Gluten-free Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
You guys. I made gluten-free Hawaiian sweet rolls.
And they were amazing (totally scary for me as it was my first foray into gluten-free bread but I was blown away by how well they turned out) and pretty darn lovely looking, too.
My friend, Nicole, of Gluten Free on a Shoestring fame is coming out with her 3rd gluten-free cookbook and it is entirely dedicated to gluten-free breads.
Which is kinda sorta amazing because when I think “eating gluten-free” I think “how the heck do I get my carb fix?”
Nicole has you covered.
While I don’t eat gluten-free as a lifestyle, I’m all for giving new recipes a try and I’m loving on these Hawaiian sweet rolls.
I can’t believe how accessible making your own gluten-free bread can be! Nicole gives, like, one zillions tips and tricks and step-by-step pictures for everything from bagels to baguettes, tortillas to scones in this new cookbook.
It is revolutionary (like no other gluten-free bread cookbook in the universe, really). You don’t want to mess around with these recipes – Nicole has tested and tested and tested these babies to make them foolproof and following the ingredients and instructions to the letter will ensure fantastic results.
On a personal note, I can count other food bloggers I’ve actually become real, live friends with on one hand.
Nicole? She’s the real deal. She has been a breath of fresh air in the blogging world for me.
She tells it like it is (read: she doesn’t have one fakety fake bone in her body) and I love her blogging guts. I’m so proud of what she’s created here and so honored to help her get the word out about her book.
One Year Ago: Nutella Butterscotch Crumble Bars
Two Years Ago: New York-Style Crumb Cake
Three Years Ago: Sky-Is-The-Limit Pudding Pie
Gluten-free Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Ingredients
Hawaiian Roll Dough:
- 3 cups 420 g Gluten-Free Bread Flour (recipe below), plus more for sprinkling
- 2 teaspoons 6 g instant yeast
- ¼ cup 50 g sugar
- 1 teaspoon 6 g kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons 56 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon pineapple juice
- 1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
- Egg wash, 1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Gluten-Free Bread Flour:
- 100 grams about 11 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose gluten-free flour (71%) (read note above)
- 25 grams about 5 tablespoons unflavored whey protein isolate (18%)
- 15 grams about 5 teaspoons Expandex modified tapioca starch (11%)
High-Quality All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour:
- 42 grams about 1/4 cup superfine brown rice flour (30%)
- 42 grams about 1/4 cup superfine white rice flour (30%)
- 21 grams about 2 1/3 tablespoons tapioca starch (15%)
- 21 grams about 2 1/3 tablespoons potato starch (15%)
- 7 grams about 1 3/4 teaspoons potato flour (5%)
- 4 grams about 2 teaspoons xanthan gum (3%)
- 3 grams about 1 1/2 teaspoons pure powdered pectin (2%)
Make-It-Simpler All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour:
- 90 grams about 9 tablespoons superfine white rice flour (64%)
- 31 grams about 3 1/2 tablespoons potato starch (22%)
- 15 grams about 5 teaspoons tapioca starch (11%)
- 4 grams about 2 teaspoons xanthan gum (3%)
Instructions
- Place the flour, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer, and use a handheld whisk to combine well. Add the salt, and whisk to combine. Add the butter, egg, pineapple juice, and vanilla, and mix on low speed with the dough hook until combined.
- Raise the mixer speed to medium and knead for about 5 minutes. The dough will be quite sticky, but should be smooth and stretchy. Spray a silicone spatula lightly with cooking oil spray, and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl or proofing bucket large enough for the dough to rise to double its size, and cover with an oiled piece of plastic wrap (or the oiled top to your proofing bucket).
- Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours and up to 5 days.
- On baking day, grease an 8-inch round baking pan and set it aside. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Knead until smoother as described below under general shaping tips. With a floured bench scraper, divide the dough into twelve pieces of equal size.
- Shape one piece into a round by following the directions for shaping small, round rolls below. Place the first roll in the prepared baking pan.
- Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough, placing the rolls less than an inch apart from one another. Cover the baking pan with oiled plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm, draft-free location to rise for 30 minutes. Uncover the pan and brush the rolls generously with the egg wash. Allow the rolls to finish rising, uncovered, until fully doubled in size (about 20 minutes more).
- About 20 minutes before the rolls have completed their final rise, preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the baking pan on the lower rack of the preheated oven and bake until lightly golden brown, and the inside of the rolls registers about 185°F on an instant-read thermometer (about 20 minutes).
