Perfect for Thanksgiving, these light and fluffy Hawaiian rolls are the BEST homemade dinner rolls! You’ll be making these easy yeast rolls all year long! Also great with my Thanksgiving dinner menu.
Butter, gravy and leftover turkey sandwiches.
What do all of these have in common (besides being on the menu a week after Thanksgiving)?
They all require fluffy soft dinner rolls in order to really enjoy them for all their worth!
Please tell me I’m not the only one dreaming about it… the fresh, hot from the oven, pull-apart rolls that melt like butter in your mouth – even when there isn’t any butter on them?
And pie too, but that’s for a different post.
Why Make These Homemade Hawaiian Rolls?
I have been baking up a storm lately in order to bring you a light and fluffy dinner roll that is exactly like your favorite store-bought Hawaiian rolls that many families call tradition for their feast. For the die-hard Thanksgiving dinner traditionalists, that’s an awfully high bar to meet.
There’s the sweetness. The buttery-ness. The softness. The fact that they don’t crumble in your hands.
Homemade Hawaiian rolls need to have all of the good things and none of the bad.
Ingredients For Homemade Hawaiian Rolls
- pineapple juice
- cottage cheese
- active dry yeast
- Einkorn wheat flour* (or you can use all-purpose flour)
- vital wheat gluten (optional, see note)
- baking soda
- salt
- honey
- egg, room temperature
- butter, room temperature
Notes on ingredients
- Einkorn. Einkorn is an ancient form of wheat that contains all the helpful enzymes to help digest the gluten it naturally contains, making it tolerable for many people who are sensitive or intolerant to modern wheat. Read more about the health benefits of einkorn and why we use it.
- Pineapple juice. Pineapple juice replaces water in this recipe to give a natural form of sweetness. When combined with honey, you literally have a sweet roll on your hands!
- Cottage cheese. This will melt into the dough during the rising and baking, and you won’t even notice the cheese in the roll!
It’s not just me who thinks they’re good either, because Mr. Crumbs ate FOUR rolls for dinner… which pretty much sealed the deal that these were a winner.
In fact, you might want to make a double batch. Actually, make that a triple batch – trust me!
How to Make Homemade Hawaiian Rolls Step by Step
Step 1. In a small saucepan, combine pineapple juice and cottage cheese. Heat on medium low just until 110F. This will take about 2-4 minutes. Meanwhile, add yeast, 1 cup of flour, vital wheat gluten (if using), baking soda, salt and honey in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Step 2. When the juice and cheese is at least 105F but no warmer than 115F, add to the flour and stir well with a spoon to incorporate into a thick paste.
Step 3. Add 1 1/2 cups flour, egg and butter. Knead by hand, or turn the speed of the mixer on low. Allow dough to come together for, kneading for about 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes with a dough hook in a mixer.
Step 4. Add remaining flour if needed, 2 Tbsp at a time, until dough is smooth and elastic. You want the dough to mostly pull away from the sides of the bowl, but it will not entirely. It is better for the dough to be slightly sticky than over-floured.
Step 5. Set bowl in a warm place and allow to rise, about 1 hour. Dough is ready when you can stick two fingers into the dough up to the second knuckle and the holes remain. It should be about double in size.
Time for baking
Step 6. Generously butter and flour a 9×13 baking dish.
Step 7. Turn dough into a lightly floured surface and punch down to remove air bubbles. Divide the dough into 2 parts. Divide each part into 6 pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball (see shaping tip) and place in the baking dish.
Step 8. Cover and let rise again, about 1 hour.
Step 9. Preheat oven to 375F. Bake rolls for 12-15 minutes, or until medium golden brown.
Step 10. Rolls are best warm out of the oven, but still very delicious leftover too.
Easy Hawaiian Rolls Tips & Tricks
- To make pull-apart Hawaiian buns: bake the rolls in a 9×13 baking pan as directed.
- To make stand-alone Hawaiian buns: bake them on a greased baking sheet about 2 inches apart from each other. These are better for a sandwich or in a breadbasket. Or place in a muffin tin to make puffy topped rolls.
- The vital wheat gluten is optional. The added gluten doesn’t affect our sensitivities, but you can leave it out if you’re unsure.
- Don’t have pineapple juice? You can also take a can of pineapple, throw the whole thing in a blender, like this high powered Blendtech, and measure out 1/4 cup of pulp/juice together.
- Einkorn makes for a wet and sticky dough. You’ll likely need to use extra flour when handling the dough and shaping into rolls.
- If you don’t have Einkorn wheat, you can make this with any combination of wheat flour you have on hand. I’ve made this with regular all-purpose, whole wheat, whole wheat/spelt combo and Einkorn and they’re all seriously delicious. Honestly, you can’t go wrong!
If you want to read more about Einkorn and where you can buy it, see my post HERE.
FAQs on Hawaiian Rolls
Yes, Hawaiian rolls need to be baked. Just follow the easy steps in this healthy and delicious recipe!
