Breads (Sourdough) - Soft Buns/Rolls
Sourdough Shokupan Burger Bun (Soft & Fluffy)
March 18, 2021
| Recipe by Bake with Paws
Last Updated on July 13, 2025
By Bake with Paws
Sourdough Shokupan Burger Buns
What is Shokupan and Its Origins?
Shokupan is a Japanese milk bread known for its pillowy softness and slightly sweet flavor. Traditionally used for toast or sandwiches, it's made using techniques like Yudane or Tangzhong to create a moist, tender crumb that stays soft for days.
In this recipe, I’ve adapted the classic Shokupan method into burger buns — combining traditional Japanese baking techniques with natural sourdough fermentation for an elevated, homemade burger experience.
Short Interesting History or Trivia
“Shokupan” means “eating bread” in Japanese, originally developed in the early 20th century to suit Japanese tastes after the Western introduction of bread. Its unique softness comes from techniques like Yudane, where flour is scalded with hot water to gelatinize the starch and trap moisture. My version uses a sweet stiff sourdough starter for a mildly sweet, naturally leavened alternative to the commercial yeast-based version.
Why You’ll Like This Recipe
✔️ Soft, Moist & Fluffy – The Yudane method keeps the buns soft and moist for days.
✔️ Naturally Leavened – No commercial yeast used — only a sweet stiff sourdough starter for a gentle sourdough flavor.
✔️ Perfect for Burgers or Sliders – Strong enough to hold fillings, yet soft enough to bite through easily.
✔️ Mildly Sweet & Enriched – A touch of sugar and milk enriches the dough without making it overly sweet.
✔️ No Tangy Taste – The sweet stiff starter keeps the flavor clean and mild.
✔️ Versatile – Use these buns for burgers, sandwiches, or even breakfast buns with butter and jam.
What is a Sweet Stiff Starter?
A Sweet Stiff Starter is a type of sourdough starter that is firm in texture (typically at 50% hydration) and slightly sweetened, usually with sugar or honey. Unlike a regular liquid starter, this one is thicker and milder in flavor — perfect for enriched doughs like burger buns, brioche, or milk bread.
Why Use It?
- Less Tangy Flavor – The sweetness and stiffness of the starter reduce acidity, resulting in a milder, more pleasant flavor.
- Stronger Dough Structure – Its firm consistency supports better gluten development in rich doughs.
- Improved Oven Spring – Especially useful in high-fat recipes where a regular starter might weaken the rise.
In this recipe, the sweet stiff starter gives the buns a soft and fluffy crumb with a very subtle sourdough character — just enough for flavor without overwhelming the sweetness of Shokupan-style bread.
What is the Yudane Method?
The Yudane Method is a Japanese bread-making technique that involves mixing boiling water with a portion of the flour in the recipe. This process gelatinizes the starches, allowing the dough to absorb more moisture and retain softness for longer periods.
Benefits of Yudane:
- Extra Soft Texture – The gelatinized flour traps water, creating a moist and fluffy crumb.
- Longer Freshness – Buns made with Yudane stay soft for 2–3 days without drying out.
- Naturally Sweet Aroma – The scalded flour adds a subtle, sweet aroma and enhances the overall flavor.
This method is a key reason why your Sourdough Shokupan Burger Buns come out pillowy-soft, light, and bakery-quality — even without added commercial softeners.
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I shared my Sourdough Potato Burger Buns recipe for the first time last year and I love it a lot. I explained then why I used potato in burger buns. The starch in the potato gives the bun a soft, yet sturdy structure that is perfect to hold a patty with. Potato starch also absorbs more water than wheat starch and this makes the bun more moist and have better shelf life.
Recently I have seen a lot of people using shokupan or brioche recipes to make burger buns. My hubby loves burgers and he has been hinting to me that shokupan burger buns would make good burger buns too. So, here is the Sourdough Shokupan Burger Buns recipe. I hope you like it too. The texture is soft and moist, with the perfect structural integrity for burger buns. Compared to a potato bun, it is lighter and that works very well with the robust flavours of a beef burger.
