Super Simple Hot Dog Buns

[Guhlia]

I generally don't make hot dog buns because making those silly tin foil molds takes entirely too much time. Well, I finally figured out a really easy way to make hot dog buns and have them turn out looking decent with little to no extra effort. I just put a very thin layer of bread dough (I used the white bread recipe from Shari L. Sanderson's Incredible Edible Gluten Free Food for Kids) in a bread pan, let it rise, and baked it. It rose to about the right thickness, then I just cut it into strips and then split those strips down the center partially and stuck hot dogs in. I hope that makes sense. It really turned out looking like hot dog buns. I froze the remaining bread (unsliced) and am using it today for lunch and its great. It's really spongy and moist just like the bakery style hot dog/hamburger buns. It's not like the el cheapo wonder sponge ones that you buy premade, but it's close enough. I'm definitely pleased.

Oh, BTW, if you use the Incredible Edible recipe like I did, try pairing them with some of the parmesean garlic baked fries. They are awesome!

[blueeyedmanda]

Thanks for sharing this, just in time for Picnic and grill season!!!

[Guhlia]

Thanks for sharing this, just in time for Picnic and grill season!!!

I'm thinking that at room temperature they'll probably keep for 4-6 hours if wrapped in saran wrap before they start drying out. I haven't tried this, but they are super moist, so it might work if heading out on a picnic or taking it over to someone's house for a cookout. I may experiment with that this weekend at the races. I bought myself a thermos so I could transport hot dogs for the kiddo. I would really enjoy a REAL hot dog at the track.

Oh, and I forgot to mention... If you use the recipe in the Incredible Edible cookbook, don't leave out the gelatin! It works much better with it in it.

[blueeyedmanda]

Let us know how you make out at the races....we might be jealous and all but we would like to see you enjoy the hotdog at the race that is a racing tradition.

[Guhlia]

Let us know how you make out at the races....we might be jealous and all but we would like to see you enjoy the hotdog at the race that is a racing tradition.

I know, right? I'm probably the only idiot there that isn't shoveling a hot dog down my throat. This sounds sick, but I really miss good ol' racetrack food covered in clay dust from the track. Somehow, it just tastes better that way.

[Cheri A]

Oh, man! Great idea, Angie!! Last year, before we went on vacation, I spent HOURS making hot dog and hamburger buns with the tin foil for Carleigh. And then, I ended up with a bunch left over because she wanted no bun! I'm going to try it your way AND dig that cook-book back out for some new ideas!!

[kbabe1968]

Is the dough thick enough toput in a zippy bag and then kind of "pipe out" and bake in bun shapes? Or would it not be as spongy?

Could you post the recipe?

Thanks. I MISSSSSSSSS Hot Dogs...love em with cheese, spicy mustard and relish.

[Guhlia]

Is the dough thick enough toput in a zippy bag and then kind of "pipe out" and bake in bun shapes? Or would it not be as spongy?

Could you post the recipe?

Thanks. I MISSSSSSSSS Hot Dogs...love em with cheese, spicy mustard and relish.

The dough may or may not spread like this. I'm not sure. I had a bit that oozed out from my tin foil circle hamburger bun molds. I'm thinking that probably wouldn't work, but you could always try it on just one and see what happens.

This recipe is from the Incredible Edible Gluten Free Food for Kids cookbook by Shari L. Sanderson and modified very slightly to combine recipes.

Classic White Bread

INGREDIENTS

2 cups white rice flour

1 cup potato starch flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon xanthan gum

1/1-2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup nonfat dry milk

2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package - I used quick rise)

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (optional- but I highly recommend it)

1-1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons margarine or butter (I used butter)

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

3 large eggs

***NOTE: I also added a little bit of milk to my batter, you may or may not want to try this.***

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine rice, potato starch, and tapioca flours, sugar, xanthan gum, salt, milk powder, yeast, and unflavored gelatin in a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a heavy duter mixer with a flat beater).

2. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

3. Melt the margarine in the water until the water is 120-130 degrees with a candy thermometer. (I used hot tap water and then stuck it in the microwave for 33 seconds to melt the butter.

4. With an electric mixer on low speed (or a heavy-duty mixer on slow), slowly add the water/butter mixture to the dry ingredients. Add the vinegar and the eggs, one at a time. Beat at highest speed of the mixer for three minutes (or medium in a heavy-duty mixer). The dough will look like thick cake batter.

