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One bite of these Sourdough Discard Hawaiian Rolls, and you’ll be hooked! Light, fluffy, and so much better than the store-bought version, they’re the ultimate dinner roll that your family will love!
Made with plenty of sourdough discard and instant yeast, these rolls are surprisingly quick and easy to make. As a discard recipe, they are a quicker alternative to my favorite Sweet Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls that are made with 100% sourdough. These rolls are so incredible, I know you will love them for an average weeknight or even to serve at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
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Why You’ll Love Sourdough Discard Hawaiian Rolls
- Soft and Fluffy – The texture of these rolls is truly unmatched! I’m a sucker for a soft dinner like these Soft Sourdough Potato Dinner Rolls. You’ll love how Sourdough Discard Hawaiian rolls have the perfect soft and fluffy texture.
- Perfect for Sandwiches – Just like my Soft White Rolls with Sourdough Discard, these Hawaiian rolls make excellent sandwiches–especially with leftover ham or turkey!
- Easy Discard Recipe – Just like my One Hour Sourdough Discard Rolls, this is an easy discard recipe that uses commercial yeast to speed up the rise time without compromising on the sourdough flavor.
- Sweet and Flavorful – Adding canned pineapple juice to the recipe makes for a sweeter dough. If you want another alternative for a sweeter dinner roll, try these Honey Butter Sourdough Discard Rolls.
Important Ingredients
- Sourdough Discard: A lot of sourdough discard is used in this recipe. I use discard where the starter has been fed equal weights of flour and water (100% hydration). The older the discard, the more sour tang will be prevalent in these rolls. If you don’t want any sour flavor, use a fresher discard.
- Pineapple Juice: One of the unique things about Hawaiian rolls is the sweeter dough, made possible by canned pineapple juice (and brown sugar). Use any brand of canned pineapple juice or even drain the juice from a can of sliced or diced pineapple to use in this recipe. Do NOT use fresh pineapple juice – it will break down the gluten in the dough and cause a big sticky mess.
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is my favorite oil for very soft bread. I don’t find a strong coconut forward flavor in these rolls, but it helps create the soft texture – just like my soft sourdough discard french bread and sourdough sandwich bread.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Substitutions
- Egg: An egg enriches the dough for this recipe, but you can leave it out if you prefer – hold back a little extra flour and add it in as needed to compensate.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar enhances the sweet flavor of this dough. You could reduce the amount or leave it out if you want a less sweet Hawaiian roll.
- Instant Yeast: Substitute dry active yeast for the instant yeast or completely leave out the instant yeast and substitute active sourdough starter for sourdough discard.
- Flour: I almost always use a 12.5% protein bread flour for any bread that I am kneading. The higher protein content and properly activating the gluten results in a lighter/springy baked good. If you don’t have bread flour on hand, you can add a Tablespoon of vital wheat gluten to all-purpose flour to increase the protein content.
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is my favorite oil for very soft bread. I don’t find a coconut forward flavor in this bread, but if you are sensitive to it, you may notice it. Substitute for any neutral-flavored oil or increase the amount of butter if desired.
Make this recipe 100% Sourdough by leaving out the instant yeast and substituting active, bubbly sourdough starter for the sourdough discard. Check out my recipe for Sweet Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls or make my easy Sourdough Dinner Rolls – both 100% sourdough, naturally fermented recipes.
Sourdough Discard Tip: I keep a jar in my fridge that I continually add sourdough discard to. Discard is a by-product of your sourdough starter and there is no reason to throw it away. Instead, use it in incredible sourdough discard recipes where it adds moisture and great flavor. I use older, more tangy discard in savory recipes like these sourdough cheddar biscuits and young/fresh discard in sweet recipes like my favorite sourdough oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Hawaiian Rolls
Mix the Dough
Step 1: Mix & Knead the Dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine sourdough discard, pineapple juice and instant yeast. Let it activate for a minute until you can smell a yeasty smell and see the yeast beginning to activate. Add egg, vanilla extract, brown sugar, salt, and bread flour. (Image 1). Knead for about 8-10 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth (Image 2).
