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    Home > Recipes > Bread and Pizza

    Garlic Bread Hawaiian Rolls

    Published: Sep 15, 2022 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · 5 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

    3.3K shares
    garlic bread hawaiian rolls
    garlic bread hawaiian rolls

    Light and fluffy sweet Hawaiian rolls drizzled with garlic butter make the best dinner rolls. Best of all, Garlic Bread Hawaiian Rolls are so easy - a few ingredients and 20 minutes is all you need!

    hand pulling a piece of garlic bread hawaiian rolls on a sheet pan

    Let’s talk Hawaiian rolls. Those sweet, soft, totally addictive pull-apart rolls are a staple in my freezer and make the best last-minute side dish for sheet pan dinners, salmon, or soup. Not only are Hawaiian Rolls available at the usual suspect grocery stores, but Trader Joe’s and Aldi now make their own store-brand versions. When we have a batch of these around the house, they get devoured in a day or two, but I’ve been stashing an extra bag in the freezer to make this delicious version of garlic bread.

    overhead image of hawaiian rolls drizzled with herb garlic butter

    What are Hawaiian Rolls?

    Hawaiian rolls are light, fluffy, slightly sweet bread that is most well-known through King's Hawaiian brand which was started in Hilo, Hawaii in the 1950s. The classic rolls are baked close to one another so that the edges touch as they bake and can be pulled apart once cooled. Other brands exist, including those made by Trader Joe's, Aldi, and many grocery store brands.

    How to Make Hawaiian Rolls with Garlic Butter

    Second perhaps only to eating Hawaiian rolls with a smear of butter, turning them into garlic bread is absolutely the best. These take less than 20 minutes to make, so you can pop them in the oven while a batch of Chicken Spaghetti is cooking in the Instant Pot or Tomato Soup with Chickpeas and Pasta is cooking on the stove. Here's how.

    1. Whisk together melted butter, parsley, and garlic.
    2. Place 12 Hawaiian Rolls on a rimmed baking sheet. Cut a deep x in the top of each roll.
    3. Pour the garlic butter over the rolls, including inside each x cut in the rolls.
    4. Bake the rolls, uncovered, at 400°F until golden and warmed through, 7 to 10 minutes.
    5. Serve warm.

    slicing into the tops of hawaiian rolls to make garlic bread

    Ingredients

    • Hawaiian Rolls - King’s Hawaiian is the brand that has made this style of roll so popular. The rolls are super light and fluffy with a noticeable, but not overwhelming, sweet flavor. There are many other brands now available - usually labeled as “Hawaiian Rolls” or “Sweet Hawaiian Rolls”. Any other type of soft roll will work.
    • Garlic - It’s garlic bread after all! Fresh, chopped garlic will give you the most fresh and pure garlic flavor. 
    • Butter - Use salted or unsalted, but be sure to add some salt if you go for the unsalted version. 
    • Parsley - Chopped parsley is a classic addition for herb garlic bread, but you can easily skip it to simplify. Other finely chopped herbs like chives, green onions, or basil would also be great. 

    ingredients for making garlic bread hawaiian rolls on a grey countertop

    How to Freeze

    For best results, freeze the Hawaiian rolls and herb garlic butter separately. The herb garlic butter can be melted and poured into a small freezer-safe plastic bag or a 4-oz mason jar. When you’re ready to serve, just defrost the rolls and butter in the microwave and follow the instructions to bake them.

    drizzling hawaiian rolls with garlic butter on a sheet pan

    Variations

    • Add cheese - Make these rolls cheesy by add parmesan cheese.
    • Make them a meal - Add shredded cooked chicken, deli ham, or deli turkey to the slits inside of the rolls before adding the garlic butter.
    • Use a different herb - Try these with chopped chives, green onions, or finely diced thyme or rosemary instead of parsley. You can also feel free to skip the herbs and keep them simple.
    a sheet pan with hawaiian rolls and drizzled with garlic butter

