Vegan Hawaiian Rolls  (2024)

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These Vegan Hawaiian Rolls are sweet, fluffy, and taste just like the original store-bought rolls. They’re naturally free of animal products and easy to make at home with just 9 staple ingredients!

Vegan dinner rollsare one of our favorite dinner sides. They’re the perfect vehicle for mopping upsoupsandpasta sauces, balancing lightsalads, and accompanying our favorite vegan proteins likeCrispy Tofu,Vegan Chicken Parmesan, andVegan Ham. They’re even great for making mini sandwiches and sliders filled withVegan Deli Meatand your favorite gooey vegan cheese.

And while ourGarlic Herb Dinner Rolls,Fluffy Potato Rolls, andVegan Pandesalwill certainly do the trick, we’ve been missing the classic King’s Hawaiian Rolls from our childhood. After much recipe testing, we’re stoked to be bringing you a homemade version that’s not only vegan-friendly but tastes almost identical to the iconic sweet rolls.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Vegan butter:Any vegan butter of choice will work well in this recipe. We have not yet tested this recipe using oil, but it may work well. If you’d like to experiment, we’d recommend using a neutral-tasting oil such as avocado oil, vegetable oil, or refined coconut oil.
• Non-dairy milk:For the best flavor you will want to use plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk. If it is overly sweetened or contains a vanilla flavor, it will affect the final flavor of the bread rolls.
• Sugar:Brown sugar gives these sweet rolls their classic flavor, while the molasses also keeps the dough incredibly soft and fluffy by adding additional moisture.
• Yeast:We make our homemade bread rolls using active dry yeast. If you’d like to use instant yeast or rapid-rise yeast, use slightly less, about 2 teaspoons.
• Pineapple juice:Adds additional sweetness and moisture, and contributes to the sweet, unique flavor profile of Hawaiian rolls.
• Flour:We have only tested this recipe using all-purpose flour. If you are looking for vegan and gluten-free recipes, check out ourgluten-free recipesthat are well-tested with gluten-free ingredients!
• Baking powder:In addition to the active dry yeast, baking powder helps give these homemade bread rolls an additional rise to make them as soft and fluffy as possible.

Equipment Needed

• Mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Spatula or wooden spoon
• Kitchen towels or plastic wrap
• 9×13″ baking dish

How to Make Vegan Hawaiian Rolls

1. Mix the warm milk mixture.In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the melted vegan butter and lukewarm non-dairy milk. Make sure the mixture is slightly warm to the touch. Whisk in the brown sugar until dissolved.
2. Activate the yeast.Sprinkle the yeast into the warm milk mixture and set aside to activate, about 10 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy.
3. Combine the dry ingredients.In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
4. Pour in the wet ingredients.Into the bowl with the flour mixture, add the yeast mixture, pineapple juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until a smooth dough ball forms, using your hands as necessary.
5. Knead for 5-10 minutes.Transfer the Hawaiian roll dough to a clean, floured surface. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes, adding additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. After 5-10 minutes, the dough should be smooth and bounce back once poked.
6. Rise the dough for 1 hour.Once the dough is smooth, place the dough into an oiled bowl, tossing once to coat the dough in oil, then cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Place the dough in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
7. Form into 12 individual dough balls.Once the dough has risen, divide it into 12 equal pieces and form into individual dough balls. Evenly arrange in a lightly greased 9×13″ baking dish.
8. Cover for a second rise.Cover the baking dish with a damp towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise once again for another hour.
9. Brush the rolls with milk.After an hour, uncover the rolls and brush with the non-dairy milk (reserve the butter for after baking) and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until golden brown and shiny.
10. Serve.Brush the baked rolls with the remaining melted vegan butter and serve immediately while warm. Enjoy!

Storage and Freezing Instructions

Leftover rolls will keep for up to 3 days tightly covered at room temperature. Alternatively, baked rolls can be frozen in an airtight freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. To help prevent freezer burn, remove as much air from the bag as possible before storing.

Recipe FAQs

Make sure you tag us on Instagram@sweetsimpleveganand@consciouschrisand hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos!

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