Hawaiian Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Homemade Hawaiian cinnamon rolls have the softest dough you’ve ever tried with just the right amount of sweetness. Pineapple juice gives the dough a slightly sweet taste that goes perfectly with a tangy cream cheese frosting. It can be made overnight so that mornings are a breeze.
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast (2 packages)
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup butter (melted)
- ⅔ cups sugar
- 6-6 ½ cups flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
FILLING
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 cup pecans (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup raisins (optional)
- ¼ cup butter (melted)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese (room temp)
- 8 tablespoons butter (room temp)
- ½ cup powdered (sugar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- DOUGH: Sprinkle yeast over a ½ cup of warm water in a small bowl. Add honey and stir. Let sit for 5 minutes. It should become foamy. If not throw away and start again.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook, add ¼ cup room temperature water, eggs, pineapple juice, butter and sugar. Add 6 cups flour, salt and yeast mixture. Beat on medium speed until the dough starts to come together and pull away from the bowl, about 8 minutes. Add flour if it is sticky.
- Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Put in a warm place and let it rise until double in size. (I prefer to heat up water in the microwave and then place the bowl in the microwave with the hot water, the humid warm air helps it rise) It will take about 1 hour.
- FILLING: Combine the sugars, pecans, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir to combine.
- Butter the bottom and sides of two 9 x 13 metal pans, set aside, or line with parchment paper.
- When the dough has risen, place it on a floured surface and gently knead until it is no longer sticky, add more flour if needed. Cover with a towel and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle about ⅓ inch thick about 10 x 20 inches. Brush the top with melted butter. Spread the filling over the dough leaving a border around the edges. Press the filling into the dough.
- Lift up one edge and tightly roll it into a cylinder, pressing the edges to seal. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 16 slices. Place the slices in the buttered pans cut side up. Cover the pans with plastic wrap and either place it in a warm place to rise for one hour or refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375º.
- If refrigerated, remove and let sit on the counter for 15 minutes before baking. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
- FROSTING: If adding frosting, combine cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl and mx with an electric mixer until combined. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and beat until smooth. Add milk if you want a thinner consistency.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
- To store left over cinnamon rolls, put them in an airtight container and leave on the counter for a day or two. Any longer and you should freeze them. Putting them in the refrigerator will dry out the dough.
- You can make the dough ahead of time, add the filling and place the cut cinnamon rolls in the fridge overnight. The next morning, they’ll need to rise for about 30 minutes.
- Frosting is optional on these rolls - they are delicious without but easy if you enjoy a cream cheese frosting.
Nutrition
Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 386mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 314IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 3mg