What's a 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. I dare anyone to believe they're gluten free!
It's so funny how we seem to miss something more when it's gone. Am I right? This theory really held true when I found out I had Celiac. At Thanksgiving, I'd always fill up on the turkey and all the other sides and would never have room for a roll. All of a sudden, though, when rolls are taken away from me, I found myself really craving rolls! And good rolls, too, not little balls of weirdly textured crap. Who's with me????
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 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.
- A small bowl or container with a lid -- I keep this filled with extra gluten free bread flour blend as my "bench" flour, to be sprinkled liberally on the counter as needed.
- 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.
- 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 -- his 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!
SEPARATING AND WEIGHING THE ROLLS
If you've been around the blog a while, you might have tried my ultimate gluten free cinnamon rolls. If not, you really should because they're AMAZING! That very same dough is what I use for these Hawaiian rolls. It's such a versatile dough and is so easy to work with!
After making the dough and allowing it to chill in the fridge for a while, divide it into small portions, about 1.5-2 ounces (about 56 grams) each. Weighing them will ensure equal size for each roll, which also ensures even baking.
ROLLING THE DOUGH INTO BALLS
I learned how to roll dough into smooth, tight balls for individual rolls from a class I took on Craftsy by the master of bread baking, Peter Reinhart. It works very similarly with this gluten free dough as it does with wheat dough.
Cup your hand into a "C" shape around the dough with the outside of your hand (closest to your pinky) always in contact with the counter. Only using a tiny sprinkling of flour so the roll doesn't completely stick to the counter (you want some friction), roll into balls in a counterclockwise motion. If you're left-handed it would be clockwise. Once it's in a smooth ball, place it in a baking pan. If it's slightly stuck to the surface, use your bench scraper to release it.
Once you've formed all of your rolls, let them rise in a warm, draft-free area, until doubled in size, about an hour or two, depending on the temperature of your proofing area.
BAKING THE ROLLS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. When the rolls have finished rising, brush them ever so gently (so as not to deflate them) with melted butter. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and they spring back when lightly touched.
The texture and flavor of these rolls is so SPOT ON like the well-known Hawaiian rolls everyone loves. Soft and squishy, just like real gluten-filled rolls, with a sweeter side. I use them for anything and everything--dinner rolls of course, slider buns, party sandwiches--you name it!!!
MAKING THE ROLLS AHEAD OF TIME
You can make this sweet dough ahead and keep it in the fridge for 3 days. OR you can shape and freeze the rolls prior to baking. Shape the dough into rolls and place them in the baking pan. Cover with two layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of heavy-duty foil. Freeze for up to one month.
The day before baking, take them out of the freezer and put them in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Remove from the fridge and allow time for their final rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in volume. Bake as instructed. These are great for make-ahead Thanksgiving rolls!!
You can also freeze already baked rolls. Bake them as instructed, allow to cool completely, and wrap as above. To thaw, leave them sit on counter, still wrapped. When ready to serve, cover with foil and place in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Or to reheat individually, wrap in slightly damp paper towel and place in the microwave for about 20 seconds.
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
GLUTEN FREE SWEET DOUGH
- 3½ cups (495 g) Kim's gluten free bread flour blend (for dairy free use pea protein, coconut protein, soy protein, or other whey protein alternative)
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tbsp plus 1½ teaspoon (24 g) instant (bread machine or fast acting) yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups (300 ml) milk (for dairy free use almond, coconut, or other dairy free milk alternative)
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks or 169 g) butter, softened or melted (for dairy free use coconut oil or dairy-free butter alternative)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- melted butter for brushing (about 2 tbsp)
Instructions
- Blend all dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer using a handheld whisk. With the paddle attachment OR the dough hook, begin mixing on low speed and slowly pour milk into dry ingredients, followed by lightly beaten eggs. Add softened or melted butter, a little at a time, until all is incorporated.
- Increase speed to medium high and beat for about 5 minutes (set a timer and walk away).
- Remove dough hook or paddle attachment and scrape dough into a rough ball in center of bowl (or dump into another bowl). Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free area until doubled or tripled in volume, roughly 2 hours.
- Place bowl in refrigerator and allow dough to chill for at least 6 hours, or up to 3 days.
- Remove dough from the refrigerator and knead briefly on very 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 or larger 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 warm, draft-free area for about an hour, or until doubled in size. Depending on temperature, it could take longer than an hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- 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.
Notes
- It's always best to weigh ingredients over measuring them in volume because you may get different results by volume.
