These sweet, fluffy Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls boast a bright pineapple flavor that perfectly complements sourdough in a buttery soft pull-apart roll.
We’ve taken our popular Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls recipe and enhanced it by using warm pineapple juice and extra sugar to achieve that signature sweet, tropical flavor. The result is an incredibly soft, buttery roll that is easy to handle and guaranteed to impress your guests, offering a fun, irresistible twist on classic sourdough.
My Tips & Tricks
Use these guidelines to ensure your tropical sourdough rolls come out perfectly fluffy and flavorful every time.
- Use Active Starter: Always use a fresh, active starter (fed 4–12 hours prior) that has doubled in volume.
- Watch the Dough, Not the Clock: The 4–8 hour range for the first rise is highly variable. Since pineapple juice is slightly acidic, it may speed up the bulk fermentation compared to a water-based roll. Look for the dough to have visibly doubled in size and look light and bubbly.
- The Poke Test: After the second rise, gently poke a roll; if the indentation slowly springs back, the rolls are ready to bake.1 If they spring back immediately, they need more time.
- Adjust Flour as Needed: The sugar and pineapple juice make the dough slightly softer and stickier than standard bread dough. Don’t be afraid to use the reserved 1/2 cup of flour—add it one tablespoon at a time during kneading until the dough is smooth and manageable.
- Brush While Warm: Apply the optional melted butter or brown sugar glaze immediately after removing the rolls from the oven. This seals in moisture and gives them a soft, shiny crust.
- Freezing: If you want to freeze the rolls, do so immediately after they cool completely. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently in the oven for a “fresh-baked” taste.
In the batch of rolls above, I replaced 1 cup of white flour with 1 cup of fresh ground whole wheat flour.
How to Use Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls
These fluffy, sweet rolls are perfect for more than just dinner… Their perfect, pull-apart shape and sweetness make them perfect for creating appetizers and easy sliders:
- Oven Smoked Pork Sliders: The sweetness of the Hawaiian roll pairs perfectly with savory, smoky pork. You can use:
- Fall Apart Butt Roast Sliders: Slow-roast a pork butt (shoulder) low and slow in the oven or slow cooker until it easily shreds with a fork. Toss the shredded pork with a vinegar-based or sweet BBQ sauce.
- Smoked Pulled Pork Butt Sliders: For a deeper flavor, use pork butt that has been cooked on a smoker until tender. The smoky flavor offers a fantastic contrast to the sweet pineapple notes in the rolls.
More Sourdough Recipes
- Homemade Sourdough Starter
- Easy Sourdough Bread
- Soft Sourdough Sugar Cookies
- The Best Sourdough Banana Bread
Recipe Card – Please Review it!
Sweet Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls Recipe (Made with Pineapple Juice)
These fluffy sourdough rolls get a tropical twist with the addition of pineapple juice and extra sugar. They're sweet and soft, with the perfect Hawaiian flavor and sourdough tang… And irresistible side for any meal.
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: 12
Calories: 362kcal
Ingredients
- 400 grams active sourdough starter
- 200 grams Pineapple Juice warm
- 37 grams Warm Milk
- 660 grams all-purpose flour
- 90 grams granulated sugar
- 9 grams salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup softened salted butter
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients – In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and 90 grams of sugar. Reserve 1/2 cup of the flour for kneading later.
- Add Wet Ingredients – Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the active sourdough starter, warm pineapple juice, warm milk, egg, and softened butter. Mix with your hands or a stand mixer (using the paddle attachment) until a shaggy, wet dough forms.
- Knead the Dough – Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for 5–7 minutes, gradually adding the reserved flour as needed, until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky but manageable. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with the dough hook on low speed for 3–5 minutes.
- First Rise (Bulk Fermentation) – Shape the dough into a ball and coat a large bowl with olive oil. Place the dough ball in the bowl, turning to coat, then cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size (this usually takes 4–8 hours, depending on kitchen temperature and starter strength).
- Shape the Rolls – Gently punch down the dough to release the air. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth, tight ball and arrange them snugly in a greased or parchment-lined 9 x13 baking dish.
- Second Rise – Cover the rolls with a clean towel and let them rise again in a warm spot until they are doubled in size and puffy (this typically takes 1–3 hours). For maximum flavor, you may also refrigerate overnight and bake the next day.
- Bake – Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F . Bake the rolls for 20–25 minutes, or until they are deeply golden brown on top.
- Glaze and Serve – While the rolls are still warm, brush them generously with melted butter. For an authentic Hawaiian flavor, you can brush them with a mixture of melted butter and a tablespoon of brown sugar. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Use warm pineapple juice (around 100°F) to help the dough rise. The slight acidity of the pineapple juice may help accelerate your bulk fermentation slightly compared to water, so keep a close eye on the dough.
- If the dough feels too sticky, add a bit more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until manageable.
- The dough can take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours to rise in the first step, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. Be patient and let it rise until doubled in size.
- You can use a round pan (e.g., 9-inch cake pan) instead of a baking dish for a classic pull-apart roll shape.
- These rolls can also be made with whole wheat flour or bread flour. You might need to adjust the water content slightly depending on the flour you use.
- Use fresh, active starter. An inactive starter will lead to poor dough rise.
- If your kitchen is cool, use a proofing box or place the dough in a preheated oven with the light on (not turned on) for the first rise.
- The dough is ready for shaping after the first rise when it roughly doubles in size and has a light, bubbly texture.
- When shaping the rolls, aim for even tension to ensure they rise uniformly.
- After the second rise, the rolls should be slightly puffy and hold their shape when gently pressed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 314mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g
About Juliea
Juliea Huffaker is the creator of Farmhouse Harvest, and dedicated to teaching from-scratch cooking, sourdough baking, gardening, and food preservation. With over 25 years of hands-on experience she has preserved hundreds of jars of produce, mastered the art of meats and sourdough baking, and nurtured a thriving organic garden. Her recipes and articles have been featured across the web. And she’s passionate about inspiring others to embrace a simpler, self-sufficient life style.
