Soft, light, fluffy rolls are a must have for special dinners and you can’t go wrong with this super soft potato rolls recipe!
They rise high and light, have a soft, squishy texture, and the flavor is delicate and slightly buttery. They freeze well, too!
I wanted to have kind of a special dinner the Sunday before Matt left to go back to Okinawa. It was sort of a combo farewell dinner for him and happy birthday dinner for Erin. I wanted it to be something he would remember fondly until we get to see him again — usually well over a year between visits. So, rolls. In my family always rolls.
These are some of my favorites — I don’t know why I haven’t posted them before. You use potato flakes and dry milk and it makes the rolls really airy and light. I have been making this for years (ahem… decades) and I think I got the recipe out of a vintage Farm Journal cookbook but I honestly can’t remember. I do know that it makes the best rolls ever… EVER.
Honestly I like to take them out just a touch undercooked so that they finish cooking on the counter. The centers get just done and they crumple when you try to slice them to put butter on them. You can also double or triple the recipe and freeze them for anytime.
When I was little we lived in Pennsylvania for a few years. We’d moved from Dallas just after JFK was shot and my dad said that for the longest time he just told people he was from Oklahoma. It’s funny now but back then there were some serious resentments. Anyway, we lived just northeast of Philly but on the weekends we’d drive out to Amish country. There was an amusement park out there called Dutch Wonderland and there was a buffet style restaurant out there, too. I can’t tell you how many rolls my dad could put away but I vaguely remember that my mom commented that it was embarrassing.
These rolls are like that. They are so light you just keep eating them.
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A lot of you have asked about yeast. I have to tell you that I like buying yeast in bulk from Amazon. It is WAY less expensive and if you are going to be making bread even once a week you’ll want to save this kind of money. Keep it tightly sealed in your refrigerator and when you are ready to use it measure out your yeast and let it come to room temperature.
- 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- Pinch of powdered ginger
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup lukewarm water - about 110F
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter , melted (divided use)
- 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
- 1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes
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Add the yeast, sugar, and ginger to the bowl of your mixer.
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Add 1/4 cup of the water and let stand until frothy, about 5 minutes.
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Add the remaining water, salt, and 1 cup of the flour and mix until blended.
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Mix in the milk, potato flakes, and 1/4 cup butter.
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Add the remaining flour a little at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
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Knead for 5 minutes on speed 2.
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form the dough into a ball, grease the top with some melted butter, place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until double -- about 1 1/2 hours.
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Punch down, form into equal size rolls, and place in a pan with sides touching.
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Brush with butter, cover with a tea towel, and let rise until the rolls are puffy, about 45 minutes to an hour.
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Preheat the oven to 375F.
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Brush the rolls with butter, again.
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Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or just until lightly golden.
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Do not over bake.
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Remove from the oven and brush with remaining butter.
If you like Super Soft Potato Rolls Recipe you may also like…
Country Style Whole Wheat Buttermilk Dinner Rolls
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Texas Roadhouse Rolls Deliciously Yum
These looks amazing! Is there any way to make them without sugar?
you can make them with honey or maple syrup or agave if you prefer. OR, you can leave the sweetener out totally. It will change the flavor and texture some and the rise time will be longer.
Those are some gorgeous rolls Marye! The perfect addition to any holiday meal!
Great idea. Love the fact that they are eggless. Will try this one soone.
Let me know what you think… I love them!!
Thanks! I hope you love them as much as we do!
I grew up North East of Philly! We never went to Dutch Wonderland though. We went to Dorney Park which I think was near Allentown. Love the line about your dad eating an embarrassing amount of rolls. Too funny!!
🙂 LOL, Katie! It is beautiful up there.
I am so excited to try to make these rolls!! I have never used potato flakes or powdered milk in biscuits.
They come out so light!
I have never tried making them with mashed potato flakes. This I am going to try over the weekend.
It makes them much lighter. 🙂
Yum! I love a light, airy, yeasted dinner roll. It’s basically heaven.
🙂 agreed!
Oh wow, these look fabulous! The texture looks so perfect.
A side note – that is so interesting to me that your dad used to say y’all were from OK after JFK was shot in Dallas! I grew up in Dallas but I’ve heard SO little about people’s experiences of that day. Probably because my parents were kids and neither lived in Dallas at that time, but still. Really interesting to think about!
Thanks Julie!! They are so good. Yeah, Texans weren’t very popular in many states.
