Hawaiian Sweet Bread–Style Dinner Rolls
- MakesMakes 15 rolls
- Cook Time4½ hours
- Active time plus cooling45 minutes active, plus cooling
From its small-town roots in Hilo, Hawaii, King’s Hawaiian Sweet Bread has become a mainland favorite. This is our homemade dinner roll version that delivers the characteristic soft, sweet, feathery crumb. (For a sandwich loaf, see the recipe below.) King’s doesn’t use pineapple juice, but it is called for by a number of copycat recipes. We found it provides depth without adding fruitiness. Milk powder contributes to a loftier rise, making the crumb light and tender, and promotes deeper browning. The rolls are best the day of baking, but they keep for a day or two at room temperature and will hold for up to a week in the refrigerator. To rewarm, wrap in foil and place in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.
Don’t use fresh pineapple juice, which contains bromelain, an enzyme that will affect gluten development. Pasteurized pineapple juice—whether canned, bottled or in a carton—has been heat-treated, which deactivates the bromelain.
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