Easy 4-Ingredient Homemade Hawaiian Sweet Rolls: Soft & Fluffy Dinner Rolls & Slider Buns
There’s nothing quite like the irresistible aroma and taste of freshly baked bread. And when it comes to sweet, fluffy, and utterly delightful rolls, our homemade Hawaiian rolls stand in a league of their own. These aren’t just any rolls; they are a culinary revelation – super soft and incredibly fluffy on the inside, with a delicate sweetness and a unique, subtle touch of pineapple flavor that sets them apart. They are the perfect accompaniment to any meal, whether served as classic dinner rolls or transformed into amazing slider buns for your next gathering. But the absolute best part? This incredible Hawaiian sweet roll recipe requires just **four simple ingredients** and is remarkably easy to make, even for novice bakers!
You might recall from last week’s Cuban ham salad post that I teased a recipe for the rolls pictured alongside it. Well, these are those very rolls! Since their debut in our kitchen, these Hawaiian sweet rolls have quickly become an undisputed family favorite, earning rave reviews every time they’re served. Their light texture and distinctive taste make them an instant hit, and the ease of preparation means they’ll likely become a staple in your home too.
Why You’ll Fall in Love with This Easy Hawaiian Roll Recipe
If you’re looking for a reliable, crowd-pleasing recipe that delivers maximum flavor with minimal effort, you’ve found it. These homemade Hawaiian rolls tick all the boxes for a fantastic baking experience:
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Incredibly Easy to Make: With only four ingredients, this recipe simplifies the baking process immensely. You won’t need a long list of obscure items or complicated techniques. It’s perfect for beginners or anyone who wants delicious homemade bread without the fuss. The straightforward steps mean less stress and more enjoyment in the kitchen.
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Yields a Generous Batch: This recipe makes a substantial quantity, around 30 rolls. For large family dinners, holiday gatherings, or potlucks, this is the ideal amount to ensure everyone gets their fill. For smaller households, this means you can easily bake half now and freeze the other half to enjoy later, ensuring you always have fresh, warm rolls ready to go whenever a craving strikes. We’ll cover freezing instructions in more detail below!
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Amazingly Versatile: While these Hawaiian rolls are famously known as fantastic dinner rolls, their slightly sweet and fluffy nature makes them incredibly adaptable. They are absolutely perfect for building savory or sweet sliders, creating mini sandwiches, serving alongside a hearty stew, or even enjoying as a light breakfast pastry. Their unique pineapple hint adds a tropical twist to whatever you pair them with.
The Secret Ingredient: Choosing the Right Pineapple Cake Mix
Given that this Hawaiian roll recipe relies on just four core ingredients – pineapple cake mix, yeast, warm water, and all-purpose flour – the quality and specific composition of each ingredient are crucial. This is especially true for the pineapple cake mix, which is the star of the show, imparting that signature sweet and tangy pineapple flavor. It is absolutely vital that you choose a quality pineapple cake mix that explicitly lists dried pineapple juice in its ingredient list.
When warm water is added to the mix, this dried pineapple juice reconstitutes, releasing a burst of authentic pineapple flavor that is essential for achieving the distinctive taste of a true Hawaiian roll. Many brands of pineapple cake mixes are available, but not all of them contain this key component. You might assume that all pineapple cake mixes would include pineapple juice, given its importance, but surprisingly, many do not. For this reason, I highly recommend checking the ingredient list of your cake mix before you begin baking. The brand I consistently use and trust for this recipe is Duncan Hines, as it reliably contains dried pineapple juice.
Step-by-Step Baking Process: Achieving Perfect Fluffiness
Creating these delightful Hawaiian rolls is a rewarding process, and following a few simple steps will ensure you get perfectly soft and fluffy results every time.
Mixing and First Rise
The journey begins in a large bowl where you’ll combine the pineapple cake mix, instant yeast, and warm water. Start by mixing these ingredients on low speed until they are just combined. This initial step activates the yeast and starts to hydrate the cake mix, preparing the foundation for your dough.
Next, gradually incorporate the all-purpose flour, adding it in half-cup increments with the mixer still on low. Continue until the dough begins to come together and becomes too thick for your stand mixer to handle effectively. At this point, remove the dough from the mixer and stir in any remaining flour by hand, reserving about half a cup for later. The dough should be slightly sticky but manageable. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the reserved half-cup of flour. Kneading is a critical step; continue to knead for approximately 8 minutes, or until the dough transforms into a smooth, elastic ball. This develops the gluten, which is responsible for the rolls’ signature soft and chewy texture.
Lightly oil a large clean bowl. Place your kneaded dough into the bowl, then flip it over once to ensure the entire surface of the dough is lightly coated with oil. This prevents it from drying out during rising. Cover the bowl snugly with plastic wrap and then drape a clean kitchen towel over it. Place the bowl in a warm spot in your kitchen – a slightly warmed oven (turned off!), near a sunny window, or on top of a warm appliance are all good options. Allow the dough to rise for about 30 minutes, or until it has visibly doubled in size.
Punching Down and Shaping
Once your dough has completed its first rise and doubled in size, it’s time for the “punch down.” This step, as seen in the image below, involves gently deflating the dough. Punching down removes large air bubbles, redistributes the yeast, and helps create a finer, more even crumb structure in the finished rolls. It also makes the dough easier to handle for shaping.
After punching down the dough, divide it into approximately 30 equal pieces. The goal here is consistency, so try to make them as uniform in size as possible. Once divided, shape each piece into a small, round roll, aiming for a diameter of about 2 inches. Arrange these shaped rolls on a baking sheet, ensuring you leave some space between them. This spacing is crucial because the rolls will undergo a second rise and expand significantly during baking.
