Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

Name: Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 cups (500 g) bread flour, spooned into the cup and leveled (all-purpose flour also works); 2¼ tsp (1 packet) (7 g) instant yeast; ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar; 1¼ tsp (7 g) fine salt; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground ginger (optional); ¾ cup (180 ml) pineapple juice, canned or bottled, warmed to 105–110°F (40–43°C); ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk, warmed to 105–110°F (40–43°C); 1 whole (50 g) large egg, at room temperature; 1 whole (18 g) large egg yolk, at room temperature; 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch pieces; 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil, for greasing the bowl and pan; 1 whole (50 g) large egg, beaten with the milk until no streaks remain; 1 tbsp (15 ml) whole milk; 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, melted; 1 tbsp (21 g) honey

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Pillowy, golden dinner rolls with a gentle tropical sweetness from pineapple juice, finished with a honey-butter glaze. They bake into a tender pull-apart pan that stays soft for days.

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 2 hr 5 min
Total: 3 hr 10 min
Makes: 12 rolls (one 9×13-inch pan)

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the dough
4 cups (500 g) bread flour, spooned into the cup and leveled (all-purpose flour also works)
2¼ tsp (1 packet) (7 g) instant yeast
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1¼ tsp (7 g) fine salt
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground ginger (optional)
¾ cup (180 ml) pineapple juice, canned or bottled, warmed to 105–110°F (40–43°C)
¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk, warmed to 105–110°F (40–43°C)
1 whole (50 g) large egg, at room temperature
1 whole (18 g) large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil, for greasing the bowl and pan
For the egg wash
1 whole (50 g) large egg, beaten with the milk until no streaks remain
1 tbsp (15 ml) whole milk
For the glaze
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp (21 g) honey

Equipment (8)

Stand mixer with dough hook (or large bowl and wooden spoon for hand kneading)
9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan
Large bowl, at least 4-quart (4 L) capacity
Kitchen scale
Instant-read thermometer
Pastry brush
Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel
Wire rack

Steps

Before you start

Soften the 4 tablespoons of butter for the dough at room temperature for about 1 hour, until a finger leaves a dent without sinking through.
Use bottled or canned pineapple juice, not fresh. Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme (bromelain) that breaks down gluten and makes the dough slack and sticky.
Plan on about 3 hours from start to finish: roughly 1 hour for the first rise, 45 minutes for the second, and 25 minutes in the oven.
Warm the pineapple juice and milk to 105–110°F (40–43°C). Hotter liquid can kill the yeast; cooler liquid slows the rise.

1
Activate the yeast
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the warm pineapple juice (105–110°F / 40–43°C), warm milk, instant yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: The surface looks foamy and smells yeasty, with small bubbles across the top.
Tip: If there is no foam after 10 minutes, the yeast is old or the liquid was too hot or cold. Start again.
2
Mix the dough
- Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla to the yeast mixture and whisk briefly.
- Add the bread flour, remaining sugar, salt, and ginger (if using).
- With the dough hook on low speed (speed 2), mix for 2 minutes until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains at the bottom of the bowl.
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Ready when: No dry flour remains and the dough looks rough and shaggy.
Tip: Keep the salt away from the yeast mixture until the flour is added, so it doesn't slow the yeast.
3
Knead in butter
- With the mixer on medium-low (speed 3), add the softened butter a piece at a time, waiting until each piece is mostly absorbed.
- Knead for 8–10 minutes total, stopping once to scrape the hook and bowl.
- The dough will be soft and slightly tacky.
- To knead by hand, work it on a lightly floured counter for about 12–15 minutes.
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Ready when: The dough is smooth and elastic, clears the sides of the bowl, and passes the windowpane test: a small piece stretches thin enough to see light through without tearing.
Tip: Resist adding extra flour. The dough should feel tacky but not stick to clean fingers. Too much flour makes dense rolls.
4
First rise
- Lightly oil a large bowl with about 2 teaspoons of the oil.
- Shape the dough into a ball, turn it in the bowl to coat, and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
- Let it rise in a warm spot (about 75–80°F / 24–27°C) for 60–75 minutes.
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Ready when: The dough has doubled and a floured finger pressed 1 inch in leaves a dent that springs back slowly.
Tip: For a warm spot, put the bowl in the oven with only the light on.
5
Divide and shape
- Grease a 9×13-inch pan with the remaining oil.
- Turn the dough onto an unfloured counter and press out the gas gently.
- Weigh it (about 980 g) and divide into 12 pieces of about 82 g each.
- Shape each piece into a tight ball: cup your hand over the dough and roll it in small circles on the counter until the top is smooth and taut.
- Arrange the balls in 3 rows of 4 in the pan, seam-side down.
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Ready when: Each ball is smooth and taut on top with no visible seams.
Tip: An unfloured counter gives the dough something to grip so it rolls into tight balls. If it slips, wipe the counter with a barely damp towel.
6
Second riseOven 350°F / 175°C
- Cover the pan loosely with greased plastic wrap or a towel.
- Let the rolls rise in a warm spot for 45–60 minutes.
- Put the oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) during the last 20 minutes.
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Ready when: The rolls are puffy and touching, and a gently poked roll springs back slowly, leaving a faint dimple.
Tip: If the dimple stays and doesn't fill in at all, the dough is overproofed. Bake right away.
7
Egg wash and bakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Beat the egg and 1 tablespoon milk together.
- Gently brush over the tops and sides of the rolls.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) on the center rack for 22–26 minutes, rotating the pan after 12 minutes.
- If the tops brown too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 8 minutes.
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Ready when: The tops are deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a middle roll reads 190°F (88°C).
Tip: Brush gently so you don't deflate the risen rolls, and don't let egg pool between them.
8
Glaze and cool
- While the rolls are hot, stir the melted butter and honey together and brush over the tops.
- Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then pull apart to serve warm.
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Ready when: The glaze has soaked in and the rolls feel warm, not hot, with a shiny top.
Tip: Brush the glaze on right out of the oven so it soaks in and keeps the crust soft.

Good to know

Tips

Use canned or bottled pineapple juice. Fresh juice contains active enzymes that weaken the dough.
A scale makes the rolls even: weigh the dough and divide by 12 so they bake at the same rate.
Take the dough's temperature if you can. Aim for about 77–80°F (25–27°C) after kneading for a steady rise.
For deeper flavor, refrigerate the shaped rolls overnight and bake in the morning.

Make ahead

"After shaping, cover the pan tightly and refrigerate for 8–16 hours. Next day, let it stand at room temperature for 45–60 minutes until puffy, then egg wash and bake, adding 1–3 minutes if needed. You can also bake the rolls a day ahead and reheat them, covered with foil, at 300°F (150°C) for 10–12 minutes."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: cover tightly and keep up to 2 days. Refrigerator: up to 5 days in an airtight container. Freezer: wrap individually or in a freezer bag for up to 3 months and thaw overnight at room temperature. Reheat: wrap in foil and warm at 300°F (150°C) for 10–15 minutes, or microwave a single roll for 15–20 seconds."

Substitutions

bread flour → all-purpose flour, same weight. Rolls will be slightly less chewy but still soft. Add 1–2 tablespoons extra flour only if the dough is unmanageably sticky.
instant yeast → active dry yeast, same amount. Let it bloom in the warm liquid for 10 minutes until foamy before adding the other ingredients.
whole milk → unsweetened oat milk or more pineapple juice. Pineapple juice gives a stronger tropical flavor, and oat milk keeps it dairy-light. The rolls stay soft either way.
honey → maple syrup or 1 tablespoon pineapple juice. Use the same amount. Either one gives a similar shiny sweet glaze.