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’m new to gluten-free, but am anxious to climb on board! I made a gluten free cake mix cake for a high school cast party this weekend. I frosted it with my usual icing. The cake was a hit! The first slice went to the girl who must eat gluten-free. The rest of the cake sat with the other desserts and was consumed first! The kids were asking who made it and raved about it. I decided I should give it a try, and cut a small piece for myself. Oh my! It was delish! I am not nearly as fearful as I used to be about the gluten-free concept and hope to try all sorts of recipes in the near future. I’m sure this won’t be the last time I’m asked to provide a gluten free meal for someone.
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I love gluten free on a shoestring!! I have found not all gluten free flours are treated the same!!
I’ve helped my mom with making gluten free breads – they are hit and miss it seems. And when there is one that is good – it goes into the freezer since it doesn’t seem to last long. Thanks for a great giveaway!
I haven’t tried many GF recipes but our family is willing to try out.
I have never tried to make anything gluten free but I would be willing to try.
I have a couple friends that have to eat gluten-free so I experiment with recipes when I have them over for dinner. But mostly I haven’t tried baking anything!
We have 9 gluten intolerant family members for Christmas Dinner. I would love to win this book and reclaim my status as the family baker of great dinner rolls. Thanks! Love Nicole too.
I attempt to make gf foods when my sister-in-law comes to visit. I have made muffin and brownies. They were okay. Would love a book to give her and maybe a new recipe or two to try.
I would love to win this cookbook for my grandma (or so I can cook for her!) These rolls look amazing.
We have been on the GF journey for a year now and we are still on a learning curve. I recently stumbled across Gluten Free on a Shoestring’s website so we have enjoyed trying new recipes. This week the soft wraps are on our list to try…can’t wait as we have missed wraps so very much.
I’ve baked for two years gluten-free, in large part thanks to Nicole! She makes it less fringe-y and more normal. I love what she does and how she does it, and above all I am so grateful she shares her skills with us.
I recently discovered I have to eat gluten free. The first few months were fairly easy, but this last month has been the hardest by far! I really miss bread. Most of the gluten free recipes I have tried are excellent. I would really love this cookbook!
I was lucky to find a few bloggers who only post tried and true recipes and advice. Through them I re-learned how to cook, how to substitute and which products are best based on what I’m making. At first I made many mistakes, mostly due to my “gluten baking” mentality, very frustrating then, but now a couple years later, I have some funny stories to tell..
This would be perfect for my father-in-law’s Christmas. I personally don’t have much experience with gluten-free, but my in-laws recently went that route and I know they’re struggling to find replacements for their favorite foods. It’s a hard lifestyle!
To this day it has been almost two years since a doctor told me I needed to go gluten free. And I am still struggling with baking. The one thing that saved me was the very first cookbook I bought was Nicole’s first book Gluten Free on a Shoestring! However due to soy and casein/dairy allergies I still don’t have successful bread baking recipes. I can’t wait for her bread book..it is giving me hope.
I would love to win Nicole’s new book. My husband was recently diagnosed with celiac disease and even though I find it intimidating I would love to learn how to make GDP bread. We have tried the quinoa cake on your blog and love it. I was lucky to find Nicole’s blog. You should try her browned butter snickerdoodles, they are amazing.
Haven’t been successful with baking gluten free breads. Looking forward to this cookbook.
Hooray! My dad has celiac disease and will be here for Thanksgiving this year. I think I will try these rolls out so he can have rolls on Thanksgiving like the rest of us.
I avoid most grains but haven’t even attempted to experiment with grain free baking, I am sure curious!
My doctor put me on a Gluten free diet for 6 months! I’m about a month into my sentence 😉 and it’s the hardest thing ever. I was so excited to see your recipe. I’m fixing these for myself for Thanksgiving!
I have celiac disease and would love to make some good tasting GF abread and rolls.
I love your recipes! My kids now ask, “Is this from Mel’s?”
I’ve been cooking gluten free for about a year and a half since our son’s diagnosis of celiac. I love to bake and learning gluten free baking definitely had a learning curve. This book has been in my wish list on Amazon for about a month and I’ll be ordering it anyway, but free would be even better. 🙂
I have been gluten-free for about 8 months now, and bread still gives me trouble! I just can’t get it to come out quite right.
I have to be honest. I have never tried anything gluten-free before, but I’m willing to give it a try.
We are just starting our gluten free life since our three year old was diagnosed with celiac. We have only found one good bread (brazillian cheese rolls) replacement that we like so far. Our little guy is so picky so it would be great to get some good bread back into his life.
I haven’t worked up the courage to try and make something gluten free, but I have all the stuff, so maybe this book will help with inspiration.
This looks a wonderful cookbook…I would love to win! We are a gluten free household with several people who are celiac or intolerant, so we love to try new recipes! I am looking forward to trying this recipe!
This cook book looks wonderful we are just finding out that were
are celiac’s in our family, feeling a bit overwhelmed and sad.
