Samoan Coconut Bread Rolls, aka Pani Popo, are decadent sweet dinner rolls baked in coconut milk. Light, airy, and fluffy, they are unbelievably good! Pani Popo is baked in a delicious coconut sauce that makes it even better.
My immense love of anything and everything coconut, coupled with my constant urge to make my weekend morning worth looking forward to, steer me towards these Samoan Coconut Bread Rolls.
When I saw this recipe, I knew it would ultimately lead me into the danger zone, but I did not heed the warning.
They are every bit as tender, pillowy, and crusty on the outside, just like these my favorite Sweet Bread Rolls.
The difference between these two rolls lies mainly in the flavor of the dough. The coconut milk adds a special depth of flavor to the dough with a slight coconut flavor, making it amazingly tender and light in texture.
What is Pani Popo?
Samoan Coconut Bread Rolls or Pani Popo is so uncomplicated and flavorful. It is a soft dinner roll baked with a deliciously sweet coconut sauce.
Soft and fluffy on the inside and richly gooey on the bottom.
Most of the recipes I perused had some kind of milk, so I researched the purpose of powdered milk in the bread. It helps to deepen the flavor and produces a beautiful golden and crusty outer layer.
It’s still quite tasty without it.
I only added as much coconut milk as the bread could absorb. If you prefer a soggy bottom, add more coconut milk (about a ¼ cup more).
You can make these sweet rolls entirely without a stand mixer. Yes, it sure aids the process. However, I often make it without a stand mixer. A large bowl will do just fine.
I simply love every bite of this bread. You can certainly eat more than five in one sitting!
Enjoy!!!!
Pani Popo Recipe Ingredients
- Active Dry Yeast gives this bread a beautiful rise and a wonderful yeasty flavor.
- Water – Just enough water to dissolve the yeast, not more.
- Coconut Milk gives these incredible bread rolls the coconutty flavor I absolutely love.
- Butter creates a richness that makes these soft Samoan Coconut Rolls ridiculously scrumptious.
- Egg is a good binder and adds to the softness.
- Powdered Milk – I used full-fat powdered milk for a more decadent bread, but you can use what you have.
- Sugar sweetens up everything. It also helps the yeast rise.
- Salt is an essential pantry staple for enhancing flavor.
- All-purpose Flour is the principal ingredient and what makes it bread.
- Raw Sugar makes a beautifully sweet topping. You can leave it out if desired.
Alternative Ingredients
- Yeast – This bread gets its softness and delicious flavor, partly from the yeast. You can use other types of bread yeast; just follow the instructions on the package. If you have a sourdough starter, you can replace the yeast with a ¼ cup of starter and adjust the liquid ingredients to compensate.
- Coconut Milk – If you have coconut yogurt instead, that will work. Or you can make one at home using this Homemade Coconut Milk recipe
- Milk – If you’d like a dairy-free version, you can look for powdered coconut milk. Full-fat is best because the higher the fat content, the softer the bread will be. Or you can replace it with warm water.
- Sugar – You can leave it out if you’d like.
Tips & Notes
- Make sure the water is not too hot. You don’t want it warmer than body temperature.
- Divide the coconut milk in half, one cup for the dough and the other cup for baking.
- The soft dough will firm up as it rises the first time, so try not to add too much flour. It’s better to err on the side caution by not adding enough flour than adding too much. You can always add more flour, but you can’t take it out once it’s in the dough.
- For your bread to be fluffy, it has to double in size. Be patient. This one took about 3 hours to double in size. Sometimes even more. It depends on the weather, humidity, and altitude.
- Go easy on the flour – try not to add too much. Again, it’s better to put less flour than more. Remember, you can always add more flour, but you can’t take it out once it’s in the dough.
- When making these rolls make sure you only use enough flour to keep it from sticking to your hands – the dough should be a little bit sticky. Too hard will produce a not-so-soft roll.
- If your bread does not rise in an hour, try turning on the oven to warm for 10 minutes. Then, turn it off and let the dough rise in the oven.
- If all else fails, mix rapid rise yeast into the dough and knead.
Serving & Storage Instructions
Samoan Coconut Bread Rolls are, in my opinion, best right out of the oven. But that’s not always possible.
