Sweet Bread

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Quick Bite

Hawaiian sweet bread is a soft, fluffy, slightly sweet loaf with Portuguese roots. It is rich with eggs, tender enough to tear apart, and perfect with butter.

History

Hawaiian sweet bread comes from Portuguese baking traditions brought to Hawaii by immigrants from Madeira and the Azores in the late 1800s and early 1900s. These communities had a major influence on Hawaii’s breads and pastries.

Portuguese sweet bread, or pão doce, is enriched with eggs, sugar, butter or milk, and sometimes citrus or vanilla. In Hawaii, it became a beloved local bread, served at home, at bakeries, and during holidays.

Robert Taira helped turn Hawaiian sweet bread into a national phenomenon. He opened Robert’s Bakery in Hilo in 1950 and later developed the bread that became King’s Hawaiian, famous for its soft texture and sweet flavor.

Today, Hawaiian sweet bread shows up as round loaves, rolls, sandwich buns, French toast, sliders, and holiday bread. It is sweet, but not dessert-sweet — just enough to make everything taste friendlier.

Fun Facts

• Hawaiian sweet bread is closely related to Portuguese pão doce.
• It makes excellent French toast.
• The soft, sweet rolls are now famous far beyond Hawaii.

Where to Try

Leonard’s Bakery Honolulu, Hawaii
Known for malasadas, but also tied to Portuguese-style bakery traditions and pão doce.

King’s Hawaiian / Hawaii Retail Availability Hawaii and national availability
The brand has Hawaii roots and remains the best-known version of Hawaiian sweet bread nationally.

Kamehameha Bakery Honolulu, Hawaii
A local bakery stop for island-style breads, pastries, and sweet bakery favorites.

Recipe

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Hawaiian Sweet Bread Makes: 1 large loaf or 12 rolls Prep: 25 minutes, plus rising Bake: 25–35 minutes Difficulty: Medium Style: Portuguese-Hawaiian Sweet Bread

Ingredients

For the bread

• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
• ¼ cup warm water
• ½ cup warm milk
• ½ cup pineapple juice
• ½ cup sugar, plus 1 teaspoon for the yeast
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Extra butter, for brushing while warm

Instructions

1. Activate the yeast: Stir yeast into warm water with 1 teaspoon sugar.
2. Let sit until foamy.
3. Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, mix milk, pineapple juice, sugar, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla.
4. Add the yeast: Add the yeast mixture.
5. Make the dough: Stir in flour and salt until a soft dough forms.
6. Knead: Knead for 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
7. First rise: Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 ½ hours.
8. Shape: Shape into a round loaf or rolls and place in a greased pan.
9. Second rise: Let rise again for 45 minutes.
10. Bake: Bake at 350°F for 25–35 minutes, depending on size, until golden and cooked through.
11. Finish: Brush with butter while warm.

Traditional note: To make it more traditional, skip the pineapple juice and use a Portuguese-style enriched dough with eggs, milk, sugar, butter, and sometimes a little lemon or vanilla. Pineapple juice gives it a modern “Hawaiian roll” flavor, but it is not required.

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