What I find most challenging sometimes with gluten free recipes is that it can be VERY challenging to find all ingredients for the recipe. And when you have all the ingredients you the have a dozens of different types of flours just lying around in your closet 🙂
A lot of my GF experiments taste “good for gluten free” they usually come out gummy, though. I also have never been able to have a gluten free waffle turn out right! maybe it is my waffle iron, but it probably is just me!
I have found gluten free cooking to be very positive in my husband and my life … he is diabetic and gluten free items help to make his life more positive and keep his blood sugar levels lower. I have found that eating chicken, turkey and fish along with fruit and vegetable green drinks helps us lose weight.
My mom, 2 sisters, a nephew and a niece are all on strict gluten-free diets. When we all get together it’s hard to find recipes to please everyone. And when my mom comes to visit a few times a year, I would love to have new recipes for her to try, since she’s been making the same ones for years. She loves cookbooks and loves to bake, but being gluten-free limits her options.
GF is not totally new to me. My husband switched 2 years ago and has pretty much eliminated carbs… Unfortunately we are having to try a GF diet with my son for behavior reasons and while he loves his fruit and veggies he needs his carb fix like his mama. So far I’m not doing so well I’m the baking department. Would love to win a copy of this book!
I have had celiac disease for two years so everything I eat is gluten free. I have made bread from a box mix but haven’t ventured out into making breads from scratch. This cookbook would be so helpful since i know everything is a successful recipe!
i haven’t tried too much gluten free baking, but the recipes i’ve tried have turned out delicious!
This looks yummy, Ive never made a gluten free bread before!
I have a daughter and son with wheat sensitivities, and all 5 of my kiddos seem to do better when we eat less gluten. It is so tricky finding the time and recipes to keep everyone happy. I love your blog, and I think it’s great that you’re sharing your friend and her GF recipes with us all!
I have an eight-year-old that has celiac disease. I am always looking for good bread recipes that he will like. I am very excited for this cookbook to come out so that I can make my son some great bread! I adapt all of your muffin and other recipes to be gluten-free and they always turn out wonderful! Thank you for all of your great recipes!
I have been baking gluten free for over 7 years. GF baking sure has come a long way! There are still elusive recipes that are hard to copy. I miss those foods when the cravings hit hard.
I’ve made GF bread once, to try out a new recipe for a friend who is GF. It was pretty different from making regular bread, but it did turn out! She said it was the best GF bread she had eaten! It was this recipe: http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2013/03/finally-gluten-free-bread-that-doesnt-suck.html
I have several gluten-free family members. My sister, who has celiac, loves this cookbook and I would love to have a copy of my own. These rolls look delish!
Hi Mel! I made your gluten-free decadent chocolate cake with qunioa (my first attempt at making quinoa!) and it turned out okay, although the texture was a bit chewy on the edges…perhaps I didn’t process it long enough? Anyhow, it looked amazing…until I put the cake in its carrier in my 100-something degree car and it melted enough on my 5 minute ride for the top layer to slide off one side. Alas, I didn’t even take a photo! However, I was able to re-frost and learn that in future I should wait to frost if heat is an issue…but my husband, family, and friends were very gracious despite the topsy-turvy appearance. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
I have made quite a few things from Nicoles blog and she is everything you say she is and more. I am so excited or her book to come out. If it wasn’t for her I’d have starved. She has made “gluten free” not a swear word anymore for me. Very excited to try these Hawaiian Rolls!
I have celiac and this looks like a great recipe. I’m always on the look out for different recipes to try. Thanks
We are not a gluten-free family (thankfully), but I know a few who are. GF bread seems intimidating to me, but someday I’d love to try it. I love that there are resources like this out there for those friends of mine who want delicious food but need to have it sans gluten.
I’ve had quite a lot of experience with gluten free baking. In the beginning….mostly bad/mediocre experiences, now…..much better. I’m learning the best ingredients and ratios to use, and rarely have a recipe flop these days. I started baking gluten free to impress my new just-discovered-he-can’t-eat-gluten boyfriend and these days i’m regularly cranking out the delicious baked goods for my husband 😉 Thanks for the great giveaway!
I would love to have more experience with gluten free. The cookbook sounds amazing and like a great place to start. Can’t wait to try out these rolls!
My gluten-free cooking has been going fairly well, but my baking has had mixed results. Fruit Crumbles, granola, pancakes, have all turned out well while using almond/oat/flax/chia/hemp. I tried using a store-bought GF flour blend to make a cake & cookies. I was very impressed with the texture, but I couldn’t tolerate the strong aftertaste. Others didn’t mind it, but it was too strong for me. I’ve been hesitant to make my own GF flour blend because it seems a bit daunting.
I haven’t liked a single gluten free substitute food yet, but there are lots of foods I love that are naturally gluten free and chex cereal is gluten free. I want to win this for my friend Emily that was just diagnosed with celiacs disease.