The BEST Fluffy Potato Rolls Recipe - Crazy for Crust (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.

My life wouldn’t be complete without dinner rolls, so I made more for you. These Potato Rolls are the fluffiest homemade dinner rolls you’ll ever eat.

These rolls are made with instant potatoes and yeast but they’re EASY, I promise. You can make these even if you’ve never made dinner rolls from scratch before, I promise!

Pin it now to save for later

The BEST Fluffy Potato Rolls Recipe - Crazy for Crust (1)

Easy Potato Rolls

They’re so good I dare you to try to eat just one! Ever since I first made homemade dinner rolls (and her sister, small batch dinner rolls), I’ve been dying to make Potato Rolls. One, they just sound cool (potatoes IN BREAD??)and two, potato bread is so darn good that I knew homemade would be even better, and I was right!

Potato rolls are a simple yeasted dinner roll but they also have instant mashed potatoes inside. If you’ve ever had potato bread from the grocery store, you know why these rolls are so good.

Why you’ll love this recipe

There’s something about the potato inside that adds a fluffy texture to any bread or roll. It makes them softer, I think, and adds the teeniest bit of flavor. If you’re on the hunt for a fluffy dinner roll, you’ve found it with this recipe.

The BEST Fluffy Potato Rolls Recipe - Crazy for Crust (2)

What are potato rolls made of?

  • Instant potatoes – Some recipes use leftover mashed potatoes, but I like using instant potatoes in my rolls. Other than using instant potatoes, this recipe is very close to my homemade dinner roll recipe.
  • Instant Yeast – do not use active dry yeast!
  • Flour – All purpose flour is what I used, although you can equally substitute bread flour.
  • Sugar – a bit of granulated sugar helps activate the yeast.
  • Salt – For flavor
  • Milk – Use any fat content
  • Water
  • Butter – for flavoring and to make soft dinner rolls
  • Egg – the fat in the yolk helps keep these nice and fluffy

Which yeast is best for dinner rolls?

I prefer to use instant yeast nowadays. I always used to use active dry yeast but instant yeast is so much faster and easier (and foolproof!)

Instant yeast has different names depending on the brand, but I normally use Rapid Rise Yeast, which is a Fleischmann’s Yeast product.

Using instant yeast cuts down the time it takes to make yeasted recipes for two reasons:

  1. You don’t have to proof the yeast – just whisk it with the dry ingredients and then add in the hot wet ingredients.
  2. It only requires a 10 minute “rest” before the dough is shaped and allowed a final rise.
The BEST Fluffy Potato Rolls Recipe - Crazy for Crust (3)

How to make Potato Rolls

  • Whisk your dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
  • Heat your wet ingredients to between 120°F-130°F. Add potato flakes to the measuring cup.
  • Add the warm water and liquids and egg to the mixer with the dry ingredients until it forms a soft dough.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
  • Allow to rest for 10 minutes (the magic of instant yeast). Divide into 12 rolls.
  • Place in prepared baking dish. Let double in size in a warm place.
  • Bake these until they’re nice and golden brown. They’ll get golden like this just in the oven without any special topping. I love to brush them with melted butter after they come out of the oven for a nice flavorful glossy look.
The BEST Fluffy Potato Rolls Recipe - Crazy for Crust (4)

Tips for kneading potato dinner rolls

Yes, whenever you work with yeast you’re probably going to have to knead. I’ve grown to love kneading – it’s cathartic.

A few simple tips will help you knead easier:

  1. Use a stand mixer if you have one. You can do this by hand but if you have a stand mixer it cuts the kneading time in half.
  2. The dough will be slightly sticky when you are done mixing it. Be sure to turn it out onto a well-floured surface and dust it with more flour.
  3. Knead the dough, adding flour as needed if it’s sticky, until the dough forms a ball and bounces back when touched with two fingers.
The BEST Fluffy Potato Rolls Recipe - Crazy for Crust (5)

How long do fluffy rolls need to rise?

Because we’re using Rapid Rise yeast, they rest for 10 minutes after kneading. Form them into 12 equal sized balls and place them in the pan. Then, the rolls need to double in size before baking.

