Make your own copycat version of Hawaiian Rolls at home with this easy, made-from-scratch recipe that makes soft and fluffy Hawaiian sweet rolls!
Hawaiian rolls are quite possibly the most delicious rolls ever. They are soft and buttery and sweet.
They can be made into smaller dinner rolls or buns for slider, or they can be made into larger, bun-sized rolls. They pair well with everything from burgers to ham, which makes them perfect for baked ham and Swiss poppy seed sandwiches.
“This is my new go-to dinner roll recipe! Very easy to make and everyone loves them. It’s also very easy to cut the recipe in half when I don’t need so many. I love this recipe!” – Julie
Why you’ll love these rolls
- They’re soft! The rolls are soft and fluffy.
- They’re tasty! The rolls are sweet and buttery with a bit of sweet pineapple flavor thrown in.
- They’re easy to make! The rolls are simple and don’t require much hands-on time.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Pineapple Juice: I use the mini cans of pineapple juice that come in a 6 pack. However, any 100% pineapple juice should work.
- Yeast: An equal amount of instant yeast will also work. Just skip proofing the yeast and continue with the recipe as written.
- Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe.
- Flour: I’ve also made these rolls with all-purpose flour when I didn’t have any bread flour. I had to add about 1/2-1 cup additional flour for a total of 6-6 1/2 cups of flour.
How to make homemade Hawaiian rolls
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe is given below.
Step 1: Grease 2 9×13-inch pans. Set aside.
Step 2: In a small saucepan, heat pineapple juice over medium-low temperature until juice reaches about 105 F.
Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, stir together yeast and 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Step 4: Once the pineapple juice is at temperature, add to the bowl. Stir, and let the yeast mixture stand for 5-10 minutes, or until foamy.
Step 5: Once the yeast is foamy, add the remaining sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and eggs; stir to combine.
Step 6: Switch from the paddle attachment to the dough hook, and add 3 cups of flour and salt. Stir on low.
Step 7: Continue adding flour ½ cup at a time until dough clears the sides of the bowl. The dough will feel slightly sticky. It takes 5 ½ cups of flour for my rolls.
Step 8: Once the dough comes together and clears the sides, continue to knead for about 1 minute.
Step 9: Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel, and let it rise until dough has doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
Step 10: Shape dough into rolls. If you would like smaller, dinner-sized rolls, shape into 24 rolls. If you would like larger, bun-sized rolls, shape into 12-18 rolls depending on desired size. Place half of the rolls in each pan.
Step 11: Cover rolls with plastic wrap, and let rolls rise until doubled, about 1 ½ hours.
Toward the end of the second rise, preheat oven to 350 F.
Step 12: Bake rolls for about 20 minutes (for dinner-sized rolls), or until rolls are golden brown. Immediately brush rolls with butter.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Tips!
- Freezing the rolls: To freeze the baked rolls, let them cool to room temperature. Wrap the rolls tightly in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze the baked rolls for up to 1 month.
- Gluten Free: While I haven’t tried it, I have heard from people who have successfully used measure-for-measure gluten free flour in this recipe.
Storage
The rolls should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll keep for up to 3 days when properly stored.
More delicious roll recipes!
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Hawaiian Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups pineapple juice
- 4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar divided
- 1/2 cup butter at room temperature, plus extra for brushing rolls
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 5-6 cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Grease 2 9×13-inch pans. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, heat pineapple juice over medium-low temperature until juice reaches about 105 F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, stir together yeast and 2 tablespoons of sugar.
- Once the pineapple juice is at temperature, add to the bowl. Stir, and let the yeast mixture stand for 5-10 minutes, or until foamy.
- Once the yeast is foamy, add the remaining sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and eggs; stir to combine.
- Switch from the paddle attachment to the dough hook, and add 3 cups of flour and salt. Stir on low.
- Continue adding flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough clears the sides of the bowl. The dough will feel slightly sticky. It takes 5 1/2 cups of flour for my rolls.
