Description
Fluffy Potato Bread Rolls are soft, tender bread rolls enriched with mashed potatoes for a moist texture and subtle flavor. These homemade rolls are perfect for sandwiches, dinner sides, or breakfast. The dough is made with active dry yeast, mashed potatoes, sugar, shortening, eggs, and flour, resulting in a beautifully risen and golden crust after baking.
Ingredients
Scale
Yeast Mixture
- 4 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
- 2/3 cup warm water (110° to 115° F), divided
Main Dough
- 2 cups warm mashed potatoes (plain – no milk or butter)
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 1 1/3 cups shortening
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 5 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups warm water (to complete 2 2/3 cups total)
- 12 to 13 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 2/3 cup of the warm water. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Mix Base Ingredients: Stir in the warm mashed potatoes, sugar, shortening, eggs, salt, and the remaining warm water (2 cups). Mix well until combined.
- Add Flour: Gradually add all-purpose flour, 1 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms that is no longer sticky.
- Knead: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place the kneaded dough into a greased bowl, turning once to coat all sides. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours.
- Shape Rolls: Punch down the risen dough to release air. Divide the dough and shape it into desired roll sizes. Place the rolls on greased baking sheets, spaced apart.
- Second Rise: Cover the shaped rolls and let them rise again in a warm area until nearly doubled in size, approximately 30 to 45 minutes.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the rolls for 15-18 minutes or until they are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the mashed potatoes are plain, without milk or butter, to maintain the correct dough consistency.
- Warm water should be between 110° and 115°F to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
- Kneading is crucial for gluten development which gives rolls their fluffy texture.
- The dough can be slightly sticky, but it should not be overly wet; add flour gradually to reach correct consistency.
- To test if rolls are done, tap the bottom – it should sound hollow.
- You can freeze the shaped rolls before the second rise and bake straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
