• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Butter & Baggage logo
  • Home
  • Recipe Search
    • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Breads & Biscuits
    • Breakfast
      • Muffins
    • Desserts
      • Bars
      • Brownies
      • Cakes & Cupcakes
      • Cookies
      • Fruit Desserts
      • Pies, Cobblers & Crisps
    • Main Dishes
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Pork
      • Seafood
    • Pasta
    • Salads
    • Sauces & Dips
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Soups & Chilis
  • Portfolio
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Search
  • Recipe Index
  • Portfolio
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Breads & Biscuits » Hawaiian Rolls

    Hawaiian Rolls

    Published: Mar 30, 2015 · Modified: Jul 2, 2020 by Barbara Curry · This post may contain affiliate links.

    • Share
    • Tweet
    Jump To Recipe Print Recipe
    A basket full of hawaiian rolls
    A basket of yeast rolls sweetened with pineapple juice

    Hawaiian Rolls have just a hint of sweetness and are so so fluffy.  EASY to make and perfect every time. The BEST yeast rolls you’ll ever make. 

    A baking dish of Hawaiian Rolls
    Hawaiian Rolls

    A friend of mine was talking about how much he missed the Hawaiian rolls he could get when he lived on the West coast.  I love King’s Hawaiian rolls I get at the grocery and thought I could make some just as good. We all loved these yeast rolls so much that they 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.  Make them smaller and you have an awesome roll for sliders. 

    Are Hawaiian rolls from Hawaii

    Hawaiian rolls were made by King’s Hawaiian starting in 1950 by a local baker, Robert Taira on the island of Hilo, Hawaii. They were so popular that they couldn’t keep them on the shelves. This is the brand that I’ve tried.

    Pineapple juice is the secret ingredient that gives these homemade yeast rolls their unique taste. This Hawaiian roll recipe is just as easy as any other yeast roll and we absolutely love them. What’s even better is that they turn out perfect every time I make them, which is a lot!  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.

    What type of yeast should you use

    I prefer to use Active dry yeast rather than Instant yeast. Instant yeast will work in these rolls but the reason I prefer Active dry yeast is that you know right away whether the yeast is alive or not. With Active dry yeast you have to dissolve it in water first. If you add a pinch of sugar the yeast will grow and you’ll know that your rolls will rise. With Instant yeast, it doesn’t need to be dissolved, you just add it with the flour and hope for the best. As long as your yeast has not expired, this shouldn’t be an issue. Either will work, if using instant the rise time may be shorter.

    How do you make Hawaiian rolls

    Step 1: Dissolve the yeast in warm water until it’s foamy.

    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.

    Step 4: Let rise until double and divide into 16 balls.

    Step 5: At this point you can refrigerate overnight or let them rise one more time.

    Dough for Hawaiian Rolls

    Step 6: Bake and then brush with butter.

    A baking dish of cooked Hawaiian dinner rolls
    Hawaiian Rolls

    Best way for yeast dough to rise

    There are three ways to help dough rise.  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 it 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 nice addition to a savory meal. Perfect by themselves but as always, a little better with butter.

    A basket of Hawaiian Rolls
    Hawaiian Rolls

    Not only are they a great dinner roll but the added sweetness makes them perfect for sliders with Slow Cooker Bourbon Chicken.

    Hawaiian Roll with slow cooker chicken
    Slow cooked chicken on a Hawaiian Roll

    Also they are fabulous for Smash Burgers or Spicy Bourbon BBQ Sliders. 

    Can you freeze Hawaiian yeast rolls

    Yeast rolls are almost as good frozen as when they are eaten right away.  I’m not sure you’ll be able to tell the difference. There are two different options for freezing:

    • After you bake the rolls, let them cool and wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Let thaw and then warm up in a 300º oven for 10 minutes.
    • You can freeze the dough after it has been made into balls. Remove from the freezer and let them warm up to room temperature before baking.

