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Hawaiian Rolls

Hawaiian Rolls

187kcal
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Prep 30 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Overnight Levain Rise 8 minutes
Total 12 hours
Incredibly soft, fluffy, and pillowy enriched sourdough dinner rolls. Canned pineapple juice, honey, and Greek yogurt give these rolls an authentic island sweetness and delicate tender crumb.
Servings 24 Rolls (~50 g each)
Cuisine American / Enriched Sourdough

Ingredients

Sourdough Starter Levain (Night Before)
  • 7 g Sourdough starter
  • 35 g Water
  • 35 g Bread flour
Enriched Hawaiian Dough
  • 720 g Bread flour
  • 240 g Canned pineapple juice warmed to ~115°F / 46°C
  • 120 g Greek yogurt
  • 100 g Honey
  • 90 g Unsalted butter melted
  • 60 g Active sourdough starter levain from the stage above
  • 80 g Sugar
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 14 g Salt
  • 2 g Instant dry yeast optional, to reduce sourness
Post-Bake Glaze
  • 1 tbsp Melted butter for brushing immediately post-bake

Equipment

Method

Night Before (10:00 PM): Build Levain
  1. Dissolve 7 g starter in 35 g water, then add 35 g bread flour. Cover loosely and let ferment at room temperature 74–78°F (23–26°C) for 8–10 hours until doubled or tripled in size.
Day 2 (8:00 AM): Warm Hydration & Autolyse
  1. In a small pot, combine 240 g pineapple juice, 120 g Greek yogurt, 100 g honey, and 90 g melted butter. Warm gently until reaching 115°F (46°C).
  2. Pour warm liquid into your stand mixer bowl. Add 60 g active starter, 80 g sugar, 2 g instant yeast, 2 large eggs, and 720 g bread flour. Mix into a shaggy mass, cover, and let autolyse for 1 hour.
Kneading & Bulk Proof
  1. Attach dough hook. Mix on low speed (or KitchenAid speed 3) for 3–4 minutes.
  2. Add 14 g salt and mix for 10 more minutes until dough becomes smooth, highly elastic, and passes the windowpane test.
  3. Cover and proof for 3–4 hours at 76–80°F (24–28°C), performing 2 stretch-and-folds during the first 2 hours until slightly puffy.
Cold Fermentation, Division & Overnight Pan Proof
  1. 1:00 PM: Transfer covered dough to the refrigerator for 6–9 hours of cold fermentation.
  2. 10:00 PM: Remove dough from fridge. Divide into 24 equal pieces (~50 g each).
  3. Pinch edges down to shape tight, smooth round balls. Arrange in a greased 9×13 inch baking pan.
  4. Cover pan loosely and proof overnight for 8–10 hours at 70–74°F (20–23°C) until rolls double in size and crowd the pan snugly.
Day 3 (7:00 AM): Bake & Butter
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Bake rolls for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake for 15–18 additional minutes (25–28 minutes total) until golden brown.
  3. Remove from oven and immediately brush hot tops with melted butter. Serve warm!

Nutrition

Calories187kcalCarbohydrates32gProtein5gFat4gSaturated Fat2gPolyunsaturated Fat0.4gMonounsaturated Fat1gTrans Fat0.1gCholesterol23mgSodium238mgPotassium61mgFiber1gSugar8gVitamin A129IUVitamin C1mgCalcium15mgIron0.4mg

Notes

  • Why Less Than 1% Commercial Yeast Matters: Including a tiny 3g pinch of instant dry yeast serves a critical flavor purpose here. Enriched sweet doughs take a long time to proof naturally with wild sourdough cultures alone. Adding a tiny commercial helper engine accelerates the fermentation timeline just enough to prevent the dough from developing a sharp, tangy sour flavor, ensuring your rolls keep that authentic, sweet island profile.
  • The Non-Negotiable Canned Juice Rule: Always use canned or pasteurized pineapple juice for this recipe, never raw or fresh-squeezed juice. Raw pineapple contains an active enzyme called bromelain, which aggressively breaks down protein chains. If introduced to your bread mix, it will digest the wheat gluten entirely, turning your dough into a soupy, unbakeable puddle. The pasteurization heating process safely neutralizes this enzyme.
  • Managing High Sugar Hydration: Sugar is highly hygroscopic, meaning it continuously pulls moisture away from flour particles and can make the dough feel quite sticky early on. Do not give in to the temptation to throw in extra flour during step 4. Keep your mixer running on medium-high for the full 10 minutes—the gluten bonds will steadily organize and clear the bowl cleanly.
  • Slowing Down to an Overnight Fridge Proof: If your morning schedule makes baking at 6:30 AM inconvenient, you can easily shift the final proof to a cold timeline. After shaping the 24 rolls in step 7, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and slide it straight into the refrigerator for 12 to 16 hours. The next morning, simply set the pan on your counter for 2 to 3 hours to take the chill off and finish puffing up before baking.

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