Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

Before you start

Hawaiian sweet rolls are soft, golden and tender, with a gentle fruity sweetness from pineapple juice. They descend from Portuguese sweet bread brought to Hawaii, but the store-bought version most people know is lighter and more cottony, sold in pull-apart trays. This homemade take uses pineapple juice, milk, egg, butter and a little vanilla to get that same flavor and squishy texture.

Use pasteurized canned or bottled pineapple juice, not fresh. Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme, bromelain, that breaks down gluten and can leave the dough slack and sticky; heat-treated juice does not have that effect. Keep the oven moderate so the sugar-rich dough browns evenly without scorching, and brush the hot rolls with butter for a soft, shiny top.

Ingredients

• Dough450 g (3¾ cups, spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour
• 7 g (2¼ tsp) instant yeast
• 60 g (5 tbsp) granulated sugar — or half light brown sugar
• 7 g (1¼ tsp) fine salt
• 180 ml (¾ cup) pasteurized pineapple juice — warmed to about 38°C (100°F)
• 60 ml (¼ cup) whole milk — warm
• 1 large plus 1 yolk eggs — room temperature
• 60 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter — softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Finish1 large egg — beaten with 1 tbsp milk
• 15 g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter — melted, for brushing

Method

1. Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in the mixer bowl. Add the warm pineapple juice, milk, egg, yolk and vanilla, and mix on low until combined.
2. Add the soft butter in pieces and knead on medium for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, very soft and slightly tacky. It should stretch thin without tearing.
3. Cover and let rise for about 90 minutes, until doubled. Enriched dough is slower to rise than lean dough, so be patient.
4. Butter the baking pan. Divide the dough into 15 pieces of about 60 g. Cup each piece under your hand and roll it into a smooth, tight ball.
5. Arrange the balls in 3 rows of 5 in the pan. Cover and proof for 50 to 60 minutes, until puffed and touching each other. Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F) with a rack in the center.
6. Brush the tops gently with the egg wash. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until deep golden and the center roll reads about 88°C (190°F). Tent with foil after 15 minutes if they brown too fast.
7. Brush the hot rolls with melted butter. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out onto a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips for success

• This dough is soft. Avoid adding extra flour while kneading; a little stickiness is what makes the rolls fluffy.
• For sliders, split the whole tray horizontally with a long serrated knife, fill, replace the top and bake briefly.
• A metal pan bakes more evenly than glass for this rich dough; if using glass, lower the oven to 165°C (325°F).

Substitutions

Pineapple juice

Use orange juice or more milk with 1 extra tablespoon sugar. You lose the distinctive fruity note but the texture is similar.

All-purpose flour

Bread flour makes taller, chewier rolls. Add about 15 ml (1 tbsp) more liquid.

Butter

Use the same weight of unsalted margarine or coconut oil for a dairy-free roll, and replace the milk with more juice.

Variations

Honey butter rolls

Brush the warm rolls with 30 g melted butter mixed with 1 tbsp honey and a pinch of flaky salt.

Hawaiian ham and cheese sliders

Split the tray, layer 340 g thinly sliced ham and 170 g Swiss cheese, brush with butter mixed with Dijon and poppy seeds, cover with foil and bake at 175°C (350°F) for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese melts.

Troubleshooting

Dough is slack and won't hold shape

Fresh pineapple juice was used, or the dough needs more kneading. Use pasteurized juice and knead until smooth and elastic.

Rolls browned too fast

The sugar-rich dough browns quickly. Tent with foil and check the oven temperature with a thermometer.

Rolls are dense

They were underproofed or too much flour was added. Proof until puffy and touching.

Rolls are underbaked in the center

The center roll needs to reach 88°C. Bake a few minutes longer, tented.

Storage

Store cooled rolls in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature and warm in a 150°C (300°F) oven for 5 minutes.

Safety notes

Raw dough contains raw flour and eggs; do not taste it. Contains wheat, milk and egg.