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.
Terry says
What whey protein isolate do you use?
Jay O says
Hi! Thanks for sharing your hard work with the world. Fyi... for others who only have weird spreadable "butter" in your fridge (like country crock), it doesn't work. Kim, quick question- do you use your bread flour blend or other gf flour to knead this dough?
Kim says
I always use whatever flour blend is used in the recipe as bench flour. I keep small containers of all my flour blends handy so if I'm rolling out pie crust, I will dust the surface with my AP flour blend and if I'm kneading dough, I will dust the surface with my bread flour blend.
BFlynn says
I do not have a stand mixer. Will this work with a handheld mixer/beater and/or my hands?
Kim says
It should work with a handheld mixer and might work with something like a Danish dough whisk.
Mabel Bond says
Hi Kim! I just wanted to let you know about the last time I made your Hawaiian dough. I made a batch for a church dinner early in November. I only used half of the dough. I totally forgot about the other half being in the fridge until a couple weeks later at Thanksgiving. I pulled it out and made a dozen croissants . They were absolutely amazing ! Even after the dough holding in the fridge for two weeks!
Sarah says
I can’t have refined sugar, can I use coconut sugar I’m place of the sugar? I would assume it would work just fine but thought I’d ask
Kim says
Honestly, I'm not sure it would work. Sugar plays such a major role in this recipe, not just for sweetness but also to feed the yeast AND for tenderness. I haven't worked with coconut sugar before so I don't know if it has the same properties as regular sugar. All I could suggest is try it, then you'll know.
Summer chatwin says
Our favorite roll recipe !! It worked great with Cup for Cup flour
Carrie says
What’s the brand of the cup for cup flour you used?
Kim says
I don't use a store bought blend. I use my own blend, which is linked right within this recipe, right up above here. Click on Kim's gluten free bread flour blend in the recipe card above and you'll find the ingredients needed.
Kaleigh says
I tried making this and used King Arthur, but my dough is so wet and sticky! Not sure what happened 😣
Kim says
Awesome!
Patricia Sutton says
I made the Hawaiian rolls and they were exceptional! I had leftover dough, and I used that to make cheese danish. They were so so good. Thank you so much for this recipe Kim.
Jennifer Ehkers says
Help!!! My dough is incredibly sticky and after 2 hours of no activity I put them into the oven with only the light on as our house is on the cooler side and the dough is still not rising.
Kaleigh says
Same! My dough is soooo sticky.
Joey Hoffman says
Mine was too. I used Kim's bread flour and measured everything on a food scale. Because the dough was so sticky, I couldn't work with them as they were so I oiled my hands and rolled them that way. That worked really well to get them into balls. Mine also didn't rise in the fridge. Maybe my fridge was too cold? I let the, rise on the counter in a warm kitchen for over 2 hours but they still didn't rise much there either. They did rise in the oven - phew. they turned out great anyway.
Kim says
What rice flour did you use in the flour blend? That is usually the culprit with really sticky dough.
Jillian says
THESE ARE SO AMAZING!!! King's Hawaiian Rolls are pretty much the #1 thing I miss from when I was eating gluten. I could eat an entire tray of them to myself. These gluten free rolls are SO CLOSE!! And to be honest, it's probably my fault they're not exact. I used almond milk instead of cow's milk because that's all I had on hand. I will make this recipe forever. THANK YOU!!!!
Kim says
That's awesome, Jillian!!
AmateurGfBaker says
As an experienced baker and cook with regular flour taking on Gluten free recipes seemed scary and daunting. When I bought all the ingredients it kinda sat around for that reason. Lol But this recipe was so easy to make. I thought I messed up when the dough was kinda runny after it mixed but as you mentioned I have to let it mix for the full 5mins and walk away. After it came out the refrigerator it set really well although stil sticky. But nothing flour dusting didn’t fix. They came out amazing. Thank you so much I can’t wait to try your other recipes. 🙂
Laurel says
I’ve made these rolls several times and think they are the absolute best even before I was diagnosed with celiac. Convinced my brother-in-law to try one this Thanksgiving. Got a huge compliment how good they were he said they taste like a regular roll(he doesn’t have to eat gluten free).
Thank you for sharing your recipes!!
Laurel
Jillian Busch says
How do you store them?
Amy says
These were so good! The crust and crumb were perfect. I could only find finely ground brown rice flour. It seemed to work. I had to give it a lot of time to rise but they were very good. I’ve yet to have leftovers to see how long it’s shelf life is. Thank you. You give very good directions.
Angela Schabo says
I am having trouble getting your’ print’ tab to work. Anxious to try this recipe!
Kim says
Hmmm. I just printed 3 recipes from my own site yesterday and didn't have a problem at all. Maybe it's your browser? Could you possibly reboot your device and see if that helps?
Ella B says
These rolls are UNREAL!!! SO DELICIOUS. Follow the recipe EXACTLY and don’t use stone ground white rice flour like I accidentally did the first time. But seriously, Kim, you are amazing I love your recipes!!!
Holly Gottlieb says
How do these Hawaiian Sweet Rolls compare to your Pillowy Soft GF Dinner rolls in terms of taste, texture etc.? I am planning to make one of them for Thanksgiving, but Im not sure which!
Thanks!! Love your website so much!
Kim says
They're definitely sweeter, but not much difference in terms of texture.
Thank you so much for your kind words 🥰
Kim says
Absolutely love these!! 1 of my kiddos has celiac. I'm always trying recipes in attempt to find something that is "normal". This absolutely fits the bill. My teenager didn't believe they were gf. So good and so soft! Thank you for sharing your recipes! I've fallen in love with baking again!
Kim says
Awe, that's great! So happy you're enjoying baking again!!
Valerie Hughes says
Summer's here and I'm missing my Kings Hawaiian Rolls with my BBQ. But Kim you've come to the rescue with this absolutely delish recipe. So easy that my 13 yr old granddaughter made them for me. While she's not good at reading thru the recipe first we didn't know we'd have to wait an extra day for these tasty delights (she missed all the rising instructions). But it was well worth the wait. Thank you. Can't wait to try out more of your recipes!
Kim says
Awe, that's so awesome, Valerie!! So glad you're enjoying them 🥰
Ariana says
These are the best and you are the best Kim!
Thanks a lot ❤️
Greetings from Argentina
Kim says
Awe, thank you so much, Ariana 🥰🥰🥰