This easy potato rolls recipe is one of the best things to come out of my kitchen. The rolls are soft and pillowy, with a tender crumb that comes from the mashed potato in the dough. They keep well for several days. And they’re genuinely not difficult to make, even if you’ve never worked with a yeast dough before.
I first discovered the joys of potato rolls at Shake Shack in New York City in the early 2000’s. At the time, there wasn’t a commercially available brand back home in Australia, and I wanted to recreate those potato rolls so I could eat them regularly. I started making my own, and we’ve been eating them ever since. They work beautifully as burger buns, dinner rolls, sandwich rolls, you name it.
Both conventional and combi steam oven methods are included here. The results are excellent either way. If you have a steam oven, it speeds up the proving time considerably. If you don’t, the rolls are just as good — they simply need a little longer to rise.
These rolls are so beautiful…and EASY! I waited way too long to make these. Halving the recipe works perfectly, as well, for a smaller group.
-Cathy
Why does this potato rolls recipe work so well in any oven?
The secret to these rolls isn’t really the oven. It’s the potato. Mashed potato adds moisture and a subtle richness to the dough that you don’t get with a standard bread roll recipe. It’s what gives these rolls their soft, almost feathery texture — and what keeps them from going stale as quickly as a plain white roll.
That said, the oven does make a difference to how easy the process is.
In a conventional oven, the potato roll dough proves the traditional way — covered in a warm spot for around 90 minutes for the first rise, then another 60–90 minutes for the second. A little more patience required, but the results are just as good. Many readers bake these for Thanksgiving and Christmas without a steam oven, and they’re consistently a hit.
In a combi steam oven, the dough proving function speeds things up significantly. The first prove takes just 30–40 minutes. The second takes 25–30 minutes. The consistent heat and humidity also means the dough doesn’t dry out or form a skin during proving, so there’s no need to cover the bowl. Baking in combi steam at 30% humidity also gives the rolls an exceptionally soft, tender crumb and a delicate crust.
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Ingredients and substitutions
See the recipe card further down for full method and ingredient quantities.
- Mashed potato: The star of the show. Use plain mashed potato — no butter, cream or salt added. Boil or steam one large potato, then mash or pass through a ricer until completely smooth. You need about 1 cup, but the recipe is forgiving; anywhere from ¾ cup to 1¼ cups works well. If you have leftover seasoned mash, that’s fine to use; just reduce the salt in the dough slightly.
- Bread flour: Unbleached white bread flour gives the best structure and chew. All-purpose flour (plain flour) can be substituted in a pinch, though the rolls will be slightly less chewy.
- Instant yeast: The simplest option — it goes straight into the dough with no activation needed. Active dry yeast works too; allow a little extra time for the first rise.
- Butter: Softened, mixed into the dough. It contributes richness and a tender crumb.
- Eggs: Two large eggs. Room temperature eggs incorporate more easily.
- Water or milk: Water works perfectly well and is what I use most often. Milk makes for a slightly richer, more cake-like roll. Either is fine.
- Sugar: Just enough to feed the yeast and add a gentle sweetness to the finished roll.
- Salt: Essential for flavor. Reduce slightly if using pre-seasoned mashed potato.
- Melted butter (optional): Brushed over the hot rolls straight from the oven. Adds a beautiful gloss and a little extra richness. Worth doing.
Easy potato rolls recipe variations
Whole wheat rolls: Replace up to one-third of the bread flour with whole wheat flour. The rolls stay soft and the difference in texture is barely noticeable. You may need to add an extra tablespoon or two of liquid when mixing the dough.
Sweet potato rolls: Swap the regular mashed potato for mashed orange sweet potato. The rolls come out slightly golden, with a more earthy and sweet flavor. They’re wonderful.
Herb rolls: Add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh herbs to the dough. Rosemary and thyme work well for rolls served alongside a roast. Chives are great for burger buns.
Smaller dinner rolls: Divide the dough into 20–24 pieces instead of 15 for smaller, bite-sized rolls. Reduce the baking time slightly and watch for color rather than the clock.
Make-ahead rolls: Shape the rolls and place in the pan, then cover and refrigerate before the second prove. The next day, take them out and leave at room temperature for around 1½ hours before baking. Great for holidays when oven time is tight.
How to make easy potato rolls
View, save and print the recipe card further down in this post; read on for the visual walk-through.