Cover the baking sheet with a clean towel and return it to a warm spot for another 30-minute rise. This second proofing allows the rolls to become extra light and airy.
Baking and Finishing Touches
While your rolls are undergoing their second rise, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Once risen and the oven is ready, bake the rolls for about 25 minutes, or until they turn a beautiful golden brown on top and sound hollow when gently tapped. This golden color indicates they are perfectly cooked through and caramelized on the outside.
Immediately after removing the hot rolls from the oven, brush them generously with melted butter. This adds an extra layer of richness, a lovely sheen, and a wonderfully soft crust. Allow them to cool slightly on the baking sheet before serving. The hardest part will be waiting for them to cool down!
Easy 4-Ingredient Homemade Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
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Ingredients
- 1 16.5 ounce pineapple cake mix
- 7 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 1/2 cups warm water
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour (reserve 1/2 cup to knead in)
Instructions
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In a large bowl, add the pineapple cake mix, yeast and warm water. Mix on low to combine.
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Add in the flour one half cup at a time with the mixer on low until the dough starts to come together and becomes too thick for the mixer. Stir in the remaining flour by hand, with the exception of 1/2 cup. The dough should be slightly sticky, but workable. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead in the remaining 1/2 cup. Knead for 8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Oil a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and flip the dough over so that the surface of the dough is oiled. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a clean towel and place in a warm spot to rise for 30 minutes.
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When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and divide the dough into around 30 pieces. Shape the dough into rolls, approximately 2 inches in diameter, and place them on a baking sheet. Cover with a clean towel and place in a warm spot to rise again for 30 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top and sound hollow when tapped. Brush with melted butter after removing from the oven and allow to cool.
Notes
Nutrition
Serving Suggestions for Your Homemade Hawaiian Rolls
These versatile sweet rolls can elevate almost any meal. Their slight sweetness and fluffy texture make them perfect for a variety of dishes. Here are some ideas:
- As Dinner Rolls: Serve them warm with butter alongside roasted chicken, pork loin, or a hearty beef stew. Their sweetness cuts through rich savory flavors beautifully.
- Slider Buns: Their small size is ideal for sliders! Fill them with pulled pork, BBQ chicken, ham and cheese, or even mini cheeseburgers for an appetizer or light meal.
- Breakfast Delight: Enjoy them plain with coffee, or split them and spread with jam, cream cheese, or a drizzle of honey for a sweet start to your day. They can even be used for mini breakfast sandwiches!
- Sweet Treat: A warm roll brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar makes a simple yet satisfying dessert.
- Holiday Feasts: Hawaiian rolls are a staple for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, adding a touch of tropical sweetness to traditional holiday spreads.
Tips for Success and Troubleshooting
While this recipe is incredibly straightforward, a few tips can ensure your Hawaiian rolls turn out perfectly every time:
- Yeast Activation: Ensure your water is warm, not hot. Water that is too hot can kill the yeast, preventing the dough from rising. If your yeast isn’t bubbling after a few minutes, it might be expired or the water was too hot/cold.
- Flour Measurement: Measure your flour accurately, preferably by weight if you have a kitchen scale. If measuring by volume, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can compact the flour and lead to too much flour.
- Kneading: Don’t skip the 8 minutes of kneading. This develops the gluten, which is essential for the rolls’ soft and elastic texture. If kneading by hand, it’s a good workout!
- Warm Rising Environment: Yeast loves warmth. If your kitchen is cool, you can create a warm spot by turning your oven on for a minute or two, then turning it off and placing the covered dough inside. Alternatively, placing the bowl on top of a warming dryer or sunny windowsill can help.
- The Poke Test: As pictured above, the “poke test” is a great indicator of a successful first rise. Gently poke two fingers into the dough; if the indentations remain, it’s ready. If they spring back quickly, it needs more time.
- Don’t Overbake: Overbaking can lead to dry rolls. Keep an eye on them, and once they’re golden brown and sound hollow when tapped, they’re done.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I make these Hawaiian rolls without a stand mixer?
Absolutely! You can mix the ingredients in a large bowl with a sturdy spoon and then knead the dough by hand on a floured surface for about 10-12 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. It’s a great arm workout!
What if I can’t find pineapple cake mix with dried pineapple juice?
While the dried pineapple juice is key for the authentic flavor, if you absolutely cannot find it, you can still use a plain yellow cake mix and add a teaspoon of pineapple extract, or even 1/4 cup of crushed pineapple (well-drained) to the dough. The flavor won’t be identical, but it will still produce delicious sweet rolls.
Can I add more pineapple flavor?
For an extra boost of pineapple, you could brush the baked rolls with a glaze made from powdered sugar and a tiny bit of pineapple juice or extract after they cool. Or, as mentioned above, add some well-drained crushed pineapple to the dough.
How long do homemade Hawaiian rolls stay fresh?
These rolls are best enjoyed fresh on the day they are baked. However, stored in an airtight container at room temperature, they will remain soft and delicious for 2-3 days. For longer storage, freezing is your best bet.
How do I reheat frozen Hawaiian rolls?
To reheat frozen rolls, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours at room temperature. Then, you can warm them in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through and soft.
If you love homemade rolls and bread, these Hawaiian sweet rolls are a must-try. Their simplicity and deliciousness will make them a regular in your baking repertoire. Don’t stop there; here are a few more of my favorite bread recipes to try: