Samoan Sweet Coconut Rolls
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Rich, sweet coconut rolls with a sticky sauce. Yeast blooms in warm milk, dough kneads to slap-back consistency. Coconut sauce thickens gently with cornstarch and sugar in canned coconut milk. Baked golden, topped with flaky salt. Substituted evaporated milk for whole milk for creaminess and swapped sea salt for kosher salt. Rise times tweaked by a few minutes based on dough feel. Rolls soak up coconut sauce, sticky and fragrant. Quick bake at 405°F to crisp edges without drying. Perfect as snack or sweet side.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
30 min
Total:
55 min
Servings:
12 rolls
#Samoan cuisine
#yeast baking
#sweet rolls
#coconut recipes
#baking tips
Yeast work is never exact but rewarding when right. Blooming yeast in warmed evaporated milk gives a richer taste than whole milk; I’ve found milk choice really changes texture here. The dough’s elasticity tells you when it’s kneaded enough; slap it against the bowl till it dents but bounces back, like a morning stretch from a cat. Coconut sauce thickened with cornstarch melts into the rolls during baking, sticky and sweet without being cloying. Baking hot and fast crisps edges but keeps soft centers. Timing adjusts by feel — golden tops, slight spring, and syrup bubbles tell when it’s done. Salt finish—non-negotiable. Avoid instant sugar dumps; use sugar sparingly or swap for brown for a subtle twist; I tried maple once, interesting but changes harmony. These rolls soak up sauce like little sponges, best eaten warm, café style, no fuss.
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups evaporated milk, warmed to 100°-110°F
- 1 packet rapid rise dry yeast (about 2¼ tsp)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted plus 2 tbsp reserved
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 6 cups all purpose flour, sifted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 13.5 oz canned unsweetened coconut milk
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- Flaky sea salt for topping (optional)
About the ingredients
Evaporated milk swapped in for whole milk adds creaminess and a slightly denser crumb but tender. If unavailable, warm whole milk to 105°-110°F. Rapid rise yeast speeds proof; traditional active dry yeast works if you add time and proof first. Kosher salt replaces sea salt—coarser texture but less moisture sensitive. Keep an eye on milk temp; overheating kills yeast quickly. Melted butter crucial for richness, but reserve a little for buttering pan to prevent sticking and add caramelized flavor to crust. Coconut milk sauce base is flexible — canned is thick and full-fat; if you prefer lighter, coconut cream diluted with water works, but sauce thins and sweet intensity drops. Cornstarch stabilizes sauce; arrowroot is an alternative if you want clarity. Sugar quantity cut slightly from standard for less cloying sweetness; brown sugar addition shifts complexity but softens coconut flavor.
Method
- Warm evaporated milk gently in microwave or on stove till steam barely rises and temp reaches 100°-110°F. Too hot kills yeast; too cool won’t bloom. Wait if overheating.
- In large bowl or stand mixer with dough hook, stir yeast and ¼ cup sugar into warm milk. Wait 8-12 minutes; surface should bubble and smell yeasty, not sour or bleachy. If nothing happens, scrap yeast and start over.
- Preheat oven to 405°F. Melt butter; use 2 tbsp to butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Keep butter warm.
- Add remaining melted butter, eggs, and kosher salt into browned yeast mixture. Add flour gradually, about 1 cup at a time, stirring gently until just combined. Overmixing toughens dough; under-mixing leaves parts sticky.
- Flour workspace lightly. Turn dough out. Knead 5-7 minutes until dough bounces back and slaps against bowl sides with a snug 'thwack' sound. Dough should be smooth, elastic, soft but not sticky. If stickier than dough from past batches, add flour a tablespoon at a time.
- Divide dough into 12 equal balls. Place in buttered pan spaced but not touching. Cover with damp towel or plastic wrap. Let rise 10-20 minutes until soft and puffy but not doubled; dough will swell close to edges. Timing must be based on room temp and dough feel, not strict clock.
- Meanwhile, start coconut sauce. In small saucepan, combine ½ cup sugar and 1 tsp cornstarch. Whisk in coconut milk and kosher salt before heat. Warm over low heat, stirring often. Sugar should dissolve fully; sauce thickens slightly and coats back of spoon. Avoid boiling; sauce breaks if too hot.
