Hawaiian Bread Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Feb 21, 2025 
This fluffy, tender Hawaiian Bread Recipe is straight from the shores of the Hawaii Islands! Featuring pineapple, coconut and macadamia nuts for a real taste of paradise!
Why We Love This Hawaiian Bread Recipe
Last summer we took a family trip to Hawaii, and I was introduced to Luau Bread at one of our favorite spots, The Coffee Shack.
The Coffee Shack is literally a shanty hanging off the side of a mountain, overlooking the ocean. We visit The Coffee Shack every time we go to the Big Island and are always amazed by the rich Kona coffee, their take on comfort food with a tropical twist, and the bread!
Their Luau Bread is pure insanity. Soft moist slightly-sweet yeast bread with little chunks of coconut, pineapple, carrot, and macadamia nuts speckled throughout.
It’s the bread of your dreams. The kind of bread that can be used for french toast or sandwiches, yet needs nothing to perfect its flavor and texture.
Once we returned home, I knew Luau Bread was going on my recipe testing list. Well today, my version of Hawaiian Bread is ready for release.
It’s soft and rich with just a touch of sweetness.
Similar to brioche, it has a decadent buttery flavor and pliable texture. Each piece has little bits of moist carrot, coconut, pineapple and macadamia nut to add tropical appeal.
Ingredients You Need
- Bread Flour
- Butter – melted to add moisture
- Sugar
- Pineapple Tidbits – diced up into even smaller pieces! Reserve 1/2 cup of the juice for the dough.
- Dry Active Yeast – this is a yeasted dough, so it will take some time to rise.
- Eggs – you will need two eggs for the dough, and some egg white for the egg wash on top!
- Salt – to balance the flavors and control the levels of gluten development.
- Vanilla Extract
- Carrots
- Shredded Coconut
- Macadamia Nuts
How to Make This Hawaiian Bread Recipe
Drain 1/2 cup of pineapple juice from the can of pineapple tidbits. Place 1/4 cup flour, 8 tablespoons melted butter, pineapple syrup from the can, and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer.
Place the bread hook on the mixer and mix the ingredients for 10 seconds. Then sprinkle the dry active yeast over the top. Allow the mixture to rest for 10-15 minutes. It should look very foamy, the liquid will absorb the yeast on its own.
Mix in 2 eggs, salt, and vanilla. Then with the mixer running on low, slowly add the remaining flour. Leave the mixer running for 6-8 minutes to knead the bread dough.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of butter around the edges of the bowl so the dough doesn’t stick, and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Place in a warm spot and allow the dough to rice until it doubles in size, about 90-120 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop the pineapple tidbits into fine pieces and measure out 1/2 cup. Prepare 1/2 cup each of shredded carrot, shredded coconut, and finely chopped macadamia nuts.
Once the dough has doubled in size, turn the mixer on low and add in the pineapple, shredded carrot, shredded coconut and macadamia nuts.
Grease and flour two standard bread loaf pans. Cut the dough into two equal pieces. Roll each piece into a loaf and place in the bread pans. Then, use the last tablespoon of melted butter to brush the tops of the loaves, so they don’t dry out.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover the loaves with plastic and place in a warm place to rise. They need to double in size again to fill the pans and rise above the edge of the rim, about 40-60 minutes.
Whist the egg white and 1 tablespoon of water. Remove the plastic and gently brush the egg wash over the tops of the loaves. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then gently flip the loaves out onto a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way. Once the bread is room temperature, wrap well in plastic until ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
Our Hawaiian Luau Bread recipe is so tantalizing, it needs no butter or jam to improve its delicious slices.
However, if you choice to spread passion fruit preserves over the top, we won’t judge!
Hawaiian Luau Bread is the perfect comfort food to lift your spirits in the cold winter months. We recommend serving it for breakfast with a cup of tea or coffee, or having it as an afternoon snack!
Frequently Asked Questions
Hawaiian bread is basically a sweet, yeasted bread. My personal version has added ingredients like pineapple, carrots, coconut and macadamia nuts for added flavor and texture!
