Breads (Sourdough) - Soft Buns/Rolls
Black Sesame Sourdough Discard Buns
March 30, 2021
| Recipe by Bake with Paws
Last Updated on July 14, 2025
By Bake with Paws
What Are Sourdough Discard Buns?
Sourdough discard buns are soft, fluffy bread rolls made using leftover sourdough discard from your starter. Instead of throwing it away, you can turn it into delicious, naturally leavened buns.
This version is enriched with black sesame paste, giving the buns a nutty aroma, soft texture, and beautiful speckled crumb. The best part? These buns are made entirely with sourdough discard — no commercial yeast added.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✔️ Naturally Leavened – Made with sourdough discard only, no commercial yeast.
✔️ Soft & Fluffy Texture – Tender, bakery-style crumb.
✔️ Nutty Black Sesame Flavor – Unique, earthy, and aromatic.
✔️ No Waste – A perfect way to use up sourdough discard.
✔️ Straightforward Process – Easy enough for home bakers.
✔️ Beautiful Checkered Pattern – Created by arranging plain and black sesame dough alternately for a striking visual effect.
Inspiration Behind This Recipe
I adapted the base dough from the Sourdough Discard Bread recipe by Baking With Gina to create these soft and fluffy Black Sesame Sourdough Discard Buns in a beautiful checkered pattern.
Gina shares many creative and inspiring sourdough discard recipes on her Instagram, and her bakes are always lovely. If you're looking for more ways to use your discard, her page is definitely worth exploring.
Why Use Sourdough Discard?
Sourdough discard is unfed starter left over after refreshment. While it’s not strong enough to leaven bread on its own, it adds:
- A subtle sourdough aroma and complexity
- Moist, tender crumb in baked goods
- A sustainable way to reduce food waste
- Natural depth of flavor without a tangy taste
How To Make Black Sesame Sourdough Discard Buns
Ingredients (Yields: 16 Buns)
Plain Buns
250g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)
200g sourdough discard, room temperature (I used 3 - 4 days old discard)
30g brown sugar (I used organic brown sugar)
1 tsp salt (original recipe asked for 3g, about 1/2 tsp)
30g milk powder (Original recipe no milk powder)
30g butter, room temperature
110g water (Original recipe uses 100g full cream milk)
Black Sesame Buns
250g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)
200g sourdough discard, room temperature (I used 3 - 4 days old discard)
30g brown sugar (I used organic brown sugar)
1 tsp salt (original recipe asked for 3g, about 1/2 tsp)
30g milk powder (Original recipe no milk powder)
30g butter, room temperature
115g water (Original recipe uses 100g full cream milk)
45g black sesame, toasted and blended into paste
Utenstil:
11" square pan
Step-By-Step Method
- Kneading:
- Knead both dough separately. I prepared plain dough first then black sesame dough.
- Put all ingredients (except butter) into a bowl of stand mixer.
- Slightly combine the mixture by hand with the paddle attachment before turning on the machine so that the flour will not splash out. Using the paddle attachment, mix for 2 minutes or until all incorporated.
- Change to hook attachment and knead for another 3 minutes or until the dough comes together. Add in butter and continue knead for 10 - 12 minutes or until reach window pane stage. The whole kneading process, I stopped few times to scrape down the dough from the hook to be sure it is evenly kneaded and also to prevent the motor from overheating.
- 1st Proofing/Resting:
- In the same bowl, let the dough rest for about 60 minutes. Keep it covered with clingfilm or use a lid. I rested plain dough for 60 minutes and black sesame for about 50 minutes. The dough rose slightly.
- Shaping:
- Shape both dough separately. I started with plain dough first then black sesame dough.
- Transfer the dough to a clean floured surface then divide dough into 8 equal portions for each dough. 8 portions (around 81g each) for plain dough and 8 portions (about 86g each) for black sesame dough. Please use a kitchen scale if you want to be exact.
- Form each portion to a ball. Please watch the video here "How to shape bun"
- Place them in a checkered pattern within a 11 inch square pan. 4 X 4 buns (16 buns).
- Final Proofing:
- Let the buns proof at a warm place until the dough rise double in size. This one took approximately 3 1/2 hours at at room temperature of 30C. The duration of proofing depends on your ambient temperature and the starter.
- Baking:
- Preheat oven at 150C (top & bottom heat) for 10 - 15 minutes.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 35 - 40 minutes, or until slightly light brown. I covered the buns with aluminium foil after 30 minutes to prevent the buns from getting too brown.