- Just before baking, pour sauce over rolls. Don’t worry if pooling at bottom; it soaks in during bake. Bamboo or silicone brush helps spread if needed.
- Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes, watch for golden tops, bubbling coconut syrup around edges, and a firm but springy roll texture. Overbaking dries interiors; pull out as soon as a slight brown crust forms.Face with flaky salt while warm for taste bursts.
- Let rolls cool 10 minutes before serving. Sauce thickens further as rolls rest, wrapping each bite in sweet creamy coconut. Best fresh but reheats well wrapped in foil at 300°F for 10 minutes.
- If dough takes too long to rise, warm oven slightly or find warmer spot. Cold kitchens need more patience or yeast boost. If rolls dense or flat, review yeast freshness and milk temp next time.
Cooking tips
Yeast blooming: critical. A frothy, fragrant yeast-milk mix means yeast alive and happy. Skip flour mixing rush; add flour gradually and stop as soon as dough forms to avoid toughness. Kneading till it slaps bowl sides is tactile code for gluten network developing. Divide dough balls evenly, not shrunk tight; generous sizing yields fluffier rolls. Rising short—10-20 minutes—is a quick, warm proof, not bulk fermentation; rolls will rise again in oven. Coconut sauce heats low to dissolve sugar without scorching; experience taught me constant stirring and gentle warmth saves sauce texture. Pour sauce before baking; layering gives sticky bottom and glossy tops. Baking at 405°F a tweak from 400°F for slightly faster, more even browning. Watch visually—tops golden, syrup bubbling—over times. Sprinkle flaky salt off heat to keep crystals intact. Cooling 10 minutes is must; sauce sets and rolls firm but stay soft inside. If rolls aren’t fluffy, check yeast age and milk temp next attempt. Oven temp variance means watch doneness signs, not strict timers.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Yeast bloom critical. Warm evaporated milk between 100° and 110°F only. Too hot kills yeast quick; too cool no bubbles. Watch for frothy surface; smell yeasty, not sour. If no foam in 10 minutes, scrap and restart or dough fails later.
- 💡 Add flour gradually after wet mix. Stir gently no overwork. Overmixing toughens dough. Dough texture key—soft sticky but elastic. Knead 5-7 minutes till dough slaps bowl sides sharp. Sticky? Add flour tablespoon by tablespoon. Dough bounce back like a snap signals gluten developed.
- 💡 Butter pan with reserved melted butter. Keeps bottoms from sticking, caramelizes edges. Rolls spaced not touching for even rise. Damp towel cover stops crust forming during short rise. Rise time 10-20 mins based on room warmth; dough puffs but won’t double here. Timing flexible, trust touch more than clock.
- 💡 Coconut sauce mix cold first—sugar, cornstarch, salt whisked into canned coconut milk before heat. Low heat crucial. Stir constantly. Sauce thickens to coat spoon back, not boil or sauce breaks. Pour over dough before baking; pools bottom sticky finish. Brush spreads sauce if needed but no fuss.
- 💡 Bake quick at 405°F. Aim for golden tops, bubbles syrup edge. Texture firm but springy. Overbake dries crumb. Watch visual clues. Pull when light crust forms. Sprinkle flaky salt warm. Salt texture contrasts sweet sticky inside. Cooling 10 minutes finishes sauce thickening; rolls firm but soft inside.
Common questions
What if yeast doesn’t bloom?
Milk temp off. Too hot kills yeast fast. Too cool no activation. Try again with milk closer to 105°F. Old yeast? Dump. Use fresh or proof longer. Sometimes water quality changes yeast action.
Can I replace evaporated milk?
Whole milk warmed same temp works but less dense crumb. More fragile rolls. Avoid cold milk; yeast hates that. No evaporated milk, warm whole milk 105°-110°F first. Flavor changes; rolls less rich but still edible.
Why rolls turn dense or flat?
Yeast age, milk temp prime suspects. Underproofed dough no rise. Dough too sticky or flour not enough. Knead correctly till elastic bounce helps. Also oven temp off. Check yeast freshness next bake.
How to store leftovers?
Wrap cooled rolls in foil for fridge or freeze later. To reheat, wrap again foil, bake 10 mins at 300°F reheats moist. Microwave toughens crust—avoid. Sauce thickens after cooling. Reheat slow to keep texture intact.
