Surprise your family with homemade light and fluffy potato rolls! This is a super easy recipe for bread rolls that taste great and can accompany just about any meal!
One of my favorite things to bake is homemade bread, like these amazing light and fluffy potato rolls. It doesn’t take much effort to make the dough (especially if you knead it in a stand mixer). Your house will be filled with the freshly baked aroma of bread.
Like my other recipes for Sandwich Bread Recipe and Easy Dinner Rolls Recipe, this bread has a foolproof technique which will never fail.
I love serving it with my favorite comfort meals, like Loaded Mashed Potatoes, Instant Pot Beef Stew, Easy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe, Classic Chili Recipe, Red Wine Braised Short Ribs, Instant Pot Lamb Shanks, and many others.
What potatoes to use
To make the best potato rolls, we need to use “starchy” potatoes, like Russet variety. Because they have a high absorption level of moisture, it helps to get a fluffy texture when biting into the roll.
Also, the potassium in the potatoes activates the yeast, which reduces the proofing time in half.
How to make it
Peel and dice a potato. Place it in a saucepan of water and bring to boil. Then reduce the heat to medium and cook the potato until tender. Drain the liquid and mash the cooked potato.
Measure 1 cup of firmly packed mashed potato and transfer it to a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and mix until the butter is melted and absorbed. Let the mixture cool off for 10 minutes.
In a separate mixing bowl, add ¼ cup whole milk and a large egg (both room temperature) and give it a whisk.
In a stand mixer bowl, add dry ingredients (2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons instant yeast, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar) and give it a stir.
Add wet ingredients, and using your hands, mix until combined. Then add mashed potato/butter mixture and mix it again with your hands.
Using a dough attachment, knead the dough on low speed for about 5-8 minutes. If it gets too sticky, add more flour one tablespoon at a time.
When done, add a tablespoon olive oil and grease the dough from all the sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
When ready, deflate the dough and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and form them into balls.
Place the balls on a baking sheet with parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30-40 minutes.
When ready, brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake at 425°F for about 15 minutes or until the tops are golden in color.
Tips for best results
- After you cook and mash one large potato, it should be exactly 1 cup. If you have slightly more, it shouldn’t be a big issue, you just might need to add a bit more flour to the dough.
- Make sure you use whole milk and not skim or plant-based variety.
- When you first mix the wet and dry ingredients, and then potato mixture, I found that it’s easier to mix it using your hands. Because the dough will be dry and crumbly in the beginning, it will be hard to mix it with spatula or a dough attachment.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can knead the dough by hand, it should take about 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to keep them on the counter in an air-tight container. They should stay fresh for about 3 days.
Wrap the baked and cooled rolls individually in foil and then transfer to a zip-lock bag. You can freeze them up to a month. To thaw, leave them on a counter for a couple of hours, then reheat in the oven or a microwave.
Did you make this recipe?!? I’d love to know how it turned out! leave a comment and a rating below👇 thank you!
Potato Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large Russet potato
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup whole milk room temperature
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Peel and dice a potato. Place it in a saucepan of water and bring to boil. Then reduce the heat to medium and cook the potato until tender. Drain the liquid and mash the cooked potato.
- Measure 1 cup of firmly packed mashed potato and transfer it to a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and mix until the butter is melted and absorbed. Let the mixture cool off for 10 minutes.
- In a separate mixing bowl, add ¼ cup whole milk and a large egg (both room temperature) and give it a whisk.
- In a stand mixer bowl, add dry ingredients (2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons instant yeast, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar) and give it a stir.
- Add wet ingredients, and using your hands, mix until combined. Then add mashed potato/butter mixture and mix it again with your hands.
- Using a dough attachment, knead the dough on low speed for about 5-8 minutes. If it gets too sticky, add more flour one tablespoon at a time.
- When done, add a tablespoon olive oil and grease the dough from all the sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- When ready, deflate the dough and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and form them into balls.
- Place the balls on a baking sheet with parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30-40 minutes.
- When ready, brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake at 425°F for about 15 minutes or until the tops are golden in color.
Notes
- After you cook and mash one large potato, it should be exactly 1 cup. If you have slightly more, it shouldn’t be a big issue, you just might need to add a bit more flour to the dough.
- Make sure you use whole milk and not skim or plant-based variety.
- When you first mix the wet and dry ingredients, and then potato mixture, I found that it’s easier to mix it using your hands. Because the dough will be dry and crumbly in the beginning, it will be hard to mix it with spatula or a dough attachment.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can knead the dough by hand, it should take about 10 minutes.
I have made these many time and the always turn out great and delicious. My question is can this recipe be used fir a loaf of bread?
Great recipe. Easy to follow for a bread making novice and so incredibly delicious. My family loved them and are already asking for more!
Wow, these rolls look amazing. So fluffy and perfectly baked. This recipe is so easy. I will just stop buying rolls in-store and make these homemade instead. Thanks for the lovely recipe and step-by-step instructions.
these potato rolls looks absolutely stunning, now all I need is a cubes of butter to slather and nice hot stew to dip this roll into it – A perfect comfort winter meal to enjoy. Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe, I am gonna make it for tomorrow’s dinner! 🙂
You had me at potatoes! Being an adrent potato addict these rolls are just perfect for me. I could eat this all days of the week. Looks perfect
Oh these look absolutely perfect for any meal! In fact I’m planning on making these to go along with dinner tonight. I know my family is going to love these rolls!
I left a comment before, but forgot to include my rating. Great dish!
These look delicious. I love the fact that you can freeze these and serve later, which can come in handy for the holidays.
wow, these potato rolls look stunning! I can imagine every bite of these and how good they taste. I need to make these for me and my family. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Your Potato Rolls look amazing! My mouth is watering looking at these photos, I’m going to gobble them up when I make them!
Potato rolls are just the yummiest – so light and fluffy – what a treat! But I’ve never attempted making them before – thanks for the clear directions and step-by-step photos!!
Yum! These potato rolls is absolutely delicious! Every bite is satisfying! I will make this again.