- Remove buns from oven and pan. Let them cool on rack.
Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Don’t use overly sour or old discard – Use fresh or recently fed discard for best flavor.
❌ Don’t skip proofing – Even though it’s a fast recipe, proper proofing is essential for softness.
❌ Don’t overbake – These buns brown quickly, so watch your oven to avoid a dry crust.
❌ Don’t add too much flour – The dough should remain slightly tacky before the final shaping.
Tips for Baking Bread
- Gluten Development:
- Essential for soft, airy bread, gluten is created when flour hydrates. To develop it, use techniques like autolyse or kneading. The windowpane test checks readiness—dough should stretch thin without tearing. From my experience, high hydration dough with high percentage of fat will be easy to stretch and achieve a paper thin windowpane stage.
- Kneading:
- Please regard the timing provided as an indication only. It is only meant as a guide. Times vary by flour and mixer type. For higher fat dough, knead longer (18–20 minutes).
- Flour & Hydration:
- Use high-gluten flour for optimal texture. Always reserve some liquid to adjust dough consistency for best results. If dough is too dry, add the reserve liquid one tablespoon at a time until the right consistency.
- Dough Temperature:
- Maintaining the right dough temperature during kneading is crucial for a fine crumb. If the dough becomes too warm, the crumb will become too big and uneven. To prevent this, use cold water, milk, or eggs, and chill your mixing bowl or hook attachment in the freezer. Knead at low speeds, and if your kitchen is warm, rest the dough in a cooler spot. Proper dough temperature ensures a soft, fluffy bread with a fine, even crumb.
- Proofing:
- Proofing time depends on your environment. Use the finger poke test to gauge readiness. To check dough readiness, lightly press the side with your finger:
- If it bounces back instantly, it’s under-proofed and needs more time.
- If the indentation stays, it’s over-proofed.
- If the indentation slowly bounces back, it’s ready to bake.
- There’s also a final rise called oven spring when the dough bakes, which adds to the bread’s height.
- Wrinkle Top or Shrinking:
- If your bread collapses or develops wrinkles on top after baking, it might be over-proofed during the second rise. Aim for the dough to rise to 80-90% of its final size or just below the rim of the pan to prevent this. Over-proofing leads to weaker structure, causing the bread to lose shape.
- Baking & Oven Temperarate:
- Do also note that the baking temperature and timing provided are what works for my oven and should also be regarded as a guide only. Every oven behaves a little differently, so please adjust accordingly for your oven.
FAQs about Black Sesame Sourdough Discard Buns
Q: Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?
A: Yes, but the texture may be slightly softer and less chewy.
Q: Can I replace black sesame paste with other ingredients?
A: You can try cocoa powder, matcha, or leave it plain!
Q: How do I store these buns?
A: Keep in an airtight container at room temp for 2–3 days or freeze for longer storage.
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Black Sesame Sourdough Discard Buns
Yield:
16
Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 30 MinInactive time: 4 H & 30 MTotal time: 5 H & 30 M
Sourdough discard buns are soft, fluffy bread rolls made using leftover sourdough discard from your starter. Instead of throwing it away, you can turn it into delicious, naturally leavened buns.
This version is enriched with black sesame paste, giving the buns a nutty aroma, soft texture, and beautiful speckled crumb. The best part? These buns are made entirely with sourdough discard — no commercial yeast added.
Ingredients
PLAIN DOUGH:
BLACK SESAME DOUGH:
UTENSIL:
Instructions
KNEADING
- Knead both dough separately. I prepared plain dough first then black sesame dough.
- Put all ingredients (except butter) into a bowl of stand mixer.
- Slightly combine the mixture by hand with the paddle attachment before turning on the machine so that the flour will not splash out. Using the paddle attachment, mix for 2 minutes or until all incorporated.
- Change to hook attachment and knead for another 3 minutes or until the dough comes together. Add in butter and continue knead for 10 - 12 minutes or until reach window pane stage. The whole kneading process, I stopped few times to scrape down the dough from the hook to be sure it is evenly kneaded and also to prevent the motor from overheating.
1ST PROOFING/RESTING
- In the same bowl, let the dough rest for about 60 minutes. Keep it covered with clingfilm or use a lid. I rested plain dough for 60 minutes and black sesame for about 50 minutes. The dough rose slightly.
SHAPING
- Shape both dough separately. I started with plain dough first then black sesame dough.
