Mom’s Potato Rolls

5 from 6 votes

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My Mom’s potato rolls are fluffy, soft, slightly sweet, and nearly perfect in every way! Plus, if you have leftover mashed potatoes, this is a great way to get rid of them!

potato rolls in glass baking pan

Potato Rolls

If you’ve been following my blog for any amount of time, then you know my love language is carbs and cheese. These Potato Rolls are no exception. I lovelovelovelove them. I like regular rolls fine, but there’s something about adding mashed potatoes to this recipe that makes them smoother, softer and even more buttery. So delicious served with chili on a cold day or used for these pulled pork sandwiches.

Main Ingredients Needed

To make these potato rolls you’re going to need some staple bread-making ingredients along with left over mashed potatoes! This is my mashed potato recipe incase you need one!

  • Warm Water- needed to help activate the yeast! You need water that is 110-115 degrees F.
  • Yeast- I use active dry yeast, but the fast acting, quick rise yeast works just as well! Both kinds will work.
  • Sugar – These potato rolls are slightly sweet because of the sugar. It makes for a delicious roll.
  • Butter- butter is used to add flavor, but also add good texture to the roll.
  • Warm Milk – Warm milk added to the dough brings moisture, plus the dairy in the milk helps brown the rolls in the oven.
  • Salt– You absolutely need salt in every.single.bread.recipe you make! It brings out the flavors of all the other ingredients.
  • Mashed Potatoes – you can most definitely use leftover mashed potatoes here! Just be sure to warm them before adding them into the dough so they mix in nicely.
  • Eggs- eggs add structure and strength to the dough.
  • All-Purpose Flour – to get a chewy roll, I use regular all purpose flour and knead the potato roll dough well to get that gluten working for that delicious soft but chewy roll.
mashed potatoes in a dish

Need more killer side dishes? Check these out: Classic Hummus RecipeBasic Salsa RecipePommes FritesCilantro Lime Rice, and Oven Roasted Asparagus Recipe.

How to Make Potato Rolls

You just need a little time to make potato rolls! Easier to do than you think…just take it step by step. For exact measurements and specific instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

  1. Proof the yeast by dissolving in warm water with a little sugar.
  2. Stir melted butter, milk and sugar together. Stir this around to mostly dissolve the sugar.
  3. Measure flour and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer.
  4. Pour the yeast mixture and the butter mixture to the bowl with the flour and start to stir.
  5. While the mixer is stirring, add in two beaten eggs, and warm mashed potatoes.
  6. Add in another cup or so of flour to form dough. Slightly sticky, but cohesive dough.
  7. Place your dough into a greased bowl and let it rise until double in size.
  8. Divide your dough into 16 or 24 equal pieces and form into rolls. Place them in greased baking sheets and rise another 30-60 minutes.
  9. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 15-17 minutes or until golden and cooked all the way through. And then devour completely once they are fresh out of the oven.

potato roll dough in glass bowl

Tips and Tricks

This potato roll recipe I have from my Mom is at least 35 years old and been made hundreds of times. I’ve made these more than enough times to switch a few things in the recipe around to makes them turn out the very best. Also, here are a few tips that are just as important, so read very closely! You’ll be glad you did.

  • Use glass baking dishes. You do not want hard dark brown bottoms as you would get with the nonstick metal kind. And make sure you grease your glass bakeware with plenty of butter! It makes a small, yet noticeable difference.
  • When you think they’re done rising, wait another 30 minutes. If after an hour or so your rolls haven’t risen as much as you’d like, leave them alone until they have! This is an enriched dough (which means there are lots of extras added in that inhibit the yeast, preventing it from working as quickly). Letting them sit and rise is another very important step to getting a soft, chewy, and pillowy texture. The potato sometimes tends to weight the dough down, so give the rolls time.
  • DO NOT over bake! This may take a little trial and error because everyone’s oven is different, but check your potato rolls 5 minutes before you think you should. Better to be safe than sorry! If they are starting to get too dark before they’re baked all the way through, cover with foil.
rising rolls in baking pan

How long do potato rolls last?

Cool your potato rolls before storing them. They should last 4 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature and up to 6 days in the fridge.

Freezing Directions

One of the best things about potato rolls is that you can make them ahead of time and then freeze baked or unbaked.

Baked. Cool your rolls completely, then store in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow your frozen baked rolls to defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Then warm in the oven on low heat until heated through or pop in the microwave.