    What to make with Hawaiian sweet rolls

    • Steak Marsala, the slightly sweet rolls compliment the marsala sauce
    • Great for when you grill chicken with Peach Glaze
    • Delicious with Short Rib Chili

    If you don’t want a sweet roll, here are some other bread options you might like

    • Sour Cream Yeast Knots
    • Pull-apart Onion Rolls
    • Fluffy Dinner Rolls
    • Buttermilk Biscuits

    If you make Hawaiian Rolls, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! I would love to see your creation.

    I might receive income from links that you click on.  Please know that I only provide links to things that I use on a regular basis and think you might find helpful. 

    A baking dish of Hawaiian Rolls

    Hawaiian Rolls

    Author: Barbara Curry
    Hawaiian Rolls have just a hint of sweetness and are so so fluffy.  EASY to make and perfect every time. The BEST yeast rolls you'll ever make. 
    4.69 from 16 votes
    Print Pin
    PREP: 2 hours 20 minutes
    COOK: 15 minutes
    Servings: 16

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 package active dry yeast 2 ¼ teaspoon
    • ¼ cup warm water
    • 2 eggs
    • ½ cup pineapple juice
    • ¼ cup milk
    • ⅓ cup sugar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla
    • ¼ cup butter melted
    • 4 cups flour
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • In a small bowl dissolve yeast in ¼ cup warm water with a pinch of sugar. Let sit until slightly foamy.
    • In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the yeast mixture, eggs, pineapple juice, ¼ cup milk, sugar, vanilla and melted butter. When combined stir salt and flour into dough until a stiff batter is formed. Kneed for 10 minutes using a dough hook.
    • Cover and place in a warm place and let rise for 1 hour. When doubled, punch the air out of the dough and turn onto floured surface.
    • Divide into 2 equal pieces and then cut each piece into 8 sections for a total of 16 rolls. Form into buns forming them so that the seam is on the bottom and place in 2 buttered pie pans.
    • Cover and let rise again until doubled, about an hour.
    • Preheat oven to 350º. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then remove from oven and brush the tops with melted butter. To test if the rolls are done, tap the base of one, it should sound hollow.
    Barbara’s Tips + Notes
    You can refrigerate the dough overnight after it has been formed into balls. Remove form the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. 
    It will make about 24 sliders.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 72mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 2mg
    Follow Me On SocialDid you make this recipe? Mention @ButterandBaggage or tag #ButterandBaggage on Instagram!
    « Baked Rice with Italian Sausage and Corn
    Bao »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sheila says

      May 12, 2019 at 8:08 pm

      They were yummy and a hit with all the family for Mother’s Day.

      Reply
      • Barbara Curry says

        May 16, 2019 at 5:30 pm

        So glad you liked them. If you still have pineapple juice left you might want to try Hawaiian Cinnamon Rolls!

        Reply
    2. Krystal says

      June 14, 2019 at 9:21 am

      These turned out amazing! I was a little intimidated by the prep time. But i cheated and used my bread machine. I put the flour and salt into the bread machine then mixed the wet ingredients in a medium bowl and wisked them together with the acception that i still mixed the water and yeast as stated in the recipe before incorporating it into the wet mixture. Then poured the wet ingredients into the bread machine and ran it on the dough cycle which did the work for the first hour and a half. Then followed the recipe from punching air out of the dough and dividing. Very pleased with the results!

      Reply
      • Barbara Curry says

        June 14, 2019 at 11:03 am

        I don’t have a bread machine, so I’m glad to hear you could adapt the recipe to work in one. Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
      • Cynthia Knox says

        January 15, 2020 at 4:56 pm

        Did you use all purpose flour or bread flour? I have seen recipes for both. I want to make them for my son who loves this type of roll.

        Reply
        • Barbara Curry says

          January 15, 2020 at 8:17 pm

          I use all purpose flour, hope he enjoys them.

        • Cynthia says

          January 16, 2020 at 2:50 am

          Thanks!!!

    3. Susie says

      May 08, 2020 at 11:45 am

      I’m not sure what I did wrong here, but after my first mix, reading that I was to let the stiff batter rise for an hour, it look like everything was fine. But I bet I had to add minimum 2 cups more flour to even turn it into a malleable dough. It was a sticky mess. We’ll see how the rolls turn out, but I wish I would have only added a quarter cup pineapple juice rather than the half cup called for.

