What's Thanksgiving dinner without a basket of soft, fluffy dinner rolls? These gluten free Hawaiian rolls will satisfy your cravings for those buttery rolls we've all been missing.
Gluten Free Hawaiian Rolls were originally published on November 14, 2019 and have been updated with new pictures, a new technique, and a new video.
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This recipe has been on the blog for a while now and has been a top recipe, especially around the holidays. Everyone loves a good Hawaiian roll, right? Those soft and fluffy, perfectly sweet rolls are probably the most purchased rolls in all the stores. It was certainly the roll I never thought I'd have again.
But as with most of my recipes, it's just a matter of time before I figure out a way to create those foods I love and miss. And Hawaiian rolls are no exception. When I first made the cinnamon roll dough and it was successful, I KNEW it would be so perfect for an unlimited amount of recipes, ranging from donuts to pepperoni bread and these Hawaiian rolls. Hawaiian rolls are known for being sweet, so it was a no brainer.
tools for making gluten free bread
Every time I begin making gluten free bread of any kind, I gather all my tools that I love to use and would be lost without. You don't have to use these tools, but they will definitely make your gluten free bread baking experience so much easier!
- Cambro 8-quart Round Containers with Lids -- these containers are perfect for all my baking needs. They fit at least 20 cups (2.8kg) each of my flour blends. You may only need a 4-quart or 6-quart, but I like being able to make (and store) a LOT of my flour blends at once.
- Kitchenaid Stand Mixer -- I don't know what I'd do without my Kitchenaid. I use it almost daily, but especially when I make gluten free bread. It's nearly impossible to knead gluten free bread dough by hand and the power of a Kitchenaid mixer is hard to duplicate. It's an investment, but in my opinion it's well worth it. (I've had mine for over 30 years, so they last a LONG time).
- Bench Scraper -- another tool I couldn't live without, a bench scraper makes gluten free bread making so much easier. Bench scrapers lift and scrape the dough off the counter if it sticks, and is also useful in moving flour out of the way.
- Flexible Dough Scraper -- this flexible plastic scraper is one of my essential tools for making gluten free bread. I use it to scrape the dough into one cohesive mass after it's finished mixing, and also for removing the dough from the bowl and dumping it onto the counter. I've taken many classes about baking bread and this is what all the pros use.
- Food Scale -- if you haven't bought a scale by this point, you really should. They're great because you can weigh everything right in the bowl and don't need to break out extra measuring cups. Plus, they're so much more accurate than measuring by volume, not mention they're super cheap!
the ingredients you'll need for these rolls
- Kim's gluten free bread flour blend - there really is no substitute (I would love to tell you otherwise, but sadly nothing else can compare). I know it's an effort in itself to make your own flour blend, but once you use my flour blend you'll understand and be grateful for it.
- Butter - these are buttery soft sweet rolls, so a good amount of butter is in this recipe.
- Baking powder - I always like to add baking powder to my gluten free enriched doughs. It tends to give them a little boost.
- Psyllium husks - these are actually optional, but they do make the dough a little more extensible and, therefore, easier to knead and shape.
- Eggs - eggs add structure, as well as richness.
- Sugar - sugar plays such an important role in baking that many people don't realize. Aside from sweetness, it's primary role is tenderizer. That's what makes these rolls so tender.
- Milk - you can make these rolls with dairy-free milk.
- Salt - balances the sweetness.
let's make gluten free hawaiian rolls
Separate dough into equally-sized pieces (I use my scale for this and weigh 2 ounce portions).
Shape rolls into rounds (see video for how to do this) and scrape from counter using a bench scraper.
Place shaped rolls in a buttered baking dish, each touching one another. Cover and let proof until nearly doubled in size.
Brush proofed rolls with melted butter and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and immediately brush with more melted butter.
Hawaiian Rolls Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can substitute the dairy in this recipe with dairy-free butter and milk. I would not recommend using a liquid oil as a substitute as it will change the hydration amounts.
They are very soft and will stay soft for days at room temperature (up to 5 days). For longer storage, flash freeze individually and then place in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Yes! You can shape them and put them in a freezer-safe pan, cover with two layers of plastic wrap, and freeze. When ready to bake, remove from the freezer and allow them to thaw and proof at room temperature at the same time. Bake as directed.
Why is This Recipe in Grams and Not Cups?
When it comes to gluten free bread baking, or any baking for that matter, it is really essential to have the proper measurements for each ingredient. The only way to assure this is by weight and not volume. One person's cup measurement could be a little different than another person's. By weighing ingredients, every single person will always get the same exact ingredient amounts, which makes for better baking overall and easier troubleshooting if something goes wrong. You wouldn't believe how much time is spent helping bakers troubleshoot bread baking failures, only to find out they didn't weigh their ingredients. Imagine how many new recipes I could be working on in that time instead!
more gluten free rolls and buns
- Gluten Free Crusty French Rolls
- Gluten Free Brioche Buns
- Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns
- Pillowy Soft Gluten Free Dinner Rolls
- Gluten Free English Muffins
- Gluten Free Potato Buns
- Gluten Free Hamburger and Hot Dog Buns
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
Bake up a batch of these gluten free Hawaiian rolls for YOUR Thanksgiving bread basket. You won't miss the store bought ones and no one will ever know they're gluten free!
