Hawaiian sweet rolls are some of my family's favorite. They are great for sandwiches, as a side with dinner, or alone with honey butter.
Hawaiian sweet rolls are my favorite dinner rolls. If we’re having bread with dinner, it’s going to be these rolls.
I got hooked on this sweetly fragrant bread thanks to King’s Hawaiian. That brand is an evil genius.
Because I love the bread so much, I just could not resist making some from scratch. And then I couldn’t resist slathering them with honey butter.
These rolls really are the best and you are sure to agree!
Why this Hawaiian sweet rolls recipe works
- This recipe yields the perfect texture, the right amount of sweetness, and it comes together easily.
- Pineapple juice lends that familiar flavor of Hawaiian bread that we all love and gives the bread a subtle sweetness which is then enhanced with a touch of honey.
- Honey butter offers extra sweetness that really takes the rolls to a new level.
Hawaiian sweet rolls ingredients
These rolls use very staple ingredients. Either Instant or rapid rise yeast can be used. I don't recommend using regular active dry yeast, though. I've tested it and it just doesn't work well with this recipe.
- Pineapple juice: Pineapple juice is what gives the rolls a sweet and slightly tangy flavor.
- Buttermilk: Also offers a slight tanginess. Be sure to use whole (full fat) buttermilk.
- Butter: Is added to give the dough some richness.
- Honey: Use a mild-honey like clover honey.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is best for Hawaiian rolls.
- Yeast: Use instant or rapid-rise yeast.
- Salt: Added to help balance the sweetness.
- Egg: Is also added for sweetness.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a little extra flavor to the rolls.
How to Make the best Hawaiian sweet rolls
This homemade Hawaiian sweet roll is made with basic bread ingredients but there are a few extras to give the bread that distinct flavor of Hawaiian bread. I use half buttermilk and half pineapple juice for moisture and flavor. The two combined have a lovely sweet and tangy profile.
The Dough - The bread needs to rise twice. Each rise is about 1 to 1 and ½ hours. So make sure you plan ahead for this.
The first rise happens once the dough is mixed together and kneaded. The second rise is after you've portioned and shaped the dough into individual rolls.
Step 1: Combine the wet ingredients
Mix the pineapple juice, buttermilk, butter, and honey together in a microwave-safe bowl or large liquid measuring cup. Then microwave the mixture in 30-second intervals until it reaches 110°F.
It may appear curdled at this point. That's perfectly normal so don't fret.
Step 2: Make the dough
A stand mixer will be your best friend with this recipe or any yeast bread recipe. It makes the process so much easier!
Fit the stand mixer with the dough hook. Add the flour, yeast, and salt to the bowl. Mix on low speed for a few seconds to get everything combined.
Leave the mixer on low speed and slowly pour in the warm pineapple juice mixture. Then add the egg and vanilla. Let the mixer run on low for about 2 minutes until dough starts to form a ball.
Increase the speed to medium-low and continue to mix for 7 minutes. The dough will stick to the bottom of the bowl but should pull away from the sides.
It's a soft dough that will be slightly tacky. Avoid adding excess flour.
Step 3: Let the dough rise
Very lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out. Knead it briefly and shape it into a ball. Place the dough in a bowl that has been lightly greased and cover with plastic wrap.
Set the bowl in a warm place to rise for 1 and ½ hours. I like to have my oven preheating and use the microwave right above it as the warm environment.
If you do not have a microwave above the stove, you can heat your oven on the lowest temperature setting then turn the oven off and set the dough inside with the door slightly cracked open.
Step 4: Shape the dough and rise again
Once the dough has doubled in volume, gently punch it down to release some of the gas. Turn the tough out onto your work surface and divide it into 15 equal-sized pieces.
Shape each piece into a ball by pulling the edges under so the top of the dough is smooth.
Lightly grease a 9x13-inch pan and arrange the dough balls in 5 rows of 3. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise again until doubled in size. This can take up to another 1 and ½ hours.
The rolls should be almost as tall as the top of the pan.
Step 5: Bake
Brush the tops of the rolls with melted honey butter and bake until golden brown. The honey butter will help give the rolls a rich golden color.
Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the rolls. They are done when they reach 190°F.
Brush the tops with more melted honey butter and let the rolls cool for about 10 minutes. Slide the rolls out of the pan onto a cooling rack and let them cool for another 20 minutes.
The rolls are best served warm on the day they are made.
Homemade honey butter
Homemade honey butter complements the sweet bread perfectly and can easily be whipped up in a matter of minutes.
You don’t even need a recipe for honey butter. Just take some unsalted butter, let it soften to room temperature, beat it with an electric mixer until is smooth and creamy, and slowly beat in some honey. Use as little or as much honey as you prefer.
You can store any leftover honey butter in the refrigerator and use it on toast or English muffins for breakfast!
More delicious yeast bread and rolls to try:
The Best Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
These soft, light and fluffy Hawaiian sweet rolls are so easy to make. They don’t require much work because a stand mixer does all the kneading for you. The beauty of these rolls is their fragrant, sweet and tangy flavor which comes from a mix of pineapple juice and buttermilk.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) pineapple juice
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons (89 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 5 ½ cups (715 g) all-purpose flour, measured correctly
- ⅓ cup (113 g) honey
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast, SEE NOTE 1
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons honey butter, SEE NOTE 2
Instructions
- Combine the pineapple juice, buttermilk, butter, and honey in a large liquid measuring cup. Microwave in 30 second intervals until the temperature reaches 110°F. The mixture may become curdled, this is normal.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the flour, yeast, and salt on low speed until combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually pour in the pineapple mixture followed by the egg and vanilla.