Yes, this recipe for homemade Hawaiian rolls does contain eggs, as does the traditional recipe from the 1950’s for Hawaiian sweet rolls.
Aside from flour, eggs, butter and honey, the ingredients that make this recipe very special are pineapple juice and cottage cheese. YUM! You will love this healthy homemade Hawaiian rolls recipe.
More Delicious Einkorn Recipes:
- Overnight Einkorn Pizza Dough
- Einkorn Sourdough Bread
- Overnight Einkorn Coffee Cake
- Einkorn English Muffins
- How to Make an Einkorn Sourdough Starter
- Homemade Brioche Bread
30 Minute Dinners Sample Meal Plan
Sign up to get instant access to my 30 Minute Dinners Sample Meal Plan, complete with recipes and step-by-step instructions!Fluffy Hawaiian Rolls
Perfect for Thanksgiving, these light and fluffy Hawaiian rolls are the BEST homemade dinner rolls! You’ll be making these easy yeast rolls all year long! Also great with my Thanksgiving dinner menu.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 dinner rolls 1x
- Category: Breads
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- 3/4 cup cottage cheese
- 1/2 Tbsp active dry yeast
- 2–3 1/2 cups Einkorn Wheat flour*
- 2 Tbsp vital wheat gluten (optional, see note)
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp butter, room temperature
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine pineapple juice and cottage cheese. Heat on medium low just until 110F. This will take about 2-4 minutes. Meanwhile, add yeast, 1 cup of flour, vital wheat gluten (if using), baking soda, salt and honey in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- When the juice and cheese is at least 105F but no warmer than 115F, add to the flour and stir well with a spoon to incorporate into a thick paste.
- Add 1 1/2 cups flour, egg and butter. Knead by hand, or turn the speed of the mixer on low. Allow dough to come together for, kneading for about 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes with a dough hook in a mixer.
- Add remaining flour if needed, 2 Tbsp at a time, until dough is smooth and elastic. You want the dough to mostly pull away from the sides of the bowl, but it will not entirely. It is better for the dough to be slightly sticky than over-floured.
- Set bowl in a warm place and allow to rise, about 1 hour. Dough is ready when you can stick two fingers into the dough up to the second knuckle and the holes remain. It should be about double in size.
- Generously butter and flour a 9×13 baking dish.
- Turn dough into a lightly floured surface and punch down to remove air bubbles. Divide the dough into 2 parts. Divide each part into 6 pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball (see shaping tip) and place in the baking dish.
- Cover and let rise again, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375F. Bake rolls for 12-15 minutes, or until medium golden brown.
- Rolls are best warm out of the oven, but still very delicious leftover too.
Notes
Whole wheat or all-purpose flour may be substituted if you do not have Einkorn wheat.
Optional Vital Wheat Gluten. Adding it offers a bit extra fluff, but the rolls still come out great without it. If you choose to omit the VWG, add an extra 15 minutes to each rise time and knead/shape into rolls before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 90
Thank you so much for the recipe! I am looking forward to following it as is. But, I was just curious if these could be made with water instead of pineapple juice? Or even, apple juice? I am making salmon chowder, and don’t think a Hawaiian roll would go well with it, but I like the base of your recipe! Thank you!
Hello Y,
We have not tried this but if you do, let us know how it turns out!
I’d love it if your Pinterest picture said the word “Hawaiian” in it so I could have a memory jogger. I just searched 30 min all over the web, because I didn’t remember they were Einkorn or that it was YOU who posted the recipe, and then found, that I had pinned your recipe and it was in fact the first place I looked in my Pinterest boards but since it didn’t have the word Hawaiian I went on a goose chase… maybe it would help someone else? Keep up the good recipes!
Hi Spring,
We changed the keyword on the image to “Hawaiian” so you can find it better now. Hope this helps! 🙂
Thank you! I just did a search for it again and found it so easily!
I started avoiding gluten (in large quantities) several months ago. I’ve been craving Runzas and used this recipe to make a batch today. They’re so delicious and the dough raised and baked nicely. I used 1/2 Einkorn WW and 1/2 Einkorn AP for the flour. Thanks for a great recipe!
Hello Jane!
We’re happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
I have been using einkorn AP for quite some time and have had little success with yeast bread. This recipe worked for me and I am generally pleased with the result. I made the recipe as printed without the wheat gluten. The only issue I had was that the dough rose more slowly than I anticipated (particularly the first rising). I will make these again.
So glad to hear the recipe worked well for you!!
Can I use all purpose Einkorn flour, or does it have to be the whole wheat variety?
I read through EVERY post… the LAST one is the one that interested me! I can’t have dairy either, what is the exact purpose of the cottage cheese in this recipe? If I know its purpose maybe I can substitute for it? maybe some milk… coconut or almond etc?
Amy, it adds flavor and helps with the flakey texture.
I can’t do dairy, do you have a suggestion for a substitute for the cottage cheese? I have lots of subs for the butter!
thanks!