The rising will take about an hour on the counter. You can speed up the rising process by:

  1. Placing the pan in a warm oven (about 200°F).
  2. Set the pan on the oven while it’s preheating.
  3. Place the pan on a rack set over a large roasting pan full of boiling water.

Those three will shorten your rising time up to about half.

The BEST Fluffy Potato Rolls Recipe - Crazy for Crust (6)

FAQs

How do you know what your water temperature is?

I recommend using an instant read thermometer for best results! If you don’t have a thermometer, think hot bathwater.

What kind of flour do I use to make potato dinner rolls?

When it comes to flour, I love using all-purpose flour in my bread recipes. It’s much handier to use a flour most people already have on hand. The other ingredients in this recipe make the rolls soft and fluffy – you won’t miss the bread flour.

How long do potato rolls last?

Like any homemade bread or rolls, these will only last about 2-3 days before starting to mold. There aren’t any preservatives so they don’t last as long as store-bought rolls like Martin’s Potato Rolls. It’s best to make and serve these the same day.

Can you make potato rolls ahead of time?

If you want to make the dough ahead, you can. Make the recipe up until you place to rolls into the pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to overnight. Let come to room temperature to rise before baking.

What is the difference between potato buns and regular buns?

Potato rolls have instant mashed potatoes in them, making them softer than regular dinner rolls or buns.

Do potato rolls taste like potato?

No they don’t have a potato taste – instead they’re much softer because of the mashed potatoes.

Have you made this recipe?

Tag @crazyforcrust on Instagram or hashtag it #crazyforcrust

The BEST Fluffy Potato Rolls Recipe - Crazy for Crust (7)

Fluffy Potato Rolls Recipe

4.86 from 74 votes

These are the very best soft and fluffy dinner rolls! Potato Rolls with instant potaotes are easy to make and you can make them even if you're not used to working with yeast.

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Rise Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Yield 12 rolls

Serving Size 1 roll

Save RecipeRate RecipePrint Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 cups (372g) all-purpose flour (up to 3 1/2 cups)
  • 1 packet 1 packet Instant Yeast (RapidRise) (2 1/4 teaspoons)
  • 1 tablespoon (13g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (177ml) milk (regular, low or nonfat)
  • ½ cup (118ml) water
  • 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter
  • cup potato flakes
  • 1 large egg

Instructions

  • Combine 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

  • Combine water, milk and butter in a microwave safe measuring cup. Heat to between 120°-130°F (about 1 minute in my microwave). It’s best if you can use an instant read thermometer, but if you don't have one, heat your water to very hot bathwater temperature. Stir in potato flakes.

  • Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with the dough hook for 1 minute on medium speed. Add egg and 1 cup flour and mix another 1 minute. Add a third cup of flour and mix until your dough comes together to a soft dough. It will be slightly sticky to the touch. If needed, add up to 1/4 cup more flour.

  • Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and dust it with flour. Knead until the dough comes together in a ball and the dough bounces back when pressed with two fingers. This will take about 4-6 minutes (longer if you've done this process by hand). Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

  • Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball and place into a 9×13-inch pan that's been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for 20-28 minutes, or until rolls are golden. Be sure to rotate the pan if needed partway through baking to ensure the rolls get evenly golden.

  • Brush hot rolls with melted butter, if desired. Enjoy within 2 days.

Recipe Video

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 138IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Author Dorothy Kern

Did you try this recipe? Click the stars to rate the recipe below

Other fabulous dinner rolls and bread recipes:

  • Buttery Homemade Rolls
  • Small Batch Dinner Rolls
  • 45 Minute Dinner Rolls
  • Easy White Bread
  • Cinnamon Swirl Bread
  • Cheesy Ranch Breadsticks
  • All of my bread recipes!

Serve these with:

These are the very best soft and fluffy dinner rolls! Potato Rolls with instant potaotes are easy to make and you can make them even if you’re not used to working with yeast.

Last Updated on November 11, 2022

The BEST Fluffy Potato Rolls Recipe - Crazy for Crust (2024)

FAQs

Why are potato rolls so soft? ›

Potatoes hold more water and so help the dough retain moisture, which in turn yields the lightest, fluffiest, and best-textured rolls of your life.

