Hot Dog Buns - Wheat, Grain & Gluten-Free

We've had a busy weekend working on lots of outdoor projects. We worked from early Saturday morning until late on Saturday and then all day long again today. We had to stick around the house a good part of the day Saturday because our new grill was scheduled for delivery (for the second time). The good news is that it actually was delivered this time! It didn't come until very late afternoon but we got a lot done since we were forced to stay at home. While we had hoped to "break-in" the new grill for dinner last night, we didn't because it was so late by the time it came and we wanted to have a chance to read through the brochures and instructions that came with it (and it poured down rain at dinner time tonight, so I just made pasta with yellow summer squash noodles when the boys came for dinner this evening). 

Since we were so exhausted last night, I just fixed some Applegate Organic Grass-Fed Beef Hot Dogs for dinner. Instead of grilling them, I just simmered them on the stovetop. One of the things I did inside the house while hubby was pressure washing our patio, sidewalks and driveway was try to make hot dog rolls to put our hot dogs in. Not because I "need" them...but simply to see if I could. They turned out great. I wasn't prepared for how they would spread out as they baked on a pan without any borders to hold the dough in place like the muffin top pan I use for my Sesame Seed Sandwich Buns. I simply regrouped and made 2 buns out of one little oblong loaf, giving me a total of 8 buns from the 4 small loaves the recipe yielded. These were more like a type of bun I used to buy many years ago -- I liked them so much better than traditional big fluffy hot dog buns. They were called "snuggles" and they were thinner and cradled the hot dog rather than trying to force it between 2 chubby pieces of bread like a traditional roll. I snapped several photos of the different stages of making the buns to help you understand what I'm talking about. Also, these loaves, as is, would make great sub rolls. This dough also makes awesome dinner rolls, too. I had enough dough leftover yesterday and used it to make a "test roll" with. I actually ate it tonight with my "pasta dinner." It was just like a regular dinner roll. Check out the photos and recipe below. Enjoy!  (P.S. -- there are a few garden photos and a snapshot of my new grill at the end of the recipe. Beware...many grill recipes and photos will be coming in the near future!)

Organic Grass-fed Hot Dog (nitrite/nitrate free), Grain Free Hot Dog Bun, Bubbies Sauerkraut and a Bubbies Dill Pickle

Before baking

Fresh out of the oven (note my "test dinner roll on the upper right")

Sliced in half and ready to make into "hot dog buns"

I cut a pocket in each half to create a snuggly hot dog bun to cradle the hot dogs

Hot Dog Buns - Wheat/Grain & Gluten-Free
Makes 8

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons coconut flour, sifted
3/4 cup blanched almond flour
3/4 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons golden ground flaxseed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, optional
3/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons granular Swerve Sweetener
3 large eggs 
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  

In a medium sized bowl, mix first 8 ingredients together with a whisk to help break up any lumps.

In a small bowl, beat eggs, buttermilk, olive oil and vinegar together. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients until combined and a thick dough is formed.  

On a greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet, using a 3-tablespoon sized retractable scoop, place 3 scoops of dough on baking sheet side by side together in a line (they should be touching and pressing against each other). Repeat and make 3 more "lines" of dough for a total of 4 rows of 3-scoops of dough. Using slightly moistened finger tips, gently smooth each row of 3 scoops of dough together to form an oblong shaped loaf the length of your hot dogs. Try not to flatten the dough out, but simply smooth the 3 scoops of dough together to form the small loaf. Repeat with remaining dough. There should be 4 oblong rows of dough (containing 3 scoops each), spaced evenly apart to have room to spread while baking. Let dough sit about 5 to 10 minutes to rise slightly. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until light golden brown and done. Cool completely. To use for hot dog buns, slice each oblong loaf in half lengthwise. Then, using a sharp serrated knife, slice a pocket into each half to cradle the hot dog (be careful not to cut all the way through). Each of the 4 oblong loaves makes 2 hot dog buns/pockets. Recipe makes 8 hot dog buns. 

*Alternatively, these small oblong loaves can be cut in half crosswise to use as a sub bun or baked in individual round mounds to use as dinner rolls. 

         

Yay!  We finally received our grill!