- Transfer the dough to a clean floured surface then divide dough into 8 equal portions for each dough. 8 portions (around 81g each) for plain dough and 8 portions (about 86g each) for black sesame dough. Please use a kitchen scale if you want to be exact.
- Form each portion to a ball. Please watch the video here "How to shape bun"
- Place them in a checkered pattern within a 11 inch square pan. 4 X 4 buns (16 buns).
FINAL PROOFING
- Let the buns proof at a warm place until the dough rise double in size. This one took approximately 3 1/2 hours at at room temperature of 30C. The duration of proofing depends on your ambient temperature and the starter.
BAKING
- Preheat oven at 150C (top & bottom heat) for 10 - 15 minutes.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 35 - 40 minutes, or until slightly light brown. I covered the buns with aluminium foil after 30 minutes to prevent the buns from getting too brown.
- Remove buns from oven and pan. Let them cool on rack.
I am looking forward to trying this recipe. But I don’t see butter in the ingredients list but your directions mention adding butter as the last step. Also, with the sesame paste, do you use a grinder to make the paste and do you add it all in the beginning with all the other ingredients minus the butter? Thanks for always creating and sharing your recipes!
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for reading this recipe and highlighted the missing of butter. I just added in 30g of butter.
DeleteMy pleasure to share. Credit to Baking with Gina.
Cheers :)
Hi,
ReplyDeleteIf i do not have milk powder, by removing 30g milk powder. Do i need to add 30g to the dough since my powder missing
Hi, thanks for asking. Just omit the milk powder and do not need to replace with flour. However, please don't add all the water use 100g first. If you think is a bit dry then add all the water.
DeleteCheers :)
Cheers :)
Hi, I have tried your recipe today and I subsitute sesame to cocoa powder. The bread turn out not so good because it is too sour. I used 1-2 day discard. Any suggestion? And also the surface of the buns are a bit dry. I did as you suggest, covered them up with aluminium foil after 30 min, any suggestion?
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for trying this recipe. The disadvantage of using sourdough discard is that the bread is a little sour. We cannot avoid it. Advantages is we can make full use of discard and do not need to build a levain.
DeleteMaybe because of the cocoa powder that make the bread dryer. You need to add more liquid in this case.
If you do not like sour bread then please try the Sourdough Shokupan (Stiff Starter & Yudane Method) as below link:
https://www.bakewithpaws.com/2021/03/sourdough-shokupan.html
Cheers :)
Thank you verymuch. I will definitely try out
ReplyDeleteHi YL, thank you very much for your recipes and blog! I tried this recipe and it turned out really well!
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for trying and your kind feedback. So happy to hear that it turned out well for you.
DeleteCheers and happy baking :)
Hi Bwp. I am planning to bake this bun to use up my sourdough discard. The black sesame seeds do u process them into a paste or powder form. ? Also my sourdough discard is kept frozen for couple weeks. Do I think it will work for this recipe? Your checquered buns look so good as always. Also u bake at very low temp at 150c. Is it bcos u prefer a lighter color bun? Thanks for kind response as always. Much appreciated. Chloe
ReplyDeleteHi Chloe,
DeleteThanks for reading my posts always. Yes, I blend the toasted sesame seeds with processor until fine and eventually it will become a paste because of the oil. You may want to add some yeast if you use old discard sourdough. Please bear in mind this buns are abit sour because using discard.
Yes, I baked at low temperature because I want light colour.
Cheers :)
Thank you. How much yeast u think I should add? Also is the sour taste very strong? 🙏. Hopefully u can upload more sourdough discard recipes in the near future. Thanks and be well.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome. Maybe 1 tsp for the above recipe. The sourness is very much depend on your starter and also your expectation. For mine, I find it quite tangy for my expectation.
DeleteCheers :)
Hi. Can I substitute the sesame paste with sesame powder? If yes, how many grams of sesame powder is needed for this recipe?
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for asking. I never used sesame powder before and I am not sure is there any other ingredients added in the sesame powder. If it is very dried powder maybe you need less. I guess you need to add slowly and see how the dough turn out.
DeleteCheers :)
This is so cool! I've wanted to create a dark bread color without using pumpernikle or cocoa powder. I will try the black sesame paste in sourdough this week. Thank you! : )
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for stopping by. I hope you will like it. Please bear in mind this sourdough discard recipe is slightly sour. I have other sesame recipes using sourdough or instant use too. Just search at the top right hand corner.
DeleteCheers :)