DIY Slider Buns

September 2026

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated, July 2026

For years, I’ve made my own split-top hot dog buns and slider buns—neither of which are easy to find in local supermarkets. I’ve relied on America's Test Kitchen's potato burger bun dough as a common base, tweaking only the shaping and baking methods for each style. However, after trying a new Cook's Illustrated recipe for split-top buns with great success, I decided to test it out on a batch of slider buns.

The Process

I prepared the dough following the CI split-top recipe up to the shaping stage. To manage the sticky dough, I worked on a lightly dampened counter with wet hands:

• Shaping: Divided the dough into 40-gram portions and rolled them into tight balls using a cupped hand on the counter.

• First Rest: Placed the dough balls on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, covered them with oiled plastic wrap, and let them rest for 15 minutes.

• Flattening & Final Proof: Gently pressed each ball into a 2½-inch disk. Re-covered and let them rise until the dough sprang back slowly when poked with a fingertip.

• Baking: Brushed the tops with egg wash, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and baked at 350°F until the internal temperature reached 200°F.

The entire process took under four hours, with much of that time being hands-off.

The Results

The slider buns turned out fantastic. Unlike split-top buns, which rely on the support of a specialized pan (or CI's improvised setup) to force an upward rise, these held their shape surprisingly well on an open baking sheet.

They baked up with a great crumb, taste wonderful, and stand up reliably to heavy condiments and messy fillings like sloppy joes without getting soggy. They also freeze exceptionally well. Just like with my split-top buns, this new recipe might just become my new go-to standard for sliders.

Light and Airy Focaccia

September 2026

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated, March 2026

I’m pretty sure I’ve never made focaccia before—or at least I couldn't find a past blog post to prove it. So, I was eager to try a new bread, especially one Cook's Illustrated promised would make great sandwiches with a "high effort-to-reward ratio." Time will tell if it becomes a true lunch staple, but the initial tests for keeping and freezing well look promising.

The Process

I started by whisking together bread flour, sugar, and yeast, then stirred in water and olive oil until the flour was fully moistened. After letting the nascent dough rest for 20 minutes, I sprinkled table salt over the top. Using a damp hand, I stretched and folded the dough over itself about 30 times, rotating the bowl 90 degrees each time, before covering it for another 20-minute rest.

I prepped a 13x9-inch baking pan with nonstick spray, lined it with parchment, and added a generous layer of olive oil. On the counter, I pressed the rested dough into a 15x10-inch rectangle, folded it into thirds like a letter, and transferred it to the pan. I flipped and swirled the dough to ensure both sides were thoroughly coated in oil. Covered, it rose for a little over two and a half hours until it expanded to fill the entire pan.

To finish, I drizzled the risen top with more olive oil, dimpled the surface with wet fingertips, sprinkled it with flaky sea salt, and baked it until deeply golden brown. Total time—exclusive of cooling—was about four hours, but the vast majority was completely hands-off.

The Verdict

We really enjoyed this bread. It was flavorful, had a fantastic crumb, and made an exceptional base for dinner BLTs. It also held up surprisingly well over several days on the counter and thawed beautifully after a stint in the freezer. In fact, it handled everything from savory bacon to my daily lunch staple, peanut butter and jelly.

This is definitely earned a spot in my regular sandwich bread rotation. The only tweak I’ll make next time is omitting the flaky finishing salt: it made the fresh crust a bit too salty for my wife's taste, and as the bread sat, the salt dissolved into the crust anyway, losing its signature crunch.

DIY Split-Top Buns

 August 2026

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated, July 2026

I’ve long used the Potato Burger Buns recipe from Bread Illustrated to make both slider buns and top-loading hot dog buns (baked in groups of ten in a specialized pan). However, a recent issue of Cook's Illustrated featured a Shrimp Roll recipe accompanied by a "Kitchen Notes" section with a standalone recipe for top-loading buns. Inspired, I decided to give this newer method a spin.

