Hawaiian Sweet Bread

Hawaiian Sweet Bread is easy to make at home. A homemade round bread recipe that is soft and slightly sweet, perfect to slice and serve or fill with with spinach dip.

This Kings Hawaiian Round Bread copycat recipe will make a round loaf or dinner rolls. It is a favorite to serve with any Hawaiian inspired dinner or use it to make the most amazing French toast.

Why You Should Make Homemade Hawaiian Bread Recipe

• Budget Friendly: Homemade bread is so much cheaper than buying it from the grocery store. This recipe uses pantry ingredients along with pineapple juice for a sweet bread recipe.
• Great for Entertaining: If you are looking for fluffy rolls for the holidays, this recipe makes the best homemade Hawaiian rolls. It’s also an easy to dough to make into a round loaf to serve warm with butter for an amazing side dish. The delicious sweet pineapple flavor is a classic for serving with party dips and appetizer spreads.
• No Special Equipment Needed: This easy bread recipe can be mixed in a bowl using a dough whisk or wooden spoon, no mixer required.

Ingredients for Hawaiian Sweet Bread Recipe

• All Purpose Flour or Bread Flour
• Instant Dry Yeast or Active Dry Yeast
• Water
• Pineapple Juice – room temperature
• Butter
• Eggs
• Brown Sugar
• Vanilla Extract
• Kosher Salt

Step-By-Step Instructions for Hawaiian Sweet Bread

1. Make the Sponge: Add 1/4 cup of flour, yeast and 2 tablespoons of warm water to a small bowl. Mix well and set aside for 10 minutes
2. Make the Dough: Melt butter and place in a  large mixing bowl with pineapple juice, brown sugar and vanilla. Add 2 whole eggs plus one egg yolk,  reserving 1 egg white in a small bowl for brushing the round loaf. Mix well.
3. Add 3 1/4 cups of flour, salt and the sponge. Mix with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and comes together into a ball.

4. Add additional flour if needed 2 tablespoons at a time. 
5. Knead the Dough: Flour a clean surface. Pour the dough onto the lightly floured surface and knead for 4-5 minutes, adding more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until dough is a smooth ball. 

6. Dough Rise: Grease a large bowl and place dough into the bowl, turning to coat. Cover with a bowl cover or plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for 2 hours. 

To test if the dough is ripe, press 2 fingers into the dough, if the indentation remains when you pull your fingers out, the dough has risen sufficiently.

6. Punch down the dough, kneading out the excess air bubbles. Line a rimmed baking sheet, round cake pan or a pizza pan with parchment paper. 
7. Shaping the Dough: Shape the dough into a round loaf and place onto the prepared pan. 
8. Second Rise: Cover the bread dough with a damp tea towel and set in a warm place to rise, about an hour or until doubled in size.
9. Beat the egg white and brush over the loaf. 

10. Baking: Bake in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until loaf reaches 190° using an instant-read thermometer. If loaf is getting too brown, cover lightly with aluminum foil for the remaining baking time.
11. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool slightly. 
12. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Directions for Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

1. After the first rise, divide the dough into 2 pieces and then divide into 8 equal pieces, making 16 rolls. Shape rolls into balls, tucking under the ends and rolling between your hands to form smooth dough balls. 
2. Place in a greased or parchment paper lined baking pan. Cover with a damp towel and rise for about one hour. 
3. Brush with beaten egg white and bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Storage: Store leftover bread in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature up to 2 days. Freeze up to 3 months.
• Shaping Dinner Rolls: For the best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh the dough balls to create the perfectly sized rolls. 
• Golden Brown Finish: Don’t skip the egg wash, it gives the signature golden brown, shiny finish to the bread.

Serving Suggestions

• Loaf or Rolls: Serve sliced bread or rolls with honey butter for the perfect combination that compliments any meal.
• Slider Rolls: Hawaiian Rolls make amazing brisket and cheese sliders or pineapple pulled pork sliders. 

Hawaiian Bread Bowl for Dip Directions

1. When bread has completely cooled, cut about 1/2 inch circle from the dome top of the loaf with a serrated bread knife.

2. Cut a circle around the inside, leaving at least 1/4 inch of the sides of the bread intact. Slice bread into chunks, carefully removing and set aside in another bowl.

3. Spoon dip into the bread bowl just before serving and serve with reserved bread pieces.

Best Dips to Serve in a Bread Bowl

• Knorr Spinach Dip is a classic appetizer that is delicious served in Hawaiian Round Bread. 
• Hawaiian Onion Dip is a delicious twist on the classic and would be amazing baked up in a bread bowl. 
• Easy Caramelized Onion Dip is another cold dip to serve at any party and is delicious served up in homemade Hawaiian bread. 

More Delicious Appetizer Bread Recipes to Try

• Garlic Bread Bites are tiny dinner rolls that are light and fluffy and full of garlic butter flavor. Great to serve alongside your favorite dips.
• Homemade Pita Bread is a classic to serve  on any Mediterranean Mezze Platter or toast them and serve as chips with your favorite dips.
• Easy Soft Pretzels are a classic appetizer or snack for any occasion and they are so easy to make with just a few basic ingredients.

Make a delicious homemade Hawaiian Sweet Bread loaf or use the soft dough for fluffy Hawaiian sweet rolls, either shape makes a great addition to any dinner or appetizer menu. 

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