In the morning, combine 15 g sourdough starter, 15 g honey, 40 g flour, and 30 g water in a jar. Let ferment 8-10 hours until peaked.Tip: Sweet starter reduces tanginess in your buns!

Make Tangzhong: Whisk 45 g all-purpose flour and 210 g milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth. Whisk the mixture until it's pudding-like, not exceeding 158°F (70°C). Cool to below 100°F (38°C).Tip: the tangzhong is absolutely essential to getting the airy, squishy buns. Do not skip this, or the recipe won't be the same!Another Tip: If you accidentally let the tangzhong cook too long and it's extremely thick, add another 1-2 tbsp of milk to your dough.

Mix Dough: Combine 80 g sweet starter (that you made in the morning), 55 g milk, 35 g honey, 55 g avocado oil, 375 g all-purpose flour, 7 g salt, and All of the tangzhong. Mix 4-5 minutes in stand mixer on low speed (or knead by hand).Optional but helpful: After a 20-30 minute rest, mix again for 2 minutes until smooth.

Overnight Fermentation: Place in a bowl (lightly oil or butter if desired), cover, and let rise 8-12 hours at room temperature until doubled or tripled in size.Note: we tested this recipe at a kitchen temperature of 70-73°F (21-23°C). If your house is much warmer, the dough will ferment faster and vice versa.

Shape Buns: Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Be very sparing with the flour; otherwise, sealing the dough will be difficult. Using a bench scraper, divide dough into 10 equal pieces (about 80g each). Using a rolling pin, roll each into a rectangle, thin the top edge with your thumb, roll up, and pinch seams closed. Reference the photo in this recipe card for visual help.

Place In Pan: Place shaped buns in hot dog bun pan (or sheet tray), and cover with plastic wrap or damp tea towel.Tip: If using a sheet tray, line it with parchment paper and place buns close enough to touch for classic pull-apart sides!

Second Rise: Let rise 2-3 hours until puffy and airy [up to 5 hours is fine in a 73°F (23°C) home].

Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush the top of the buns with half of the 4 tbsp unsalted butter. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 200-210°F (93-99°C). Brush with the rest of the butter immediately after baking. Enjoy some incredible, next level hot dogs!Tip: buttering these before and after baking is also key to getting a soft, squishable crust. Don't skip it!