Homemade Hawaiian Rolls
Homemade Hawaiian Rolls are buttery, ultra-soft, beautifully tender and squishy, with the perfect slight sweetness that makes Hawaiian Rolls so special. Fluffier and richer than the store-bought variety, this homemade copycat version will be a hit with your friends and family for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, Easter, or anytime!
Servings: 15 dinner rolls
Ingredients
- ½ cup (116 grams) whole milk
- 5 Tablespoons (71 grams) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (116 grams) canned pineapple juice at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 6 Tablespoons (75 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (25 grams) light brown sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 4 cups (520 grams) bread flour
- ¼ cup (33 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
To Finish:
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon (14 grams) butter melted, for brushing on after baking
Instructions
- In a medium-sized microwave safe bow, heat the milk and butter together until melted. Stir to combine, and allow to cool until lukewarm - about 100-110°F / 38-43°C.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, place the warm milk/butter mixture, pineapple juice, vanilla, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and 2 eggs. Whisk to combine.
- Add the yeast, bread flour, all-purpose flour, and salt. Place on your mixer, fitted with the dough hook Start mixing on low speed. Gradually increase the speed to medium-high. Knead for 10-15 minutes or until the dough is cohesive, soft, elastic, slightly sticky, and passes the windowpane test.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
- Meanwhile, prepare a 9×13 inch baking pan by lightly coating with cooking spray or line with nonstick foil.
- Gently punch down the dough and transfer to a clean countertop (do not flour the work surface). Using a bench scraper and a digital scale, divide the dough into 15 equal pieces.
- Shape each dough piece into a tight ball by bringing all edges of the dough into the center, then rolling taught, using your countertop to create tension. Place in the prepared pan.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining egg with one Tablespoon of water. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the egg wash all over each roll.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap. Allow to rise again until the rolls have doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- While the rolls proof, preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C.
- Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown on top. Immediately out of the oven, brush the rolls all over with melted butter. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
The Sugars: Don't reduce the sugars here! These rolls are supposed to be slightly sweet, and the sugar levels also help create soft, squishy rolls that stay fresh for days.
The Yeast: I recommend using instant yeast, but active dry yeast works too - just note that your dough will take a bit longer to rise.
The Flours: I highly recommend using the bread flour + AP flour combination outlined here, for the perfect soft yet slightly chewy roll.
What is the Windowpane Test?: Pull off a small piece of dough. Using your fingers, gently stretch the dough as thin as it will go. The goal is to be able to see light through the dough without the dough breaking or tearing. This tells us that the dough has been kneaded enough, as it's built up enough gluten for the rolls to bake up nice and tall without losing their shape.
Help, my Dough is Sticky! Unless you live somewhere super duper humid, please don't add extra flour! The dough will be slightly sticky, yes, but it's better to dampen your hands slightly to deal with a slightly sticky dough, than to risk rolls that become dense and tough thanks to excess flour. If absolutely needed, add up to 2 Tablespoons (16 grams) more bread flour - but no more than that!
Rising: Rise times can vary greatly, depending on the temperature and humidity level of your kitchen. For the first proof, simply watch for doubled dough. I usually take a picture of the dough at the beginning, so I can easily compare the volume. For the second proof, dampen your hands and gently poke one roll with your finger. If the indentation springs back right away, the rolls need to proof for longer. If they're ready, the indentation will slowly spring back. Once this happens, it's time to bake!
Roll Sizes: Feel free to make slightly larger or smaller rolls, simply by dividing the dough into fewer or more pieces. Bake times may vary slightly. I often make 18 smaller rolls and the bake time is the same as written above.
Recipe by the team at HandleTheHeat.com.