Hawaiian Roll Recipe
Equipment
- kitchen scale for best accuracy
- 9x13-inch pan for sliders or pull-apart rolls
- Sheet pan for hamburger buns
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled 510g
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¾ cup pineapple juice, room temp (100% juice, no added sugar) 170g/170ml can
- ⅓ cup milk, warmed to 90 - 110°F 80g
- 3 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar 67g
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 4 tbsp salted butter, melted and cooled 56g
Topping:
- 1 large egg for egg wash
- 1 tbsp water for egg wash
- Sesame or poppy seeds
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a small bowl, mix warm milk (110°F/43°C) and yeast. Let sit 5–10 min until foamy.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix pineapple juice, sugar, egg, egg yolk, and melted butter and proofed yeast. Stir until smooth.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually mix in flour and salt, 1 cup at a time, until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
- Knead the Dough: Knead on a lightly floured surface for 7-8 min until smooth. Add flour 1 tbsp at a time if too sticky, but keep it soft.
- First Rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, turn to coat, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise 1 hr until doubled.
- Shape Rolls: Punch down dough. Choose your size: 9 buns, 12 medium rolls, or 15 slider buns. For each piece, flatten into a small disc on a clean, unfloured surface. Fold edges toward the center to form a loose ball. Place the ball seam-side down, cup your hand over it with fingers lightly touching the surface, and gently drag the ball in small circles. The surface tension from the counter will pull the dough tight, smoothing the top into a round, taut ball. Place in a greased pan.
- Second Rise: Cover and let rise 30–45 min until doubled.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Whisk together the egg wash and water and brush the tops of the buns/rolls. Add seeds if desired. Bake 15–18 min until golden (190°F/88°C internal).
- Cool: Cool in pan 5–10 min, brush with butter (optional), then move to a wire rack.
Notes
- Pineapple Juice Tip: Use canned 100% pineapple juice at room temperature. Fresh juice can disrupt yeast, and sweetened juice makes buns too sweet.
- Dough Texture: Keep dough soft and slightly sticky for fluffy rolls. Too much flour leads to dense buns.
- Shaping Tip: For smooth buns, shape on an unfloured surface to maximize surface tension. Cup and drag gently to avoid tearing the dough. A scale helps divide dough evenly, but eyeballing works too.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for 2 days or freeze for 3 months. Thaw and reheat in a 170°F oven for 10 minutes, wrapped in foil.
- Make Ahead: Shape buns, cover, and refrigerate overnight for the second rise. Let rise at room temperature until puffy before baking.
Nutrition
Serving: 1roll
Servings: 12 rolls