Hi Tiffany,
Thanks for the great recipe. I am relatively new to Einkorn and have been experimenting. No gluten allergies here but just wanted the natural , non hybridized wheat for better nutrition, digestion and less weight gain. I didn’t have vital wheat gluten. Mine came out Ok, I but would not say the rolls were tender, and they did rise, sort of cake like with big airy holes, not dense ,but would say on the dry side. I will try with the gluten added the next time. I wondered, though, I have a new bread machine that has customizable cycle, could I use this in the machine as well to make bread?. Also, wanted to share that I get my einkorn all purpose cheaper than Amazon right at Jovialfood.com without any membership. If you purchased 3 at 7.49 and pay shipping 5.95 shipping its still cheaper at $28 and change vs. a 3 pack at Amazon for 44.00. They also have a cheaper 20 lb option ( 2 10lb bags) making it 3.00 per pound, which I will opt for once I have mastered bread in my new machine and transfer away from all traditional breads with hybriized wheat. Also, today for newbies, there is a coupon code on line for your first time ” Welcome19″ , that will give you both free shipping and 15% off your first order and they give point rewards. I just purchased 3- 2lb pkg for 19.10 I think. Code only good today, but maybe there will be new one for October tomorrow for first timers. Just thought I’d share for those thinking of doing more with Einkorn. 🙂 Thank you again for the great recipe.
I appreciate you sharing this, Beth!! Definitely try the vital wheat gluten, as it makes a HUGE difference with einkorn. You don’t have to use it every time, but it’s helpful when you want that super light and airy dough. 🙂
Have you tried mixing the dough in a bread machine? I wanted to do the step on the stove with the pineapple juice, then mix the dough in my machine.
I’m on this page to grab the recipe again for maybe the 7th or 8th time! These get gobbled every time, and are very forgiving as I am REALLY not a gifted baker!!!! I’ve overproofed them, underproofed them, made them odd shapes and sizes, added too much flour, used baking dishes too big and too small, and they still turn out yummy every time! Thanks for this recipe!!! Maybe you should make an “einkorn for dummies” cookbook because I would fall into the dummy category and I need more recipes like this.
LOL – I’m honored you keep coming back Julie!! And I’m super excited that the recipe is passing your “for dummies” test. Thank you for leaving your feedback for us!
Tiffany, I followed your advice for over night proofing. Here’s how it went: ingredients used were all purpose einkorn flour, Dole pineapple juice, Good culture organic whole milk cottage cheese from Sprouts (no thickeners), Bob Mills Vital Gluten and the rest of your ingredients. I sifted the initial dry ingredients into my stand mixing bowl. Added the honey and butter to this , while heating up the pineapple and cottage cheese. Also sifted the other cup and half of AP einkorn flour. Added all ingredients and after 5 minutes on low with the dough hook , I added 2 tablespoons extra flour, I covered with plastic wrap and placed in fridge for the night. Next morning, removed from fridge and put in my proofing drawer at 79 degrees for about 3 hours. I could stick 2 fingers in and holes remained. It was still tacky. Took out of proofer and lightly floured counter. Dough was folded toward center on all four sides x 2-3 times. Flour lightly worked as I went. I made a ball. Then cut ball in half and so forth to make 12 rolls. Placed in 9x 12 buttered dish in proofing drawer at 81 degrees for one hour. Baked at 375 for 15 minutes bottom shelf with dinner roast on top and then 2-3 minutes more on middle shelf after roast removed. Rolls are light and fluffy, rise is 2 inches after baking, beautiful color, delicious with Polaner strawberry or peach all fruit and especially Mrs Bridges Scottish Blackcurrant Preserves. My husband looked at me for the longest time and then offed me his hand…Just like Paul Hollywood would do in the British Baking Show! LOL I loved it! The dinner rolls are magnificent! Thank you for all your hard work!!
I LOVE the British Baking Show, so I know exactly what you mean – CONGRATULATIONS!! And well done Mary. I’m so glad you enjoyed the rolls! ♥
WOOHOO!!!!! Doing the happy dance!!! I found Einkorn and LOVE the taste. However it’s not the easiest to work with. My bread is good just very dense, not quite bricks thankfully. I am going to the store to get cottage cheese so I can get this puppy going. I am SO excited!!
Just out of curiosity, what is the purpose of the cottage cheese for this recipe?
Maybe instead of the Vital Wheat Gluten you could substitute with some sourdough starter or Levain.
Made exactly by recipe and turned out perfect!
Thank you!
Made these rolls the night before last. I personally think cottage cheese is gross. So, I had my doubts as I made them. However, they are amazing! They rose beautifully, even without the vital wheat gluten. They are a hit and I have to make them again, which means I will have to look at cottage cheese again… oh well.
Sorry… not sorry? I’m glad you liked the recipe Joy!
Oh and I put this recipe through a calorie calculator, only 55 Calories per roll. You cant beat that! Thanks much for the excellent recipe! I will just have to suck it up about the cottage cheese!