Combine all ingredients except the extra melted butter in a large bowl. Mix by hand or in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook until you have a soft, smooth and elastic dough. By hand this takes around 10 minutes; in a mixer, around 4–5 minutes. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky but not sticky.
2. First prove
In a conventional oven, cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave in a warm spot until doubled in size — about 90 minutes. In a combi steam oven, place the uncovered bowl in the oven on the dough proving setting until doubled — about 30–40 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press gently to release large air pockets — no need to be aggressive here. Divide into 15 pieces and shape each one into a smooth round roll.
4. Second prove
Place the rolls in a lightly greased or parchment-lined 9×13 inch (22x32cm) pan. For conventional oven, cover with a damp cloth and leave until puffed and the dough springs back slowly when pressed — 60–90 minutes. For combi steam, return to the oven on the proving setting for 25–30 minutes.
Conventional oven: preheat to 350°F (180°C) toward the end of the second prove. Bake for 20–25 minutes until evenly golden. Combi steam: with the pan still in the oven, change to 350°F (180°C) combi steam at 30% humidity. Bake for around 20 minutes until golden.
Remove from the oven and turn out onto a wire rack. Brush with melted butter while hot if using. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips for success
Use plain mashed potato. Butter and cream in the mash can throw off the dough’s hydration and affect the final texture. Plain is best here.
Don’t rush the prove. The dough is ready when it has doubled in size and springs back slowly when you press a finger into it. If it springs back immediately, it needs more time. If it doesn’t spring back at all, it may be over-proved.
Keep prove times flexible. Room temperature, humidity and yeast activity all vary. Use the visual cues — doubled size and a slow spring-back — rather than strict timing.
Use a scale for dividing the dough. Weighing each piece gives you evenly sized rolls that bake at the same rate. Eyeballing works fine too, but a scale removes the guesswork.
Don’t skip the butter glaze. It’s optional in the recipe, but brushing the hot rolls with melted butter gives them a beautiful sheen and a softer crust as they cool.
The recipe halves well. Half a batch gives you around 7–8 rolls — perfectly sized for a smaller household.
Serving and storage suggestions
These easy potato rolls are excellent as burger buns. Sturdy enough to hold a filling without falling apart, soft enough that they don’t overwhelm it. They’re what started this recipe in the first place, and burgers is still my favorite use for them.
They’re just as good as dinner rolls. Serve alongside a roast, soup, or any meal that calls for something to mop up the sauce with.
The potato keeps the crumb moist even after a couple of days at room temperature in an airtight container.
They also freeze well for up to two months. Freeze once cooled, then thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the oven. A few minutes in the steam oven at a low temperature with a touch of steam brings them back to almost-fresh.
Freshly baked bread is one of the most satisfying things you can put on a table, and these easy potato rolls are a great place to start. Once you’ve made them, you’ll keep coming back to this recipe over and over.
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How to bake bread in a steam oven (+ Honey and Oat Sandwich Bread recipe)
Easy Potato Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed potatoes warm or room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 4 oz butter softened
- 2 eggs large
- 2 tsp instant yeast or 2 x 7g sachets if using active dry yeast, and allow a little longer for the first rise
- 3/4 cup water lukewarm, or use milk for richer rolls
- 4 1/4 cups unbleached white bread flour
- 3 tbs butter extra, melted (optional for glazing)
Instructions
Conventional Oven Method
- Make the dough. Put all the ingredients except the extra melted butter into a large bowl and mix by hand or with a mixer until a soft, smooth and elastic dough forms. If you’re mixing by hand this could take up to 10 minutes, in a mixer it takes around 4-5 minutes.1 cup mashed potatoes , 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tsp salt, 4 oz butter, 2 eggs, 2 tsp instant yeast, 3/4 cup water, 4 1/4 cups unbleached white bread flour
- Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise in a warm place (somewhere that’s around 27°C/80°F is ideal) until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently press it down to remove any large air pockets (no need to flatten it into submission here!). Divide the dough into 15 pieces and form each into a smooth roll.
