These Eggless Hawaiian Rolls are light, fluffy, and soft! You won’t believe how easy these are to make. You’ll want to make these time and time again! Step-by-step photos included.
Eggless Homemade Hawaiian Rolls Recipe Highlights
These Eggless Hawaiian Rolls are to die for! You – and everyone else – won’t be able to stop eating them! They are pillowy soft, and so super delicious! Plus, they’re easy to make and foolproof with my tips and tricks.
You can make the dough ahead of time or make the dinner rolls entirely ahead of time and then bake or even freeze them for later. I’ve included how-to instructions below.
Don’t limit these rolls to dinnertime. We love to use them to make sliders for lunch boxes and breakfast sandwiches, soak up our favorite soup, or serve them alongside salads. This big batch of rolls will make enough to feed a hungry crowd.
Let’s get started!
Eggless Hawaiian Rolls Ingredients
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
You’ll need:
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
For the Eggless Hawaiian Rolls:
- Golden flaxseed meal: We will use the golden flaxseed meal to make 2 flax eggs. If you are allergic to flax or don’t have it handy, you can substitute it for 90 ml of evaporated milk.
- Buttermilk: You don’t have buttermilk? No problem!! Check out my recipe for an Easy Homemade Buttermilk Substitute [Video].
- Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter, but if you only have salted butter handy, you can use it. In this case, skip the salt called in the recipe.
- Pineapple juice: This is an essential ingredient for this recipe. Pineapple juice is what gives the rolls a sweet and slightly tangy flavor, don’t skip it!
- Vanilla extract: For optimal flavor, reach for pure vanilla instead of imitation. Even better, try homemade vanilla extract! If you are looking for non-alcoholic vanilla flavoring, I recommend Simply Organic Vanilla Flavoring.
- Sugar: Regular white granulated sugar o caster sugar. I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture of the rolls.
- Yeast: I recommend and use instant yeast since it doesn’t need to be activated; just need to mix it with the dry ingredients.
- Flour: I use and recommend bread flour, a.k.a strong flour. You can use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour, but the bread flour gives these rolls the perfect texture, in my opinion.
- Potato Flour: Potato flour helps produce moist yeast bread. If you don’t have potato flour, you can substitute it for more flour. This is the Potato flour I use.
- Salt: I prefer kosher or sea salt. If you only have table salt handy, I recommend reducing the amount to half.
For the Eggless Egg Wash:
Option I:
- Whole milk
- Maple syrup
Option II:
- Condensed milk
- Melted butter
Step By Step Recipe Photo Tutorial
(Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down))
Step 1 – Make The Dough
Mix golden flax meal and water.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the buttermilk and butter. Microwave in 20-second increments until the mixture is warmed (110°F approx.).
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flax meal mixture, buttermilk mixture, pineapple juice, vanilla, sugar, and yeast. Stir on low until combined.
Add in the flour, potato flour, and salt. Replace the paddle attachment with a dough hook and knead on medium speed until the dough forms a soft, smooth ball, about 5 – 8 minutes.
Pro Tip – How do I know if the dough is well-kneaded?
The dough must be not too sticky, not too dry, and not too springy. If your dough feels tight and springy, continue kneading until the dough is completely smooth, slightly tacky to the touch, springs back slowly when pressed on with your fingers, and is no longer sticky.
You can also test it with the windowpane test: To do so, pull off a golf-ball-sized piece of dough and stretch it gently from the center outward with your fingertips. If it tears, keep kneading. It should stretch into a paper-thin film, and you should be able to see the light pass through it, like a window.
Step 2 – First Rise
Lightly spray a clean bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place until puffy and doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
Step 3 – Form The Rolls
Gently deflate the dough and divide it into 15 equal portions (about 75 g each). Form the dough into balls and place them in the prepared pan.
Step 4 – Second Rise
Cover again with the towel and allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes.