- Allow to cool briefly in the pan before serving.
Notes
General Shaping Tips:
Unless otherwise noted, always begin on a well-floured surface with floured hands.
1. With the help of an oiled bench scraper, keep moving the dough as you shape it, particularly if it begins to stick to the surface or your hands. The process of kneading the dough in this book will be done using the scrape-and-fold method: Scrape the dough off the floured surface with the bench scraper, then fold the dough over itself. Sprinkle the dough lightly with flour, scrape the dough up again, and fold it over itself again. Repeat scraping and folding in this manner until the dough has become smoother.
2. Keep the outside of the dough and the surface covered in a light coating of flour as you shape the dough. Handle the dough with a light touch to avoid kneading the flour into the dough, which might dry it out and result in a tight, unpleasant crumb.
3. It bears repeating: A light touch is the key. Repeat that to yourself as a mantra as you first learn to shape this bread dough. It’s the most important rule in shaping. More technique, less muscle.
4. You’ll notice that the recipes do not include instructions to allow dough that has been rising in the refrigerator to come to room temperature before shaping. Always begin with cold dough when shaping the dough in this book. It is much easier to shape.
Shaping Small Rolls:
1. On a well-floured surface, flatten the dough into a disk, then pull the edges toward the center of the disk and secure the edges together by pressing them between your thumb and forefinger.
2. Turn the dough over so that the gathered edges are on the bottom and cup your whole hands around the dough, to coax it into a round shape.
3. Place the round of dough on a lightly floured surface and cup only one palm around the dough with the side of your hand resting on the counter (the
side of your hand nearest your pinkie). Maintaining contact between the side of your hand and the surface, begin to move your hand in a circular motion
while gently coaxing the edges of the dough upward (toward the top of the round) with the tips of your fingers.
4. Slash the dough with a sharp knife or lame held at a 45 degree angle to the dough.
Recipe Source: from the book Gluten-Free on a Shoestring Bakes Bread: Biscuits, Bagels, Buns and More by Nicole Hunn. Excerpted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Copyright (c) 2013.
*Giveaway provided by Da Capo Lifelong Books, all opinions expressed are my own!
I have a friend with celiac, and she would LOVE this cookbook. I have managed to feed her successfully a few times, but I have to be super careful…for example, I sometimes dip a measuring cup into both flour and sugar without washing in between, and so all of my sugar is contaminated. One of my successes was your white bean tuna salad–not a lot of chances for cross-contamination there! (AND it’s tasty…)
I’ve been eating gluten free for 3 years now. It really is a hit or miss on many recipes, especially in the beginning, but there are really starting to be a lot more really good gluten free recipes. I’m happy to have several good recipes to replace old favorites, and I would love to try this cookbook.
My mom has Celiac disease, so I have limited experience. I’ve tried lots of her GF things, but mostly when I prepare things for her, I stick with naturally gluten free, rather than using GF flour mixes. Like, I have a chocolate cake roll that is flourless. Or pavlovas. Stuff like that. This book would be so helpful!
I have a good friend from high school with celiac and another friend whose five year old is gluten intolerant. I would pass this book on to one of them most likely. Though I would definitely try a few of the recipes first. 🙂
I’ve actually never tried any gluten free recipes – but I’d love to!
I tried going GF for a whole week, it was SO hard. I am a bread lover. I would love to learn how to make GF bread for my family!
G-Free, yes please. I have lost my love for baking due to my bodies intolerance to gluten. Think its all in the flour combo for the gfree thing and I just havent nailed it yet. awesome giveaway, thanks!
I have yet to try a gluten free recipe but would love to try some recipes.
This cookbook would be like scriptures in our home. Cherished. Sacred. Partially destroyed. Loved.
I am so glad to see her do a book on breads! Her cookbook is the first one I bought when I got diagnosed with Celiac disorder and her cookbooks were a lifesaver. But I miss good bread, so can’t wait to see what she has in these! And the Hawaiian rolls look yummy. Looking forward to making these soon!
Oh boy I am really hoping this recipe/book is as good as you say because I was just lamenting the fact that rolls are the best part of Thanksgiving and gluten free rolls are the one thing I have the most trouble mastering!!! (My husband has celiac’s so we eat gluten free)
My daughter has just figured out that she is gluten intolerant, so I am a brand new beginner! My youngest son and I are also committed to being healthier, so we are trying this also. Thanks for the recipes and this site.