To properly store the bread, allow it to cool completely, then store it in a container (it doesn’t have to be airtight, but you don’t want your bread to dry out and get dusty, either) away from direct heat or sunlight. If it’s not cool, then steam will make it soggy and mold faster.
Breadbox is a perfect place to store bread, but not everyone has one of those. Keeping it inside of the cabinet will work just as well. On top of the refrigerator, not so much because it gets too warm there.
Freezing. If I think it might be more than three or four days before we’re going to eat these scrumptious Pani Popos, I freeze them in an airtight freezer container until we’re ready to chow down.
Reheating. Then I thaw them in the fridge and reheat them in the oven for a few minutes. They’ll last in the freezer for up to six months.
FAQs
Absolutely! Instead of dividing it into balls, simply knead the whole lump of dough and put it in a greased loaf pan. Up the baking time by about 20 minutes, but start checking it at around half an hour to avoid overcooking.
It sounds like too much coconut milk. Try reducing the amount of liquid. Or, if you’ve already made the dough and it feels like it’s going to be sticky, just add flour a bit at a time until you reach the right consistency.
They are both incredibly mouthwatering. Hawaiian Bread Rolls are sweetened with pineapple, while Pani Popo is sweetened with coconut milk. However, I got really creative one day and decided to mix the two recipes. Hawaiian Coconut Bread Rolls are awesome, if I may say so myself.
What to Eat with Pani Popo?
This recipe goes great with any Micronesian, Polynesian, or Asian food. For example, these Hawaiian Grilled Chicken Thighs would be perfect.
Caribbean food, like this Grilled Caribbean Coconut Shrimp or Caribbean-style Fried Rice, would also be a good match.
As a matter of fact, I think it would go great with just a cup of coffee.
More Easy Bread Recipes
- Easy Potato Bread – Soft, delicious, and perfect for sandwich bread. Not to mention, it’s a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes.
- No-Knead Bread – The thought of bread-making scares a lot of people. But this Italian-style no-knead bread takes easy to a new level.
- Irish Soda Bread – A beautiful dense yeast-free bread that will satisfy your soul. The buttermilk gives it a pleasant tang, and the raisins give it the perfect amount of sweetness.
- Cloud Bread – This scrumptious and naturally gluten-free bread is a keto-lovers dream. Eggs and cream cheese pair for an unbelievably heavenly experience.
- Cinnamon Raisin Bread – I have to admit, I have a special spot in my sweet tooth area for anything cinnamon, whether it’s cinnamon rolls, rice pudding, or this delicious toastable cinnamon bread.
How to Make Pani Popo
Prepare the yeast
- Activate the yeast – Combine three tablespoons of lukewarm water and the yeast in a standing mixer. Let it sit until the yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. (Photo 1)
Prepare the wet ingredients
- Warm the wet ingredients – Meanwhile, combine one cup of coconut milk with the butter pieces, sugar, and salt in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave it for about a minute. Stir until everything is melted. (Photo 2)
- Add egg and powdered milk – Lightly whisk the egg and powdered milk into the butter mixture (if it is too hot, let it cool to warm enough to prevent the eggs from curdling.) (Photo 3 & 4)
Add the rest of the ingredients
- Mix it all – Dump everything (all remaining ingredients except the optional raw sugar) into the yeast mixture. (Photo 5)
- Mix for two minutes at medium speed or by hand. Add about 3½ cups of flour and continue mixing dough. (Photo 6)
- Add in enough flour (if needed) to make a soft dough.
Knead and let rise
- Knead – Turn dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 12 minutes or more if you want airy bread. (Photo 7)
- Oil dough – Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning it once to coat it with oil. (Photo 8)
- Resting time – Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for an hour or two or until doubled. Be sure to let the rolls rise; otherwise, your dinner rolls won’t be light and fluffy and decadent like the pictures.
Prepare the rolls
- Form the rolls – After the dough doubles, punch it down and divide it into 12 equal pieces – a little over 2 ounces apiece. (Photos 9 & 10)
- Round them out – To form round balls, you have to tuck the edges underneath the dough, then roll it against the board or between your palms until it’s round. (Photo 11)
Get ready! Set! Bake!