      Reply
      • Barbara Curry says

        May 09, 2020 at 10:49 am

        I’m not sure what could have gone wrong, it must be the amount of flour you added, or could be you had extra large eggs. I would just add more flour until the dough is manageable. I hope they turned out ok.

        Reply
    4. Vivian says

      May 08, 2020 at 3:25 pm

      I am just making this , but the dough is like sticking to my fingers, Is it supposed to be like that?? I add it a little more , but I did not see much difference.

      Reply
      • Barbara Curry says

        May 09, 2020 at 10:44 am

        It should not be that sticky, I would try adding a bit more flour.

        Reply
    5. Lorraine says

      June 06, 2020 at 3:11 am

      Hi love these buns but last time I made them they came out quite hard on top and a bit doughy in the middle where did I go wrong

      Reply
      • Barbara Curry says

        June 06, 2020 at 10:37 am

        It could be a couple of things. I would start with your flour, these days we are getting whatever flour we can find and that can make a difference. It could be you added too much flour, this should be a sticky dough. The humidity can contribute to the outcome also, the more humid the better. I’ve made these a million times and I either use King Arthurs flour or Bob’s Red Mill. My third choice would be White Lilly. Don’t give up on them, bread is a finicky thing, I would try a little less flour next time.

        Reply
    6. Lorraine Gill says

      June 06, 2020 at 11:07 am

      Thanks I’ve just made them again this morning and they are lovely I used a different brand of flour so I think it must have been the problem
      Thanks
      Lorraine

      Reply
      • Barbara Curry says

        June 06, 2020 at 2:22 pm

        So glad they worked!

        Reply
    7. Marina says

      July 24, 2020 at 2:20 pm

      Is there a way to make this into two 8′ pan loaves?

      Reply
      • Barbara Curry says

        July 25, 2020 at 9:08 am

        Once you roll them into balls you can place them in any type of pan. You might need to adjust the time of baking.

        Reply
    8. Barbara Doughtie says

      December 21, 2020 at 12:25 pm

      I made this recipe to the T and I was very disappointed in the taste. They were too dry and fell apart as I took them from the pan. Sorry.

      Reply
      • Barbara Curry says

        December 22, 2020 at 2:02 pm

        It could be that they cooked too long. I’m sorry they didn’t turn out for you, that’s so disappointing, they’re one of my favorite rolls.

        Reply
    9. Faith says

      December 27, 2020 at 10:20 am

      Can you use an electric hand mixer for this?

      Reply
      • Barbara Curry says

        December 27, 2020 at 10:22 am

        If your hand mixer is strong powerful enough to knead the dough. If not manually knead until the dough is smooth, you’ll get a good workout!

        Reply
    10. Faith says

      December 28, 2020 at 9:33 pm

      How would you recommend storing the rolls after you make them to keep them soft?

      Reply
      • Barbara Curry says

        December 29, 2020 at 9:52 am

        I would put them in a ziplock bag after they’ve cooled and leave them at room temperature for a few days or freeze them. If you refrigerate them, they can dry out.

        Reply
    Newer Comments »

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Barbara Curry is the culinary adventurer of Butter & Baggage. With a dedicated enthusiasm for real butter made from happy cows she is in constant pursuit of delicious recipes and tasty dishes. She shares her experiences, ventures, and occasional misadventures because let’s face it things can get messy in any kitchen.

    More about me →

    Subscribe

    Strawberry Recipes

    • Strawberry Jam Cake
    • Strawberry Jam without Pectin
    • Strawberry Pound Cake
    • Sheet Pan Pancakes
    • Strawberry Cobbler
    • Strawberry Biscuits

    Popular

    • Breakfast Puff Pastry (VIDEO)
    • Steak Marsala
    • Queso Chicken
    • Sausage Balls Recipe
    • Chocolate Bark Recipe
    • Mini Croque Monsieur

    Footer

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    breakfast bread chicken pasta dessert bars

    COPYRIGHT © 2022 BUTTER & BAGGAGE | PRIVACY POLICY
    BRANDING & CUSTOMIZATION BY GRACE + VINE STUDIOS

    5026 shares
    5026 shares