Sourdough Hawaiian rolls are a soft, fluffy, sweet roll with a delicious pineapple flavor and classic sourdough tang. These make the best dinner rolls, or you can use them to make mini sandwiches.
Probably one of the easiest bread recipes ever and also one of the tastiest. You simply dump all the ingredients into a stand mixer, allow the mixer to knead, let the dough rise, shape, rise again and bake.
No folding and stretching. Just mix until stretchy right in the stand mixer.
Hawaiian rolls are one of our family’s favorite sweet sourdough rolls (it’s a tie between these and sourdough brioche, which is quite similar).
If we are out of town or traveling and we need to stop by the grocery store to get some bread, we will grab Hawaiian rolls rather than white bread. It is just so much more delicious.
Hawaiian rolls are a great way to feed a crowd. For an easy dinner, I love having this sourdough Hawaiian bread on hand to make ham and Swiss rolls. Slice the rolls in half, add your ham and cheese, top with the other half, then bake until gooey.
The perfect combination of sweet and savory.
Tips:
- Make sourdough Hawaiian bread – Usually, we make these into rolls, but you can also make this recipe into a loaf. Just make 6 larger dough balls and bake in a bread pan, rather than in a 9×13. Bake for about 25 minutes.
- Make sure your sourdough starter is super active and bubbly for best results.
- If you find yourself with risen dough, but don’t have time to shape and rise again before baking, you can stick it in the fridge until you have time. This slows down the fermentation process, allowing you a little extra time.
- New to sourdough? Check out how to make a sourdough starter here, and see the list of terms you may need to know.
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Why you will love this recipe:
Simple: This recipe couldn’t be easier. Add all the ingredients straight to the stand mixer and let it do all the work. Allow it to rise, then shape the dough, rise again and bake.
Super delicious: Is there anything better than super soft, fluffy, buttery sweet rolls?
Perfect for mini sandwiches or appetizers: These rolls make the best vessel for ham and Swiss sandwiches or sliders. Yum!
FAQ:
Are Hawaiian rolls the same as brioche?
They are similar since Hawaiian rolls and brioche are both enriched doughs, meaning they include eggs and/or butter. The main difference is that Hawaiian rolls are sweeter and include pineapple juice to give them a super yummy flavor.
How is Hawaiian bread different from regular bread?
It includes pineapple juice and more sugar compared to regular bread.
What is special about Hawaiian bread?
It is sweet and fluffy with a slight pineapple flavor.
What’s the difference between Hawaiian rolls and regular rolls?
They are an enriched roll, meaning that they include butter and eggs. Regular rolls usually do not. Hawaiian rolls also include pineapple juice to give them that tasty, sweet, pineapple flavor.
Why is it called a Hawaiian roll?
Because they originated in Hawaii in the 1950’s. It is actually a twist on the Portuguese sweet bread, which also has a slight pineapple flavor even though pineapple isn’t listed on the ingredient list.
Ingredients
- Pineapple Juice – Canned or bottled will work the best.
- Milk
- Sugar
- Sourdough starter – Make sure it is nice and bubbly. Discard or immature starter will not work for this recipe.
- Butter – This needs to be softened so it can easily be incorporated. Butter that is too hard will just leave you with chunks.
- Vanilla extract – Store-bought or homemade.
- Egg
- Salt
- All-purpose flour – Nothing fancy here. Plain ol’ all-purpose flour will work. Fresh milled or store bought.
Egg wash
- Egg yolk
- Water
Tools you may need:
Measuring cups and spoons
9×13 baking dish
Bench scraper (optional but useful)
How To Make Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls
Add all of the ingredients (except the egg wash) to the stand mixer with a dough hook.
Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes.
Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a tight lid.
Allow to rise overnight. About 8-12 hours.
Divide dough into 18 even rolls and place in a greased 9×13 baking dish.
Cover with a towel and allow to rise until doubled. This rise will take about 1-3 hours depending on the temperature of your home.
Once the dough has doubled, create the egg wash and brush over the dough.
Bake for 20-25 minutes at 375 until the rolls are golden in color.
Cool.
Storage:
Store in an air-tight container. Use within 3-4 days for best results. Or freeze for up to 6 months.
Baker’s Schedule:
12 PM: Feed sourdough starter.
8 PM: Create dough and allow it to ferment overnight, covered.
8 AM the next day: Take dough and roll into 16 rolls. Place in a baking dish covered and allow to double in size.
10 AM: Bake and allow to cool before serving.
How To Use Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls:
- Ham and Swiss
- Pulled pork
- Mini hamburgers. Growing up my aunt made the best sliders with these rolls. She would brown ground beef with seasonings and onions. Slicing the rolls in half, she would add ground beef, top with pickles, and then replace the other half of the rolls and bake.
- Chicken parmesan sliders: Add cooked chicken and a little tomato sauce, top with parmesan and mozzarella cheese, then bake until gooey.