- Once the dough comes together and clears the sides, continue to knead for about 1 minute.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let it rise until dough has doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
- Shape dough into rolls. If you would like smaller, dinner-sized rolls, shape into 24 rolls. If you would like larger, bun-sized rolls, shape into 12-18 rolls depending on desired size.
- Place half of the rolls in each pan.
- Cover rolls with plastic wrap, and let rolls rise until doubled, about 1 ½ hours.
- Toward the end of the second rise, preheat oven to 350 F.
- Bake rolls for about 20 minutes (for dinner-sized rolls), or until rolls are golden brown.
- Immediately brush rolls with butter.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- Flour: I’ve also made these rolls with all-purpose flour when I didn’t have any bread flour. I had to add about 1/2-1 cup additional flour for a total of 6-6 1/2 cups flour.
- Nutrition facts are estimates.
Nutrition
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Originally published April 8, 2013.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Elyse says
I have a pineapple allergy. What can I use instead?
Kate says
Hi! I haven’t tried this substitution, but I’ve heard from people who have substituted orange juice for pineapple juice.
Ava says
I’m making these and I didn’t realize they should be sticky to the touch. What happens if they aren’t sticky enough?
Kate says
The rolls may be a little denser. The dough should feel a little sticky when you touch it, but if you pinch it, it shouldn’t come off on your fingers.
Julie Landreth says
If I am planning to make the rolls the night before and put them in the fridge do you think I should still let them rise for an hour and a half before putting them in the fridge or just put them straight in after forming the dough balls?
Kate says
Hi! I haven’t tried it, but people have shared that they have shaped the rolls and placed them in the fridge overnight and then baked them the next day.
Julie Landreth says
Thanks!
Amber Springer says
Did using all purpose flour change the texture?
Kate says
My family has never noticed any difference when I use all-purpose flour vs when I use bread flour.
lynn says
help!! am I supposed to melt butter or ??? trying to make these right NOW for Christmas eve dinner
Kate says
No, the butter should be at room temperature. You will only need to melt additional butter for brushing on at the end.
Marsha Mcfayden says
I don’t know what I did wrong. Used all the flour but they are so sticky. Rolled them the best I could and they are resting now. Hoping for the best
Kate says
Unfortunately, factors like humidity on the day that you make the dough can affect how much flour your need to use. If the dough is too sticky, simply add a little bit more flour. The dough should feel a little sticky to the touch, but it shouldn’t come off on your fingers if you pinch it.
Cindy says
I’m getting ready to make these rolls for Christmas dinner. Can These rolls be refrigerated over night and then after the second rise be baked the next morning?
Kate says
Hi! I haven’t tried it, but people have shared that they have shaped the rolls and placed them in the fridge overnight and then baked them the next day.
Mibs says
Don’t have a mixer with a dough hook so thought I would try to make the dough in my bread machine. Any suggestions?
Kate says
Hi! I haven’t tried this recipe in the bread machine to say for certain.
Heather says
I’ve done it in the bread machine and it came out wonderful!
Kate says
Thank you for sharing that!
Cortney says
Could you freeze after the second rise or do you recommend baking?
Kate says
Hi! I bake the rolls and then freeze them. However, you can also try freezing the rolls once they’ve been shaped but before the first rise. If you try making them this way, they take about 4-5 hours to thaw/rise before baking.
Kay Marie Pressley says
Awesome recipe! Can’t wait to try it!❤️
Kate says
Thanks!
Springer says
Not sure why I couldn’t give this a 5 star. Followed recipe and it came out like store bought hawian rolls
Kate says
Thank you!
RBelove says
Super easy to follow recipe! The rolls were fluffy, light, and very tasty! Everyone enjoyed them! Served with our Thanksgiving dinner and they are terrific with some turkey and cranberry sauce!
Kate says
Thank you!
Nicole Bluto says
I’m in the middle of making these right now. The dough is really nice. You didn’t say in the rev when to add the salt. I put it in with the flour.
Kate says
Hi! You add the salt along with the initial 3 cups of flour in step 6.
Sarah says
Sooo good! I added the salt after the first rise, it made gigantic beautiful rolls. Thank you for this beautiful recipe!
Kate says
You’re so welcome! I’m glad that they turned out well for you!