Milk Bread Hot Dog Buns Recipe | Spicy Jalapeño and Cheese

Spicy Milk Bread Hot Dog Buns are bakery-style sausage buns featuring fluffy milk bread and generously topped with a blend of cheese and a kick of spicy jalapeño peppers, creating an irresistibly addictive taste with every bite!

This recipe will guide you step-by-step through making the milk bread dough, assembling, and baking the hot dog buns.

You can customize the portion size of this recipe, whether you’re using full-sized hot dogs or mini sausages, by simply dividing the milk bread dough accordingly.

We hope you enjoy reading this post! For more delicious baking recipes try our Milk Bread Cinnamon Rolls and Tartlet á la Sibuyas (Filipino Caramelized Onion Tartlet).

Now let’s get started~

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Table of Contents

Intro

To make Spicy Milk Bread Hot Dog Buns, we start with our signature milk bread as the base. This recipe yields a super soft and milky dough that is not too sweet, making it the perfect versatile base for both savory and sweet pastries. We also use this bread in our sweet and decadent Milk Bread Cinnamon Rolls!

It also notably does not require tangzhong, saving you an extra step!

In addition to the milk bread, the fillings and toppings are crucial components of this pastry.

For today’s recipe, we’re using Japanese arabiki pork sausage, ketchup, and mayonnaise as the filling. The topping consists of a shredded blend of cheddar, mozzarella, and jack cheese, finished with sliced jalapeños.

Inspiration Behind Spicy Milk Bread Hot Dog Buns

Our home baking is heavily influenced by Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Japanese, and other Asian bakeries that we’ve experienced in the diverse neighborhoods of Los Angeles.

I also grew up in the Bay Area, where plenty of delicious Chinese bakeries served fresh hot dog buns!

The primary inspiration for these buns comes from Chinese bakery-style hot dog buns, often made with lap cheong or American hot dogs.

I find them incredibly addictive, especially when paired with an iced green tea or a milk tea from a nearby boba shop, as these establishments are frequently located in the same shopping plaza.

I always buy at least 2 buns – one to eat now, and one to eat later! Hahaha

This recipe has been a long time in the making; our first batch was created a few years ago for a Super Bowl party! The hot dog buns were topped with crispy bacon and fresh, block-shredded cheddar!

These buns were a huge hit among our friends, who compared this pastry to those from 85 Degrees Bakery. Our only regret was that they were quite large, made with full-sized hot dogs, and we got incredibly full after the potluck.

The recipe we’re sharing today features a spicy twist with jalapeños. However, our goal is to provide you with a versatile recipe that allows for endless combinations of sausages and toppings!

Equipment Needed

• Kitchenaid Mixer
• mixing bowl(s)
• whisk
• kitchen scale
• thermometer
• Our Place Ovenware baking sheet and silicon mat
• pastry mat
• dough scraper/cutter
• basting brush

Ingredients

Milk Bread Dough

• 3½ cups bread flour 490g
• 3 tbsp powdered whole milk 20g
• 1 pack instant dry yeast 2¼ tsp
• ¼ cup sugar 55g
• 1 tsp fine sea salt 3.5g
• 1 cup whole milk warmed to 120℉ / 49℃
• ½ cup heavy cream warmed to 120℉ / 49℃
• 1 egg room temp
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted, 55g

Fillings and Toppings

• 24 pieces arabiki sausage or 12 standard hot dogs
• kewpie mayo
• ketchup
• sliced chili pepper, jalapeno, serrano, korean pepper, etc.
• shredded cheese mix, cheddar, mozzarella, and jack cheese
• fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Note 1. This recipe makes about 24 pieces using thin 4.5” sausages or 12 pieces using standard 6” hot dogs.

Recipe

Prepare Dough and First Rise

1. Whisk together flour, instant dry yeast, salt, and sugar.

2. Combine the dry mix with warm milk and heavy cream.

3. Add egg and melted butter.

4. Knead for at low speed for about 6-8 min by machine or longer 12-16 min by hand until the dough comes together and passes the window test.

5. Transfer to a greased bowl and proof for 1 hour or until size is doubled.

Shaping and Second Rise

1. Punch dough, then portion using a scale.

2. For each portion, roll out the dough into a 1 ft long strip.
3. Squeeze some kewpie and ketchup along the length of the dough, then wrap around a hot dog.

4. Place hot dog buns on a greased baking pan. Cover and let it proof for 30 min – 1 hr until size is doubled

5. Brush the surfaces with milk, then top with cheese and jalapeno.

Baking

1. Bake at 350 for 25-30 min, until the dough is browned and the cheeses begin to crisp.
2. Let them cool at least 10 min before serving. Finish with fresh chopped parsley.

Recipe Variations

By altering the fillings or toppings, you can create unique and custom hot dog bun combinations, offering endless flavor possibilities with this single hot dog bun recipe. Here are a few ideas for switching up the recipe:

• Play with the portion size – use standard hot dogs to make larger, more filling buns or use mini ones for a big batch and party-friendly appetizer!
• Select your hot dog – use lap cheong, spicy sausage, sweet pork sausage, smoked sausage, etc.
• Adjust the spice level – add more or less jalapenos, switch up the chili peppers (I love making this with serrano pepper), or replace ketchup with hot sauce

Tips and Tricks

Here are our best tips for making these buns perfectly and easily!

• Perform the window-pane test to ensure the dough is properly kneaded. Take a small piece of dough and gently stretch it between your forefingers and thumbs. If it tears easily, the gluten is not yet sufficiently developed.
  
  However, if you can stretch it into a thin rectangle, and the light shines through when you hold it up, then the gluten is well-developed, and the dough is ready for the next step.

• When wrapping the dough around the hot dog, pinch the ends together securely to prevent it from unraveling during baking. As you can see in the example below, the dough came undone while expanding in the oven.
  
  This is more likely to happen when using a smaller sausage, but I have not had any issues when using standard hot dog buns.

• Lightly oil your hands to prevent sticking. Before handling the dough, apply a micro-thin layer of neutral oil or oil spray, such as canola or avocado oil, to your hands. Be careful not to use too much, as this could affect the recipe.
• Strapped for time? Make the dough the day before and bake it the next day! After making the dough, you can refrigerate it overnight for the first rise. The following day, you can pick up where you left off.
  
  This approach saves time and effort by dividing the recipe into manageable phases.

How to Store and Reheat

Once completely cooled, store the buns in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature, or refrigerate them for up to 7 days.

Be aware that refrigeration can dry out the buns, so refer to our reheating instructions. Always check for spoilage, such as mold or unusual odors.

To reheat the hot dog buns, we recommend air frying them for 2-3 minutes. Alternatively, place a damp paper towel over the buns and microwave for 15-30 seconds to help reclaim their moist texture.

For the best reheating, we use our Our Place Wonder Oven, which has a steam option that can be used with the air fry setting. This heats up the pastry and rehydrates the bread dough at the same time!

Final Thoughts

Learn how to make jalapeño and cheese hot dog buns with a soft milk bread dough. This Asian bakery–style bun is spicy, cheesy, and irresistible!

Like this recipe? Explore more bread and pastry recipes like Ube Cream Puffs and Pandesal!

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this recipe, please give a star rating and review on the recipe card below + share your creations on Instagram and tag us @itsforkandspoon!

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References & Further Reading

https://producthelp.kitchenaid.com/Countertop_Appliances/Stand_Mixers/Bowl_Lift_Mixer/Mixer_Performance/Kneading_Times_and_Speeds_-_Stand_Mixer

Posted By: Noelle Noriesta · In: Snacks and Appetizers