- Fried chicken sliders: Use my sourdough fried chicken recipe and create mini sandwiches.
- BLT
Find More Sourdough Roll Recipes:
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Thank you! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup starter
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 5 cups all Purpose Flour
Egg wash
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients (except the egg wash) to the stand mixer with a dough hook.
- Knead until smooth and elastic. About 10-15 minutes.
- Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a tight lid.
- Allow to rise overnight. About 8-12 hours.
- Divide dough into 18 even rolls and place in a greased 9×13 baking dish.
- Cover with a towel and allow to rise until doubled. About 1-3 hours depending on the temperature of your home.
- Once the dough has doubled, create the egg wash and brush over the dough.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes at 375 until the rolls are golden in color.
- Cool.
Notes
- Make sourdough Hawaiian bread: Usually, we make these into rolls, but you can also make this recipe into bread. Just make 6 larger dough balls and bake in a bread pan rather than in a 9×13. Bake for about 25 minutes.
- Make sure your sourdough starter is super active and bubbly for best results.
- If you find yourself with risen dough, but don’t have time to shape and rise again before baking you can stick it in the fridge until you have time. This slows down the fermentation process allowing you a little extra time before needing to make.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Lisa,
I love your recipes. I’ve fallen in live with your sourdough sandwich bread recipe and almost make it weekly …it turns out so soft and delicious each time. Your sourdough pancake recipe is also a staple in our home.
This is my second time trying this recipe and the first time my dough just didn’t rise well even after following everything exactly. This time I tried to pamper my starter for a two days prior to get it nice and happy and I have the exact same problem…. It rises a bit but definitely doesn’t double in size. The flavor is delicious but it’s not the desired texture. I have baked lots of sourdough bread (sandwich and artisan) and it rises well… not sure why this recipe is giving me trouble. Any idea why?
I do add a bit more flour so it’s not too sticky but I doubt that would make a huge difference.
Anyways, love your recipes and blog!
I do add a bit more flour so it’s not too sticky but I doubt that would make a huge difference. I put mine on top of my stove that has two pilot lights, and they rise beautifully, so maybe they just need a warmer location. With your experience in sourdough baking, it sounds like you probably have no trouble with other things rising, so I can’t be completely sure what is causing this issue for you.
Hi Lisa. I am in love with your YouTube channel and so happy you share your recipes with us. I’ve done this recipe once by hand and I just got my first stand mixer. Am I really supposed to leave the stand mixer on level 2 for 15 minutes straight? Not sure why it feels like I may burn the motor or something?!?
Hey Lucy, so glad you are here! I haven’t had any issues with mine, but if you are nervous I would just watch it. Does it feel like it is getting really warm? If so, take a break and allow it to cool down. It may take less time to mix to get to the windowpane stage. Lots of factors. Hope that helps.
amazing! followed exactly except I always add one less cup of flour than the recipe calls for and then add more as I am kneading until i get the feel that i want and it stops sticking to my hands. (usually about 1/2 cup)
i made these a day in advance for thanksgiving and my family ate them all haha! so I am starting another batch now!!
in the future i think I would cut the sugar in half to eat them on a regular basis but for a special occasion they taste verrrry special 🙂
Haha, that is the problem with these… everyone wants one! Happy your family enjoyed them so much.
Hi Lisa! So excited to try these!! Any idea how long a cold bulk ferment would take? Rather than on the counter over night. Thanks so much!
I find that cold bulk ferments take 2-3 days.
Hi! Just curious how long you’d guess a fridge bulk ferment would take? If we had fresh farm eggs, I’d be comfortable leaving the egg out, but we do not. 🙁 Thanks so much, excited to try these for thanksgiving!
Hi, I was wondering if you think these could be done dairy free? And weather you would recommend substituting with dairy free butter or coconut oil?
Thank you!
Possibly, I’ve never tried it, but I would think either would work. It would just depend on what flavor you would like.
What would be a good substitution for pineapple? We have an allergy to it.
You could just use water (or maybe apple juice?), it just won’t have that pineapple taste.
How do you make all- purpose from fresh milled? I am attempting to make these with fresher milled hard white wheat and they didn’t rise as I expected. I will bake and see how they turn out.
Personally I don’t. You would have to sift off all the bran to make all-purpose. They won’t rise as well with hard white compared to all-purpose, but are still delicious. Did they end up baking well?
Can I make these without the pineapple if I don’t have any!?
You could, but it wouldn’t have that Hawaiian roll flavor. I would suggest making brioche instead. Super similar, but without the pineapple.
I saw a recipe for these on another channel, decided to give them a try. Then I saw yours, decided to do them both. Yours was the winner hands down. I have never tried one of your recipes that wasn’t wonderful, thank you so much.
Wow that is wonderful to hear! Thank you for sharing.