Breads (Sourdough) - Soft Buns/Rolls
Charcoal Sourdough Burger Buns – Soft + Spectacular
October 13, 2022
| Recipe by Bake with Paws
Last Updated on September 4, 2025
By Bake with Paws
Charcoal burger buns aren’t just a Halloween trick—they’re a bold statement bake. These striking jet-black buns come to life using activated charcoal, naturally coloring the dough without altering its flavor. What's more, they’re built on the proven foundation of a sweet stiff sourdough starter combined with the Yudane method—ensuring softness, rise, and freshness that lasts.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Visually dramatic—the black crust creates an unforgettable burger experience.
- Pillow-soft texture—Yudane creates a moist, tender crumb.
- Mild flavor—sweet stiff starter keeps tang low and dough rise consistent.
- Longer shelf-life—Yudane helps the buns stay soft and fresh longer.
- Perfect for any theme—Halloween BBQ, elegant dinner, or just a fun twist on burgers.
Scroll to the bottom of the page for "PRINT RECIPE".
Charcoal Burger Buns has been in my baking list for long time and this is the perfect month to bake it. I used the same recipe as my Sourdough Shokupan Burger Buns (Sweet Stiff Starter & Yudane Method) that I shared in March 2021. This is the same base used for Sourdough Shokupan.
When you have a good base recipe for soft white sourdough bread, you will want to keep using it. This sweet stiff starter sourdough recipe just works so well for everything. I started using a sweet stiff starter since more than a year ago and I haven't used liquid levain for soft bread since then except for a hybrid recipe. I created this recipe using a high percentage of stiff starter to help to cut down proofing times and make the bread rise faster. The bread is also less sour and sometimes not sour at all. The level of the tangy taste would very much depend on your starter.
An advantage of using the Yudane method is that the bread stays fresh much longer. Please click "Bread Making Method" to understand more details on Yudane Method.
Disclaimer: If you are under medication, it is advisable to consult with your doctor or healthcare professional before consumption as charcoal may interact with certain medications. Please do your own research.
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 Charcoal Burger Buns
Ingredients (Yields: 6 Buns - 10 cm diameter)
Yudane Dough:
70g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)
70g boiling water
Sweet Stiff Starter):
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)
8g activated charcoal powder
All stiff starter (above)
All the yudane dough (above)
10 - 15g brown sugar (I used organic brown sugar)
1 tsp salt
45g cold egg, whisked (from 1 medium egg)
15g milk, cold
30g butter, room temperature
Topping:
Egg Wash - 1 egg + 1 tbsp water, whisked
Some white sesame seeds
Utensil:
Baking tray
Step-By-Step Method
- Yudane:
- 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
- In a bowl of stand mixer, dilute starter with water or milk, stir in sugar and add in bread flour. Mix with paddle attachment until well mixed and all come together. It can be done by hand mixing too.
- 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.
- However, if you feed your starter with milk, the starter will take longer time to proof and very much depend on your stater. Mine took about 9 - 10 hours to proof overnight. And the starter did not rise until triple in size compared feeding with water. It rose almost 2.5 to 3 in size.
- 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 about 45 - 60 minutes. Keep it covered with clingfilm or use a lid. This dough I rested for 45 minutes and the dough rose didn't rise a lot.
- 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.
- Place bun onto the baking pan 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 1cm 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 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 the sesame seeds get golden brown.
- Remove bread from oven and let them cool on rack.
YUDANE DOUGH
SWEET STIFF STARTER
MAIN DOUGH
General Baking Tips for Successful Sourdough Soft Bread
- 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.
Tips for Perfect Results
- Use high-gluten bread flour for structure and spring.
- Prepare Yudane the night before for best workability.
- Handle dough gently, especially when shaping—preserve air bubbles.
- Mark your pans to track dough expansion accurately.
- Egg wash + white sesame seeds enhance appearance and flavor.
- Adjust oven temperatures to your kitchen: 190 °C (top & bottom) or 170 °C fan-forced.
- Cool completely before slicing to keep crumb intact.
FAQs about Charcoal Sourdough Burger Buns
Q: Is activated charcoal safe in bread?
Yes—it's flavorless and mainly adds dramatic color. Avoid if on medications (it may affect absorption).
Q: Can I omit charcoal?
Absolutely—remove it and you'll have soft, classic sourdough buns with no visual effect.
Q: What’s a sweet stiff starter?
A sourdough starter with reduced hydration and added sugar. It helps with rise, flavor balance, and faster fermentation.
Q: How does Yudane help?
This technique gelatinizes starches, helping the crumb stay moist and soft longer.
Q: How many buns does this yield?
Yields 6 buns, each about 10 cm in diameter.
Other Recipes You Might Love
-
Sourdough Shokupan Burger Buns (Sweet Stiff + Yudane) – similar soft base without charcoal.
- Whole Wheat Sourdough Burger Buns – nutty, wholesome buns.
-
Soft Sourdough Potato Burger Buns - Soft and fluffy.
Subscribe to Bake with Paws
Love innovative sourdough bakes? Subscribe via the pop-up box to get fresh recipes, techniques, and behind-the-scenes baking inspiration delivered right to your inbox.
Have a Question or Tried This Recipe?
I’d love to see your charcoal creations! Drop a comment, share your results, or tag @bakewithpaws on Instagram. Happy baking—and may your burgers go boldly where they’ve never gone before!
Labels:
Breads (Sourdough) - Soft Buns/Rolls,
Thanks for the recipe! I’ve been thinking of how to use up my leftover charcoal powder too :) Cheers, BlueWren
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for your comment. I hope you will like this recipe too.
DeleteCheers and happy baking :)
Will I be able to put filling in?
ReplyDeleteYes, of course. Thank you :)
DeleteThank you for sharing recipe! If i I want to double recipe just double everything?
ReplyDeleteHi, You are most welcome:) Yes, just double up the recipe.
DeleteThanks for your interest in this recipe.
Happy baking :)