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These Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls are sweet, fluffy, and super soft. They are filled with sweet pineapple flavor and are made with sourdough discard and yeast, so they can be made in just a few hours.
“My family is drooling while waiting for these to cool and the house smells heavenly. We love to use these for little lunch sandwiches.” -Christine
Hawaiian rolls are one of my favorites, so when I went to make a homemade version, I had to get them just right! This recipe has the perfect amount of sugar, so you can actually taste the sweetness in the rolls. They make the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, or just to make a delicious slider or appetizer! If you want a full-sized burger or sandwich, check out my Sourdough Hamburger Buns.
This recipe uses sourdough discard and yeast for a quick rise time. More sourdough discard bread recipes to try include Sourdough Discard Dinner Rolls, Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls, Sourdough Discard French Bread and Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread.
Table of Contents
- Reasons you will love this recipe
- Why is yeast added to this recipe?
- Important Ingredients and Substitutions
- Instructions on how to make Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls
- Recipe Tips
- Sample Baking Schedule
- How to prep rolls ahead of time
- Ways to Eat Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls
- How to store Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls
- Recipe FAQ
- More sourdough Discard Recipes
- Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls Recipe
Reasons you will love this recipe
- Soft texture– This sweet bread has a super soft and fluffy texture that just melts in your mouth!
- Made under 4 hours- Thanks to the help of the yeast, these rolls have a quick rise time.
- Easy homemade recipe – After you make these homemade Sourdough Discard Hawaiian Rolls, you’ll never want to go back to store-bought again!
- Great for the holidays – These discard Hawaiian rolls are perfect for the holidays and pair so well with classic side dishes such as Sweet Potato Casserole.
Why is yeast added to this recipe?
When I created this recipe, I started with the same method as my Same Day Sourdough Dinner Rolls, but I found that the sugar in the dough really slowed down the fermentation time. I tested this recipe multiple times and came to the conclusion that the best way to get a good rise is to add yeast to the dough. So I turned this recipe into a sourdough discard recipe with added yeast and created the most delicious sourdough discard Hawaiian rolls!
If you want to use active sourdough starter and ferment the dough for longer I recommend still adding a little bit of yeast (at least 1 teaspoon) to help the rise times. Without yeast, expect 15-24 hours for these to rise even in a warm spot.
If you want a 100% naturally fermented bread, check out my Hawaiian Roll Sourdough Focaccia recipe. It has a delicious flavor plus ham and cheese topping for an easy and flavor-packed sourdough bread!
Important Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pineapple juice – Adding pineapple juice gives sweetness and the flavor everyone knows and loves when eating Hawaiian rolls. Do not use fresh pineapple, as it will interfere with the gluten.
- Sugars – A mix of white granulate and brown sugar gives the rolls their signature sweetness.
- Vanilla extract – The vanilla enhances the flavors.
- Salt – Any type of salt will work great in this recipe. I love to use vanilla salt.
- Sourdough discard – Ideally, use room temperature sourdough discard. Cold discard will slow down rise times. If you keep your sourdough discard in the fridge, add it to your counter for a few hours before mixing the dough.
- Instant yeast – Adding commercial yeast helps the rolls rise faster. You can also use active dry yeast if that is what you have on hand, just be sure to read the instructions on how to add the yeast to bread.
- Bread flour – I prefer to use bread flour when baking sourdough because it has a higher protein content and absorbs liquid better than all-purpose flour.
See all the ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.
Instructions on how to make Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls
Step 1: First, warm up the pineapple juice and milk for 40 seconds in the microwave or on the stovetop in a small saucepan until it is about 100°F. This step is important to help the rolls rise properly.
Add all ingredients for the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook attachment, mix until combined and then knead on low for 15 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should be pulling away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is very sticky, add a little extra flour.
Step 2: Let the dough rest for a few minutes and then perform the windowpane test by pulling a section of the dough thin enough to see light through without it tearing. If it doesn’t pass, continue to knead for another 5 minutes.
Step 3: Place the dough onto a lightly floured work surface or countertop and form the dough into a ball. Then, place into a bowl and cover for the first rise. I prefer to cover it with a lid or dinner plate rather than a tea towel to keep the dough from drying out. Keep the dough at 80°F for a shorter rise. At this temperature, the dough will take about 90 minutes to double in size.
Step 4: Once doubled, punch down the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough ball into 15 equal pieces, about 85 grams each. If you prefer smaller rolls, you can make 20.
Step 5: To shape, flatten out each piece of dough and pull the corners to the middle. Pinch the seams together and then roll over the dough ball. With your hand in a cupping shape, rotate the ball until it is a smooth ball.
