Why Hawaiian rolls work for dessert
Hawaiian-style sweet rolls are soft, slightly sweet, and tender, so they take well to custards, glazes, and sticky toppings. They come in a pan of connected rolls, which makes them easy to pull apart, slice, or fill, and they can be baked in one dish for a crowd. They are not a traditional dessert ingredient, but they behave a lot like brioche or other enriched breads in sweet recipes. Rolls, sliced loaves, buns, and similar products from the same brand are often interchangeable in recipes, though pieces differ in size, so cut and weigh by feel rather than count.
Dessert ideas
Chocolate bread pudding
Cube or slice the bread, layer it with chocolate chips, and pour an egg custard over the top before baking. One popular Hawaiian-bread version is assembled in about 15 minutes. If you have time, let the assembled dish sit before baking, since resting for up to a day lets the bread soak up the custard.
French toast casserole
Cut the rolls in half, arrange them in a dish, and pour over a mixture of eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Chill overnight and bake the next morning or evening. Serve warm with syrup or fruit.
Cinnamon-sugar pull-apart rolls
Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle on cinnamon and sugar, or pour a butter and brown sugar mixture over the rolls and bake until bubbling. Drizzle with a simple powdered sugar glaze (a two-ingredient icing is enough) once they are slightly cooled.
Dessert sliders
Split the rolls and fill with a thin spread of chocolate-hazelnut spread, peanut butter and jelly, or cream cheese and fruit preserves. Brush with butter and bake briefly until warm and lightly toasted.
Strawberry cheesecake bites
Spread cream cheese filling and a little jam inside split rolls, or cube the bread and layer with sweetened cream cheese and berries in a dish. The flavor combination echoes our strawberry layered dessert with cream cheese.
Ice cream sandwiches
Slice the rolls horizontally, fill with a scoop of ice cream, and press gently. Freeze briefly if you want the sandwiches firm. Assemble right before serving, since the bread softens quickly.
Banana pudding trifle
Cube the rolls and layer with vanilla pudding, sliced bananas, and whipped topping in a glass dish, similar to a trifle or the cookie-based walking taco dessert. Chill so the bread softens.
Tips
- Use slightly stale bread for custards. Drier bread absorbs custard without turning mushy. Leaving the cubes out for a while or toasting them briefly helps.
- Watch the sugar. The rolls are already slightly sweet, so you can reduce sugar in glazes and custards.
- Cover while baking. If the tops brown before the center is done, cover loosely with foil.
- Use a good chocolate. In simple recipes with few ingredients, the quality of chips noticeably affects the result.
Make ahead and transport
Custard-style bakes can often be assembled ahead and baked the day of the event. Baked desserts are best served warm, so reheat gently in a low oven covered with foil. Cold desserts, such as banana pudding trifle, should travel in a cooler. Egg-based dishes and anything with cream cheese or dairy should be kept refrigerated until baking or serving.
More potluck desserts
If you want something chilled and layered, try the jello and whipped cream layered dessert or the pineapple casserole dessert for a warm, baked option.