Insanely-Fluffy Mashed Potato Dinner Rolls Recipe (2024)

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: Insanely-Fluffy Mashed Potato Dinner Rolls are heavenly rolls with an irresistible pillowy texture and a fun mystery ingredient!

• Mashed potato is the key to making these golden-brown rolls light, squishy, and satisfying.
• These buttery, flavorful rolls elevate any sandwich, and they’re great on their own, slathered with butter. You’ll want to make a batch or two for big family gatherings, and they’re also a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes when the holidays are over!

Even though lots of thought goes into the main dishes and desserts at the holidays, what will actually get the most love and attention? Homemade rolls! The aroma of baking bread sets the tone for the Christmas or Thanksgiving menu, and a basket of these puffy rolls with their beautifully shiny tops simply makes dinner happier. With our Homemade Sage Sausage Stuffing and Easy Sweet Potato Soufflé, you have an eye-catching and mouthwatering Thanksgiving feast to look forward to!

Table of Contents

• What Are Insanely Fluffy Mashed Potato Dinner Rolls?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Why
• How to Make Insanely Fluffy Mashed Potato Dinner Rolls
• Can I Make Insanely Fluffy Mashed Potato Dinner Rolls in Advance?
• How to Store Insanely Fluffy Mashed Potato Dinner Rolls
• FAQs
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• More Roll and Biscuit Recipes

What Are Insanely Fluffy Mashed Potato Dinner Rolls?

• Insanely-Fluffy Mashed Potato Rolls are made from yeast dough. The starch in the potatoes provides extra moisture, making these rolls exceptionally soft and puffy. They also have a subtle, pleasant potato taste.
• Rolls made with mashed potatoes have an airier texture than bread or rolls without potatoes, which are generally heartier or with a more pronounced crust.
• Potatoes traditionally grew well in Ireland, and because they were readily available, they were used in many recipes, including bread made with mashed or grated potatoes. Early versions were made with baking soda and were dense and hearty. Now, potato is often added to a yeasted dough to add a unique texture and flavor.

• Stand mixer (optional)
• Mixing bowl
• Measuring cups and measuring spoons
• 9×13-inch pan
• Pastry brush

Key Ingredients for Mashed Potato Dinner Rolls and Why

• Leftover mashed potatoes

  • This recipe is flexible, and any leftover mashed potatoes will work in this recipe.
  • More tasty used for leftover mashed potatoes are Authentic Irish Potato Farls, Potato Rosemary Soufflé, Loaded Mashed Potato Bread, and Homemade Krispy Kreme Donuts Recipe.

• Eggs

  • Using eggs in a bread dough recipe yields plush, rich rolls.
  • Eggs give the dough moisture and structure, making the flavor richer.

• Butter

  • Melted butter permeates the rolls with savory flavor and unbeatable texture.
  • Did you know it’s easy to make your own butter? How to Make Homemade Butter guides you through the process.

• Milk

  • Milk gives bread dough a softer texture and a richer flavor.

• All-purpose flour

All-purpose flour has a 9-11% protein content, perfect for this recipe for soft rolls with a touch of lovely chewiness.

• Instant Yeast

  • Instant yeast does not require sponging and gives a quicker, more efficient rise than active dry yeast.
  • Mix instant yeast with flour first to avoid direct contact with salt so the yeast won’t get deactivated.
  • If you use active dry yeast: for every teaspoon of instant yeast, use 1 ¼ teaspoons of active dry yeast. Bring the liquid in your recipe to blood temperature and mix in active dry yeast. Let it sit at room temperature for roughly 5 minutes until foam forms on top.

• Granulated sugar

  • Sugar feeds yeast, converting it into gas, making the dough rise and making the rolls light and airy.
  • Sugar helps to retain moisture in the dough, ensuring a tender crumb.

• Salt

  • Salt enhances the flavor of the rolls and strengthens the gluten, giving the rolls the perfect crumb.
  • Salt also relaxes the dough so that it’s easier to shape.

