
Potato rolls are moist and wonderful. The potatoes make them moist, both because of the consistency of the potatoes and because potatoes are hygroscopic, they attract and retain moisture. This recipe calls for mashed potatoes. You can also use potato flour which makes for a quicker, simpler recipe. Potato flour has the same effect as mashed potatoes.
The mashed potatoes in this recipe may vary in moisture content and that may affect how much water you need to reach the right dough consistency. If your dough is too dry, drizzle in a little water while kneading. If it is too wet, add flour one tablespoon at a time.
This recipe calls for baker’s dry milk which is high heat treated to neutralize the enzyme that impedes the growth of the yeast. You can use regular dry milk but the yeast will not grow as rapidly. Dairy—milk, buttermilk, or sour cream—makes bread richer and more flavorful.
This recipe also calls for dough conditioner which makes the bread lighter and better textured.
Ingredients
1/4 cup melted butter
about 1 1/4 cups water at 105 to 110 degrees
3 1/2 cups bread flour, divided
1 7-gram packet instant yeast
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup baker’s dry milk
1 teaspoon dough conditioner (optional)
Directions
- Heat the butter until it is almost melted and set it aside.
- Grease the inside of 10×15-inch pan or a large baking sheet, including the rims.
- Measure the water. Use an insta-read thermometer to get the temperature right.
- Place two cups of the bread flour and the yeast in the bowl of your stand-type mixer equipped with a dough hook. Turn the mixer on for a couple of bursts to disperse the yeast. Add the water and mashed potatoes and mix for 30 to 60 seconds.
- In another bowl, mix the rest of the flour with the salt, sugar, dry milk, and dough conditioner. Add this mixture to the wet mixture along with the melted butter.
- Knead with the dough hook on medium speed for four minutes or until the gluten is well-developed.
- Grease a large mixing bowl. Turn the dough out into the large mixing bowl and turn once to grease both sides of the dough ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside to rise. It should double in size in about 45 minutes. If it has not, let it rest longer.
- Divide the dough into balls about 2 inches in diameter. Place the balls on the greased pan about 1/2 inch apart. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit again to rise. They should double in size in about 45 minutes. Let them rise until they are very puffy. If they start to blister, poke the blisters with a toothpick and place the rolls in the oven.
- Bake for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees or until the tops are browned and the internal temperature is at least 190 degrees. Remove them from the oven. After a few minutes, remove the rolls from the pan and place them on a wire rack to cool. Serve warm.