Potato Rolls

This soft and fluffy homemade Potato Rolls Recipe is perfect for any occasion.  These dinner rolls are buttery, delicious, and can easily be made ahead of time.

They’re also a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving. And if you are looking for more dinner roll recipes, you can also try these Quick Dinner Rolls, Wheat Rolls, Garlic Knots, or our Classic Parker House Rolls.

Old Fashioned Potato Dinner Rolls Recipe

If you’ve ever eaten potato rolls you know they are the softest, fluffiest, most buttery dinner rolls ever.  Now, you can easily make them at home, whether or not you have experience making yeast bread. Do not be afraid—this recipe is super simple and very forgiving.

You can serve these as dinner rolls, slider buns, or even use leftovers to make French toast or croutons. Any kind of plain mashed potatoes will work as long as they aren’t full of additional butter, milk, and flavors. Have leftover mashed potatoes? Those will work great, too, along with instant mashed potato flakes. 

Potato Rolls Recipe Ingredients

• Water – you want this to be lukewarm, or around 110 degrees F, to help activate the yeast.  
• Yeast – this recipe calls for active dry yeast which must be activated, or “proofed.”   
• Sugar – we use white granulated sugar for the dough, or you could certainly use the same amount of honey instead.
• Milk – before adding the milk to the dough you’ll need to scald it.  Just place into a small pot and bring to a boil, then remove from the heat.
• Mashed Potatoes – you can make your own mashed potatoes, or even use the dry boxed kind.  Either one will make the softest, fluffiest rolls. If you do go with homemade, you’ll want to make sure they are plain and don’t have a lot of additional butter. You also don’t want to use leftover mashed potatoes straight from the fridge – make sure they are room temperature before adding to the dough.
• Butter – you want the butter to be room temperature so that it’s soft enough to mix into the dough.
• Eggs – any kind of large eggs will do.  It helps if they have come to room temperature, but don’t worry if you forget.  You can also run them under warm water while they are still in the shells.  The eggs help with rising and the fats in the yolk help keep the dough tender and light.
• Flour – this recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but you can also substitute bread flour if you would like.

How to Make this Potato Roll Recipe

1. Proof the yeast. In a small bowl, add the warm water, yeast, and sugar and mix to combine. Let sit for about 5-10 minutes, or until the yeast mixture starts to get bubbly.
2. Mix the dough. Meanwhile, add the milk to a small pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. In the bowl of a stand mixer add the scalded milk, mashed potatoes, soft butter, and salt and mix on low until combined. Let the mixture sit until it becomes lukewarm, then add the yeast mixture and eggs. Add half of the flour and mix on low until combined. Stir in the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
3. Let the dough double in size. Cover the bowl loosely with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rise until light and puffy—about 30-45 minutes.
4. Shape into balls. Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer to a lightly floured surface and divide into 24 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place into 1-2 greased baking pans or sheets, spacing them out evenly so that they are almost touching.
5. Let the dough balls rise again. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
6. Bake. Bake in your preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown on top. 
7. Serve. Remove from the oven and let cool for 1-2 minutes, then brush the tops with melted butter. Enjoy!

Tips for Making the Best Potato Dinner Rolls

If there is any part of you that is still hesitant about making this potato rolls recipe, here are a few tips to help ensure they will turn out soft, fluffy, and delicious.

• Don’t overmix: Mix the ingredients until just combined. Overmixing can result in dense rolls. Stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together to maintain a light and airy texture.
• Use quality flour: Choose a high-quality all-purpose or bread flour for your rolls. The right flour contributes to the structure and texture of the rolls.
• Let the dough rise twice: Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size, then punch it down and let it rise again. This double-rise process contributes to a better texture and flavor in the rolls.
• Don’t overbake: Preheat your oven to the correct temperature and bake the rolls until they are golden brown. If you have an older oven, make sure you have a thermometer inside so that the temperature is accurate. Baking at the proper temperature ensures that the rolls cook evenly and develop a desirable crust.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing and Reheating

• Room Temperature: transfer Potato Rolls to an airtight container or freezer bag and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Refrigerator: if you want them to last a bit longer, you can also store them in an airtight container or freezer bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: store baked rolls in freezer bags in the freezer for up to 2 months.  To thaw, transfer to the fridge or countertop overnight. Or, you can freeze the unbaked rolls in the baking dish, wrapping well in plastic wrap, for up to 1 month. Once you are ready to serve, remove from the freezer for a couple of hours before you want to bake.  Once they have doubled in size, you can bake as directed.
• To Reheat: for a single serving, you can reheat in the microwave until warm.  Otherwise, add the entire pan of rolls back into the oven at 300 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until warmed through.

More Of the Best Dinner Rolls Recipes

• Pull Apart Garlic Bread
• Crescent Rolls
• Wheat Rolls
• Parker House Rolls
• Quick Dinner Rolls
• Einkorn Dinner Rolls
• Garlic Knot Dinner Rolls
• More Bread Recipes
• More Holiday Recipes

This Potato Dinner Rolls recipe makes the most soft and fluffy, buttery, and simple rolls to make ahead of time. They’re perfect for holiday menus, weeknight dinners, and any other occasion.