These one hour Hawaiian rolls are soft, fluffy, and lightly sweet. Best of all, they can be made from scratch in just 1 hour. They’re perfect for serving alongside dinner, using for sliders, or enjoying warm with butter.
Hawaiian Sweet Rolls have become a holiday tradition in our house. My kids absolutely love them, and it wouldn’t be a holiday dinner without them. I try to make them once in a while for non-holiday dinners, too, but I don’t always have several hours to make them.
I’ve been working on a faster version for a while now. I finally hit on a version that I was happy with with these one hour Hawaiian rolls. They make delicious dinner rolls, but you can also use this recipe to make buns, The buns are fantastic for ham (or any other pork) sandwiches.
“So simple and delicious! Mom of 3 had plenty of time to accomplish this! Makes a mean pulled pork sandwich.” – Shelby
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Milk: You can use any type of milk, from skim to whole milk. However, whole milk will give you softer, richer rolls.
- Butter: If you’d like to use unsalted butter, increase the salt to 3/4 teaspoon.
- Bread flour: You can also use all-purpose flour. Just use enough to get the dough to the described texture.
How to make 1 hour Hawaiian rolls
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: In a small saucepan, stir pineapple juice, milk, sugar, and 2 tablespoons butter together. Heat over low heat just until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to about 100-105 F.
Step 2: Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast, and let stand for 5-10 minutes, or until yeast is foamy.
Step 3: Mix in egg and vanilla until combined.
Step 4: Add 2 cups flour and salt to yeast mixture. Using a dough hook, mix on low speed for about 1 minute.
Step 5: With the mixer still going, add remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time. Mix about 1 ½ minutes, or until dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl.
Step 6: Knead on low speed for about 2 more minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic – the dough will still be slightly sticky to the touch.
Step 7: Place dough in a greased bowl, turning it to grease the top. Cover the dough with a clean, dry dish towel. Let it rise in a warm place, free from draft, for about 15 minutes.
Step 8: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 12 pieces for rolls or 7 pieces for buns.
Step 9: Form each piece into a ball and place on greased pan. I use a quarter sheet pan.
Step 10: Cover the pan with the dish towel, and let the dough rise for about 20 minutes.
Step 11: Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Set aside
Step 12: Bake at 400ºF for about 8-12 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown. Brush rolls with remaining melted butter.
Recipe Tips!
- Warm ingredients: Make sure your milk mixture is warm, not hot, to help the dough rise quickly within the 1-hour timeframe. If it’s too hot, it can kill the yeast. If it’s too cool, it can slow the rising time.
- Kneading: A stand mixer saves time and ensures smooth, elastic dough, but you can knead by hand for about 8–10 minutes if needed.
- Quick rise: Place the dough in a slightly warm environment (like an oven with the light on) to speed up the rise.
- Shaping rolls: For even baking, divide dough into equal pieces (a kitchen scale helps) and arrange in a greased pan with a little space between them.
Storage
Store any leftover rolls in an airtight container at room temperature. They will will keep for 2-3 days when properly stored.
More roll recipes!
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1 Hour Hawaiian Rolls
Ingredients
- ¾ cup pineapple juice
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup salted butter divided
- 3 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½-3 cups bread flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, stir pineapple juice, milk, sugar, and 2 tablespoons butter together. Heat over low heat just until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to about 100-105 F.¾ cup pineapple juice, ¼ cup milk, ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the yeast, and let stand for 5-10 minutes, or until yeast is foamy.3 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- Mix in egg and vanilla until combined.1 large egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add 2 cups flour and salt to yeast mixture. Using a dough hook, mix on low speed for about 1 minute.½ teaspoon salt
- With the mixer still going, add remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time. Mix about 1 ½ minutes, or until dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl.
- Knead on low speed for about 2 more minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic – the dough will still be slightly sticky to the touch.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, turning it to grease the top. Cover the dough with a clean, dry dish towel.
- Let it rise in a warm place, free from draft, for about 15 minutes.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 12 pieces for rolls or 7 pieces for buns.
- Form each piece into a ball and place on greased pan. I use a quarter sheet pan.
- Cover the pan with the dish towel, and let the dough rise for about 20 minutes.
- Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Set aside
- Bake at 400ºF for about 8-12 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown.
- Brush rolls with remaining melted butter.
Notes
- Milk: You can use any type of milk, from skim to whole milk. However, whole milk will give you softer, richer rolls.
- Butter: If you’d like to use unsalted butter, increase the salt to 3/4 teaspoon.
- Bread flour: You can also use all-purpose flour. Just use enough to get the dough to the described texture.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Katie says
This recipe is fool proof and delicious! It’s super easy to make and is a crowd pleaser!
I’m wondering how I can make it gluten free though, any suggestions?
Kate says
Thank you! I haven’t tried it, but I would guess that a 1:1 gluten free flour would work in this recipe.
Rebekah Burnshaw says
I loved how fast and easy they were, I would definitly make again
Kate says
Thank you!