Step 6: Place the balls of dough in a greased 9×13 baking dish. If you make 15 rolls, do 5 rows of 3. If you do 20 rolls, do 5 rows of 4.
Step 7: Let the dough balls rise at 80°F for 1 hour for the second rise until puffy and risen. To determine if they are ready, perform the poke test by lightly flouring a spot on one of the rolls and poking the dough with your finger. If the dough springs back immediately, it needs more time. If the indent stays, they are ready to bake.
Step 8: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl combine one egg with a splash of water to create an egg wash. Brush the tops of the risen rolls. Bake for 22-25 minutes until golden brown and rolls have an internal temperature of 190°F.
Remove from the oven and brush with 1 Tablespoon melted butter. Sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt.
Recipe Tips
- Warm the pineapple juice and milk before adding it to the the dough. Using warm ingredients will help active the yeast and help the dough rise quicker.
- Use room temperature sourdough discard instead of cold so that it doesn’t slow down the rise times. Place your discard on the counter for a few hours before mixing the ingredients. In a pinch, you can use cold discard but expect longer rise times.
- Keep the dough warm to get a quicker rise time. You can use a bread mat (use code country10 for 10%) or proofing box to keep the dough warm. You can also try leaving the dough in the oven with the light on, above the refrigerator, or near a heating vent.
- Don’t bake the rolls until they are doubled in size in the pan. You want the rolls to be puffy so they bake up soft and fluffy.
Sample Baking Schedule
This schedule can vary but as a general rule of thumb here is what you can expect if your dough is at 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If the dough is at a cooler temperature or you use cold sourdough discard expect longer rise times.
| Step | Time |
| Mix dough together | 1 pm |
| Let dough rise until doubled in size | 1:30 pm-3 pm |
| Shape rolls | 3 pm |
| Let rolls rise until doubled or more in size and puffy | 3:15 – 4:30 pm |
| Bake | 4:30pm |
How to prep rolls ahead of time
- Refrigerate: If you want to make these rolls earlier in the day and bake later, you can refrigerate the rolls covered after shaping them. This can be done before or after the second rise. If you let the rolls double in size in the pan and then place them in the fridge, you can bake them straight from the fridge. If you do not, pull the pan out of the fridge and let the rolls double in size in a warm spot before baking. The rolls can be refrigerated for 1-2 days.
- Freezing rolls: These rolls freeze so well after baking. Flash freeze them on a sheet pan for an hour or two. Once frozen, place them in a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. To reheat the rolls, let them defrost on the counter and then place on a sheet pan in the oven at 350°F for a couple of minutes or place them in the microwave for 30 seconds or so.
- Freezing roll dough: You can also freeze the dough directly after shaping these. Add them to a sheet pan to freeze for 1-2 hours and then place the frozen rolls in a freezer safe bag. When you are ready to use them, pull the rolls from the freezer. Let the rolls defrost and rise for 4-6 hours (or longer if not in a warm spot). If you are going to let the rolls be in the freezer longer than 3 days you may want to add 10-20% more yeast. Bake within 2 weeks for best results.
Ways to Eat Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls
- Serve the rolls as a sweet twist to traditional dinner rolls.
- Make mini sliders with your favorite meat and cheese for a party appetizer like these sliders.
- Make the ultimate mini sandwiches with leftover holiday ham and Swiss cheese.
How to store Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls
Let them rolls cool completely. Then store them in an airtight container, cover with plastic wrap, or add to a ziplock bag for 4-5 days on the counter.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. However bread flour absorbs moisture better than all purpose flour so you may need to add more flour or reduce the liquid by 25 grams.
You can if you use active sourdough starter in its place. However please note these rolls take a very long time to rise without the help of yeast. Plan to keep the rolls in a warm spot for 15-24 hours to rise. If you want to find a happy medium, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of yeast instead and let the rolls rise overnight and bake the next day. Another option is to make my same day sourdough dinner rolls without yeast.
Yes you can freeze these rolls baked or unbaked or refrigerate the dough. Please see the section “how to prep rolls ahead of time” a few paragraphs above.
I personally haven’t tried this but as a general rule of thumb when replacing sugar with honey you want to use 1/2 cup honey in place of 1 cup of sugar. You may also need to reduce the liquid in this recipe to accommodate for the extra liquid the honey adds.
More sourdough Discard Recipes
Sourdough Discard Recipes
Cheesy Garlic Sourdough Scones (30 minutes)
Christmas Sourdough Recipes
Sourdough Discard Nutella Star Bread
Sourdough Breakfast Recipes
Sourdough Gingerbread Pancakes
Sourdough Cookie Recipes
Sourdough Snickerdoodles
Tried this Sourdough Discard Hawaiian Rolls or another recipe from the site? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments—can’t wait to see what you’re baking!
Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 150 grams canned pineapple juice, ½ cup + ⅛ cup
- 60 grams milk, ¼ cup
- 57 grams butter, softened, ¼ cup
- 1 large egg, 50 grams
- 100 grams sugar, ½ cup
- 55 grams brown sugar, ¼ cup
- 10 grams vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons
- 200 grams sourdough discard, ideally room temp (cold starter will slow the process), heaping ¾ cup
- 18 grams instant yeast, 2 Tablespoons
- 10 grams salt, 2 teaspoons
- 600 grams bread flour, 4 ¼ cup
Toppings
- Egg wash: 1 egg +1 teaspoon of water
- 1-2 Tablespoons melted butter and flaky sea salt for top
Instructions
- Warm up the pineapple juice and milk for 30-40 seconds in the microwave or on the stovetop in a small saucepan until it is about 100℉.150 grams canned pineapple juice, 60 grams milk
- Add all the ingredients for the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer. Be sure to read the instructions on your yeast to see if it can be added directly or needs to be activated ahead of time. Using the dough hook attachment, mix until combined and then knead on low for 15 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is very sticky, add a little extra flour.57 grams butter, softened, 1 large egg, 100 grams sugar, 55 grams brown sugar, 10 grams vanilla extract, 200 grams sourdough discard, ideally room temp (cold starter will slow the process), 18 grams instant yeast, 10 grams salt, 600 grams bread flour
- Let the dough rest for a couple minutes. Perform the windowpane test by pulling a section of the dough thin enough to see light through without it tearing. If it doesn’t pass, continue to knead for a few more minutes.
- Place the dough onto a lightly floured work surface or countertop and form the dough into a ball.
- Place into a bowl and cover for the first rise. I prefer to cover it with a lid or dinner plate rather than a tea towel to keep the dough from drying out. Keep the dough at 80°F for a shorter rise. At this temperature, the dough will take about 90 minutes to double in size.
- Once doubled, punch down the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough ball into 15 even balls. If you prefer smaller rolls you can make 20.
- Flatten out each section and pull the corners to the middle. Pinch the seams together and then roll over the dough ball. With your hand in cupping shape rotate the ball until it is a smooth ball.
- Place the rolls in a greased 9×13 baking dish. If you make 15 rolls do 5 rows of 3. If you do 20 rolls do 5 rows of 4. Let the dough balls rise covered at 80℉ for about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes for the second rise until puffy and risen. To determine if they are ready, perform the poke test by lightly flouring a spot on one of the rolls and poking the dough with your finger. If the dough springs back immediately, it needs more time. If the indent stays they are ready to bake.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the tops of the rolls with an egg wash to get golden brown rolls. Bake for 22-25 minutes until golden brown and rolls have an internal temperature of 190°F. Egg wash: 1 egg +1 teaspoon of water
- Remove from the oven and brush with 1-2 Tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt.1-2 Tablespoons melted butter and flaky sea salt for top
Notes
- Refrigerate: If you want to make these rolls earlier in the day and bake later, you can refrigerate the rolls covered after shaping them. This can be done before or after the second rise. If you let the rolls double in size in the pan and then place them in the fridge, you can bake them straight from the fridge. If you do not, pull the pan out of the fridge and let the rolls double in size in a warm spot before baking. The rolls can be refrigerated for 1-2 days.
- Freezing rolls: These rolls freeze so well after baking. Flash freeze them on a sheet pan for an hour or two. Once frozen, place them in a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. To reheat the rolls, let them defrost on the counter and then place on a sheet pan in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for a couple minutes or place them in the microwave for 30 seconds or so.
- Freezing roll dough: You can also freeze the dough directly after shaping these. Add them to a sheet pan to freeze for 1-2 hours and then place the frozen rolls in a freezer safe bag. When you are ready to use them, pull the rolls from the freezer. Let the rolls defrost and rise for 4-6 hours (or longer if not in a warm spot). If you are going to let the rolls be in the freezer longer than 3 days you may want to add 10-20% more yeast. Bake within 2 weeks for best results.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Wow, these were easy, fast, and incredible!
Thanks Chris! So happy you liked them.
Hello,
Have you made these without instant yeast?
I second this question 🙂
Hi! When I originally developed this recipe, I tried a few times with active starter and could never get it to rise well. I do plan on working on it this fall to see if I can create an active starter version.
This is my second time making these and they are incredible! I do have a little experience baking with sourdough but this dough is so easy and fun to play with.I also love how you dump everything together in the mixer and let it do all the work. My family is drooling while waiting for these to cool and the house smells heavenly. We love to use these for little lunch sandwiches.
Hello,
Can I use regular flour instead of bread flour?
Yes but I would reduce the liquid slightly.