    What to Serve with Garlic Bread Rolls

    Once you’ve got this delicious side dish up your sleeve, you’ll find that there are many meals it can be served with. Here are a few of my favorites:

    • Easy Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti - So fast, so classic, this red sauce spaghetti in the Instant Pot is practically begging for a side of garlic bread Hawaiian rolls.
    • Crispy Baked Cornflake Chicken - Served with mashed potatoes, green beans, and garlic bread rolls, this would be a comforting family meal that would work as well for guests as it would on a regular old Tuesday night.
    • Mini Italian Meatball and Orzo Soup - Garlic bread rolls are perfect to serve alongside soup for sopping up the last flavorful bit at the bottom of the bowl. This soup has flavorful meatballs that are made with Italian sausage for an easy shortcut.
    • Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake
    • Lasagna Bolognese

    Favorite Tools

    • Half Sheet Pan - The perfect size pan for everything from roasting vegetables to baking cookies.
    • Mixing Bowls - These are classic and always my favorite.
    square image of garlic bread hawaiian rolls on a sheet pan
    Print Recipe
    3.95 from 170 votes

    Hawaiian Rolls with Garlic Butter Recipe

    Light and fluffy sweet Hawaiian rolls drizzled with garlic butter make the best dinner rolls. Best of all, Garlic Bread Hawaiian Rolls are so easy - a few ingredients and 20 minutes is all you need!
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Bread, Side Dish
    Keyword: easy side dish, freezer friendly, pull apart bread
    Servings: 9
    Calories: 137kcal
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
    Cost: $5.00

    Equipment

    • 8" x 8" baking dish

    Ingredients

    • 6 Tablespoons Butter, melted
    • 2 Tablespoons Parsley, finely chopped (optional)
    • 4 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
    • 12 Hawaiian Rolls (like King's brand)
    • Coarse Salt, like Maldon Sea Salt (optional)

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400°F.
    • Whisk together melted butter, parsley, and garlic.
    • Place Hawaiian rolls on a rimmed baking sheet. Cut a deep X in the top of each roll.
    • Pour the herb garlic butter over the rolls, making sure to get plenty of the butter in the X you formed in the top of each roll and letting some drip down the sides.
    • Bake rolls until warmed through and golden around the edges, 7 to 10 minutes.
    • Serve warm.

    Notes

    To freeze this recipe - Freeze the Hawaiian rolls and herb garlic butter separately. The herb garlic butter can be melted and poured into a small freezer-safe plastic bag or a 4-oz mason jar. When you’re ready to serve, just defrost the rolls and butter in the microwave and follow the instructions to bake them.
    Print and attach the label below so cooking instructions are ready when you are!
    garlic bread hawaiian rolls
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1roll | Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 130mg | Potassium: 10mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 230IU | Vitamin C: 1.6mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.1mg

     

    Related

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    3.3K shares

    About Jess

    Hi! I'm Jess. I am the recipe creator and photographer behind the 900+ recipes you’ll find on Inquiring Chef. As a mom to three young kids and professional cook, my mission is to make every moment in the kitchen and around the table count. If you’re looking for easy, flavorful, family-approved recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Learn more about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jenn

      January 04, 2021 at 7:00 pm

      These rolls really absolutely amazing! Anytime we have pasta these are the only rolls I will make. Thank you for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        January 05, 2021 at 8:29 am

        So glad you liked them Jenn! These are one of our favorites as well!

        Reply
    2. Karen

      March 08, 2021 at 1:37 pm

      5 stars
      I added 2 Tablespoons of Parmesan cheese ( you know the kind in the green plastic shaker jar). It put these already yummy rolls way over the top!

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        March 08, 2021 at 5:39 pm

        Yum - good addition!

        Reply
    3. Harrison

      June 19, 2021 at 7:20 pm

      I added butter to pesto sauce and garlic 🤤🤤🤤🤤

      Reply

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