This Hawaiian Rolls Recipe has just a hint of sweetness from pineapple juice. They are so so fluffy and easy to make. They make the best dinner rolls and are great for sliders.
A pie dish of baked Hawaiian rolls.
When you need a soft dinner roll, you can’t go wrong with this sweet Hawaiian rolls recipe. It’s great for first time bakers, they’ll turn out scrumptious every time and you can make the dough the night before and bake them the next day.
Hawaiian dinner rolls have become my go-to yeast roll, and one the girls always ask for when they come home to visit. You’ll find them to be light and fluffy with just a little sweetness which makes them a perfect roll for almost any dish you might be serving.
Of course they’re great for a holiday meal or to bring to a potluck, learn some tips for how to keep dinner rolls warm so you don’t have to stress about having them done at just the right time. But they’re too delicious to save just for the holidays, try serving them with a simple chicken and wine dinner, or with hearty short ribs.
Make them smaller and you have an awesome roll for sliders to use for your bourbon burgers or slow cooker carnitas.
Carnita sliders in a Hawaiian rolls.
Dinner rolls in a basket with a linen napkin.
Pro tip: If you don’t drink a lot of pineapple juice, I find it’s better to buy it in small cans so that you always have some on hand for when you want to make the best dinner rolls ever. If you bought a larger container, use the extra juice and make Hawaiian Cinnamon Rolls, or Slow Cooker Ribs, or you can freeze it.
Why you’ll love a Hawaiian roll
- The slightly sweet rolls make a delicious dinner roll
- They’re soft and fluffy
- The dough can refrigerate overnight
- You can freeze and re-heat them (learn some tricks)
- They’re great for a holiday meal
- Make them smaller for sliders
What you’ll need
Ingredients for Hawaiian rolls recipe.
- Yeast – you can use active dry or instant yeast
- Pineapple juice – it only takes a half a cup. Try buying this in the small cans or you can freeze it if you bought a large container.
- Pantry staples – Flour, sugar, eggs, milk, butter, vanilla, salt
How do you make this Hawaiian roll recipe
Step 1:
Dissolve the yeast in warm water until it’s foamy.
Yeast that has proofed in a bowl.
Step 2:
Add eggs, pineapple juice, sugar, vanilla, milk, and melted butter and combine.
Step 3:
Add flour and knead with a dough hook for about 10 minutes.
Hawaiian Roll dough in a bough.
Step 4:
Let rise until double and divide into 16 balls.
Risen yeast rolls in a baking dish.
At this point you can refrigerate overnight or let them rise one more time.
Step 5:
Bake and then brush with butter.
Baked sweet dinner rolls in a baking dish.
A nice addition to a savory meal. Perfect by themselves but as always, a little better with butter.
The best way for yeast dough to rise
There are a couple of different methods for getting the best rise from yeast dough.
- Since dough likes humidity, if you live in a hot humid climate, cover it and put it outside. But this is a little unpredictable and won’t work in the winter.
- My favorite way to let yeast dough rise is in the microwave. Place an oven proof bowl filled with water in the microwave and bring it to a boil, about 6 minutes. Leave it in there and keep the door closed. Scoot the bowl of water to the side and add the bowl of covered dough and shut the door. The microwave will be warm and humid and the perfect out of the way place to let your dough rise.
- The other tried a true way is to turn the oven to 200º. Cover the dough and place in the oven and turn the oven OFF.
A baking dish of Hawaiian rolls.
What to serve with sweet Hawaiian bread rolls
MORE bread options
Sour Cream Yeast Rolls
No Knead Dinner Rolls
Homemade Dinner Rolls
FAQs
Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, also known as Portuguese Sweet Bread, are dinner rolls made with an enriched dough with ingredients like eggs, milk, and honey to produce a soft fluffy bread roll. They also usually have a secret ingredient of pineapple juice, which leads to their color and sweetness.
What makes King's Hawaiian rolls so good? ›
But sometimes, only the squishy sweetness of a King's Hawaiian roll will do. The appeal comes from the balance of texture and flavor: The sweetness delicately offsets any salty sandwich fillings, like ham and cheese, while its fluff envelops those fillings into itself and is just fun to bite.
