Hawaiian Rolls
These homemade Hawaiian rolls taste even better than store-bought! Soft, yeasty, & a little sweet, with a pillowy texture that will keep you wanting more.
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Rise Time:2 hours hrs
Total Time2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Hawaiian bread, Hawaiian roll sliders, Hawaiian rolls, King's Hawaiian rolls recipe
Servings: 15 rolls
Calories: 195kcal
- 2 tablespoons warm water (just barely warm to the touch, like a baby's bath)
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast*
- 3/4 cup pineapple juice
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar (firmly packed)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
- 2 eggs (large)
- 1 egg yolk (large)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (approx., you may need a little less or a little more)
- soft butter (to brush on after baking)
Stir the warm water and yeast together in a large mixing bowl, then set aside until foamy (about 10 minutes).
Add the pineapple juice, brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, egg yolk, salt, and vanilla and whisk to combine.
Stir in the flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, until a stiff dough forms and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
Knead the dough until it passes the windowpane test,** (about 10 to 15 minutes).
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume (about 1 hour).
Punch down the dough and divide it into 15 equal portions (about 65 grams each).
Shape the rolls and place them in a 9x13-inch greased baking dish that's been lined with parchment paper. Cover the rolls with a sheet of greased plastic wrap (if making overnight rolls, place them in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours).
Allow the rolls to rise in a warm place (if making overnight rolls, remove them from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature first) until doubled in volume (about 1 hour). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake the Hawaiian rolls until puffed and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and brush the tops with soft butter.
*Instant yeast may be substituted. Rise time may need to be reduced by 10 to 15 minutes. You'll know your dough is done rising when it has doubled in volume.
**Windowpane test: Pinch off a small piece of dough and stretch it gently from the center outward, with your fingertips. If it tears, keep kneading. It should stretch tissue-thin and you should be able to see the light pass through it, like a window.
Recipe adapted from Bake from Scratch Volume 4, Artisan Recipes for the Home Baker, by Brian Hart Hoffman.
Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 322mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 144IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 2mg