- To freeze unbaked rolls, form balls and place in pan. Wrap in double layer of plastic wrap followed by heavy-duty foil. Freeze for up to one month. Thaw in fridge overnight before proceeding with the final rise and baking.
- To make garlic butter cheese rolls, to melted butter add ½ teaspoon garlic powder and 1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese. Brush over rolls after baking.
- Make sweet/salty rolls by sprinkling with flake salt after brushing with butter when they come out of the oven. The salt helps balance the sweetness and is really a favorite of ours.
This post was originally created on November 18, 2018 and has been updated with new pictures, new tips and tricks, and a video.
Pamela Price
Can you put 2 pans in oven at once? Top and bottom rack to cook all the same time.
JoZ
These are some of the most amazing rolls I’ve ever had! I have made them so many times I’ve lost count and They’ve never once failed me! However this weekend for Easter I want to make them on Saturday and then cook them Sunday and I just wanted to make sure I could go ahead make them put Them in the 9 x 13 pan refrigerate then pull out on Sunday morning and let rise and bake?? I just have so much other things to do on Sunday I don’t want to have to do anything but cook them thanks so much for your response!
Kim
Absolutely!! I do it all the time. I'm doing it Saturday with my cinnamon rolls for Sunday morning, too 😍
JoZ
These are some of the most amazing rolls I’ve ever had! I have made them so many times I’ve lost count and I’ve never once failed me! However this weekend for Easter I want to make them on Saturday and then cook them Sunday and I just wanted to make sure I could go ahead make them put them in my not by
Kathy Schild
Can I make half of the recipe?
Kim
Absolutely!
Allie Altman
I have made this recipe twice now - once with no substitutions, and most recently using pea and quinoa protein in place of whey protein, and oat milk in place of regular milk. The first time was absolutely AMAZING! The second time, everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. My stand mixer broke and I had to mix by hand, and the rolls wouldn't rise before baking. However, even whey free, they turned out DELICIOUS! Much smaller than my first batch, but I am so impressed by this recipe.
I'll be trying this recipe again this weekend when my replacement stand mixer arrives, and can't wait to see the results! Thanks, Kim!
Kim
I'm so glad they still worked with everything working against you! Please let me know how they come out once your new stand mixer arrives 🙂
Donna Antaramian
Made these this week - they were delicious but like the artisan bread mine was very sticky. It stayed in the frig over night but I did notice this recipe had no Psyllium Husk. Should try adding some next time. BTW I made ham and cheese sliders for non GF people and they could not tell the difference.
Sandra G
Hi Kim. I see some of your sweeter recipes use the updated cinnamon roll dough (includes psyllium husk) and a little more liquid, while others (like these Hawaiian rolls) do not have psyllium husk (and they have a little less liquid). Is it safe to assume that, if this is the only difference, then you just didn't update them all? Alternatively , is there some reason that some have psyllium and others don't? I'm not asking about recipes that are entirely different. I'm only asking about those that are exactly the same , except some have psyllium and about 1/4 cup more liquid, while others don't.
Also, I would LOVE it if you could put a page on your site in which you have colums showing which recips foll under which doughs. For example, there's one dough (let's call it your sweet dough) that would have under it cinnamon rolls, brioche, and babka, etc. It would be especially helpful, because, here at my house, it's mostly just hubby and myself. I would like to make several things when I make a batch of dough, and then I would freeze things.
Thank you so much for all you have done here!!!
Kim
Great minds think alike, Sandra! I've already been thinking about making a "master dough" page of sorts for all the doughs I make that can be used for several different recipes. It's in the works 😊
You are exactly right about the psyllium husks. I just haven't had the time to go back through my older recipes and update them with that info. Good catch 😊😊😊
Tiffany
Thank you Kim!!! You are an absolute genius!
Wanted to let other readers know that I subbed out half of the milk with pineapple juice and it gives these rolls a little tangy extra. They are earth-shatteringly good either way!
Kim
Awe, you're too kind, Tiffany! Thank you so much 🥰🥰🥰
Lori Harrison
Hi, just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your recipes and blog. I have Celiac Disease and my son has severe, life threatening food allergies to peanuts & tree nuts. I had to teach myself how bake allergy free many years ago, before there was a plethora of products available. So, I know the time, patience, and dedication it takes to learn, develop, and bake gluten free, allergy free baked goods- that actually taste good. I tried many years ago to make cinnamon rolls, but couldn't get the right consistency. Your recipe is spot on and just amazing. I'm also diabetic , so I don't make these frequently, but when I do, they are a show stopper.
