Potato Rolls
These potato rolls are everything a homemade bread should be: tender, slightly sweet, cloud-soft, and rich with buttery flavor. The mashed potato folded into the dough locks in moisture and keeps the crumb incredibly soft for days.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment - or a large mixing bowl and sturdy spoon for hand mixing
- Large baking dish - 9x13 inch or two 9-inch round cake pans
- Small saucepan
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Kitchen thermometer - to check yeast water and milk temperature
- Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel
- Pastry brush - for buttering the tops
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk - 240ml
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter - 113g, cut into cubes, plus extra for brushing
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar - 100g
- 1 cup instant potato flakes - 60g, or 1 cup of plain mashed potatoes, cooled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast - 1 packet / 7g
- 1/2 cup warm water - 120ml, 105-110°F / 40-43°C
- 2 large eggs - room temperature
- 5 cups all-purpose flour - 625-750g, plus more for dusting
Instructions
- Activate the yeast by sprinkling it over warm water (105-110°F) with a pinch of sugar. Let stand for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- Scald the milk in a small saucepan until small bubbles form around the edges. Remove from heat and add butter, sugar, potato flakes, and salt. Stir until smooth and cool to 110-120°F.
- Combine the cooled milk mixture, foamy yeast, and room-temperature eggs in the stand mixer bowl and mix briefly.
- Add flour one cup at a time, mixing with the dough hook. Add just enough flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl but is still slightly sticky. Knead for 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and divide into 24 equal pieces (about 50-55g each). Roll each piece into a smooth ball and place in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Cover the pan and let the rolls proof at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour until puffed and touching each other.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake the rolls for 18-22 minutes until golden brown. In the last 3-4 minutes, brush with melted butter for a glossy finish.
Notes
- Check your yeast first. Always proof your yeast in warm water before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. If it doesn't foam, replace it.
- Temperature is everything. Use a thermometer to check both the yeast water (105-110°F) and the milk mixture before combining them. Too hot kills yeast; too cool slows or stops fermentation.
- Don't over-flour the dough. Soft rolls require soft dough. The dough should feel slightly tacky, not dry. Adding too much flour will result in denser, heavier rolls.
- Let the second rise happen fully. Rolls that haven't proofed long enough will be dense and small. They should look noticeably puffed and pillowy before going into the oven.
- Brush butter at the end of baking. Adding butter too early causes it to over-brown. Apply it in the last 3-4 minutes of baking for a golden, buttery finish without burning.
- Room-temperature eggs matter. Cold eggs can cool down the dough mixture and slow yeast activity. Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before you start.
- Garlic herb variation: Add 2 teaspoons of garlic powder and 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme to the dough. Brush the tops with garlic butter instead of plain butter right before serving.
- Cheesy potato rolls: Fold in 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese during the final stages of kneading.
- Overnight potato rolls: After shaping the rolls, cover them tightly and refrigerate overnight (up to 12 hours). The next morning, let them come to room temperature and rise for about 1 hour, then bake as directed.
- Storage: Store cooled rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 15-20 seconds.