Potato Rolls (AKA - The only roll recipe you'll ever need) - The Many Little Joys (2024)

by Meg 10 Comments

Jump to Recipe

These perfectly soft potato rolls are the stuff of legends. With a convenient make-ahead option, they’re perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just your every-day meal.Potato Rolls (AKA - The only roll recipe you'll ever need) - The Many Little Joys (1)

It’s been awhile since I shared a recipe with you all, but this one cannot be contained. You need these rolls in your life. They aremy family’s go-to recipe for dinner rolls. We make them every year for Thanksgiving, usually for Christmas as well, and whenever else we feel like it the rest of the year.

My parents, siblings, and I don’t often get to gather all together around a table together for holidays (we’re spread across the country from California to New Hampshire). However, we still find ways–sometimes a little unique–to celebrate together. Like last Thanksgiving, when we had a running group text of us all making our own batches of these potato rolls.

“Have you started yours?” came the message, along with a picture of silky dough sitting in a mustard yellow bowl that I recognize as having belonged to my grandmother.

I smiled over the next several hours as my phone continued to ding with pictures of potato rolls in various stages of completion. It’s how we roll. (Feel free to groan. I blame my father.)

Potato Rolls (AKA - The only roll recipe you'll ever need) - The Many Little Joys (2)

Needless to say, these rolls are legendary. really. We still talk about the year that my friend Dustin ate NINE of these when our families had Thanksgiving together. They arethat good. I love them so much that when I go to other people’s houses for Thanksgiving, I offer to bring the rolls. I just can’t live without them.

Have I built up the hype enough? I hope so. Because I know these beauties will live up to whatever expectations I just created. Make them, share them, give thanks for them, and ENJOY!

Potato Rolls (AKA - The only roll recipe you'll ever need) - The Many Little Joys (3)

Yield: about 40 rolls

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

These perfectly soft potato rolls are the stuff of legends. With a convenient make-ahead option, they’re perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just your every-day meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (ideal temp for water is 110-120 degrees, but I usually wing it)
  • 1 package dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2/3 cup butter, softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup lukewarm mashed potatoes (*see note)
  • 6-7 cups flour

Instructions

  1. Place warm water in a liquid measuring cup. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and stir to dissolve. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until you can see the yeast growing.
  2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, butter, salt, eggs, and potatoes. Stir well. Add yeast mixture and mix.
  3. Add flour two cups at a time until a soft dough is formed. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic.
  4. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. At this point, you can place the dough in the refrigerator overnight or choose to bake them the same day.

To use the refrigeration method:

  1. If refrigerating, remove the dough from the fridge about two hours before baking, and immediately shape the dough into balls the size of a small egg. Place on greased pans about an inch apart (I do 20 rolls per pan (4×5) on my large cookie sheets).
  2. Cover with a tea towel and let rise until double, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
  3. Bake at 375 degrees for about 12-15 minutes, or until light golden brown on top.

To bake immediately:

  1. You can skip the refrigeration stage and just let the dough rise on the counter for an hour.
  2. Then shape the dough into balls the size of a small egg. Place on greased pans about an inch apart (I do 20 rolls per pan (4×5) on my large cookie sheets).
  3. Cover with a tea towel and let rise again for 30-60 minutes.
  4. Bake at 375 degrees for about 12-15 minutes, or until light golden brown on top.

Notes

This recipe is pretty much the ONLY time I use instant mashed potatoes. If you have leftover real mashed potatoes, those work great, too. However, I usually don't, so I just make "fake" ones from the box, and they are just as good in this recipe with much less work.

Source: My mom, who learned to make them from my grandmother (my dad’s mom)

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Potato Rolls (AKA - The only roll recipe you'll ever need) - The Many Little Joys (5)

related posts:

Previous Post: « Gratitude Tree: A Thanksgiving Tradition

Next Post: How to get your toddler to do…ANYTHING »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Potato Rolls (AKA - The only roll recipe you'll ever need) - The Many Little Joys (6)Latasha | Arts & Budgets

    The rolls look amazing!!! 🙂 I definitely will try them out with my family.
    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  2. Potato Rolls (AKA - The only roll recipe you'll ever need) - The Many Little Joys (8)Amy

    These would be perfect for my family Thanksgiving! Its so fun to make foods from scratch and cannot wait to try out this recipe. Thanks girl 🙂

    Reply

    • Potato Rolls (AKA - The only roll recipe you'll ever need) - The Many Little Joys (9)Meg

      Agreed, Amy. I love to cook from scratch. Crazy life doesn’t always allow for homemade rolls, but there are few cooking tasks I enjoy more than kneading bread by hand. Enjoy!

      Reply

  3. Potato Rolls (AKA - The only roll recipe you'll ever need) - The Many Little Joys (12)angie

    can only imagine how my son would love these he adores potato bread and this would be a delicious treat with winter soup or casseroles
    come see us at http://shopannies.blogspot.com

    Reply

  4. Potato Rolls (AKA - The only roll recipe you'll ever need) - The Many Little Joys (13)Melissa

    I’m so glad you posted this! I loved Grandma’s rolls, but didn’t have the recipe. They are rising right now! I’m pretty excited. 🙂

    Reply

    • Potato Rolls (AKA - The only roll recipe you'll ever need) - The Many Little Joys (14)Meg

      I’m so glad you found this, then! They really are so good. I have a batch rising right now, too. Hooray for early Thanksgiving. 🙂

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. […] love to cook. As I’ve mentioned before, I come from a family that regularly texts each other pictures of the family recipes we are making […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Potato Rolls (AKA - The only roll recipe you'll ever need) - The Many Little Joys (2024)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Msgr. Benton Quitzon

Last Updated:

Views: 5802

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (63 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Msgr. Benton Quitzon

Birthday: 2001-08-13

Address: 96487 Kris Cliff, Teresiafurt, WI 95201

Phone: +9418513585781

Job: Senior Designer

Hobby: Calligraphy, Rowing, Vacation, Geocaching, Web surfing, Electronics, Electronics

Introduction: My name is Msgr. Benton Quitzon, I am a comfortable, charming, thankful, happy, adventurous, handsome, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.