Step 5 – Bake
Brush the rolls with egg-free egg wash. Bake them for about 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown. Brush them with melted butter immediately when they come out of the oven.
Tips To Make the Best Eggless Hawaiian Rolls
Using a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients is highly recommended.
You can use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour, but the bread flour gives these rolls the perfect texture, in my opinion.
If you don’t have a stand mixer, you may knead the dough by hand. It may take a little longer, up to 10 minutes by hand.
Make sure to knead the dough long enough, so your rolls are light and fluffy and not dense or heavy. Heavy rolls can be the result of not kneading the dough long enough.
Making the Hawaiian rolls the same size ensures an even baking time.
Make Ahead
You can form the balls and then cover the shaped rolls tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days. At least 2 hours before you need them, remove the rolls from the refrigerator, keep them covered, and allow them to rise on the counter for about 1-2 hours before baking.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
Storage
Place the Hawaiian rolls in a plastic storage bag or wrap them in foil and store them at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freeze
- Unbaked Rolls: You can freeze-shaped rolls. Simply cover them tightly with two layers of plastic wrap and freeze them for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, defrost the rolls overnight in the fridge, let them sit at room temperature for about an hour until puffy and not so cold, then bake as the recipe directs.
- Baked Rolls: You can freeze the fully baked rolls in an airtight container. Thaw to room temperature overnight before reheating in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they are very different! Potato flour is made from whole peeled potatoes, cooked, dried, and ground into a fine, beige-colored powder. Potato starch is “washed” out of crushed potatoes, then dried to a fine, bright-white powder.
The dough must be not too sticky, not too dry, and not too springy. If your dough feels tight and springy, continue kneading until the dough is completely smooth, slightly tacky to the touch, springs back slowly when pressed on with your fingers, and is no longer sticky.
Yes, you can double this recipe and bake in two baking pans. However, make sure you have a big enough mixer, so the dough gets properly mixed. If your mixer is not big enough, I recommend making two batches separately.
Yes! In that case, divide the dough into 24 rolls – 47 g each. Bake until golden brown, or until registered 190° F / 90°C internal temperature on a thermometer.
More Eggless Bread Recipes You’ll Love!
- Eggless Honey Whole Wheat Rolls
- Eggless Homemade English Muffins
- Easy Eggless Cinnamon Rolls
- Soft No-Knead Eggless Dinner Rolls
- BEST Eggless Cornbread
- Homemade Flatbread
- Eggless Easter Hot Cross Buns
Recipe Card 📖
Eggless Homemade Hawaiian Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons golden flaxseed meal (see notes for substitute)
- 6 tablespoons (90 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- 1/4 cup (58 g) butter, cubed (plus more to brush on after baking)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) pineapple juice
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast (1 packet)
- 4 1/2 cups (630 g) flour (bread or all-purpose)
- 2 tablespoons (21 g) potato flour (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon salt (I use Kosher salt)
Eggless Egg Wash:
Option I:
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Option II:
- 2 tablespoons condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Important
You can find step-by-step photos above in the post and/or right here on the recipe card. They’ll walk you through the process and make everything super clear! Just click the camera icon button below on the right to show or hide them. Turn them off before printing if you prefer a cleaner copy!
Instructions
- Mix golden flax meal and water in a small bowl until well combined. Let it rest for 5 – 10 minutes to thicken. Note: if using evaporated milk, skip this step.
- In a microwave-safe bowl combine the buttermilk and butter. Microwave in 20-second increments until the mixture is warmed (110°F approx.,).
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add in the flax meal mixture (or evaporated milk), buttermilk mixture, pineapple juice, vanilla, sugar, and yeast. Stir on low until combined.
- Add in 2 cups of flour, potato flour, and salt and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Gradually add in 2 1/2 remaining cups of flour until a soft dough forms.
- Replace the paddle attachment with a dough hook and knead on medium speed until the dough forms a soft, smooth ball, about 10 minutes. Note: When it is ready, it will be somewhat balling around the hook and pulling away from the sides, and the dough will be super smooth and elastic and will pass the windowpane test (see note below).
