Hawaiian Dinner Rolls

5 from 57 votes

Make your own Hawaiian Dinner Rolls from scratch by following this recipe!

Prep Time1

Cook Time15

Total Time1 15

Cuisine: American

Method: Instant Pot, Oven

Servings: Rolls

Calories: 224kcal

Add the sugar, water, and yeast to a stand mixer bowl. Stir and let it sit for about 10 minutes. A layer of foam should appear.
Add the flour and mix with a dough hook until the dough forms into a ball.
Generously coat the Instant Pot liner with oil. Then, place the dough inside.
Cover and set the Instant Pot to yogurt mode for 40 minutes. Knead dough every 10 minutes. The dough should double in size.
Remove the dough from the Instant Pot and divide it into 9 equal parts. Roll each separate part into a smooth ball using your hands.
Place the rolls in an oiled 8 x 8 baking pan.
Cover the pan with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and allow the rolls to sit for 15 minutes.
Bake the rolls in the oven at 350 F for 15 minutes until the buns look golden brown.
Remove the baked rolls from the oven. Serve warm.

Pro Tips

- The secret to making perfect Hawaiian dinner rolls is to ensure the yeast is fresh and active. Activate the yeast by dissolving it in warm liquid (milk or water) with a bit of sugar. Let it sit until it becomes frothy, indicating the yeast is active and ready to leaven the dough.

- Proper kneading develops the gluten structure, giving the rolls their structure and fluffiness. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. This can take about 8 to 10 minutes by hand or 5 to 7 minutes with a stand mixer.

- Let the dough rise until it has doubled in size (do not rush). This allows the yeast to ferment and produce carbon dioxide, which creates air pockets in the dough, resulting in a light and airy texture.

- After the first rise, gently punch down the dough to release excess carbon dioxide. When shaping the rolls, handle the dough gently to preserve the air pockets.

- Lightly oil your hands before shaping the bread dough into smaller rolls. This would make handling the dough easier as it won’t stick to your hands.

- Cover the freshly baked rolls with a clean kitchen towel or foil while they cool. This helps retain moisture, preventing the rolls from drying out.

You can place the rolls in an airtight container and store them at room temperature. It should be good to eat for up to 3 days.

If you want to freeze the rolls, you can put them in an airtight container and then store them in the freezer. They can be good for up to 3 months.

Warm them in the oven for about 5 minutes at 300°F or in the microwave oven for 10-15 seconds.