I would store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also store it in the fridge if you prefer! Before serving, you can toast or microwave a piece if you want it warm.
Looking for More Bread Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Kahlua Banana Bread
- Best Yeast Rolls
- Quick Garlic Knots
- Ice Cream Bread Recipe
- Crazy Bread Recipe (Homemade Breadsticks)
- Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
- Challah Bread with Apples
- Sweet Irish Soda Bread
- Croatian Lepinja Bread
- Focaccia Bread
Hawaiian Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups sifted bread flour, divided
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 10 ounces pineapple tidbits (in syrup)
- 1 tablespoon dry active yeast
- 2 large eggs + 1 white
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, finely chopped
Instructions
- Drain 1/2 cup pineapple juice from the can of pineapple tidbits. Place 1/4 cup flour, 8 tablespoon melted butter, pineapple syrup, and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer.
- Place the bread hook on the mixer and mix the ingredients for 10 seconds. Then sprinkle the dry active yeast over the top. Allow the mixture to rest for 10-15 minutes. It should look very foamy. (The liquid will absorb the yeast on its own.)
- Mix in 2 eggs, salt, and vanilla. Then with the mixer running on low, slowly add in the remaining flour. Leave the mixer running for 6-8 minutes to knead the bread dough.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon melted butter around the edges of the bowl so the dough doesn't stick, and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Place in a warm spot and allow the dough to rise until doubles in size. (Usually 90-120 minutes.)
- Meanwhile chop the pineapple tidbits into fine pieces and measure out 1/2 cup. Prepare 1/2 cup each of shredded carrot, shredded coconut, and finely chopped macadamia nuts.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, turn the mixer on low and mix in the pineapple, shredded carrot, shredded coconut, and macadamia nuts.
- Grease and flour two standard 9×5 bread pans. Cut the dough into two equal pieces. Roll each piece into a log and place in the bread pans. Then use the last tablespoon of melted butter to brush the tops of the loaves, so they don’t dry out.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover the loaves with plastic and place in a warm place to rise. They need to double in size again to fill the pans and rise above the edge of the rim. (About 45-60 minutes.)
- Whisk the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water. Remove the plastic and gently brush the eggwash over the tops of the loaves. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
- Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then gently flip the loaves out onto a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way. Once the bread is room temperature, wrap well in plastic until ready to serve.
This is so tender and moist and such great flavor! Definitely takes you back to the tropics!
This bread is amazing!
I loved this bread when we were in Hawaii too! So glad I found this recipe!
This bread is so delicious – cant wait to make again!
Hi this recipe looks so good . what kind of macadamia nuts do you use raw or roasted?
Thank you i remember this bread when i lived there for 3 yrs delisious!!cant wait to make some!!
Can I bake these in mini muffin tins – maybe using a melon baller or measuring spoon to divide out the dough? If so, how would that affect cook time? I can’t wait to make this recipe!!!
Hi Katie,
Yes, you absolutely can bake it in mini pans, but the exact time would be different for every size of mini pan. I would check them after 15 minutes, and watch from there to figure it out for your pans. Happy baking!
This looks and sounds so wonderful! I can’t wait to try it. Hubby and I have thoroughly enjoyed the Island of Kauai and love the Coffee Shack! Such good food – yum. :)
Can the recipe be halved to make one loaf?
Oh my Goodness! This bread sounds wonderful! Can hardly wait to make it. Will be going to the grocery store today to get all the ingredients.
Mahalo for sharing this recipe.
Fantastic, Diane! Make sure to report back. :)
hubby just got me 6 qt KitchenAid for Christmas, so son #4 is getting the 5 qt one that hubby got me for Christmas of ’92! Can’t wait to try this bread in it!
Looks yummy! Don’t have a stand mixer…but maybe some day! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Donna!
You can mix this recipe and knead the dough by hand. Just make sure to knead it thoroughly, about double the time it would take with a stand mixer. Happy baking!