These are the rolls people ask about at every gathering. Made with real mashed potatoes in the dough, they bake up impossibly soft and golden every time — and because the dough keeps in the refrigerator for up to five days, fresh homemade rolls are never more than thirty minutes away.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 12 min Rest: 4 hrs Total: 4 hrs 32 min Makes: 48 roll

About the Ingredients

Every ingredient in this recipe is a pantry staple, and each one is doing something specific to give these rolls their signature soft, pillowy texture. Here is what you need to know before you start.

Instant dry yeast — one package or one tablespoon is all you need. Instant yeast goes straight into the warm water without proofing first, which makes this dough faster to pull together than recipes that use active dry yeast. If your yeast does not foam within five minutes, it is old and needs to be replaced before you go any further.

Warm water — the temperature matters more than most people realize. You are aiming for around 110°F, warm enough to activate the yeast but not so hot that it kills it. It should feel warm and comfortable on your wrist, never hot.

Sugar — at two thirds of a cup this is a slightly sweet dough, which gives the rolls their beautiful golden crust and a subtle sweetness that makes them impossible to stop eating. The sugar also feeds the yeast, which helps the dough rise reliably even after several days in the refrigerator.

Salt — one and a half teaspoons seasons the dough and controls the yeast activity so the rolls rise evenly and do not over-proof.

Butter — use softened butter, not melted. Softened butter incorporates into the dough evenly and gives the rolls a rich, tender crumb without making the dough greasy or heavy.

Eggs — two eggs add structure, richness, and help the rolls hold their soft, fluffy shape through baking. Pull them out of the refrigerator ahead of time so they are at room temperature when you mix the dough.

Mashed potatoes — this is the ingredient that makes these rolls different from every other dinner roll recipe. One cup of lukewarm plain mashed potatoes adds moisture and starch to the dough that keeps the rolls impossibly soft for days after baking. Use leftover mashed potatoes if you have them, or make a quick plain batch with just potatoes and water. Avoid heavily seasoned or loaded mashed potatoes — the plainer the better.

All-purpose flour — sifted, and measured carefully. Start with seven cups and only add the last half cup if the dough feels sticky and difficult to handle. Sifting keeps the dough light and prevents the dense, heavy rolls that come from packing too much flour into the measuring cup.

Ingredients

Instructions