A vegan version of the very popular Hawaiian Rolls, my Vegan Hawaiian Rolls are soft, fluffy with just enough sweetness. A delicious side to any meal.
Soft, fluffy and slightly sweet, these Vegan Hawaiian Rolls are a delicious side to any meal. Perfect for the upcoming holiday gatherings!
Looking for more Thanksgiving dishes? Try my Cranberry Pecan Stuffing or Cardamom Pumpkin Pie.
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Ingredients
These rolls are a potato based bread. In addition to all purpose flour this dough contains potato flakes or flour. This is what gives the bread the fluffy, squishy texture associated with potato rolls. The addition of pineapple juice and brown sugar is what gives the rolls the unmistakable sweet flavor of Hawaiian Rolls.
- instant yeast
- water
- canned pineapple jucie
- brown sugar
- non dairy butter
- flax eggs
- vanilla
- all purpose flour
- potato flakes
- salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- potato flakes - you can use potato flour instead of potato flakes. Use 2 tablespoons of potato flour.
- fresh pineapple juice - to use fresh pineapple juice heat to 200 degrees then cool to room temperature. This will kill enzymes that break down gluten and prevent proper rise.
How to make Vegan Hawaiian Rolls
Making these rolls is not overly difficult. Although this is a sweet dough so it does take a bit longer to proof than basic bread recipes.
In a stand mixer combine water, pineapple juice, brown sugar, yeast, non dairy butter, flax eggs, vanilla and potato flakes. Add flour to form dough.
Knead dough for 5 minutes until dough springs back to the touch. Lightly grease bowl and cover to allow dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
Once dough has risen, deflate and transfer to a floured work surface. Cut dough into 16 even pieces and shape into small balls. Place balls in a greased baking dish. Cover and let rise again until doubled, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush the tops of rolls with non dairy milk to help brown. Bake for 20-25 minutes. After baking brush tops with melted non dairy butter if desired. Cool briefly before removing from pan and serving.
Top Tip
This dough is a bit sticky making it a bit tricky to handle. Avoid adding too much flour to prevent dense rolls. Instead lightly oil your hands and work surface to make handling the dough easier, if needed.
Equipment
You'll need a baking dish of some sort to bake the rolls in. We use an 8x8 dish. A mixer is helpful for making the dough, but you can also knead by hand.
Storage
Store rolls in an airtight container on the counter. Good for 2-3 days.
To make ahead of time and freeze, bake the rolls then cool completely. Separate rolls and freeze individually in an airtight container or freezer bag. Good for up to 3 months.
Common Questions
Yes, the recipe was created by Robert Taira in Hilo, Hawaii in the 1950s. The recipe is based on Portuguese sweet bread traditions that were brought to the islands by immigrants.
Hawaiian bread is soft, light and sweet in flavor due to the addition of sugar, pineapple juice and butter.
They are similar. Both are enriched doughs, but Hawaiian Rolls have more sugar and pineapple juice. Brioche have a higher butter content so the rolls are rich and dense.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Vegan Hawaiian Rolls:
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think! Leave a review and rating in the comments below. This helps me continue to provide great recipes for you.
Recipe
Vegan Hawaiian Rolls
Equipment
- stand mixer optional
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp ground flax seed
- 4 tablespoon water
- ½ cup canned pineapple juice
- ½ cup water
- 1 packet instant yeast
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup non dairy butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ½ - 4 cups all purpose flour
- 4 tablespoon potato flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon non dairy milk
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together ground flax seeds and 4 tablespoon of water. Set aside to thicken.
- In a stand mixer combine water, pineapple juice, brown sugar, yeast, non dairy butter, flax eggs, vanilla and potato flakes. Mix using flat beater. Add half of flour and salt and mix again. Add remaining flour until a soft dough forms. The dough will be sticky at this point. Switch to dough hook.
- Knead dough for 5 minutes until dough springs back to the touch. Lightly grease a bowl and cover to allow dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
- Once dough has risen, deflate and transfer to work surface. Cut dough into 16 even pieces and shape into small balls. Place balls in a greased baking dish. Cover and let rise again until doubled in size again, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush the tops of rolls with non dairy milk to help brown. Bake for 20-25 minutes until deeply golden brown on the tops.
- After baking brush tops with melted non dairy butter, if desired. Cool briefly before removing from pan and serving.
Notes
- This dough is a bit sticky making it a bit tricky to handle. Avoid adding too much flour to prevent dense rolls. Instead lightly oil your hands and work surface to make handling the dough easier
- You can use potato flour instead of potato flakes. Use 2 tablespoons of potato flour.
- To use fresh pineapple juice first heat to 200 degrees then cool to room temperature. This will kill enzymes that break down gluten and prevent proper rise.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!