtop. Stir vigorously so that the mixture becomes a smooth viscous liquid. Add the salt and maple syrup and mix again
- With a soup spoon or large wooden spoon in hand, pour the wet ingredients into the dry and immediately begin stirring vigorously in circles in the center. As the dry ingredients are incorporated, you can begin widening the circle and trying to incorporate all the flour into the wet ingredients. Put some muscle into it, the dough will be quite thick and sticky! I don’t recommend using your hands to mix.
- Once the dough is well combined, it will look like a wet, shaggy ball of dough. Add the olive oil across the top and sides of the dough and with the spoon or a silicone/baking spatula if you have one, spread the olive oil on all sides of the dough while simultaneously smoothing and shaping the dough into more of a ball.
- Cover the dough so that it is airtight and leave to rise in a non-drafty, warm place for about 2-3 hours (depending on the temperature)
- You are looking for the dough to expand but not double. If you can, use a glass container for this stage so you can look at the bottom of the dough and see if large air pockets have appeared
- After the dough has risen, using a silicone spatula as an aid, gently roll the dough from the bowl on to a baking sheet/plate/whatever will fit in your fridge. The bottom of the risen dough is now the top, and should look almost sponge-like in appearance
- Using a long knife, carefully slice the dough into 6 or 8 triangles. Coat your hands in a small amount of olive oil and shape each triangle of dough into a smooth ball. Re-oil your hands as needed
- Arrange the balls on the sheet so they sit touching, this will act as a little bit of structural support while they proof overnight in the fridge
- Using a plastic bag, place the sheet inside and tuck/tie the ends of the bag under the sheet, to create a bubble. Let the the bread rest in the fridge overnight for 10-12 hours
- In the morning, at least 30 minutes before desire baking time, preheat the oven to 500℉, and place a baking sheet or pizza stone on the middle rack in the oven. Fill up a roasting pan with about 1-2 inches of water and place on the bottom rack in the oven. If using a pizza stone, let preheat at 500℉ for an additional 15 minutes to get the stone really hot
- Right before baking, whisk 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl to make an egg wash.
- Remove the bread from the fridge, and turn each bun over. Brush the new tops of the buns with egg wash, and sprinkle with sesame seeds
- Carefully transfer the buns to the hot baking sheet/stone so they are touching, and cover with a tall lid or aluminum foil (so there is nothing pressing on the buns as they rise)
- Bake covered for 15 minutes, then remove the cover and reduce the oven temperature to 450℉, and bake for another 25 minutes. The crust should achieve a beautiful golden brown, and the sides where the buns are touching should appear dry
- Slide buns still connected onto a cooling rack for at least an hour, then pull apart the buns
- Store loosely covered in til foil or in a bread box for up to 3 days (unless there is a very humid environment). For the best long term storage and freshest taste, the day after baking, slice the bread and freeze in a ziploc bag for up to 1 month.
Recipe Notes:
Calories
235.38Fat (grams)
9.47Sat. Fat (grams)
1.31Carbs (grams)
33.95Fiber (grams)
5.03Net carbs
28.92Sugar (grams)
1.89Protein (grams)
5.90Sodium (milligrams)
995.15Cholesterol (grams)
23.25