It is the same recipe of my Sourdough Shokupan Bread (Stiff Starter + Yudane Method)
If you have any questions regarding this recipe or any other post, please leave me a comment in the “LEAVE A COMMENT” link and I will reply you as soon as possible. Do tag me on Instagram @Bakewithpaws if you attempt on this recipe.
How To Make Sourdough Shokupan Burger Buns
Yields: 6 buns (10 cm diameter)
INGREDIENTS:
Yudane Dough:
70g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)
70g boiling water
Sweet Stiff Starter (SST):
60g sourdough starter (100% Hydration), preferably use at its peak
180g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)
75g water or 90g milk
30g sugar (I used organic brown sugar)
Main Dough:
70g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)
All stiff starter (above)
All the yudane dough (above)
15g brown sugar (I used organic brown sugar)
1 tsp salt
20g milk powder (omit if SST is fed with milk)
25g butter, room temperature
45g cold egg, whisked (from 1 medium egg)
15g water, cold
Egg Wash:
1 egg + 1 tbsp water, whisked
Utensil:
Baking tray
METHOD:
- Yudane Dough:
- Add bread flour in a bowl, pour the boiling water and mix well with spatula or spoon until no dry flour.
- Cling film and leave on the counter for at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge. I prepared the night before.
- Use directly from the fridge.
- Sweet Stiff Starter
- Dilute starter with water, stir in sugar and mix in bread flour to become a dough. Please use stand mixer with paddle attachment to mix if you find hard to mix with hand.
- Cover and let it ferment until tripled. I prepared a night before and leave it in aircond room (approximately 24 - 25C room temperature) overnight until tripled. It took about 8 - 9 hours depending on your starter. It should take around 4 - 6 hours to get triple at room temperature at 28C - 30C.
- Main Dough:
- Put all ingredients (except butter), including all the stiff starter and yudane dough 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. This step is critical to prevent an uneven mixed dough as the stiff starter is rather hard and a dough hook may not be able to mix it well enough.
- 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 45 - 60 minutes. Keep it covered with clingfilm or use a lid. This dough I rested for 45 minutes and the dough did not rise quite a lot in 45 minutes.
- Shaping:
- Transfer the dough to a clean floured surface then divide dough into 6 equal portions (approx. 111g each for mine). 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 bun onto the baking pans lined with non-stick baking paper. Make sure they are about 1 ½ to 2 inches apart.
- Final Proofing:
- I made marks with a pencil about 1.5 cm away from the original size of the buns. Let the buns proof at a warm place until the dough rise double in size or when it reaches the pencil marks. This one took approximately 2.5 hours at at room temperature of 30C. The duration of proofing depends on your ambient temperature and starter.
- Baking:
- Preheat oven at 190C (top & bottom heat) or 170C (fan-forced) for 10 - 15 minutes.
- Brush with egg wash and sprinkle some white sesame seeds.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 15 - 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove bread from oven and let them cool on rack.
YUDANE DOUGH
SWEET STIFF STARTER
MAIN DOUGH
Tips for Success Sourdough Shokupan Burger Buns
- Sourdough Starter:
- A healthy starter is essential for successful bread baking. To ensure your bread rises well, it's important to feed your starter regularly and use it (the levain) at its peak. A consistently fed starter will be more active and reliable. If the mother starter isn’t strong, the dough may still struggle to rise properly, even if the levain is used at its peak. For more information, click the links: "How To Make Sourdough Starter" and "Sourdough Maintenance".
- 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.
Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Don’t skip the Yudane step – It’s key to the soft texture and moisture retention.
❌ Don’t overproof – These buns need careful monitoring during the second rise.
❌ Don’t over-knead or under-knead – Knead until you achieve a strong windowpane test.