Gluten Free Hawaiian Rolls
Ingredients
- ½-1 recipe Gluten Free Sweet Dough
- melted butter (for brushing on rolls before and after baking)
Instructions
- Mix the dough and proof as per sweet dough recipe instructions.
- Remove dough from the refrigerator and knead briefly on a well-floured surface, just to create a cohesive, smooth ball. At this point, either divide the dough in half and wrap the other half in plastic wrap for another use, or use the entire batch of dough to make two pans of rolls.
- Divide dough into small portions (each portion should weigh about 1.5-2 ounces each) and roll each into a ball. Place into greased or buttered baking dish (9 by 13-inch).
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size. Depending on ambient temperature, it could take an hour or more.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- When rolls have fully risen, brush with melted butter and bake for 22-25 minutes or until rolls are golden brown and spring back when lightly touched. Brush again with the rest of the melted butter.
Justine says
I made these for Thanksgiving and they were a HUGE hit with the GF members of my family! I froze the leftovers as individual rolls for later use (quick frozen on a cookie sheet and then put them in a baggie). Tonight I pulled out several, let them thaw/rise for several hours, and then baked them. They are just as delicious today! My GF husband thinks he is in heaven! I used your flour blend and followed your very clear instructions exactly as written. Thank you!!!
Betty says
Where is the link for the sweet dough recipe? I can't find it. Takes me to cinnamon bum recipe
Sydney says
I made this earlier today and the recipe was here…now it’s showing the cinnamon roll one. Where did it go?
Kim says
It's the very same recipe (the cinnamon rolls and Hawaiian rolls). I just made the recipe a little more streamlined so it wouldn't be redundant.
Kim says
That IS the sweet dough recipe (the cinnamon roll dough)
Nancy Schmidt says
Just FYI… the dough recipe for Kim’s amazing cinnamon rolls is the same recipe she uses for the Hawaiian rolls, which are incredible! Highly recommend!
Marcia M says
I LOVE the flavor of these rolls, but every time I bake them, the bottoms turn super brown before they're ready. I've tried in both an aluminum and glass pan, sprayed with nonstick spray and both with and without parchment paper. Even tried reducing the heat to 325 and increasing the bake time. Any suggestions?
Kim says
Hmmm, that's a strange one that I haven't come across yet. Do you know if your oven is running hot? Are you putting them lower in the oven?
My suggestion would be to double pan them if you're still having problems. I do that quite often when I want a very delicate, light golden color on the bottom of any baked goods. Just put a sheet pan underneath whatever pan you're baking them in. It should shield the bottoms from getting extra dark.
Hope this helps!
Rita says
How long can you freeze the already baked Hawaiian rolls? After I mixed up the dough, I realized the recipe was for 2 pans and I only need one right now.
Thanks
Kim says
Up to 3 months
Ash says
The flavor is great but mine isn't rising right with the instant yeast. I'm not sure what happened 🙁
J says
Just made these and they turned out amazing! I used KA all purpose bread flour mix and swapped the sugar for honey and they turned out amazing! So light and fluffy! I did add a little more flour maybe a tablespoon-ish. Definitely eyeballed it but still worked great!
Anne says
The dough was runny, added more flour and it only rose a little. Measured everything out.
Kim says
Did you use my flour blend? With superfine or ultrafine white rice flour? Did you substitute anything within it?
Ash says
I had the same issue. I used almond milk and King Arthurs all purpose GF flour. They hardly rose.
Kim says
That is exactly why you're having problems. If you read through the bread flour blend post, you'll see that I very strongly suggest you use my homemade gluten free bread flour blend. I cannot test every single flour blend out there to see if it will work with my recipes, but I can tell you that when I first started out baking gluten free (over 12 years ago), I tried all of those store bought blends for my breads and they were horrible. That's why I created my own blend. I got sick and tired of spending a fortune on a flour blend only for it to not do what I wanted it to. If you use my flour blend, you will see the same results I do. You will be amazed at how amazing these rolls are.
Sara says
If you're searching to do a premade blend (I tried it with premade and the flour blend you make: Cup4Cup original blend is an okay substitute). I will say the flour blend makes a noticeable difference, but if it's not an option at the moment, cup4cup substituted in by weight does result in an alright option
Jodi S says
THESE ARE THE BEST!!!! I am blown away! I made them both plain gf and vegan for my daughter who has over 200 food allergies! She is in heaven🙏. Thank you so much for this and ALL of your recipies. You can’t always know how much it means to some of us who due to extreme medical difficulties need these in our lives. You have made us both super happy today and many other days as well. Bless you, truly!
Kim says
Awe, thank you so much! It gives me SO MUCH JOY to hear that someone is happy from my recipes 🥰🥰🥰