Why are Hawaiian buns sweet? ›
Based off of Portuguese sweet bread (Pao Doce), Hawaiian sweet bread recipes call for lots of sugar, up to 1.5 cups per batch in some recipes. Since it's a fortified dough, you'll also find butter and milk or condensed milk in the recipe. Those ingredients make the bread rich and sweet.
Are you supposed to bake Hawaiian sweet rolls? ›
Bake until golden brown, about 20 – 23 minutes, rotating dish halfway through baking. Let rolls cool in dish on wire rack for 10 minutes then brush with remaining butter. Best served warm. TO REHEAT room-temperature rolls, wrap in aluminum foil, place on baking sheet, and bake in 350-degree oven for 20 minutes.
Are Hawaiian sweet rolls the same as brioche? ›
Are Hawaiian rolls the same as brioche? They are similar since Hawaiian rolls and brioche are both enriched doughs, meaning they include eggs and/or butter. The main difference is that Hawaiian rolls are sweeter and include pineapple juice to give them a super yummy flavor.
Do Hawaiian rolls have corn syrup? ›
Do your products have HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup)? No! We are happy to let you know that we do not use HFCS in our products.
What's the difference between Hawaiian rolls and regular rolls? ›
Flavor: Hawaiian Rolls are special as they are made with pineapple juice instead of water. The pineapple juice plus a little bit of sugar gives these yeast rolls their distinctive taste! So Soft: These sweet yeast rolls are oh so soft and tender.
What makes Hawaiian rolls different? ›
So to make these buns as “Hawaiian” as possible, I added (you guessed it) pineapple juice as a sweetener in the recipe. The King's Hawaiian rolls don't list pineapple juice as an ingredient, but these buns taste remarkably similar.
What is special about Hawaiian rolls? ›
At their core, they're sweet, fluffy dinner rolls, like the love child of a chiffon cake and a Martin's potato roll.
Are Hawaiian rolls just brioche? ›
Hawaiian sweet bread is a type of fortified bread, like brioche. Based off of Portuguese sweet bread (Pao Doce), Hawaiian sweet bread recipes call for lots of sugar, up to 1.5 cups per batch in some recipes. Since it's a fortified dough, you'll also find butter and milk or condensed milk in the recipe.
Hawaiian taro (poi) flour and purple food coloring are used to create these unique rolls.
Is Hawaiian bread the same as Portuguese sweet bread? ›
But in general, people no longer refer to them as Portuguese sweet bread. Instead, most now simply refer to them as sweet bread. Some enterprising companies even refer to them as Hawaiian sweet bread. But make no mistake, the latest generation of sweet breads in Hawaii owe their existence to Portuguese immigrants.
How long do Hawaiian sweet rolls stay fresh? ›
These Homemade Hawaiian Rolls will keep for 3 days in an airtight container, stored at room temperature. Don't refrigerate these Hawaiian Rolls, as it will dry them out faster. Refresh in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes, or pop in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, or until warm, before serving.
Can I freeze Hawaiian sweet rolls? ›
How long do Hawaiian rolls last? Cover any leftover rolls and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. If you freeze them, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and then warm them up in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 minutes.
What are Hawaiian sweet rolls made of? ›
Combine the pineapple juice, milk, melted butter, sugars, 2 eggs, vanilla, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the all-purpose flour, plus 2 cups (286 grams) of the bread flour, and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a rough, shaggy mass.
What is Hawaiian sweet bread made of? ›
Hawaiian sweet bread is a type of fortified bread, like brioche. Based off of Portuguese sweet bread (Pao Doce), Hawaiian sweet bread recipes call for lots of sugar, up to 1.5 cups per batch in some recipes. Since it's a fortified dough, you'll also find butter and milk or condensed milk in the recipe.
What are sweet rolls made of? ›
A sweet roll or sweet bun refers to any of a number of sweet, baked, yeast-leavened breakfast or dessert foods. They may contain spices, nuts, candied fruits, etc., and are often glazed or topped with icing. Compared to regular bread dough, sweet roll dough generally has higher levels of sugar, fat, eggs, and yeast.
What is in a Hawaiian sushi roll? ›
Unlike the California Roll and Philadelphia Roll, the Hawaiian roll seems to be different everywhere it is offered. Tuna, pineapple, and teriyaki sauce. And like half a dozen others. Generally speaking there seems to be a common thread of tropical fruit, teriyaki sauce, and either shrimp or tuna for the fish.
