Old Fashioned Yeast Rolls Recipe

4.96 from 22 votes

Bake soft, buttery rolls with this homemade yeast rolls recipe made with real mashed potatoes. A comforting addition to any meal with classic flavor.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Rising Time6

Total Time6 30

Course: Side Dish, Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings: rolls

Calories: 134kcal

Scrub your potato, quarter, and add enough water to cover potatoes by 2". Do not add salt. Bring to a boil and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Remove the potato and mash. Set aside 1 cup of mashed potatoes. Pour potato water into a measuring cup, and set aside 1 ½ cups of potato water to cool.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup warm water. Add a pinch of sugar to test the active yeast.
In a large mixing bowl, stir potato water, sugar, salt, and yeast mixture. If using a stand mixer, add to the mixing bowl and use the dough hook attachment on low speed. Continue mixing while adding the ingredients: butter, eggs and mashed potato.
Add flour 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly between cups. Stop adding flour after the 6th cup and see if the dough cleans the sides of the bowl. If not, add 1/2 cup of flour at a time until the dough forms a ball. Do not add more than 7 cups of flour. Knead dough in a stand mixer for at least 5 minutes or by hand for 10 minutes.

Place dough in a lightly greased bowl to rise. Lightly grease the top of the dough and cover it with plastic wrap or a towel. Place dough in a warm place and let rise for 2 hours (or until doubled in size).

After first rising, punch the dough down. Begin the second rise for two hours or until double in size, or refrigerate the dough overnight.
If refrigerated overnight, place dough in a warm spot the next morning and let rise for 2 hours.
Then, 2 hours before baking, divide the dough into two pieces and continue dividing the dough into 36 similar-sized balls. Shape balls by rolling them by hand.

Place rolls on greased cookie sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size.
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. Butter tops of each roll after baking to preserve soft crust. Serve warm.

A great place to let the dough rise is in an oven with a "proof" setting. Set it to 85ºF. Or, in an oven with the oven light turned on.

Ingredient Notes:

Although this recipe calls for all-purpose flour, I have used both Kamut flour and bread flour with great results.
Out of potatoes? Substitute with 3/4 cup of instant potato flakes combined with 1 1/2 cups of water.

Recipe Variations:

- Make them garlic butter rolls: Brush the tops of the warm rolls with melted butter mixed with minced garlic and a pinch of salt. It adds a savory touch that pairs beautifully with soups, pastas, or roast dinners.

- Shape into cloverleaf or pull-apart rolls: Instead of round balls, divide the dough into smaller pieces and tuck three into each muffin tin well. This simple shape makes them look extra special while keeping that same best yeast rolls flavor.
- Add herbs or cheese: Mix dried herbs like rosemary or thyme into the dough, or fold in a handful of shredded cheddar or parmesan for an herby-cheesy spin on the classic old fashioned yeast rolls recipe.

Storing Instructions:

Any leftovers should be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. To store them longer, put them in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
To reheat, wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15 seconds at a time until warm.

Make Ahead Instructions:

I recommend starting these homemade dinner rolls a day ahead. This way, most of the work is done ahead, leaving you more time to focus on preparing the main dish and other sides. This is helpful for busy holiday meals and family gatherings.