These homemade potato rolls come together surprisingly quickly. You can use leftover baked potatoes, or quickly cook potatoes in the microwave just for this recipe. These soft and buttery rolls are perfect for sandwiches or enjoy them as dinner rolls with a bit of butter.
Homemade potato rolls are buttery and delicious. That mashed potatoes in the dough help to keep them really soft and melt in your mouth good.
When my friend Di sent over a recipe for these potato rolls, I just knew I had to make them. The recipe is easier than you’d think and much quicker too! It doesn’t call for two long proofs.
The total rise time in the whole recipe is only 15 minutes. You read that right! By the time your oven is preheated, the rolls are ready to bake!
The best part is they are delicious! They are so soft, with a very subtle sweetness. They have the perfect buttery texture as well.
We used them as Di does, as a base for some Porcupine Meatball sliders. Then we used the leftovers to make the best breakfast sandwiches.
They would make a great dinner roll and would perfect for lunch meat sandwiches as well!
What is a potato roll?
Potato rolls are dinner rolls that have mashed potatoes in the dough. You can use some leftover baked potatoes potatoes or microwave a potato until it the center is soft enough to mash. The potatoes give it a softer texture and slightly sweeter taste than a standard roll. You can also make them a little bit bigger and use them as a bun for sandwiches.
Carlee’s Tips and Tricks
For a pull-apart rolls with softer sides, space the balls of dough closer together on the baking sheet.
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For rounded, brown all-over, crustier rolls, keep more space the dough balls. That way they won’t touch while they are baking and they will maintain a more round shape.
If your kitchen is cool, there are ways to wake your yeast up and help your dough to proof. The easiest is to preheat your oven to 200°F then turn it off.
Cover the sheet pan of rolls with a damp tea towel. Stick it in the oven and allow it to proof for about 10 minutes.
They will continue to rise a bit as you preheat the oven. The warm pan will help keep them from getting too cold.
When forming the dough balls, place them seam-side down so that they rise with a smooth top.
I have not made these rolls using whole wheat flour. If you want to give it a go, I would start by replacing 1 cup of the all-purpose flour with an equal amount of white whole wheat flour.
Prep ahead
If you want to make the dough ahead of time, go ahead and mix it but instead of proofing it, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to bake. Pull the dough out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you want to form and bake the rolls.
What effect does adding potato to the dough have?
The starch in the potatoes contributes to the structure of the dough and holds more moisture than just wheat flour. Plus, it works without developing more gluten. So the end product turns out nice and light and tender. It’s the same principle that keeps our potato dough cinnamon rolls so soft and delicious. That’s another recipe that you should definitely try.
Buttery Potato Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 medium potatoes
- 1 cup milk
- 1½ Tablespoons dry active yeast
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons butter softened
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 large egg beaten
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
For Finishing
- 3 Tablespoons melted butter
- salt
Instructions
- Bake your 2 medium potatoes by your favorite method, I just pierced mine with a fork and cooked them until tender in the microwave. Once they are cool enough to handle, scoop out the insides and mash slightly.
- Warm the 1 cup milk to lukewarm, about 90°F. It doesn’t have to me exact. It should be warm to the touch, but not so warm that you couldn’t leave a finger in it for a minute or two. Stir in the 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar and sprinkle the 1½ Tablespoons dry active yeast over the top to activate it.
- Place mashed potatoes, 2 Tablespoons butter, 1½ teaspoons salt and 1 large egg in your mixer bowl and mix to combine.
- Add the milk and yeast mixture, again mixing to combine.
- Add the 3 cups all-purpose flour, one cup at a time, and mix until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be slightly tacky. You can adjust with a bit more flour or a small splash of milk until you get the desired consistency.
- Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until elastic. Divide the dough into 16 portions and roll each into a ball. Place prepared balls onto a greased baking sheet, leaving plenty of room between them.
- Cover with a towel and allow to rise for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Remove towel and brush rolls generously with 3 Tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
Notes
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Hi,
Roughly how many grams/ounces of potatoes would this be?
Thanks
The recipe is pretty forgiving, but about 110 grams of potato. A little more is fine too.
We do too and these were so much easier to make than I would have expected!