The Best Hawaiian Rolls Recipe
These Hawaiian rolls are one of my favorite rolls. It’s an old recipe I’ve shared with you back in 2014 and wanted to share it with you again with some new pictures, a video and a bit more explanation regarding the dough. You’ll find that this recipe has some unusual ingredients for dinner rolls, namely ginger, pineapple, and coconut, but that’s what makes them so special!
Butter – I always use unsalted butter in baked goods, so I can control the sodium in our rolls. Pineapple juice – This sweet tangy addition is a key flavor profile to our Hawaiian Rolls so don’t skip it! Buttermilk – Buttermilk is really key for achieving fluffy, tender rolls. Check out my Buttermilk Dinner Rolls recipe for more info. Sugar – We want to use packed brown sugar as it’ll create a great depth of flavor as our rolls bake. Coconut – We’re using coconut extract today for that concentrated coconut flavor, you can find it at your grocery store in the baking aisle. Vanilla – Vanilla extract is like a flavor secret weapon for baked goods. Flour – I just used all purpose flour in this recipe. Yeast – I’m using instant yeast so that we can incorporate it right in the dough without activating it in water first. However, active dry yeast works as well, you’ll just have to activate first in lukewarm water with a touch of sugar. Ginger – Just a bit of ground ginger to add complexity and depth to our rolls. Eggs – 2 large eggs kept at room temperature. Salt – Salt is important in any baked good, it ensures that all those flavors we’ve incorporated above really shine.
You are not going to believe how simple it is to make Hawaiian-style sweet bread rolls with the help of a stand mixer for kneading and an oven for proofing. It’s quick, easy, and the outcome is amazing!
Preheat The Oven To Proof
Before you begin the dough, preheat your oven to 200°F (93°C) or the lowest temperature your oven will go. In this case, oven preheating is done to create an environment for your dough to rise. This is an important step so don’t skip it. If your oven has a proof function, use that instead.
Combine The Wet Ingredients
It’s important to mix the wet and dry ingredients separately when you make this recipe. Add the melted butter, buttermilk, pineapple juice, and brown sugar to a medium bowl. Then whisk everything together until it’s well combined. Now, wait until the mixture cools just a bit and then add the extracts. The melted butter sometimes makes it a little too warm.
Combine The Wet And Dry Ingredients
First, combine the dry ingredients together by adding 3¾ cups of flour, the yeast, salt and ground ginger to the bowl of your stand mixer and mix them together. Then using the paddle attachment, turn the mixer on to low speed and slowly pour in the wet ingredients. Now, with the mixer still running, add 2 of the eggs and the egg yolk.
Knead The Dough
After the wet and dry ingredients have been combined, a sticky dough will begin to form. At this point, remove the paddle attachment and replace it with the dough hook attachment. Now, knead the dough for 7 to 8 minutes adding up to ¼ cup more flour if needed. However, this is a very sticky dough, so it’s very important that you do not use more than 4 cups of flour in total to make the dough!
Let The Dough Rise
Once the dough has been kneaded it will need to rise! So form the dough into a ball and then place it in a large glass or metal bowl that has been lightly greased. Then cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Now, turn your oven OFF and place the dough inside so that it can rise for about 1 to 1½ hours or until it has doubled in size. This is a trick I use all the time to speed up the rising time. Sometimes the dough is even ready after 30 minutes!
Preheat The Oven To Proof Again
Remove the dough from the oven once it has doubled in size. Now, once again, preheat your oven to 200°F (93°C) to create an environment for the dough to rise or use the proof oven setting. After the rolls are formed they need to rise a second time. Then line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Form The Rolls
Forming the rolls is really easy. To begin, punch down the dough to let some of the air out and then divide it into 15 equal pieces. Next, roll each piece into a circle and place it in the prepared baking pan equally spaced apart. Then generously butter the tops and sides of all the rolls.
Let The Rolls Rise
Now that the rolls have been formed they will need to rise to make them super soft! So cover the rolls in the baking pan with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Then turn the oven OFF again and place the rolls inside to rise. This is done because yeast thrives in a warm draft-free environment and using the oven to proof provides the best results. Then after the rolls have doubled in size, remove them from the oven.
Prepare To Bake
To get ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Now, lightly brush the rolls with egg wash. You can also skip the egg wash and apply more melted butter after they have been baked.
Bake And Serve
It’s finally time to bake! Once the oven is fully preheated and not a minute sooner, put your Hawaiian rolls in and bake them for about 22 to 25 minutes. When they are done they will be fully baked inside and the top of the rolls will be golden brown in color. Then to serve, enjoy the aloha spirit as you devour these yummy rolls topped with a bit of honey if you like!
What Are Hawaiian Rolls?
These delicious dinner rolls originated on the Big Island, originally sold in supermarkets. They’ve got a sweet tropical kick thanks to some pineapple juice, a little bit of ginger, and a concentrated dose of coconut extract. These sweet rolls are far from typical but give them a shot, I promise they’ll be your new favorite accompaniment.
What To Pair Hawaiian Sweet Rolls With
These tropical rolls go so well with many different dishes, be it meats or salads, slow cooker creations or even just slathered with butter all on their own.
Instant Pot BBQ Ribs Beef Brisket Gyros Roast Chicken Perfect Pulled Pork Porcupine Meatballs Easy Meatloaf Crockpot Honey Mustard Glazed Ham
You can put nearly anything into these rolls and it will taste simply magical. Feel free to experiment with what tastes best for you and your family. I like to pair them with some ham and Swiss cheese and place in the oven to allow the cheese to melt a bit, so delicious!
Issues With Your Dough?
If you have any issues with your rolls not rising this almost always has to do with your yeast. In this recipe I’m using instant yeast and not active dry yeast though you could use either. The difference is that instant yeast does not have to be activated, just add it to your dry ingredients, where as with active dry yeast you have to dissolve it in a bit of warm water and sugar first.
Storing Leftovers
These rolls can be stored right on the counter covered in either tin foil or plastic wrap for 3 – 4 days.
Freezing
Yes you can! You can freeze these rolls in an airtight container for up to 3 months, just thaw at room temperature overnight before warming back up in the oven at 300°F for 10 minutes.
Craving More Rolls? Try These Delicious Recipes
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