Rolls & Buns · intermediate

Gluten-Free Hawaiian Sourdough Rolls

Name: Gluten-Free Hawaiian Sourdough Rolls
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 3 h 22 min
Yield: 12 rolls
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 150g brown rice flour; 100g sorghum flour; 150g tapioca starch; 18g psyllium husk powder; 30g packed light brown sugar; 7g fine sea salt; 90g active gluten-free starter; 120g pineapple juice; 180g warm milk or plant milk; 40g melted butter or vegan butter

Key takeaway

Pineapple juice supplies Hawaiian-roll aroma; keep sugar moderate so the psyllium gel still stands.

Pineapple juice and a little brown sugar in enriched dough. Sweet, not candy-sweet, with real sourdough underneath.

By Andrew KittridgeMarch 1, 2026Pineapple-juice enriched rolls; 4.5% powder

rolls hawaiian sweet sourdough gluten free vegetarian

Prep

30m

Ferment / rest

2.5h

Bake

22m

Servings

Difficulty

intermediate

The short answer

Hawaiian rolls get their perfume from pineapple juice, not from a gallon of sugar. We replace part of the milk with 120g pineapple juice, add 30g brown sugar, and keep psyllium at 18g on 400g flour so the sweetness does not collapse the gel. The juice is acidic, which the starter likes. Proof a little faster than dinner rolls. Bake 375F. These are sliders, breakfast sandwiches, and the roll people steal from the basket. If your juice is from concentrate and very sweet, drop brown sugar to 20g.

For the method behind gluten-free structure, read the gluten-free sourdough guide and keep a lively culture with the starter guide.

Why it works

Fruit acidity helps the starter move in a sweet dough.
Brown sugar is molasses-adjacent, which reads as bakery Hawaiian roll.

Ingredients

150gbrown rice flour
100gsorghum flour
150gtapioca starch
18gpsyllium husk powder
30gpacked light brown sugar
7gfine sea salt
90gactive gluten-free starter
120gpineapple juice
180gwarm milk or plant milk
40gmelted butter or vegan butter

Equipment

Square pan
Scale

Instructions

1
Whisk dry ingredients including brown sugar.
2
Mix starter, juice, milk, and butter in. Rest 12 minutes.
3
Portion 12 rolls in a square pan.
4
Proof 2–2.5 hours at 76F. Pineapple acidity speeds things up—check early.
5
Bake 375F for 20–24 minutes to 200F.
6
Brush with butter. Cool 20 minutes.
7
Split for ham sliders or eat warm.
8
If they brown too fast, tent with foil at minute 12.

Nutrition

Approximate values per serving. Always verify labels if you bake for celiac safety.

Nutrition facts per serving
Nutrient	Amount
Calories	170 kcal
Protein	3 g
Carbs	31 g
Fat	4 g
Fiber	2 g
Sodium	200 mg

Substitutions

Pineapple juice: Orange juice plus 5g honey, different perfume

Storage

Very soft—bag once cool. Freeze for sliders.

Notes

Do not use pineapple chunks in the dough; they tunnel the crumb.

FAQ

Can I make Hawaiian rolls dairy-free?

Yes. Use unsweetened plant milk and oil or vegan butter. Enriched gluten-free doughs do not rely on dairy proteins for structure—psyllium and starch do that work.

Why didn't these rise like wheat rolls?

Gluten-free enriched dough proofs until puffy and jiggly, not until doubled. Overproofing collapses the gel. Bake when a wet fingertip springs back slowly.

Do I still need psyllium if I use a 1:1 blend with xanthan?

Use a lighter psyllium dose (about 4% of flour) and do not add extra xanthan. Two full gums stacked make a bouncy, gummy crumb.

How do I keep sandwich bread from drying out?

Cool fully, then bag once the crust is dry to the touch. Freeze slices by day two. Toast from frozen.

Can I use discard instead of active starter?

Not for these yeasted-style enriched breads. Unfed discard belongs in pancakes and crackers. You need a peaked starter for lift.

Technique

Keep the method close

Psyllium, fermentation temperature, and a celiac-safe starter matter as much as the formula.

Sourdough guide Starter guide

About Andrew Kittridge

Home baker in Indianapolis documenting gluten-free sourdough: psyllium structure, whole-grain blends, and loaves that actually taste like bread.

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