❌ Don’t bake too low – Ensure your oven is hot enough to give the buns good oven spring and browning.
FAQs about Sourdough Shokupan Burger Buns
Q: Can I use instant yeast instead of sourdough?
A: This recipe is designed specifically for sourdough using a sweet stiff starter. For a yeasted version, adjustments are needed.
Q: Can I make the dough in advance?
A: Yes! You can cold retard the dough overnight in the fridge, shape, proof and bake the next day.
Q: Can I replace Yudane with Tangzhong?
A: While similar, the Yudane method uses boiling water instead of cooked roux. I recommend sticking to Yudane for this recipe.
Q: Why use a sweet stiff starter instead of liquid levain?
A: It produces a milder flavor, less tang, and better structure in enriched doughs like this.
Q: How do I freeze these buns?
A: Cool completely, wrap individually in plastic wrap or foil, then place in a resealable freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature or microwave gently.
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Sourdough Shokupan Burger Buns
Yield:
6
Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 20 MinInactive time: 11 H & 30 MTotal time: 12 H & 20 M
Recently I have seen a lot of people using shokupan or brioche recipes to make burger buns. My hubby loves burgers and he has been hinting to me that shokupan burger buns would make good burger buns too. So, here is the Sourdough Shokupan Burger Buns recipe. I hope you like it too. The texture is soft and moist, with the perfect structural integrity for burger buns. Compared to a potato bun, it is lighter and that works very well with the robust flavours of a beef burger.
Ingredients
YUDANE DOUGH:
SWEET STIFF STARTER (SST)
MAIN DOUGH
EGG WASH:
UTENSIL:
Instructions
YUDANE DOUGH
- Add bread flour in a bowl, pour the boiling water and mix well with spatula or spoon until no dry flour.
- Cling film and leave on the counter for at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge. I prepared the night before.
- Use directly from the fridge.
SWEET STIFF STARTER
- Dilute starter with water, stir in sugar and mix in bread flour to become a dough. Please use stand mixer with paddle attachment to mix if you find hard to mix with hand.
- Cover and let it ferment until tripled. I prepared a night before and leave it in aircond room (approximately 24 - 25C room temperature) overnight until tripled. It took about 8 - 9 hours depending on your starter. It should take around 4 - 6 hours to get triple at room temperature at 28C - 30C.
MAIN DOUGH
- Put all ingredients (except butter), including all the stiff starter and yudane dough 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. This step is critical to prevent an uneven mixed dough as the stiff starter is rather hard and a dough hook may not be able to mix it well enough.
- 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 45 - 60 minutes. Keep it covered with clingfilm or use a lid. This dough I rested for 45 minutes and the dough did not rise quite a lot in 45 minutes.
SHAPING
- Transfer the dough to a clean floured surface then divide dough into 6 equal portions (approx. 111g each for mine). 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 bun onto the baking pans lined with non-stick baking paper. Make sure they are about 1 ½ to 2 inches apart.
FINAL PROOFING
- I made marks with a pencil about 1.5 cm away from the original size of the buns. Let the buns proof at a warm place until the dough rise double in size or when it reaches the pencil marks. This one took approximately 2.5 hours at at room temper
BAKING
- Preheat oven at 190C (top & bottom heat) or 170C (fan-forced) for 10 - 15 minutes.
- Brush with egg wash and sprinkle some white sesame seeds.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 15 - 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove bread from oven and let them cool on rack.
Labels:
Breads (Sourdough) - Soft Buns/Rolls,
I like bread from your Recipe a lot and would like to bake burger bun.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if I bake hotdog bun with this Recipe.
Hi, thanks following my recipes. Yes, of course. Only the shaping is different.
DeleteCheers :)
Thanks for lovely recipe! My family loves it. Wonder if we can fry this and make it into bomboloni?
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for trying and your kind feedback. Glad to hear that your family like it. Yes, it is possible. But, I have not tried yet.
DeleteCheers :)