- Prepare for baking – Arrange the shaped balls in a buttered baking dish. Space them evenly but note that they fit more snugly across the pan. (Photo 12)
- Bake until the crust is deep golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. It might take about 20-25 minutes, depending on your oven. Start checking after 15 minutes, so it doesn’t brown too fast. Lower temperature if needed.
Watch How to Make It
This blog post was first published in November 2016 and has been updated with additional tips, and a video.
Samoan Coconut Bread Rolls( Pani Popo)
Ingredients
- 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoon) Active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons Warm water 105F- 115 F
- 1 can coconut milk 14-15oz divided in half
- 4 tablespoons (56.8 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (30 grams) powdered milk I used full fat milk
- ½ cup (100 grams) Sugar
- ½-1 teaspoon (2.84 grams) salt
- 3 1/2 cups (448 grams) to 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 -3 tablespoon (28.12 grams to 42.18 grams) raw sugar optional for the top
Instructions
- In a standing mixer combine 3-tablespoon lukewarm water and yeast. Let it sit until dissolve for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile in a microwave safe medium bowl, combine 1 cup coconut milk, with the butter pieces, sugar, salt and microwave for about a minute. Stir until everything is melted. Lightly whisk in the egg and powdered milk to the butter mixture (if the mixture is too hot let it cool to a warm mixture to prevent eggs from curding.)
- Dump everything into the yeast mixture.
- Mix for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add about 3 ½ cups of flour and continue mixing dough.
- Add in enough additional flour (if needed) to make soft dough.
- Turn dough on lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 12 minutes or more if you want airy bread.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the dough Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 to 2 hours or until doubled.
- Punch the dough down.
- At this point the dough maybe shaped into a grease loaf pan, and place seam side down in the pan or divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape into balls.
- Place in greased 12 -inch round pan and bake. You may refrigerate before baking for up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Add the remaining coconut milk in the pan. Brush the top of the loaf with coconut milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until the crust is deep golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove from the baking pan and let it cool. I like to eat mine when it is still warm.
Tips & Notes:
- Make sure the water is not too hot. You don’t want it warmer than body temperature.
- Divide the coconut milk in half 1 cup for the dough and the other cup to use for baking.
- A soft dough will firm up as it rises the first time, so try not to add too much flour. It’s better to err on the side of not adding enough flour than adding too much–you can always add more flour, but you can’t take it away once it’s in the dough.
- In order for your bread to be fluffy, it has to double in size- be patient with it. This one took about 3 hours to really double in size. Sometimes even more. It depends on the weather.
- Go easy on the flour – Try not to add too much. It’s better to err on the side of less flour and more. Remember you can always add more flour, but you can’t take it away once it’s in the dough.
- If your bread does not rise in an hour, try turning on the oven to warm for 10 minutes. Then, turn it off and let the dough rise in the oven.
- If all fails mix rapid rise yeast into the dough and knead.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Sara S says
Made these today. Easily the best bread I’ve EVER had, and probably one of the best things I’ve ever had. They’re incredibly simple to make too. I did everything in my stand mixer- I even used the dough hook to knead it. Took almost no effort on my part and is seriously so delicious! I could eat these every day!
I’m glad I read the recipe tips about not adding too much flour. The dough seemed really sticky and I was tempted to add more. But after letting it rise for a few hours, the texture was perfect.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome!! I am a sucker for this bread, I could eat it every day too :)!! So glad it worked well for you. Thanks for stopping by!
Charly says
Just wondering about what the consistency of the rolls should be like on the bottom. I made them and they were gelatinous on the bottom. I’m thinking this is partly personal taste but would like to see a picture of what the bottom should be like. Just wondering if I can start out with less milk added before baking and top it up as needed. Was still delish but I had to take mine out of the pan to cook it on the bottom. Will definitely try it again but need to tweek how I make mine.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi charly,
It’s slightly soggy at the bottom. One option would be to reduce the coconut milk to about 1/2 a cup before baking or leave it out completely . Hope this helps.
Kofo says
This is a wonderful bread u made here, but can coconut flour replace plain flour to make the bread whole coconut bread, but as l hear,u”ll hv to add psyllium husk powder or xantam stuff,am confused
imma africanbites says
Hi. Thank you for stopping by. I haven’t yet tried using coconut flour for this recipe. Would be curious to know tho.
