Potato rolls are easy to make and turn out perfectly every single time! Whip up a batch and freeze some for later. These are sure to be a hit!
Potato rolls are a delicious bread roll that’s golden brown and slightly crisp and chewy on the outside while remaining light and fluffy on the inside- like every good dinner roll should be!
With the tender bread rolls practically melting in your mouth its understandable if you want to reach for a second or third at dinner.
Making this potato roll recipe is fairly easy, like any simple yeast dough recipe, but it uses instant potatoes as a secret ingredient. The instant potatoes are what give this bread the traditional flavor and texture of potato bread.
It’s really cool watching how little flakes of potato can dissolve into the yeast dough and how it creates a very glutenous bread with a great crumb full of tiny little air pockets.
These potato bread rolls would go great when served alongside anything. Open them up and slather some butter inside for a tasty buttery roll or fill them up with lunch meat and cheese for a small sandwich slider.
Leave them as is alongside a bowl of soup, a plate of pasta, or a rotisserie style cooked chicken. The options are endless and I’m sure you’ve already got a few great ideas of your own!
How to Make Potato Bread Rolls
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the dry ingredients, potatoes, and sugar.
- Turn the mixer on and add in 2 cups of water while it is mixing. Let it mix together for about 1 minute.
- Gradually add in the final cup of water and be prepared to add more if necessary. The dough should stick to the bottom of the bowl but clean the sides and still be sticky to the touch. If you add too much water, don’t worry! Just add a bit more flour to get it back to the right consistency.
- Knead the dough for 6-8 minutes in the mixer or do it for 8-10 minutes by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic. Don’t skimp on the kneading! This helps create the structure of the bread.
- Let the dough rise (covered, room temperature) in the same bowl you mixed it in for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out and then divide it into 30 pieces, or however many rolls you would like.
- Create round rolls by stretching the dough over your thumb and tucking the excess underneath and to the center of the roll. Repeat until the dough is taught.
- Place the dough rolls evenly on a lined or greased baking sheet.
- Spray the tops of the rolls with cooking spray to prevent the plastic wrap from sticking and then cover with plastic wrap. Let them rise for about 30 minutes or until they’ve doubled.
- Preheat your oven to 375ºF.
- Once rolls have risen, bake them for about 20 minutes or until the tops and bottoms are a nice golden brown.
Why are my bread rolls dense?
Dense bread rolls can easily be a result of an under kneaded dough. You need the extra tension in your dough to help create a nice structure with the bread. Gluten creates that structure and gluten is developed as the dough is kneaded.
How do you know when the bread is kneaded enough?
You can tell that your dough has been kneaded enough when you can lightly press your finger onto it and it immediately begins to spring back when touched.
If you can touch your dough and leave a finger imprint without the dough trying to fill in the small crater, then your dough has not been kneaded enough.
Potato Rolls
Ingredients
- 7 cups flour all-purpose
- 1 cup instant potatoes
- 1 1/2 tablespoon yeast
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients, potatoes, and sugar together in a large bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer.
- Add 2 cups water with the mixer on. Let it mix together for a about 1 minute.
- Gradually add the final cup of water and add more if necessary. The dough should stick to the bottom of the bowl but clean the sides and be sticky to the touch. If you add too much water, don't worry! Just add a bit more flour to get it back to the right consistency.
- Knead 6-8 minutes in a mixer or 8-10 minutes by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic. Don't skimp on the kneading! This helps create the structure of the bread.
- Let the dough rise (covered, room temperature) in the same bowl you mixed it in for 1 hour or until doubled.
- Turn out and divide into 30 pieces, or however many rolls you would like.
- Create round rolls by stretching the dough over your thumb and tucking the excess underneath and to the center of the roll. Repeat until the dough is taught.
- Place evenly on a lined or greased baking sheet.
- Spray the tops of the rolls with cooking spray to prevent the plastic wrap from sticking and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for about 30 minutes or until doubled.
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Once rolls have risen, bake for about 20 minutes or until the tops and bottoms are golden brown.
Notes
- I use instant yeast for this recipe, you can use active dry and follow the same directions. If you are using fresh yeast, you may have to do some trial and error as I haven’t tested that with this recipe. Most people recommend a 2:1 ratio.
- If you halve the recipe, you can mix and raise it in a bread machine.
- You can freeze this dough or baked rolls, check out this post for more details.
- Do not substitute gluten-free flour or bread flour in this recipe, it will not turn out or raise correctly. If you choose to use all wheat flour, the texture and taste will be different.
Dolly @ Little Home in the Making says
Can’t wait to give this one a try! They look yummy, and I never have rolls on hand when I need them. I think I’ll freeze for later for using with soups and salads.
Alli says
Hope you love it!
Alli says
Easy and delicious!