Hawaiian Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Hawaiian Sweet Bread
Cloudlike and faintly sweet with a golden crust, this Portuguese-inspired soft bread is the ultimate pull-apart loaf for breakfast or with any island meal.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals
Instructions
8 steps- 1
Sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of the sugar over the warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- 2
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, remaining sugar, salt, and potato flakes together.
- 3
Add the yeast mixture, eggs, melted butter, pineapple juice, and vanilla, and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
- 4
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- 5
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
- 6
Punch down the dough, shape it into a round loaf or a wreath, and place it in a greased pan or on a baking sheet.
- 7
Cover and let rise again until puffy, about 45 minutes, then brush with the egg wash.
- 8
Bake at 350 F for 30 to 35 minutes, until deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped; cool before slicing.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
77/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving295
Calories
7 g
Protein
64 g
Carbs
1 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Hawaiian sweet bread traces to Portuguese immigrants from Madeira and the Azores who brought pao doce (sweet bread) to the sugar plantations in the 1800s. The Hawaii-specific twist — pineapple juice worked into the dough instead of the traditional lemon zest — came later as bakeries adapted the recipe to local ingredients, most famously commercialized by King's Hawaiian starting in the 1950s.
Listahan note
This version proofs the dough twice for a properly soft, pull-apart crumb and uses pineapple juice as both the yeast-proofing liquid and the source of that faint tropical sweetness that separates it from a plain milk bread.
Technique cues
- Let the yeast mixture stand the full 5-10 minutes until visibly foamy before mixing further — if it doesn't foam, the yeast is dead and the loaf won't rise.
- Knead the full 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic; under-kneaded dough bakes into a tight, dense loaf instead of a soft, pillowy one.
- Don't rush either rise — both need to reach true doubling, not just "puffy," or the crumb turns dense.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Grease the 9-inch round pan while the dough does its first 1.5-hour rise, so it is ready the moment you need to shape the loaf.
- Make-ahead
- The shaped dough can do its second rise slowly overnight in the fridge; bring to room temperature before baking.
- Leftover move
- Slightly stale slices make excellent French toast — the sweetness and soft crumb are made for it.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Clean the kneading surface while the dough is in its first rise so the counter is ready for shaping.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
4 cups all-purpose flour
Structure
Purpose: Provides the gluten network that traps gas from the yeast, giving the loaf its soft, stretchy crumb once fully kneaded.
Handling: Whisk with the remaining sugar and salt before adding the yeast mixture and other wet ingredients.
Adaptation: A 1:1 gluten-free bread blend can work but the crumb will be denser and less pull-apart.
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
Leavening
Purpose: Yeast gives the bread its signature soft, airy rise over the two proofs — this is a true yeasted bread, not a quick bread.
Handling: Bloom in the warm pineapple juice and milk with a pinch of sugar for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
Adaptation: Instant yeast works at the same amount, skipping the bloom step if in a hurry.
1/2 cup pineapple juice (warm)
Signature flavor and yeast activator
Purpose: This is the defining ingredient — pineapple juice feeds the yeast and lends the faint tropical sweetness that separates Hawaiian sweet bread from a plain enriched loaf.
Handling: Warm gently, not hot — overheating kills the yeast before it gets a chance to activate.
Adaptation: No good substitute that preserves the signature flavor; orange juice is the closest fallback but changes the taste noticeably.
1/4 cup whole milk (warm)
Richness
Purpose: Adds fat and protein for a softer crumb than a water-based dough would give.
Handling: Warm alongside the pineapple juice for the yeast bloom.
Adaptation: Oat or coconut milk both work for a dairy-free loaf.
2 large eggs
Richness and color
Purpose: Contributes to the soft crumb and the golden interior color that's typical of this bread.
Handling: Add to the yeast mixture along with the softened butter and vanilla before combining with the dry ingredients.
Adaptation: No reliable substitute that preserves the same crumb.
Technique notes
- The pineapple juice is the signature — it feeds the yeast and lends that faint tropical sweetness.
- Knead until the dough is smooth and springs back; a well-developed dough bakes up cloud-soft.
- Brush with egg wash for that glossy, deep-golden bakery crust.
Ingredient swaps
- whole milk
- oat or coconut milk - coconut is a tree nut allergen for some; oat milk may carry gluten
- unsalted butter
- vegan butter for a dairy-free crumb - dairy butter contains milk
- all-purpose flour
- bread flour for a chewier loaf - still wheat/gluten
Serve alongside
- Butter and jam
- French toast
- Kalua pork sliders
- Kona coffee
- Cold milk
- Guava juice
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Keeps 3 days at room temperature, wrapped; freeze up to 2 months. Slightly stale slices make excellent French toast.
- Reheat briefly in a warm oven to refresh the crust before serving.
Equipment
- Stand mixer (optional)
- 9-inch round pan
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