I haven’t had the guts to bake much since going gluten free three years ago. I used to be an avid baker, but I haven’t had the heart to try it much. Nicole’s book makes it look possible.
I am always looking for new gluten free recipes to try for my niece! Thank You!
I find that most of my g-free breads are super dense!! Super annoying. :-/
My mom has had celiac disease for quite some time now but I honestly just look for recipes that don’t call for flour at all… Stir-fry and such! But I know she misses her pastries! Would be fun to give her this cookbook!
Would love to have a baking book with gluten free recipes. I have tried some recipes that worked out well and some that were disappointing.
I can relate to so many of the comments here. I found out I have celiac disease a year ago and two of my four kids have it too. I have found lots of great gluten-free recipes for muffins and cakes and all of the sweet stuff, but I really miss having great bread. I used to make whole-wheat bread all of the time and I would love to start making my own gluten-free bread too! I’d love to get a copy of this book in my hands!
For over a year now, I have been collecting gluten-free/dairy free recipes for a friend who has allergies to both and who struggles to know what to eat. If I won this cookbook, it would be my Christmas gift to her.
I’ve never made anything gluten free. But my sister and her family are coming to spend Thanksgiving with us and she is both gluten and dairy free, so I’m going to have to learn!
We’ve been cooking gluten free for well over a decade now. … I’m constantly amazed at how many more ingredient and recipe options there are these days!
Oh, how I miss the wonderful, comforting smell of fresh bread baking on a Saturday morning! I have been gluten free (Celiac) m children’s entire lives. I have fond memories of watching my mom bake bread or waking up to the glorious smell of it baking. I look forward to sharing that with my kiddos! They wish for “soft bread” like their friends at school whenever we splurge on GF bread. I would love to try the recipes in this book! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
I have had great luck substituting out up to 2 C of all purpose flour with gluten free flour that I make at home. I have made my chocolate ganache cake gluten free as there are several members of my family who are intolerant, including children. What makes this cake really special is that I can make it in advance…and what takes it over the edge, is the raspberry jam that I put between the layers.
My son is allergic to wheat so I have become pretty good at adapting recipes. Nicole’s books and website were my first after going gluten-free and saved my sanity. She made the transition much easier.
My first GF baking experience was a bread mix. Needless to say, it turned out TERRIBLE. Luckily I found GF on a shoestring and have yet to have a failure yet!
As a cupcake bakery owner I discovered I could not hide my head in the flour so to speak:0 Gluten Free is be coming more pervasive and was a must to meet my clients request. I bake almost as many flavors of cupcakes Gluten Free as I do “regular” flavors, including our famous “DR. Pepper” cupcake. I do decorated gluten free cakes and cookies and have even done a GF wedding. I have tried breads and found them to be, well YUCK! Thats the way my cupcakes used to be, so its time to roll up my sleeves and learn how to do it. I am extremely excited about this new resource.
http://www.facebook.com/cupcakesdeli
http://www.cupcakesdeli.com
Milli
“The busy baker”
Really inspired by this post. I tried going totally gluten free a few yeArs ago and made gluten free bread during that time with varying degrees of success. The fully gluten free diet wasn’t for me but I am always looking for new recipes to try that use a variety of grains! Looking forward to reading nicoles blog 🙂
Hi- My hubby is GF. I have mixed results with GF recipes. Most are tolerable, but I am always searching for better than that!
I have no experience cooking or baking gluten free. I would love to learn about it and start a new adventure though!
I have been following your blog for quite a while now, and am THRILLED to see you venture into the GF world. My daughter was recently diagnosed with celiac, and this has been a huge shift for her. All her life, we have joked that “if it’s white, she’ll eat it”. She’s a huge carb lover, especially breads, and most especially baguettes and soft fluffy rolls. We’ve spent a fortune on GF ingredients, tried a huge number of GF recipes, and purchased even more GF bakery products, and nothing has come even close to being edible for her. If you’re recommending this recipe, I trust it and can’t wait to try it!! A copy of this book, if it’s as good as you say it is, would give my teenage daughter a reason to think maybe her mom is a little cooler than she had thought! 🙂
I have a good friend that cooks gluten free for her whole family out of necessity and she says you have to make things from scratch if you want it to taste good. That’s my philosophy about most food, and the things I’ve tried GF are great. Thanks for the chance to win a new cookbook! (I love cookbooks). And thanks for your wonderful blog that is truly my go-to for all things food.