Angel says
Amazing recipe! Thank you for sharing. I split my dough in half and made half coconut bread balls and half coconut cinnamon rolls and it was amazing, both of of them. Thank you!
ImmaculateBites says
Amazing, Angel. I think I would try coconut cinnamon rolls one of these days 🙂 ! Thanks for sharing!
Charu Mathur says
I was super excited when I came across your recipe while searching for a recipe for coconut rolls. I followed it to the T except for reducing the amount of sugar, but the end result was let’s say quite disappointing. Addition of coconut milk in the final step didn’t add anything to the flavor instead resulted in soggy bread ( I only used 200 ml/ half can)…..
M says
I’ve made these several times now (a family favourite!) and the bottoms of the buns ARE wet because they soak up the coconut sauce. Probably not everyone likes this. The amount I use is 1 cup of sauce poured over 12 buns just prior to baking. I bake at around 170C fan forced oven for 30 minutes. The tops dry up, but the bottoms stay wet. If you let them sit for awhile after baking, the sauce on the bottoms becomes more sticky and less wet.
Joyce says
I have lite coconut milk in pantry will it work?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes it would certainly do. .
Connie says
Will powdered coconut milk okay to replace powdered milk? I’m thinking more coconut flavor, I’m not crazy about powdered milk but loooove coconut. Thanks for the recipe. Can’t wait to try it.
ImmaculateBites says
Yes powdered coconut milk will do just fine . Do let me know how it works out for you.
Grace Madzua says
What if I don’t have a microwave?
imma africanbites says
Hi, Grace. You can use a pan over a stovetop on low heat.
Genius says
The bread is lovely but my concerns is the cholesterol level in the nutritional value.Please, what can we do to have a zero cholesterol level
b says
I grew up on these rolls! But now, as I’ve got older had a few food intolerances like gluten **CRYING MY EYES OUT! I would love to make the and have a premix 1-1 gluten free baking mix, was wondering if I could substitute the flour with it? Or does the yeast need flour to make the dough to rise?
thanks
b
ImmaculateBites says
Changing the recipe would change it’s consistency. And yeast makes it soft and tender.
Chrissie says
Can I use coconut milk powder instead of powdered milk?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes you can.
Christy Stenger says
Can you use powdered buttermilk instead of regular powdered milk
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Christy,
Yes you can.
Uche says
Hi, ive been using all your recipes and i must say good job! I want to make thjs bread but im confused about the measurment of the yeast and flour. Is the yeast 2 spoons and then a quater? And the flour 3 cups and a half? Pls reply
ImmaculateBites says
Yes it is. 2 1/4 teaspoon (1 packet) and the flour is 3 1/2 cups(3 cups plus 1/2 cup) , you might to adjust the flour with more or less, to get a soft dough. Less flour is better.
Carolyn Caywood says
Absolute dream of a bread. The dough is soft and supple. Great for first timers. I have some in the oven now!!!
Also, sistah girl, your website is slamming. The photos, the staging, the nuance of textures and colors along with the natural flow of sequencing…great!
ImmaculateBites says
Aww, thanks Carolyn! You are too much Girl!!!! So happy to like it .
Curtis says
Min came out good but they didn’t turn out as sweet as what I thought they would be and mine came out kind of dense. Any suggestions?
ImmaculateBites says
You might want to add more sugar if you like yours really sweet. Did you let it proof enough(double in size) ? This is an essential part of these rolls. Without it your rolls will be dense.
Eileen says
Can I use self Raising flour
ImmaculateBites says
Self rising flour is not ideal in this recipe. I haven’t tried it out , so can’t say for sure.
Ofa says
So I tried this out today and they turned out amazing, ingredients and instructions were super, thanks so much
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Glad to hear it worked out well for you
Lokahi27 says
I am from Hawaii and our polynesian foods are very similar. I must say these pani Popo’s are really good. Here and in most Samoan families, we use a lot of coconut milk, that is why we look so “healthy” lol! Meaning kinda fat! lol! Our pani’s usually have about a can of coconut milk on the bottom, turns into a pudding like sauce. Like “Haupia” a Hawaiian coconut milk pudding, very traditional here. GREAT blog!!!!!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome ! Oh,I love “haupia” , made it several times. Haven’t made it in a while though… will have to revisit.Thanks for sharing!!!