Hawaiian Dinner Rolls (Enriched Pineapple Yeast Bread)

Overhead view of golden brown Hawaiian dinner rolls in a 9x13 baking pan, showing the soft pull-apart texture.

Hawaiian Dinner Rolls (Enriched Pineapple Yeast Bread)

Pillowy-soft Hawaiian dinner rolls with a signature golden crust and subtle tropical sweetness from real pineapple juice. The enriched dough technique creates an impossibly tender crumb that pulls apart in feathery layers.

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Course: Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Hawaiian

Keyword: dinner rolls, enriched bread, hawaiian rolls, pineapple bread, pull-apart rolls, sweet rolls

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 22

Rise Time: 2

Total Time: 3

Servings: rolls

Calories: 229kcal

Equipment

Stand Mixer with Dough Hook

9x13-inch Baking Pan

Instant-read thermometer

Kitchen scale

Pastry brush

Plastic Wrap

Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

For the Dough

3/4 cup pineapple juice warmed to 110°F
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast one packet
1/4 cup granulated sugar divided
4 cups bread flour 480g, spooned and leveled
1 tsp fine sea salt
3 large eggs room temperature
1/3 cup unsalted butter 75g, softened
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the Butter Wash

3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
1 tbsp honey

Instructions

Activate the Yeast

Warm the pineapple juice to 110°F (43°C) in a small saucepan or microwave. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar over the surface. Let stand until foamy and fragrant, about 5-8 minutes. If the mixture doesn't foam, your yeast may be inactive—start over with fresh yeast.

Build the Dough

Add the remaining sugar, eggs, honey, and vanilla to the yeast mixture. Whisk briefly to combine. Add the flour and salt, then attach the dough hook and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes.
Increase speed to medium-low and knead for 6 minutes. The dough will be sticky initially—resist adding more flour. With the mixer running, add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing each addition to incorporate before adding the next. This takes about 3-4 minutes total.
Continue kneading on medium speed until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the bowl sides cleanly, about 5 more minutes. The dough should pass the windowpane test: stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through without tearing.

First Rise (Bulk Fermentation)

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased large bowl, turning once to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot (75-80°F) until doubled in size, about 60-90 minutes. The dough is ready when an indentation made with your finger springs back slowly.

Shape the Rolls

Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with butter. Gently deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 15 equal portions (about 65g each if using a scale). Shape each piece into a smooth ball by cupping your hand over the dough and rolling in tight circles against the work surface.
Arrange the balls in the prepared pan in a 3x5 grid, spacing them evenly. They should not touch initially. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until the rolls have expanded to touch each other and are puffy, about 45-60 minutes.

Bake and Finish

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) during the final 20 minutes of rising. Bake the rolls on the center rack until deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190°F (88°C), about 20-25 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through for even browning.
While the rolls bake, whisk together the melted butter and honey for the wash. Immediately brush the hot rolls generously with the honey butter as soon as they come out of the oven. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack or serve warm directly from the pan.

Notes

For the softest rolls, use bread flour rather than all-purpose—the higher protein content creates better gluten structure while the enrichments keep the crumb tender.

The dough can be refrigerated after the first rise for up to 24 hours. Cold dough is easier to shape and develops more complex flavor. Allow an extra 30 minutes for the second rise when working with chilled dough.

For an even deeper golden color, brush the rolls with an egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water) before baking, then apply the honey butter after baking.

These rolls freeze beautifully. Cool completely, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag. Reheat at 300°F for 8-10 minutes.

Nutrition

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