What does adding potato to dough do? ›

So when you add potato to your bread dough you're upping the dough's starch content, effectively increasing the resulting loaf's total liquid retention — which translates to bread with soft, moist texture and a long shelf life.

What is a substitute for instant potato flakes? ›

Cornstarch, tapioca, or arrowroot are usually the best substitutes so that you can obtain the same results as with potato starch. Can I use potato flakes instead of potato flour? Potato flour is made from whole peeled potatoes, cooked, dried, and ground into a fine, beige-colored powder. ...

What is the trick to fluffy bread? ›

Add Sugar

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

What is the secret to a soft and fluffy bread? ›

For soft and fluffy bread, I recommend using bread flour. This type of flour has a higher protein content, which will help your bread rise better and have a lighter texture. If you don't have bread flour on hand, you can also use all-purpose flour, but your bread may not be quite as fluffy.

How do you keep potatoes Fluffy? ›

Removing the potato starch both before and after cooking ensures fluffy, not gluey, mashed potatoes. Milk and butter give the potatoes richness.

Why are my homemade rolls so dense? ›

There may be several reasons for a dense, cake like texture in bread. It may indicate the kneading wasn't enough for the gluten to develop properly, or the dough was proved for too short a time or the dough may have been too dry. It is also worth checking the flour you used.

What is the difference between soft and crusty rolls? ›

Hard rolls generally have a tougher, chewier crust compared to soft rolls. Sometimes “crusty rolls” is the term used for hard rolls. Soft Rolls: Soft rolls are small, soft and tender products. They may be the same size and shape of hard rolls but taste and crust of soft rolls are different than hard rolls.

Why put potatoes in cold water before baking? ›

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

What are the ingredient that add richness to a dough? ›

FATS. Fats include butter, margarine, oil and shortening. They add richness, moisture and make the bread tender.

What is the secret to making dough? ›

Tip #1: Don't add too much extra flour. The amount of flour you need to bring the dough together into a smooth, elastic, and cohesive ball will depend on your kitchen environment. If the dough is tacky, or even a little sticky, don't worry. It will absorb moisture as it rests and rises.

Can you use potato flakes to make potato flour? ›

The best substitute for potato flour is going to be potato flakes, which is essentially potato flour that hasn't been ground as fine. You can either dissolve it into batter for baking, or use a blender or food process to grind it into a fine powder. Potato flakes can be substituted for potato flour using a 1:1 ratio.

Does KFC use potato flakes? ›

The original KFC mashed potatoes ingredients are a little different from the ones we use here. In the restaurant, they're made with potato flakes. The powdered mixture also contains a good bit of sodium, between the salt and MSG, as well as milk and other seasonings.

Are instant mashed potatoes just dehydrated potatoes? ›

Instant mashed potatoes are potatoes that have been through an industrial process of cooking, mashing and dehydrating to yield a packaged convenience food that can be reconstituted by adding hot water or milk, producing an approximation of mashed potatoes.

How do I make my rolls more airy? ›

Shape and Rise

Each dough ball will weigh right around 3 ounces, give or take. Space them a little bit apart in the baking pan and let them rise until very puffy and the sides are touching. Don't skimp on the rising! If they don't rise long enough, they won't reach their fluff-fluffy potential.

Why aren't my buns light and fluffy? ›

Use a good-quality bread flour that has a high protein content, as this will give your dough the structure it needs to rise and become light and fluffy. Make sure to use the right amount of yeast for your dough. Too much yeast will cause the dough to rise too quickly, resulting in a denser texture.

Why is my bread dense and not fluffy? ›

(FYI: Fermentation refers to the process yeast goes through to make bread rise or proof.) If the fermentation is too fast or too slow, too long or too short, or not as predicted, dense bread is often the result.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rubie Ullrich

Last Updated:

Views: 6034

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (52 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rubie Ullrich

Birthday: 1998-02-02

Address: 743 Stoltenberg Center, Genovevaville, NJ 59925-3119

Phone: +2202978377583

Job: Administration Engineer

Hobby: Surfing, Sailing, Listening to music, Web surfing, Kitesurfing, Geocaching, Backpacking

Introduction: My name is Rubie Ullrich, I am a enthusiastic, perfect, tender, vivacious, talented, famous, delightful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.