- Mix on low speed dough begins to come together, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-low and mix until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. It may still stick to the bottom.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 and ½ hours.
- Punch the dough down to deflate it and transfer it to a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 15 equal size portions. Shape each portion into a smooth ball and arrange them in a lightly oiled 9x13-inch baking pan.
- Cover the pan with plastic and set in a draft-free area to rise until doubled in size, about 1 and ½ hours.
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 375°F.
- Brush the top of the rolls with melted honey butter. Bake the rolls for 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown, rotating halfway through the baking time. The internal temperature of the rolls should be 190°F.
- Brush the rolls with more melted honey butter and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Transfer the rolls to a wire rack and cool for another 20 minutes. Rolls are best when eaten the day they are made.
Notes
- Use either instant or rapid rise yeast. Active dry yeast will not be as efficient with this recipe.
- Honey butter is made by mixing butter and honey. Start with ¼ to ½ cup of room temperature unsalted butter and mix in 2 tablespoons of honey at a time until you achieve the desired taste. Store leftover honey butter in the refrigerator and use it on toast, muffins, or rolls.
Make ahead tip
- Make the recipe through step 6. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Set the rolls out at room temperature for 1 to 1 ½ hours until the rolls have doubled in size. Bake per the recipe instructions.
- Or you can freeze the rolls 10 minutes after shaping. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Set the rolls out at room temperature for 1 to 1 ½ hours until the rolls have doubled in size. Bake per the recipe instructions.
- Fully baked rolls can also be frozen in an airtight container. Thaw overnight at room temperature then reheat in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1 rollAmount Per Serving: Calories: 251Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 355mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 5g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the values shown are just an estimate.
Recipe adapted from Cooks Country.
Cassaundra says
I made these the other day in a practice run. They came out very dense. I noticed while forming the balls that the surface texture was bumpy rather than smooth. Any ideas what I did wrong? I followed exact and weighed everything.
Jen Sobjack says
Dense, heavy bread often means that the dough didn’t trap enough gas or the yeast didn’t produce enough gas. If you are confident you followed the recipe exactly then the issue is likely the rise time and/or ambient temperature.
Kelly says
Can you sub the buttermilk for 2% milk? It's what I have in the fridge so 🤞
Jen Sobjack says
You're going to get the best flavor with buttermilk.
Danny says
I just tried this recipe for the first time and I am writing this while waiting for the dough to sit the second time.
I followed every step and measurement but the dough turned out very liquid and sticky. It never really stopped sticking to the bowl and was very difficult from my working surface to the next bowl. It doubled in size but was still way to sticky to shape it into little balls. I basically scratched the dough from my hands into the baking pan.
I don’t know how they will turn out but I think this isn’t how it is supposed to be, right?
I didn’t want to add any additional flour since you stressed this in previous comments to not do this.
Jen Sobjack says
The dough is not supposed to be liquidy. That sounds like a mismeasurement somewhere... It is a soft dough that will be tacky. It will not completely stop sticking to the bowl. It will stick to the bottom of the bowl but pull away from the sides as the dough is mixing. Once you stop mixing the dough will settle into the bottom of the bowl and remain sticky. It's challenging to work with but doughs this soft will yield supremely soft rolls.
So dra says
Can these rolls be made gluten free?
Jen Sobjack says
Unfortunately, this recipe requires wheat flour.
Chollada Suwanmongkol says
What the difference between
Bread flour n AP FLOUR. ?
As I prefer the bread Flour
In the recipe as they come out
So awesome n flavourful Taste .
Thanks so much for The Recipe !
Jen Sobjack says
Bread flour contains more protein which produces more gluten. This results in a chewier texture and is not recommended for these rolls.
Ann Amorin says
How long does the bread last?
Jen Sobjack says
These rolls are best when eaten the day they are made. But, they may still taste ok for a day or two afterward. There are make-ahead instructions listed in the recipe.
Crystal Valenti says
Can you use bread flour instead of all purpose?
Jen Sobjack says
Bread flour will make the rolls denser and chewier.
Tish says
These tasted delicious but turned out a little more dense than I prefer. How can I make them more airy?
Jen Sobjack says
Use weight measurements so you're not using too much flour by mistake. This is often the issue. Also, avoid using a lot of extra flour when shaping the dough. Check to make sure you are using instant or rapid-rise yeast. These work best with this recipe. And don't over proof the dough. Let it rise until it's doubled in size and no more than that.
Emily says
Fresh pineapple juice has enzymes that destroy gluten so either use canned juice or heat the juice to 200 and cool before using. Maybe that was the issue?
Maria says
These are wonderful! I do like up mix honey with 1/2 cup of sugar because I really wanted to taste the sweetness like in the Hawaiian bread roll. And to get that flakiness, I roll out and roll up my dough and pinch the seams.
Rachael says
Love this recipe and these rolls! If I make the dough a day ahead, would I be able to refrigerate after the second rise and bake the next day without altering the texture/fluffiness?
Jen Sobjack says
You'd want to refrigerate after shaping but before the second rise. I've included make-ahead tips in the recipe.
Mary says
Really like this recipe! Given limitations of ingredients in the cupboard currently, I subbed peach juice and then added a little of my sourdough discard and cardamom just because I love it.
Looking forward to trying this one again and also sending a few batches to friends stuck inside right now.
Michael says
I did a vegan version of these. Almond milk + vinegar in place of the buttermilk and applesauce in place of the egg. They came out absolutely perfect. Thanks!