These look amazing! I love the idea of making a big batch (or two!) and then freezing them for later!
🙂 It really saves time.
I love the idea of potato rolls! These look delish 🙂
Thanks Taylor!
I love the texture potatoes give to rolls and bread. My mom used to make potato rolls every holiday. Your post brought back so many memories!
🙂 It does give an awesome texture.
These are exactly the kind of rolls I want to eat! They look perfect!
Thank you!
I love rolls with potato flakes. I make them the same way!
It make them so light!
I am thinking about making these for Thanksgiving. Have you ever tried making these ahead?
Yes! You can make them like brown and serve rolls. Just bake them until they are done but haven’t started to brown yet. Cool and freeze then finish baking when you are ready!
These rolls look so fluffy and amazing! Wish I had some for breakfast right now with a little butter and jam 🙂
🙂 they are really good that way!
I could eat a dozen… 🙂
🙂 I’ll admit that I probably have.
I love how soft these rolls look – they’d be perfect with any meal! And like your dad, I think I’d eat quite a few!
Thanks Joanie!
I love using potato to lighten baked goods–I add a little potato starch to my cakes a lot. I can just taste these rolls–slathered in butter yes please!
They are so good. I’ll have to try your trick with cakes. 🙂
I would never have thought of using potato flakes! Cant wait to try these – they look perfect!
I think the potato flakes make them lighter than when you use mashed potato
I feel like these rolls would make any meal extra special! I love the simple ingredients. I really could make a meal out of these!
Oh me too!
Those look so fluffy and fantastic! Awesome comfort dish!
Thank you! They’re my favorite.
I can’t think of a single meal that wouldn’t be made better with the addition of a few of these rolls. They look so fluffy and delicious!
Thank you Christine!
Such classic comfort food. Do you think it’s okay if I just eat these for dinner??
Sure, why not?
Mmmm…. this is just my kind of roll. Super soft and delicious! I am really wanting to bake a batch right now. 🙂
They make the house smell so good!
They look like soft pillows from heaven. Delicious!
Lol! They taste like it, too!
Perfect! I was picking up some dry milk for a dressing recipe anyways – totally making these!
Jenn, let me know what you think. I really love these things!
Canadian Thanksgiving is just around the corner and these would be perfect for my dinner! I love homemade breads!
Oh! They sure would, Kacey!
omg these look delicious! They remind me of when I was a kiddos. I would dip these kind of roles in ranch…:)
Thank you! My kids seem to like to dip everything in ranch, but these rolls would be very good with ranch.
Perfect rolls, hearty and fluffy. Pass the butter please.
Thank you very much.
My oldest son just found the joy of making his own baked potatoes. He is also a big bread fan! He is 12 and in the past 6 weeks has already grown 3/4 of an inch! He is eating me out of house and home! If I made these he would eat the whole batch at once! Can’t wait to make them for him!
I hope he enjoys them as much as we do!
I’m with everyone else – those potato flakes are genius! And I had no idea you could buy yeast in bulk on Amazon. I’ve been missing out (and paying too much!)
Amazon can be a very useful resource. I tend to find myself getting distracted and lost on there.
Would never have thought to use potato flakes! This is great for people who have a smaller budget (just because money is tight does not mean you cannot have good food!)
That is very true.
I love the addition of the potato flakes in these rolls. What a great idea!
It keeps them light but gives them that great texture and flavor. 🙂
I love how soft and fluffy those rolls look!!!
🙂 thanks… they really are.
Gosh, these look amazing… I can’t practically taste them slathered with butter. Yum!
🙂 yep.. they are awesome!
Love these beautiful rolls. Light and fluffy. I was surprised by the pinch of powdered ginger. Hmmm….I’ve always loved ginger, must try these.
The ginger helps activate the yeast. 🙂
These look so soft and amazing! Love both potatoes and rolls, so this is a winning combo!! 😉
🙂 they are really good! Thanks for stopping by.
Marye,
I’ve just cracked open a bulk order from Amazon–of diastatic malt powder.
‘Sposed to be good for my doughs. We’ll see.
Thanks for the memories of eating way too many rolls at family style restaurants–bt, dt.
🙂 I have not used that yet. Let me know how you like it!
These rolls look as soft and fluffy as pillows! YUMM! (speaking of YUM, i couldn’t resist Yum’ing the recipe!)
Thanks! Yep.. they are a classic…