Also wanted to let you know that I have tried some other blends - just out of urgency, when I didn't have your blend made up. Pillsbury worked well, and Bloomfield Farms all purpose (an allergy free blend) worked as well. Your blend definitely provides the best results- hands down. Just wanted to share that in a pinch, a few others worked. I also substitute the milk with extra creamy oat milk, Flores vegan butter for the butter, and egg replacer powder for 1 egg, carbonated water for the 2nd egg. I hope this helps anyone who has severe food allergies and wanted to know how to replace some of the other ingredients. Thanks for your hard work and sharing your recipes. I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate what you do.
Thanks again for shsrin
Kim
Thanks so much for your kind words! And I appreciate your information about the other flour blends and vegan options. I need to try the vegan egg replacements for when my daughter comes to dinner (she is a vegan). 😍
Judy H
Thank You so much for your substitutions information! I have egg & dairy allergies, so I was ecstatic to read your comment,
You and Kim have let me know I can do this!
Janelle
You are my favorite holiday go to. We have made your cinnamon rolls the last three years and my kids are starting to anticipate them. I will be doing your rolls this year and I’m so excited to try them! Being dairy free I have used powdered coconut milk in your flour recipe. I think it has served us well, I don’t think I can taste the coconut. I am going to compare it to pea protein though and I’ll let you know!
Kim
If you're dairy free just because of lactose, whey protein isolate is lactose free. Just an FYI in case this applies to you 🙂
Sandra G
Do you use the same amt by weight, just subbing coconut milk powder for the protein powder? Then what do you do about the milk called for in the dough? Do you use a nondairy milk? If so, is there a particular one that has yielded good results? BTW have you happened to try a nondairy protein powder in the dry recipe? I usually use the dairy, but I want to make a nondairy one too, and it would be so great to know what has actually worked for people. TIA
Becky Richards
I have been making these the last 2 years and they are awesome! I truly appreciate the recipe. I was typing up a clean copy of my messy recipe and noticed that the numbers on the bread flour blend are different from my copy in 2019. Have you tweaked the flour mix since then? I also noticed that the new numbers dont actually add up to the grams in the top column showing the 5/10/15 cups. Ive had such good luck with my previous version, I didn't want to make the change till I double checked the math. Thank you for your help on this!
I use these rolls for rolls and cinnamon rolls and monkey bread. Your recipes are wonderul! Thank you!
Kim
Hi, Becky! Yes, I did tweak the numbers very slightly because someone had pointed out that the math didn't add up to the old numbers. The new numbers are correct (the math adds up to equal 700 g, 1400 g, etc., and your rolls won't be affected at all by this minor amount. I've made each of them dozens of times with the "new" numbers and there's no discernable difference in the outcome. Hope this helps! Thanks, Becky 😍
Antoiinette Kelleher
Hi. I've never made these, but I'm looking for a great dough to use for Manapua, which I haven't had since leaving Hawaii 20 years ago, not to mention going GF shortly after that! Do you think this would work, or would it be too sweet, and if so, will cutting down on the sugar dramatically change the texture of the finished product? Sorry, I know that's a lot. But I would love to make them soon!
Mary
I haven't found a gluten free roll I can get to rise. I'll have to try this version.
holly hon
Kim, have you tried to add tangzhong to this recipe? I am wondering if it will allow the baked rolls to stay soft and moist longer. Thanks.
Kim
I haven't yet, but I bet it would work wonderfully!!
Jane Oswaks
Amazing....thank you so much for this recipe. Just made them for Thanksgiving (tomorrow)....our daughter is celiac and a couple more guests are gluten intolerant. They are very much like Parkerhouse rolls and they are incredibly delicious sprinkled with flaky Maldon Sea Salt!
Donna Repp
Can you use the tangzhong method with this bread? Your recipe for the sofest gf rolls ever, can these be dinner rolls? Bake time?
Kim
I haven't tried it, but I'm sure it would work. I'm in the process of creating another dinner roll that should be posted this week if you can hold on until then.
Donna
I have the roll mixture in the refrigerator right now. I used your roll recipe that makes hot dog and hamburger buns, but I’m going to make them into dinner rolls.
Where will I find your new dinner roll recipe after you post it?
Donna
They turned out great! Can’t wait have my grandson try them on thanksgiving.
Can I use the tangzhang method for the cinnamon rolls. I want to make the tomorrow.
Kim
You should be able to, but I've never tried it so I can't say with any certainty.