Kneading by Hand: If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can easily knead this dough by hand by combining the ingredients in a bowl and kneading for 10-12 minutes until a smooth, cohesive dough forms.
First Rise
Step 2: First Rise/Proof. Place the dough in a container and let the dough rise for about 1 – 1 1/2 hours until it is puffed up and just about doubled in size.
Shape the Rolls
Step 3: Shape the Hawaiian Rolls. Dump the risen dough onto a countertop and use a bench knife to cut the dough into 12 equal pieces, about 85 grams each (Images 4 & 5). Pull and pinch each piece of dough into a ball and roll each dough ball on the counter to create a smooth ball (Image 6). Place all 12 balls of dough in a baking dish, fitting the rolls next to each other (Image 7).
Proof Dough/Second Rise
Step 4: Second Rise/Proofing: Place the pan of rolls in a warm spot until the dough has risen and just about doubled in size (Image 8).
Note: If your rolls aren’t rising, set them in a warmer place. Even though this recipe uses instant yeast, cold ingredients can slow the rise time. An oven with a light on or a dough mat works well to help your rolls rise.
Egg Wash and Bake
Step 5: Egg Wash & Bake. Mix together one egg with a splash of water and brush the risen rolls with egg wash if desired (Image 9). Bake for about 18-20 minutes at 400ºF until baked all the way through and golden brown (Image 10). Brush the tops of these soft rolls with melted butter for more shine if desired.
How to Store Leftovers
These rolls taste best warm. I recommend freezing them in an airtight container or ziplock after they have cooled. Re-heat when you’re ready to enjoy them again.
Amy’s Recipe Tip
These Sourdough Discard Hawaiian Rolls are so soft and tender on their own, but they also make incredible buns for sliders. One of my favorite appetizers or side dishes to bring to a party are these melty swiss cheese and black forest ham mini-sandwiches.
This is the recipe I follow:
Separate 8-10 slices swiss cheese and 8-10 slices black forest ham and set aside. Mix together honey mustard in a small bowl. Whisk together butter topping in a small bowl.
Honey Mustard:
- 4 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon honey
Butter Topping:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons everything but the bagel seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
Slice rolls in half. Spread honey mustard on the inside of both halves of the rolls. Place the bottom of the rolls in a 9 by 13 baking pan. Layer ham and swiss cheese on the rolls. Place the top of the roll on top of the ham/swiss. Brush the butter topping on top of all the rolls. Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 350ºF for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes. Enjoy warm!
Frequently Asked Questions
I think these rolls taste better than the store-bought version! Store-bought Hawaiian rolls have a lot of preservatives and “extras” (dough enhancers) in them, which is difficult to replicate at home. I prefer this homemade version which tastes so soft and has a delicious sweetness without all the additives of the store-bought versions.
I love eating them warm with a little bit of butter. They are also delicious with ham and cheese as a sandwich. Find the instructions for my favorite way to eat them in my Recipe Tip section above.
Yes! Just substitute active starter for the discard. Leave out the instant yeast and give a longer time between rises. Bake the rolls once they have doubled in size and are light, airy and puffy – or use my recipe for 100% sourdough Hawaiian rolls instead.
Sourdough Roll Recipes
If you tried these Sourdough Discard Hawaiian Rolls or any other recipe on my website leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Happy Baking!
