Do you enjoy soft, fluffy homemade bread? I do, especially when the bread has a touch of sweetness. These easy Hawaiian sweet rolls are just the perfect bread to use for sliders, sandwiches, appetizers, or just eating by themselves. I hope you'll find them as delicious as our family does!
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Questions
What are Hawaiian sweet rolls?
They are light, soft, and fluffy white buns originally from Hilo, Hawaii. Pineapple juice is added to give it a subtle tropical flavor. They are very popular in the United States for making sliders or serving on their own.
Are they healthy?
Store-bought Hawaiian rolls aren't healthy. They contains preservatives and conditioners, which doesn't make it a healthy choice. Homemade ones, however, are much better for your health. No preservatives, chemicals, or fancy names in this bread! Check out the nutrition facts at the end of the recipe card for detailed nutritional information.
What makes Hawaiian rolls sweet?
They are sweetened by light brown sugar and pineapple juice.
How to Reheat Them
Warm them at 350 F for 3-5 minutes, until desired warmth. If they're frozen, they will take longer to warm.
How long do they last?
Store-bought ones would last for up to a week at room temperature. Homemade ones should be frozen or eaten within 24 hours of baking since they don't have preservatives.
How do you store Hawaiian sweet rolls?
Keep them sealed tightly in a zip-top plastic bag at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Don't refrigerate them, as it will make them go stale more quickly.
Can they be frozen?
Yes, they can be frozen. Bake them and let them cool completely, then wrap them tightly with aluminum foil and seal them in a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze for up to 1 month.
How to Make
Gather the ingredients. You'll need bread flour, yeast, salt, butter, lard, brown sugar, eggs, pineapple juice, and milk.
Dump the milk, butter, and lard into a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Stir frequently until the fats have melted and the mixture is smooth, then let it cool to 115 F.
Pour the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer and add the salt and yeast on opposite sides of the bowl. Mix in each one with your finger.
Blend in the sugar, eggs, and pineapple juice. The mixture will be quite dry at this point.
Pour in the cooled milk mixture and blend until a sticky dough forms. Turn off the mixer and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Switch attachments to the hook and knead for 3-5 minutes on medium-low speed. The dough should clean the sides of the bowl, but still stick to it. Be sure that it passes the windowpane test as well. (Check the recipe card to learn how to do this.)
Shape the dough into a ball, place back in the mixing bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place and let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 ½ to 2 hours. You can even let it rise overnight in the fridge if you want to make them ahead of time.
Punch down the dough to knock out the air pockets, then divide into 12 pieces and roll into tight balls. Place in a buttered 9x13-inch cake pan.
Cover with a clean garbage bag or buttered plastic wrap and let the rolls rise in a warm place until doubled in size and springy to the touch, roughly 45 minutes to an hour. If the dough is cold from the fridge, it will take longer to rise, but have a better flavor.
Bake at 375 F for 20 minutes, until well browned. Make sure they have an internal temperature of 190 F on a meat thermometer to ensure they're cooked. Let them cool completely on a wire rack, then break apart and serve.
Pro Tips
- Don't substitute the bread flour. Bread flour contains more protein than all-purpose. Protein turns into gluten when mixed with liquid, giving the bread strength and structure. This results in a higher rise and pleasantly chewy texture.
- Don't leave out the pineapple juice. Although its flavor is subtle, it is the main distinctive element in this recipe. If you absolutely must substitute, replace the juice with milk and add an extra tablespoon (12g) of light brown sugar.
- Use unsalted butter. Unsalted butter is often fresher than salted. Using unsalted butter also allows you to control the amount of salt in your baking.
- Use a combination of butter and lard for the best flavor and texture. Butter brings a great flavor, while lard encourages a beautifully soft and fluffy texture.
- Be sure to let the milk, butter, and lard mixture cool to 115 F before using. Extreme heat can kill the yeast.
- Want to make them ahead of time? Let the dough complete its first rise in the fridge overnight (at least 8 hours). Finish them the next day, although take note that the rising times will take longer, because the dough will be cold from the fridge.
- Are they rising too slowly? You can speed up the process by placing the bowl or pan in a cold oven. Place a large casserole dish filled with boiling water on a shelf underneath and shut the door to trap the steam inside. The gentle heat will encourage the yeast to work more quickly.
Recommended Tools
- Bread Flour: the King Arthur brand is my favorite for making bread.
- Saucepan: this heavy-bottomed pot doesn't burn food easily.
- 9x13 Pan: this pan is the perfect size for a tray of dinner rolls!
- Digital Thermometer: this tool makes it easy to tell if your bread is cooked.
- Cooling Racks: your baked goods will cool faster and stay crisp with these racks.
Other Dinner Roll Recipes
The pleasure of a 5-star review would be greatly appreciated.
PrintRecipe
Easy Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 rolls 1x
Description
These soft and fluffy Hawaiian sweet rolls are perfect for ham sliders, sandwiches, and appetizers. The dough is flavored with brown sugar and pineapple juice for a touch of sweetness. You don’t need a bread machine to make these homemade rolls for dinner!
Ingredients
- 4 ⅛ cups bread flour (500g)
- 3 teaspoons fast-action yeast (10g)
- 2 teaspoons fine salt (10g)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed (50g)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice (118 ml)
- ½ cup whole milk (118 ml)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (57g)
- ¼ cup lard (56g)
Instructions
- Pour the milk, butter, and lard into a small saucepan and set over medium heat until the fats have melted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool to 115 F.
- Dump the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer and add the yeast and salt on opposite sides of the bowl, stirring each one in with your finger. Add the sugar, eggs, and pineapple juice and mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until blended. The dough will be very dry.
- Trickle in all of the milk and fat mixture while the mixer is running on low speed. Turn up the speed to medium and mix until a sticky dough forms. Turn off the mixer and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Switch attachments to the hook and knead on medium-low speed. The dough should clean the bowl, but it will still stick to the sides. If it refuses to clean the bowl after a few minutes of kneading, add more flour (just a spoonful at a time) until it cooperates.
- Make sure the dough passes the windowpane test. Check this by breaking off a lump and stretching it between the thumb and forefinger of each hand. It should be translucent without tearing; if not, knead a minute longer and check again.
- Shape into a ball, place in a buttered bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and punch it down all over to knock out the extra air. Divide it into 12 equal pieces, using a kitchen scale for accuracy, then roll each piece into a tight ball.
- Place the balls equally apart in a buttered 9x13-inch pan, then cover them with a clean garbage bag or buttered plastic wrap. Let the rolls rise in a warm place until they have doubled in size and are springy to the touch, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F about 10 minutes before they are done rising.
- Bake F for 20 minutes, until they have an internal temperature of 190 F on a meat thermometer. Let the rolls cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove them from the pan and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
- Use bread flour, not all-purpose.
- Use a combination of butter and lard for the best flavor and texture.
- Want to make the rolls ahead of time? Let the dough complete its first rise in the fridge overnight (at least 8 hours). Finish them the next day, although take note that the rising times will take longer, because the dough will be cold from the fridge.
- Are they rising too slowly? You can speed up the process by placing the bowl or pan in a cold oven. Place a large casserole dish filled with boiling water on a shelf underneath and shut the door to trap the steam inside. The gentle heat will encourage the yeast to work more quickly.
- Freeze leftovers in a zip-top bag for up to 1 month.
- Prep Time: 55 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: recipe, homemade, sliders
Beth
I love how fluffy and sweet these tropical rolls are. They are great for making delicious sliders!
Emma
Homemade sliders always taste great on homemade bread!