If you love soft, golden, pull-apart bread that tastes like a sweeter version of classic dinner rolls, this Hawaiian sweet bread recipe is a great one to make at home. It is inspired by the soft, lightly tropical flavor people associate with Hawaiian-style sweet rolls, but this version leans a little sweeter for anyone who wants a bread that can work for breakfast, dessert, or a soft sandwich roll.
The beauty of Hawaiian sweet bread is its balance. It is enriched with eggs, butter, milk, and a little pineapple juice, which gives the bread a tender crumb and a gentle sweetness without making it taste strongly like pineapple. The pineapple juice mostly adds brightness, moisture, and that familiar soft-roll flavor.
This bread is also beginner-friendly because it does not require fancy shaping. You can make it as a pull-apart pan of rolls, which feels similar to store-bought Hawaiian rolls, or you can shape it into a single loaf for slicing. The dough should feel soft and a little tacky, not dry. That moisture is part of what makes the finished bread fluffy and tender.
This Hawaiian sweet bread recipe is great for family dinners, holiday meals, sliders, ham sandwiches, breakfast toast, or just eating warm with butter. Because it is slightly sweeter than a standard dinner roll, it also pairs well with honey butter, jam, or cream cheese. It can even be used for French toast if you have leftovers the next day.
The key to success is patience during the rise and not adding too much extra flour. Sweet doughs can rise a little slower because sugar and fat make the yeast work harder, but the result is worth it. Give the dough time to get puffy, bake it until golden, and brush the warm bread with butter for a soft, shiny top.
Alphabetical Shopping List
- All-purpose flour
- Butter
- Eggs
- Honey
- Instant yeast
- Milk
- Pineapple juice
- Salt
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
Ingredients in Order Used
Dough
- 1/2 cup warm milk
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice, room temperature or slightly warm
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
Finishing
- 1 tablespoon melted butter, optional
Extra-Sweet Hawaiian-Style Sweet Bread Recipe
Prep Time
25 minutes
Rise Time
2 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours
Bake Time
22 to 38 minutes, depending on shape
Total Time
About 3 to 4 hours
Yield
12 pull-apart rolls or 1 large loaf
Instructions
1. Mix the wet ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the warm milk, pineapple juice, sugar, honey, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract.
The mixture should feel warm but not hot. If it feels hot to your finger, let it cool before adding the yeast and flour.
2. Add the dry ingredients
Add the all-purpose flour, instant yeast, and salt to the bowl.
Mix until a sticky, shaggy dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Knead the dough
Knead the dough by hand for 8 to 10 minutes, or use a stand mixer with a dough hook for 5 to 7 minutes.
The dough should become smooth, soft, and slightly tacky. Try not to add too much extra flour. If the dough is extremely sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it is easier to handle.
4. Let the dough rise
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap, a clean towel, or a lid.
Let it rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
5. Shape the bread
For pull-apart rolls, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place them in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
For a loaf, shape the dough into one large loaf and place it in a greased loaf pan.
6. Let it rise again
Cover the shaped dough and let it rise for 45 to 60 minutes, or until puffy.
The rolls should look fuller and close together in the pan, but they do not have to completely double.
7. Add the egg wash
Whisk together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of milk.
Brush the top of the dough gently with the egg wash. This gives the bread its shiny, golden top.
8. Bake
Bake at 350°F.
For rolls, bake for 22 to 28 minutes.
For a loaf, bake for 30 to 38 minutes.
The bread is done when the top is deeply golden brown and the center is cooked through. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the last part of baking.
9. Finish with butter
After baking, brush the warm bread with melted butter if you want a softer, richer top.
Let the bread cool for at least 20 minutes before pulling apart or slicing.
Recipe Notes
For a sweeter bread, you can increase the sugar to 2/3 cup, but do not go much higher on the first try because too much sugar can slow down the yeast.
If your kitchen is cold, let the dough rise in the oven with the oven turned off and the light on.
This bread is best the day it is baked, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
To reheat, microwave a roll for about 10 seconds or warm it in a low oven until soft.
Recipe Card