5. Pour the dough into three or four greased loaf pans, fill about 1" in each pan. Put the filled pans into the pre-heated oven; turn the oven off. Let the dough rise until doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes. (Mine rose for about half an hour)

6. Turn oven on (with bread still in it) to 375 degrees and bake until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. I believe mine went about 25 minutes, but I could be wrong. I never set a timer.

7. Remove loaves from oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pans and cool completely on the wire rack before slicing.

8. Slice into 1-1/2" buns, wrap, and freeze or use immediately. Do not make the internal cuts until ready to use.

9. When ready to use, slice each bun about 3/4 of the way down and put hot dog in.

Okay, I hope those directions make sense. I was really fudging the last few steps. Make sure when you cut the buns to insert hot dogs that you're not cutting through the golden crust, you only want to be cutting into the soft insides, and don't cut it through all the way.

I hope this turns out as well for you guys as it did for us.

[miles2go]

Thank ye, goddess! It is unusually warm here these last few days, more than a few coworkers were out grilling last night and they all seemed to think it righteous to cook hamburgers and hot dogs for the first grill and I too, am tired of those little tin-foil molds.

Margaret

[Guhlia]

Ok guys, we took these to the races tonight. It was 55 degrees out (chilly). I wrapped them in a paper towel slightly warm and put them in a ziploc bag. They sat in my backpack in the cold for about 3 hours or so before we ate. They were cold by that point, but they tasted great. They didn't get really tough like most gluten free bread. They were pretty good. Not great, but pretty good. If it were warm out they probably would've been great. If you took these to a cookout and put them on the grill for a short time to heat up, they would be really good!

[2Boys4Me]

Angie, I'm not really clear on how you're slicing these. You make them in a loaf pan, but only an inch of "dough" in the pan, and then when it's done quarter the loaf? Does that make sense? One slice lengthwise and one across and you've got four bun shapes? Is that what you're doing?

I worked late last night. I blame my lack of sleep for my lack of understanding.

[Guhlia]

Nope. The length of hot dog buns is approximately the width of a loaf pan. I bake it and then slice it into hot dog buns the short way. Does that make more sense? Then, once it's sliced into hot dog buns, I make the slit down the middle to put the hot dogs in each individual bun.

[mandasmom]

Oh, man! Great idea, Angie!! Last year, before we went on vacation, I spent HOURS making hot dog and hamburger buns with the tin foil for Carleigh. And then, I ended up with a bunch left over because she wanted no bun! I'm going to try it your way AND dig that cook-book back out for some new ideas!!

Its funny how we all go crazy looking or the best bread substitutes and after a while we seem to adjust to more naturally gluten-free foods..my family hardy ever uses bread sub any more....

[Guhlia]

I never really like hot dogs OR hot dog buns pre-dx. However, I really want my 3 year old to feel "normal" and not miss out on typical kid foods. She doesn't get that kind of stuff often, but it sure is nice to be able to give it to her here and there. I, actually, with this recipe, have grown very fond of hot dogs. Which I guess is good because there aren't many other things that I would eat out of a thermos.

[blueeyedmanda]

Angie

I am so glad to hear they held up at the races!!! The real impressive thing is they didn't get hard and tough. I know that is my biggest disappointment with all the buns I have tried so far.

Friday was chilly and nasty, I was driving back to Harrisburg that night and it was a miserble drive the whole way home.

[Guhlia]

Angie

I am so glad to hear they held up at the races!!! The real impressive thing is they didn't get hard and tough. I know that is my biggest disappointment with all the buns I have tried so far.

Friday was chilly and nasty, I was driving back to Harrisburg that night and it was a miserble drive the whole way home.

Yeah, they didn't get super tough. They were a little tougher than normal, but definitely the most edible hot dog bun I've had yet and I've had a lot because that's something my husband really enjoys for a quick lunch now and then.

It was nasty, wasn't it? Luckily, our feature was over before the rain started so we were leaving when it started to rain. We only got stuck in it for a few minutes. It was actually surprisingly warm out. Last week I was dressed in long underwear, a long sleeved shirt, a sweatshirt, and a midweight jacket. This week I was warm in just my sweatshirt with a long sleeved shirt under it.