Old-Fashioned Potato Dinner Rolls

Stack of homemade yeast rolls showing crumb on side.

5 from 1 vote

Old-Fashioned Potato Dinner Rolls

Soft, golden dinner rolls made with mashed potato, so they stay tender for days. A forgiving yeast dough for first-time bakers, with make-ahead and freezer options for the holidays.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Bulk and final rise3

Total Time3 45

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings: rolls

Calories: 135kcal

Author: Marie Pinto Bialek

Equipment

Standing mixer optional (may also hand knead)

Ingredients

For the Mashed Potato

1 medium russet potato peel and cut into cubes

For the Dough

4 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2.5 teaspoons dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
1 cup mashed potatoes
3/4 cup warm water (105–115°F)

To Brush Tops

2 tablespoons butter melted

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Mashed Potato

Boil the potato chunks in unsalted water until a fork slides in easily, about 15 minutes. Scoop out 1 cup of the cooking water and set it aside, then drain the potato. Mash or rice it until completely smooth with no lumps.
Measure 1 cup, lightly packed. Let the potato and the reserved water cool until they feel warm but not hot on your wrist (105–115°F). Hot potato will kill the yeast.

Start the Yeast

Active dry: stir the yeast and a pinch of the sugar into the warm water. Let it sit 5–10 minutes, until foamy. If it doesn’t foam, the yeast is dead, so start over with fresh yeast.
Instant: skip this step and whisk the yeast into the flour.

Make the Dough

In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt, butter, mashed potato, and water (with the yeast, if you’re using active dry). Mix on low with the dough hook until no dry flour remains.
Knead 6–8 minutes on medium-low in the mixer, or about 10 minutes by hand. The dough is ready when it’s smooth, soft, and slightly tacky, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Potato dough feels stickier than plain bread dough, so don’t add extra flour unless it sticks to your hands like paste. If you do, add 1 tablespoon at a time.

Bulk Rise and Shape

Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 60–90 minutes. To check, press a floured finger about 1/2 inch into the dough. If the dent stays, it’s ready. If it springs right back, give it more time.
Gently press out the air and divide the dough into 24 pieces, about 46 g each. Roll each piece on an unfloured counter under a cupped hand, or tuck the edges underneath, until you have a smooth, tight ball.

Final Rise

Second rise. Place the balls in a greased 9x13 pan in 4 rows of 6. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap. Let them rise until they’re puffy, about 1 1/2 times their original size, and touching each other, about 45–75 minutes. A gentle poke should spring back slowly and leave a slight dent. Preheat the oven to 350°F about 30 minutes before baking.

Bake and Finish

Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the rolls are deep golden brown and the center reads 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Butter. Brush the rolls with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes

Notes

- Leftover mashed potatoes: Bring them to room temperature first, and use 3/4 cup warm tap water.
- Make ahead: Once the rolls are in the pan, cover and refrigerate up to overnight. Take the rolls out 1–2 hours before baking and let them sit until puffy. Cold dough rises slowly.
- Freeze: freeze baked rolls up to 3 months. Reheat wrapped in foil at 300°F for 10–12 minutes.

Nutrition