- Place the rolls in a lightly greased or parchment-lined 22cm x 32cm (9in x 13in) pan. Cover the pan with a damp kitchen towel and let the rolls rise until they’re puffed and the dough springs back into shape when a finger is gently pressed onto the surface, about 60-90 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Bake the rolls until they’re golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, then remove from the oven and turn them onto a rack. If you’d like to give them a gloss, brush each roll with melted butter while hot.3 tbs butter
- Serve rolls warm or at room temperature. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for a couple of days at room temperature, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Combi Steam Oven Method
- Make the dough. Put all the ingredients except the extra melted butter into a large bowl and mix by hand or with a mixer until a soft, smooth and elastic dough forms. If you’re mixing by hand this could take up to 10 minutes, in a mixer it takes around 4-5 minutes.
- Place the dough in a clean bowl and use the dough proving setting in your steam oven until the dough has doubled in size, about 30-40 minutes. There’s no need to cover the bowl. If you don’t have a dough proving setting, steam setting at 35°C/95°F (100% humidity) will achieve similar results.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently press it down to remove any large air pockets (no need to flatten it into submission here!). Divide the dough into 16 pieces and form each into a smooth roll.
- Place the rolls in a lightly greased or parchment-lined 22cm x 32cm (9in x 13in) pan. Place the pan in your steam oven on dough proving setting again and let the rolls rise until they’re puffed and the dough springs back into shape when a finger is gently pressed onto the surface, about 25-30 minutes.
- With the pan still in the oven, change your oven temperature to 180°C/350°F, combination steam setting. If your oven has variable steam levels, select 30% humidity (if you don’t have variable steam settings, don’t worry! Just set the temperature and combination or convection steam, and the oven will work out the rest).
- Bake the rolls until they’re golden brown, about 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and turn them onto a rack. If you’d like to give them a gloss, brush each roll with the extra melted butter while hot.
- Serve rolls warm or at room temperature. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for a couple of days at room temperature, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Video
Notes
- Makes 15 medium rolls.
- I divide my dough into 15 medium sized rolls, but if you want small dinner rolls you could do 20 or even 24 portions.
- These rolls are quite forgiving when it comes to the quantity of potato you add. I’ve used as little as ¾ cup and as much as 1¼ cups, with great results either way. One large potato will give you approximately the correct quantity for the recipe. Mash the potato without any extras such as salt, butter or cream (if you do want to use leftover creamy/seasoned mash that’s fine, just hold back a little on your salt in the dough).
- You can use water or milk to make these rolls. Water is just fine and it’s what I use most often, but milk makes for a richer dough which bakes up a little more ‘cakey’ than the water version.
Nutrition
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12 Responses
These rolls are so beautiful…and EASY! I waited way too long to make these. Halving the recipe works perfectly, as well, for a smaller group.
Just finished baking these in my regular oven (not at my home with steam oven) and they look wonderful! The test will be tomorrow at Thanksgiving.
These are absolutely amazing rolls!
I love your fine details for those of us who are learning how to use our steam ovens🙂
Thanks!
Yes, you can do this! If you get the formed rolls into the fridge quickly before they proof, they should hold quite happily overnight. Take them out and let them come to room temp the next day; you’ll have to be guided by the dough as to how long you need to leave them, but last time I did this I left them on the bench for about 1 1/2 hours then into the oven.
Will it work to make the recipe thru forming the balls in the pan and then refrigerate and back the next day? I need to do as much ahead as I can on Saturday with Easter Sunday church and guests arriving around noon!
I have not tried these with almond flour – it will behave quite differently to wheat flour so I’m not sure they’d come out great. If you give it a try I’d love to know, though!
can you make these with Almond flour? any adjustments?
We LOVE LOVE LOVE these rolls as written!
Today I tried a variation hoping for a *brown bread roll* with a similar fluffy texture. I replaced ~1/3 of the bread flour (by weight) with dark rye plus I added 1T cocoa and ~2T molasses for color (and possible depth of flavor). Everything else was the same. They are maybe not quite as tall, but fluffy and nutty…yum! Mine are a medium brown so I might add some espresso powder and/or darker cocoa next time as I’m trying to approximate some bread our family loved on vacation (and they’re eating with their eyes first LOL).
Thanks for another amazing recipe!!
PS step 3 under combi-steam directions says to divide the dough into 16 pieces, but you say 15 everywhere else. I didn’t notice until I was done shaping so I just rearranged my rolls to fit that last one in the pan kinda wonky and it was NO problem, but I figured I’d mention it 🙂
These rolls are requested by the family for every holiday. Easy and delicious!
Amazing rolls. So light and fluffy
bEST rOLLS i’VE EVER MADE
Delicious and easy! My neighbor always requests these now when we have neighborhood dinners .