Sourdough Discard Hawaiian Rolls
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Ingredients
Sourdough Discard Hawaiian Rolls
- 200 grams sourdough discard, heaping 3/4 cup
- 200 grams canned pineapple juice, about 3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons, see recipe notes
- 10 grams instant yeast, about 1 Tablespoon
- 1 large egg, about 50 grams
- 30 grams coconut oil, melted, about 2 Tablespoons
- 5 grams vanilla extract, about 1 teaspoon
- 70 grams brown sugar, about 1/3 cup
- 7 grams salt, about 1 teaspoon
- 475 grams bread flour 12.5% protein, about 3 1/3 cups
Topping (Optional)
- egg wash (one egg plus splash of water), optional
- Butter for topping rolls, optional
Instructions
- Knead Dough: To the bowl of a stand mixer add sourdough discard, pineapple juice and instant yeast. Let the instant yeast activate for a minute. You will notice a yeasty smell and the yeast beginning to dissolve. Add the egg, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, brown sugar and salt. Add 415 grams of bread flour, holding back about 60 grams (scant 1/2 cup). Turn the mixer on and knead the dough together. Mix until completely combined and the dough feels tacky (not super sticky) and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining flour as needed – making sure to not add too much flour to the dough as different brands of flour absorb liquid differently.Knead together for 8-10 minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth. The dough should be tacky to the touch, not overly sticky. If it is very sticky, add a little bit more flour, about 1 Tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the mixer and stick in a medium-sized bowl or container to rise.
- First Rise: Cover the dough and set in a warm place for about 1 – 1 1/2 hours to rise. The dough should just about double in size during tha t time. If it hasn't doubled in this amount of time, place it in a warmer spot and give it a little bit more time. Colder dough will take longer to rise.
- Shaping: Line a 9 by 13 pan with parchment paper. Dump the risen dough onto a countertop. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces, about 85 grams each. Take each piece of dough and pull/pinch up the sides until it forms a ball. Roll the ball on the counter using your hand in a cupping shape to seal the balls and create tension for the roll to rise. Place in the pan, fitting the rolls snuggling next to each other in a 4 by 3 grid.
- Proofing: Cover the pan with a plastic wrap or a dish towel and place in a warm spot until the dough has risen, puffed up and just about doubled in size place until puffed up. Do not bake these rolls if they have not risen.
- Baking: Place a baking stone or baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven to prevent the bottom of the rolls from burning. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Whisk together one egg with a splash of water in a small bowl and brush the risen rolls with egg wash. Bake for about 18-20 minutes until baked all the way through. Brush melted butter on top of the warm rolls and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
are these rolls supposed to bake on the middle rack of the oven or the bottom rack (directly on the baking stone)? I’ve made these twice now and both times the tops of the rolls have burned while the bottoms aren’t even browned. I baked them on the middle rack.
Middle rack – If you are having issues with the tops burning, then I suggest lightly covering the top with foil to protect them from browning too quickly.
Hi, I’ve made the active Hawaiian bread recipe before (delish!) and I wanted to try this discard recipe, but I noticed it doesn’t have potato flakes. Is that something that I can still add?
You could add potato flakes to this if you want to. You will want to adjust the liquid a bit because the potato flakes will absorb more of the liquid, so be prepared to drizzle in a bit more liquid as the dough mixes together.
question. can you make the rolls and keep refriderated overnight and let the 2nd rise happen the next day?
Because these rolls have commercial yeast, I think they should be okay to have the second rise in the fridge overnight.
This recipe is PERFECT! For someone new to sourdough, I made so many of these to get my confidence up. I still make so many because they’re amazing.
Amy—any tips or recommendations on making hamburger buns instead of rolls?
Thanks for the review. I’ve heard another commenter turned these into buns without modifying anything.
Hi Amy,
Can I individually quick freeze the dough balls and bag them up? I have an event and need to prepare 500 of them. Could I take them out of the freezer for the second rise and bake, or would it be best to bake and then freeze them?
Thank you!
I would look at this guide to making rolls ahead of time. If I were preparing that many rolls, I would probably make them ahead of time and freeze them in order to not feel rushed baking them before the event. That timing will depend on your schedule though. I think either way would work!
Thank you Erika, that was very helpfull
Happy baking!