Potato Rolls are so soft, fluffy, and have the perfect amount of moisture. These dinner rolls are our family favorite because of their unbeatable texture. These dinner rolls are made with mashed potatoes that create their signature moist and fluffy texture!
These potato rolls, aka Amish rolls, are always soft, fluffy, and completely irresistible! For that reason, I’ve started doubling my batches so I don’t run out. These are may family’s favorite dinner rolls and I make them for every holiday, all year round.
The “not-so-secret” ingredient for these homemade potato polls is the cup of mashed potatoes that gets mixed into the dough. These rolls are angelically soft and fluffy while also being just dense enough to retain their moisture in the most incredible way. Thank you, mashed potatoes!
Many people feel intimidated by homemade dinner rolls, but trust me, you will be just fine! I’ve simplified the steps here so they’re clear, concise, and directly to the point.
PRO TIP: it’s easy to plan for making potato rolls during the holidays. If you plan on making mashed potatoes for dinner, simply set aside 1 cup of mashed potatoes to make the dinner rolls with. You can also set some aside from previous dinner and freeze it for later.
How To Make Potato Rolls
Make the dough.
Combine the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt in a pot over medium heat until the butter starts to melt.
Combine 2 cups of flour and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer. Turn the mixer on low and slowly stir in the warm milk mixture and the egg.
Mix in the cup of mashed potatoes. Continue to mix on low until combined. Raise the speed to medium-high and beat for approximately 2-3 minutes.
Scrape the sides as needed and add the rest of the flour while the mixer is on low speed. Be sure to only add 1/2 cup at a time.
Knead and let rise.
Knead the dough for about 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface until it’s elastic. Add more flour if needed.
Place the kneaded dough into a lightly greased bowl. Roll it around a little in the bowl to grease the dough.
Cover the bowl with a towel. Keep it in a warm, dry place and let the dough rise for 1 hour until it’s doubled in size.
Punch the dough down in the center. Then, take it out of the bowl and half it. Cover and let rest for another 10 minutes.
Bake the rolls.
Roll each half into a long roll, then divide each roll into 12 even smooth balls. Place the rolls onto a lightly greased baking pan.
Cover and let them rise for half an hour.
Bake for 18-20 minutes at 375°F.
Temperature of the rolls when done: Enriched breads and rolls (enriched with eggs and flour) are best to cook to about 190°F internal temperature. This way, they are golden brown on the outside and baked through but still soft and fluffy.
Tips for the Making These Dinner Rolls
- If you want larger rolls, divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. If you want smaller dinner rolls, divide the dough into 24 equal pieces.
- You can also decide the look of your rolls. For rolls that sit tight together and are more pull apart, place the 16 dough rolls into 13×9 baking dish and close together. If you want them to look more like individual rolls that are brown on all sides, use a large baking sheet, space them about 2 inches apart, and divide them among 2 baking pans.
Storing Recommendation
You can store the rolls for a few of days at room temperature. Make sure to keep the rolls an airtight plastic bag or in an airtight food storage container.
How long the rolls last highly depends on the conditions, like temperature and humidity. If you live in a humid environment, they will only last a couple of days.
You can also keep the in the refrigerator for a few days longer and simply reheat then for a few seconds in the microwave when needed. Store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator as well.
How to Freeze Potato Rolls?
You can freeze these dinner rolls before or after baking.
To freeze before baking: Follow the same recipe, but stop before baking. Cover a cutting board with parchment paper and place the rolled Potato Rolls on it. Place them then into the freezer and let them sit for 2-3 hours. Once frozen, you can transfer the rolls into a large freezer friendly zip-top bag.
Get as much air out as you can, label, and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to bake, thaw the rolls first, then give them a couple of hours to rise. You can place the dinner rolls into greased pans to thaw and rise. It will take about 4-6 hours for the rolls to thaw and rise. Then, bake as instructed.
To freeze them baked: Make the rolls per the recipe instructions and allow them to cool completely. Then, you can portion the rolls into several freezer-friendly plastic bags, or a couple of larger ones. You can also opt to wrap them in foil a few at a time.
Make sure to wrap them airtight, maybe in a couple of layers. You can also place the wrapped rolls in an airtight freezer storage container. The freezer shelf life of dinner rolls is only about 2 months.
More Bread Recipes To Make
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Amish Potato Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 – 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 packet of rapid rise (instant) yeast
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 cup mashed potatoes warm
Instructions
- In a small sauce pot, combine milk, water, and butter. Heat through on medium-low heat, until butter starts to melt (milk temperature reaches about 120°F). Take off heat.
- In a bowl of your electric mixer, combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Turn the mixer or low and mix to combine. Add mashed potatoes and mix until it starts to incorporate. Quickly whisk the egg into the warmed milk mixture and slowly pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture while it's mixing on "stir" setting. Add the mashed potatoes. Keep mixing on low until all combined. Raise the speed a little and beat a few seconds until smooth.