Unbaked. After dividing the dough into smaller portions but before you let them rise for the second time, freeze in the pan. Once frozen, transfer each roll to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 6 months. To defrost unbaked potato rolls, line your glass baking pan with frozen rolls. Cover and allow to defrost and rise on the counter, this should take a couple of hours so plan ahead! Once double in size, you are ready to bake these babies as normal.

pile of Potato Rolls in tea towel

What to Eat with Potato Rolls

Copious amounts of salted butter are a welcome guest to any warm, homemade potato roll 🙂 but here are some other ideas:

  • Honey Butter: for a sweet twist, try some honey butter with your rolls. This is a great recipe.
  • Jams and Jellies: what berry or fruit is in season? Consider making or buying jams or jellies to enjoy with these rolls.
  • Sandwiches: we love making mini sandwiches with these potato rolls. They are perfect for a snack or for lunch!
  • Soups: what is better with carbs than a warm comforting soup? Find all of my soup recipes here.
  • Meaty Dinners: if you have a meaty dinner in mind, (like Crockpot Beef Stew or Tri Tips and Gravy) then make these rolls to go along with it. They are the perfect side dish to cleanse your pallet and to clean up all that gravy on your plate. Yum!
 
Potato Roll with Butter

More Bread Recipes to Try!

Be sure to check out all of my bread recipes here, but below are some of my favorites!

Because of my love of carbs, I am a bread-making queen! So if you liked these potato rolls check out all of my other bread recipes!

The printable recipe card is below, enjoy!

potato rolls in a basket
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5 from 6 votes

Perfect Potato Rolls

These potato rolls are fluffy, soft, slightly sweet and nearly perfect in every way! Plus, if you have leftover mashed potatoes, this is a great way to get rid of them! Holla! I love carbs.
servings 16 Rolls
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • .5 oz quick rise yeast two .25 oz packets
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter melted & cooled slightly
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup warm milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup mashed potatoes warmed
  • 2 eggs
  • 5-6 cups all purpose flour

Instructions

  • Sprinkle yeast and sugar onto warm water. Stir to dissolve. Let stand until yeast bubbles form, about 5 minutes. Pour into large mixing bowl.
  • Stir in butter, sugar, warm milk and salt.
  • Add in mashed potatoes, eggs and 3 cups flour. Stir until dough becomes thick and hard to mix.
  • Knead dough adding in more flour as needed until dough is slightly sticky but won’t stick to your hands (for me, its between 4 1/2-5 cups).
  • Grease large bowl with a little oil or melted butter, place dough into bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1-1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.
  • Punch down dough and divide into 24 equal pieces. Roll into small balls and place into greased glass baking dishes. Cover rolls with plastic wrap and let rise another 1-1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake rolls 15 minutes (except, check them after 10!) Rolls are best served warm, but are still great at room temperature. Store in air tight containers.

Nutrition

Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 140mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 219IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Breads, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dinner rolls, potato roll recipe, Potato Rolls

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28 Responses
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  5. Gayle E

    I think I have at least three copies of this recipe, each time I think yum, I need to make these. Your pizza crust recipe too. One day, it will be a total baking day instead of life getting in the way :). Will definitely let you know how tasty they are warm out of the oven with butter slathered <3. -gayle.

  6. chris

    I am going to try too try these.I am going to stuff some kraught mixed with black forest ham and sauteed onions….I do this with another recipe and they turn out great.Maybee just 2 tablespoons in each roll……….It’s a polish thing my grandma taught me!

  7. Amy

    Hi Lauren 🙂 I’m baking these rolls as we speak. I put them in at 400F as you suggested in the bottom paragraph but I just saw 375F on one of your pics. oops! Which is it? haha!

  8. Sandy

    When you say leftover mashed potatoes – I assume with milk and seasonings in them? I have a doughnut recipe that calls for mashed potatoes but my mother in law just cooked them just for that and did not add any seasonings. These look delicious!

  9. Katie | The Surly Housewife

    These look divine. I clearly didn’t have enough carbs last weekend 😉 My kids are the only kids alive that don’t like mashed potatoes so this is perfect for all the leftovers I always have. Thanks for sharing. Pinned!!

  10. Heidi

    I have a good whole wheat recipe I usually use, can I substitute half whole wheat in this one. It sure sounds good with the potato in it.

  11. mike burch

    thank you very much..i am going to give this a try but in bread form instead of rolls..do you think that will be ‘ok’ ??….thanks again..from mike in Ocala,fllorida

    1. Lauren

      I’ve never tried this recipe as a loaf before…reduce the oven temp a bit and cook for a longer time…like closer to 45 min to 1 hour. Good luck! Let me know if it works!

      1. mike burch

        5 stars
        Hello there,,Lauren…thanks for the recipe and excellent advise. I reduced the amount of potatoes to 3/4 of a cup..used the potato water instead of milk,and used king arthur unbleached bread flour.(never used that brand before so thought I would give it a try)…look very dry so added another 3/4 cup of potato water…refrigerated it over night(about 14 hours).oh yeah mixed this in my stand mixer with my flat paddle then switched to the dough hook for about 8 minutes..then put it in the refrigerator over night…made two loaves .it took about about 6 hours to rise then baked at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes ..covering the loaves with a sheet af aluminum foil for the last 25 minutes…my family said this was the BEST TASTING BREAD I HAVE MADE SO FAR,,,By the way this was very very sticky dough…thank you very very much for helping out this old man

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