How to Make Insanely Fluffy Mashed Potato Dinner Rolls

• Mix the wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer (see notes below if you’re not using a mixer), beat the potato, eggs, butter, milk, and water.
• Whisk the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a separate bowl. Then, add the yeast mixture to the potato mixture.
• Knead and proof the dough: Knead with a dough hook or by hand until it’s still sticky but clears the bowl. Put the dough in a greased bowl and turn the dough to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Shape the mashed potato dinner rolls: Oil a 9×13-inch pan. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Arrange seam-side down on the baking pan. Cover tightly and let rise for 45 minutes.
• Bake the mashed potato dinner rolls: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Whisk an egg with a tablespoon of milk and brush on rolls. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Can I Make Insanely Fluffy Mashed Potato Dinner Rolls in Advance?

Yes, you can make Mashed Potato Dinner Rolls in advance.

• To store mashed potato dinner rolls in the fridge: Storing the unbaked rolls in the refrigerator will slow the rise. After the first rise, portion the dough, shape into rolls, and put them in the fridge for up to one day. But note not to over-proof the rolls. If they more than double in size, you must take them out and bake them off.
• To store mashed potato dinner rolls in the freezer: You can bake the rolls and freeze them, or you can portion and freeze the raw dough before baking.
  • After the first rise, shape the dough into rolls and put them into oiled freezer bags. Seal the bags well and freeze for up to four weeks.
  • When you’re ready to bake your rolls, remove them from the bags and let them thaw slightly for about 15 minutes. Cover the dough balls with a tea towel and let them rise until they have doubled in size and a finger indent doesn’t spring back immediately. Then brush with egg wash and bake as directed.

How to Store Insanely Fluffy Mashed Potato Dinner Rolls

• Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
• You can also freeze leftover rolls individually or as a batch. Use freezer bags or an airtight container to protect against freezer burn. Thaw at room temperature and reheat if desired.

FAQs

• Can I knead this mashed potato dinner roll dough by hand?

  • If kneading by hand, first whisk the potatoes, water, milk, and eggs in a large bowl.
  • Next, whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir the flour mixture into the potato mixture until moistened.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes until you have a soft, smooth, slightly sticky dough. Use a touch more flour or milk as needed.
  • Continue following the directions as written above, starting with Step 4.

• What do I do if my dough is too wet or too dry?

  • The dough should be fairly sticky, but it should still clear the sides of the bowl.
  • If your dough is wet, add a bit more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until it’s the correct consistency.
  • If the dough is stiff or dry, add one tablespoon of milk at a time until the dough is soft.

• How do I make sure my mashed potato dinner rolls aren’t dense?

  • Dense dinner rolls typically occur if you don’t let your dough proof for enough time or you add too much flour to your dough. In the latter case, you may have over-floured your work surface.
  • Use the bare minimum of extra flour to keep your dough from sticking to your work surface and hands. Add in little by little, making sure not to add too much, or else it will make the dough more difficult to shape later on and lose its fluffy texture.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• You can use any mashed potatoes for this roll recipe. It is fine if there is already milk and butter mixed into them.
• For the best-textured rolls, be sure that your dough is a bit soft and sticky. Too much flour will toughen the rolls.
• Make leftover Thanksgiving sandwiches by splitting these rolls in half, spreading them with cranberry sauce, and filling them with turkey and the leftover veggies of your choice. Serve it with a side of leftover gravy for dipping.
• Try these served with Chipotle Lime or Roasted Garlic and Herb Compound Butter.
• If you are feeding a big crowd for the holidays, feel free to double the recipe.
• FYI, these make great sliders or burger buns.

More Roll and Biscuit Recipes

• How To Make Waterford Blaas (Authentic Irish Rolls Recipe)
• Buttery Crescent Rolls
• Gemma’s Best-Ever Buttermilk Biscuits
• Soft and Fluffy Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
• Sage and Cheddar Biscuits (No Yeast)

Ingredients

Instructions