- Take out the dough and place it onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough, adding a little bit more flour if necessary (if the dough feels very sticky), until it's elastic and smooth.
- Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl and roll it so the dough gets a little greased as well.
- Cover it with a towel and keep it in a warm and dry place. Let it rise for an hour to an hour and a half, until doubled in size.
- Deflate the dough, take it out, and split in two even halves. Cover and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
- Roll each piece into a long roll and divide each roll into 12 pieces. Roll them into smooth balls and place them onto a lightly greased baking pan. (I used 2 13×9 baking pans with 12 rolls in each pan.)Notes: – you can also divide them into 16-18 pieces if you want larger rolls. – if you want the rolls that sit tight together that you have to pull apart, place more rolls into the baking dish, closer together. If you want rolls that are more individual and bakes on all sides, place them into a larger baking dish and spaced apart about 2 inches.
- Cover and let them raise for about 30-45 minutes, until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake the rolls for about 18-20 minutes, until golden brown and feel set. Note: you can also take internal temperature of the center roll, in the middle. Dinner rolls are done when they reach 190°F internal temperature.
Video
Notes
- Storing: You can store the rolls for a few of days at room temperature. Make sure to keep the rolls an airtight plastic bag or in an airtight food storage container.
How long the rolls last highly depends on the conditions, like temperature and humidity. If you live in a humid environment, they will only last a couple of days.
You can also keep the in the refrigerator for a few days longer and simply reheat then for a few seconds in the microwave when needed. Store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator as well.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in November, 2013.
Darlene Erickson says
I don’t have rapid rise yeast but I do have active dry yeast..Will that work? I really would love to try this..
Roxanne Justiz says
I’m so excited to try this after reading the comments. The recipe seems easy to make. I love buying potato bread. So I appreciate making it at home myself. It feels good to know what exactly is being used instead of store bought stuff with ingredients I can’t even pronounce! I recently found out that L-cysteine is in a lot of bread in stores. That is amino acid to promote long shelf life. It comes from human hair!! Just thought I’d share because I was ignorant of this. The pictures look like the rolls are fluffy and delicious ! Look forward to trying this. Thank you for sharing. Shalom
LyubaB says
I hope you enjoy them, Roxanne!
Lori says
So fun! It’s basically a simple addition of mashed potatoes but the texture is really so much softer!
LyubaB says
I am so happy you like it, Lori!
Barb says
Did you use a dough hook or paddle attachment to mix the dough? From the photo it looks like the paddle.
LyubaB says
I use the paddle because it just needed a fast mix so I didn’t use the dough hook.
Sandra says
Can you make these day before and re-heat day of?
lyuba says
Hi Sandra,
Theoretically, you an always make dinner rolls but they are never as good as fresh from the oven. Another thing you can do is prepare the dough ahead of time, like the afternoon before, and pull it out of the fridge the next day. Form rolls and let them rest/raise for about 30 minutes before baking.
I hope you enjoy them!
Karly says
Potato Rolls are my favorite! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
lyuba says
Thank you so much, Karly!
Cathy@LemonTreeDwelling says
I’m drooling looking at all your delicious bread & roll recipes! These potato rolls look perfect…I so rarely make my own bread except for quick bread. These are on my list!
lyuba says
Thank you so much, Cathy!! I hope you get to make them, so worth the time!
Julie @ This Gal Cooks says
You’re right, Lyuba. These are unbelievable…unbelievably good looking! I love a fresh homemade bread and you have a winner here. Thanks for sharing at Marvelous Mondays! Pinned and sharing on FB and G+! Have a great week, Lyuba! Just think, you are ALMOST done with school. Yay!
lyuba says
Thank you for your sweet comment, Julie!!
Lisa @ Cooking with Curls says
OOOH, I cannot wait to try these Lyuba! I have heard of potato rolls, but I have never tried them…ever! I really need to get out more. 😉 They looks wonderfully fluffy!
lyuba says
You must 🙂 won’t be sorry!
Thank you, Lisa!
Gloria // Simply Gloria says
You’ve had a crazy busy week, girl. I seriously do not know how you do it all.
But, I’m all over these rolls right now! I’m loving the texture…the color…ummm, everything! I must put these on my Thanksgiving list (along with Krista’s green beans). It’s all about the homemade rolls for the special dinner…and every dinner, actually. (=
PS…loving the Chrevron canvas/fabric! (You placed it so perfectly!)
lyuba says
You really need to try them! They are so soft, fluffy and delicious!
Thank you, Gloria!
Tahnycooks says
I have never made potato rolls before. I have made a lot of bread but never these! Gonna have to now! They look perfect! Glad you got your work!
lyuba says
You’re got to try them, Tahny! They are delicious!