- Lightly spray a clean bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place until puffy and doubled in size, which will take anywhere between 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
- Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside. Position one of the oven racks into the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375º F (190º C).
- Gently deflate the dough and divide it into 15 equal portions (about 75 g each). Note: You can also divide the dough into 12 equal portions (94 g each) for slightly bigger rolls. Form the dough into balls and place them in the prepared pan. Cover again with the towel and allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes, or until the dough balls are puffy, and when poked gently, an indentation slowly springs back.
- Mix the eggless egg wash ingredients in a small bowl.
- Once the rolls have risen, lightly brush the tops of the rolls with the eggless egg wash.
- Bake them for about 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown. Brush them with melted butter immediately when they come out of the oven.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Unbaked Rolls: You can freeze shaped rolls; simply cover them tightly with two layers of plastic wrap and freeze them for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, defrost the rolls overnight in the fridge, let them sit at room temperature for about an hour until puffy and not so cold, then bake as the recipe directs.
- Baked Rolls: You can freeze the fully baked rolls in an airtight container. Thaw to room temperature overnight before reheating in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.
- Using a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients is highly recommended.
- NO stand mixer? No problem! If you don’t have a stand mixer, you may knead the dough by hand. It may take a little longer, up to 20 minutes by hand.
- Make sure to knead the dough long enough, so your rolls are light and fluffy and not dense or heavy, which can result from not kneading the dough long enough.
- The dough must be not too sticky, not too dry, and not too springy. If your dough feels tight and springy, continue kneading until the dough is completely smooth, slightly tacky to the touch, springs back slowly when pressed on with your fingers, and is no longer too sticky.
- Making the Hawaiian rolls the same size ensures an even baking time, so I recommend weighing each roll the same size.
I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
This recipe was originally published on September 2020. The recipe remains the same, but more notes, tips, photos, and information have been added to the post in November 2022 to make it as helpful as possible!
I do not have access to potato flour or flax meal but the substitutions of evaporated milk and just regular four worked well. My dough was a bit dry so I added a tad more liquid to it and the rolls turned out amazing. They aren’t as sweet as Hawaiian rolls that you can buy in the store which I’m glad for. My husband and I went through an entire pan in a day because they were so good, and I’m making another batch right now!
Thank you for posting all of your egg-free recipes. It’s really given me some solace knowing that I can create dishes that I otherwise couldn’t eat without sacrificing flavor or texture.
Hello Markus! It sounds like you nailed it =) I am glad that my recipes are helpful to you and your family! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.
Hi Oriana,
I’m so happy I found your website, I’m not a vegetarian and don’t have an egg allergy; in fact I eat eggs all the time I just don’t like them in my (sweet) baked goods because I can taste it and I don’t want my desserts to be eggy tasting. Anyway, this has become one of my favourite things to bake. Since finding this recipe a month ago I think I’ve made 4 times already and everyone loves it. Because I have a hard time digesting AP (White) flour subsisted it with whole wheat and I also subsisted white sugar with coconut palm sugar. I just add a little bit extra juice because WW flour is heavier/denser (IMO). I also used mango juice too because I have a niece who is allergic to pineapple.
I can’t wait to try more of your recipes, I think the next one will be the pumpkin spice scones.
Hello Beenita! So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know!
I tried it, and the outer was nicely baked and slightly hard but the inner was sticky while chewing. Felt it was very dense and sticky. What could have gone wrong? I have tried your other recipes and it comes out perfect everytime.
Hello Vidhya! The most common reason for dense bread is not kneading the dough enough. To test if the dough has been kneaded long enough, take a piece off and stretch it out. It should be soft, elastic, and smooth. It should not rip at the first instance of stretching. If it is not ready, knead again for another 3 minutes and try again. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for taking the time to come back and let me know!