Wow, that recipe is very cool. I’ve done quite a bit of gluten free bread baking, but some of those ideas are totally new to me. The pectin, in particular. I’m pretty used to dealing with gf dough that’s half way between dough and batter. Something you can actually knead sounds awesome. I’ll have to make to bring to Thanksgiving.
I am obsessed with Nicole’s site. I have just recently discovered it – can’t wait to make her gluten-free licorice. Thank you SO MUCH, MEL!!! I have really only made the easy stuff (flourless PB cookies! cornbread!) I cannot wait to try more.
I have to admit that I have no experience with gluten-free. I don’t have any family that can’t eat it and have never made a gluten-free recipe. I sure would love to try some though!
I have become gluten free not by choice. I don’t know any recipes but I am a decent cook. I appreciate your posting
Hi Mel, This is so great! My dad has had a gluten intolerance for about 6 years now, and I’m always looking for some great recipes to make for him. My mom also began to eat gluten several months ago. This is perfect timing for Thanksgiving. I’ll add it to my menu, which also includes many of the recipes you posted earlier in the week. I’m also looking forward to using the great spreadsheet with the make ahead hours and tips! Thank you, and have a great Thanksgiving.
I eat gluten free for medical reasons. I would love great bread recipes. The ones I have tried just don’t taste very good.
I would love to have this book. My daughter has dairy/gluten/dairy intolerances so we have been trying to make things on our own. It can be so expensive and i hope that this cookbook will help. Great giveaway, thanks!
I was diagnosed with celiac disease about a year ago, and it changed my life. I was so overwhelmed at the idea of gluten free, but I have really embraced cooking from scratch now. I have become such a better cook, and eat so much healthier now that I can’t have most pre made and processed things. I feel so much better physically too. I would love to win a book on gluten free bread, because I have had trouble finding good recipes, and I would love to try hers! Thanks for the chance to win Mel!
I don’t really have any experience with gluten free cooking but would love to learn!
I’ve never baked gluten free for the specific reason of baking gluten free, but I would love to win this book for my sister, who has a gluten intolerance. Thanks Mel!
I AM STILL TRYING TO FIND A GOOD GF PIZZA DOUGH THAT IS SUPER EASY TO MAKE. I AM GLUTEN FREE, BUT STILL STRUGGLING TO MAKE THINGS FROM SCRATCH. CAN’T WAIT TO TASTE THE HAWAIIAN BREAD.
My daughter in law is gluten free, so for her birthday I made shrimp and gluten free pasta and it was wonderful.
When I first found out I had to eat gluten free I was really sad as I was a big bread eater. While I’ve got recipes for most other things I must say a really good gf bread still alludes me.
I have a lot of family who have issues with gluten. This would be so great for them.
I’m not gluten intolerant but my step mom is and finding recipes for her that taste good has become a hobby/quest/pain-in-the-caboose. Good thing I love looking at recipes 🙂 This cook book would be amazing to bake from!
I haven’t made too many gluten free things, but the things I have made were great! I am really interested in gluten free cook/baking and would like to try more recipes.
It is as if you heard me thinking yesterday! I had been thinking about my mom and how she really misses “real” bread. After more than a year of tests and drugs and multiple trips to various doctors, we finally figured out what had been making her so sick. She had been having digestive problems and could not get far from the bathroom. She lost about 30lbs and we were really getting scared that whatever was wrong with her would be the death of her. She is 82 years old and has been a “health food” advocate my entire life. She baked her own bread and created great food on a daily basis. And now food was her enemy, specifically gluten foods. For the last 6 months or so she has steadily improved and gained weight and most importantly, feels more like her old self. With lots of research we’ve come up with gluten-free breads from mixes and recipes, but nothing has really satisfied either of us as a good replacement.(some of them were downright inedible!) This recipe for Hawaiian Rolls looks promising! I look forward to trying it with my mom. Maybe it will be good enough to take to our Thanksgiving gathering??
Thank you for posting this. I’m loving your blog!
I’ve made desserts and sweet breads for my Mother-in-law who has an intolerance but I’ve been gathering more recipes recently trying to prepare a holiday menu for the whole family that she can eat too. It would be awesome to give this to her as a Christmas gift!
I’m gluten free and let’s just say my hubby gets tired of rice! Pancakes have been a huge struggle for me to have turn out well, I miss wheat ones!!