The Process

• Tangzhong/Flour Paste: Made by whisking flour and milk together in a bowl, then microwaving until thickened.

• Mixing: The paste was whisked with chilled milk and an egg in a stand mixer bowl. After adding flour and yeast, the mixture was stirred with the dough hook until just moistened.

• Rest & Kneading: Following a 15-minute rest, sugar and salt were added, and the dough was kneaded for 5 minutes. After scraping the bowl, softened butter was added, followed by another 5 minutes of machine kneading.

• Rising & Baking: I gave the dough a brief final knead by hand before letting it rise for an hour at room temperature. The dough was then shaped, transferred to the bun pan, and baked to an internal temperature above 200°F. The total time, other than cooling, was about 2½ hours

The Results The resulting buns turned out wonderfully:

• Structure: They held up impressively well to hot dogs and condiments without getting soggy.

• Toasting & Storage: Buttered and toasted in a skillet, they browned beautifully. They also froze and thawed well.

• Crumb: While I didn't run a strict side-by-side test, this method yielded a softer crumb than the potato-based dough.

Verdict Both this new version and the classic potato bun recipe yield great hot dog rolls. However, thanks to the softer texture and great structural integrity, this new recipe is my new top choice.

One-Pan Lemony Cod with Potatoes and Green Beans

August 2026

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated, May 2026

America’s Test Kitchen recently streamlined the article format in Cook's Illustrated, shortening the development stories and introducing a new two-page section called "Dinner Tonight," which features four condensed recipes. This was my first attempt at one of these scaled-down recipes. I used the slightly expanded online version, where several commenter warnings about overcooked fish and undercooked vegetables proved prescient.

To scale the meal down for two, I adapted the recipe using a 10-inch nonstick skillet instead of the specified 12-inch pan. I reduced the cod to ⅔ lb—a practical fit for my frozen fillets—and halved the remaining ingredients. I also picked up a jar of preserved lemon from Whole Foods, an ingredient new to my pantry.

Attempt 1: Following the Script (Scaled Down)

• The Process: I layered sliced, unpeeled red potatoes in the skillet, seasoned them with salt and pepper, and topped them with raw onion rings, finely chopped preserved lemon, and a splash of Chardonnay. Covered, the pan boiled for 3 minutes before a quick stir. Next, I placed the cod fillets over the vegetables, covered the pan, and set it to simmer over medium heat.

• The Result: After just 5 minutes, the fish was already sitting at well over 150°—way past the targeted 100° midpoint. I scattered fresh green beans, unsalted butter, and more preserved lemon over top, covered, and cooked for a final 5 minutes before finishing with fresh lemon juice and dill. Total time: 45 minutes.

• Verdict: Despite execution flaws, the flavor profile was a win. The combination of lemon and potato worked surprisingly well, and the one-pan setup made both cooking and cleanup effortless. However, the online commenters were right: the green beans were underdone, and the fish was noticeably overcooked.

Attempt 2: Course Correction

For round two, I made a few key adjustments to fix the cooking sequence:

• Thinner Potatoes: I used a mandoline to slice the potatoes to a uniform 3/16-inch thickness (down from hand-sliced 1/4-inch), ensuring an even, tender bite.

• Reordered Stagger: I added the green beans before the fish, letting them steam for 5 minutes first.

• Gentler Fish Timing: I set the cod on top of the beans and cooked until it reached an internal temperature of 140° (about 9 minutes).

  These adjustments made a night-and-day difference. The cod remained moist, the beans cooked through, and the potatoes were perfectly tender. While tucking the beans under the fish made the plating slightly less photogenic, the improved texture was well worth the trade-off.

Given how basic these timing issues were, it does make me wonder if the condensed "Dinner Tonight" recipes receive the same rigorous testing ATK usually applies to its flagship features. Still, with these small tweaks, it is a keeper.