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Amish Potato Rolls

Potato rolls are the best homemade dinner roll recipe you will ever make!  These dinner rolls turn out dense and stay super soft for days.  This amish recipe is everything you want from nice, big, fluffy dinner rolls slathered with butter.  This is my kids favorite recipe for homemade rolls on Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner but you won’t believe the story behind this recipe…
Amish Potato Rolls

My KitchenAid 6 qt mixer is 15 years old and had been struggling for over a year now.  While I was making these amazing rolls, it decided it was done limping along and died.  It made the worst sound I’ve ever heard come out of a mechanical tool.
Amish Potato Rolls

Even though I saw it coming, I was still shocked when it failed to perform and I just wasn’t ready to give up on my dear friend.  After some research online, I decided to try my hand at being a mechanic with some replacement parts but in the end, was unsuccessful at bringing my beloved back to life.  I guess there is a reason I wasn’t a mechanic.

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I’ll be honest.  My mourning phase lasted about 5 minutes before I jumped in front of my computer and started shopping for my new mixer.  Two days later, this gorgeous KitchenAid 8 qt Commercial mixer arrived on my front porch.  She is amazing!  Quiet as a mouse, huge bowl capacity and a motor that doesn’t even blink at my double batches of dough.

Amish Potato Rolls

So even though these potato rolls were the death of my old mixer, they were soooo worth it.  These are now part of our Sunday dinner roll rotation because we love them so much.  Before, the rotation only consisted of Lion House rolls and Oatmeal rolls but these will definitely be worked into the new “roll rotation schedule.”  Dense, moist and amazing from the potato addition!  For our bread loving family, I make a double recipe and use a half sheet pan to bake them in.  I also think these potato rolls are just a bit better after they sit overnight in an airtight container.
Here is my short video showing how quickly these bad boys come together!

 
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Amish Potato Rolls – Dinner Roll Recipe

★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Carole Jones
  • Yield: 16 large rolls 1x
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Description

This is the dinner roll recipe you have been looking for!  Super soft, dense and stay that way for days.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 C warm water
  • 1/4 C milk
  • 1 package yeast
  • 1/3 C sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 6 Tb softened butter
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2/3 C potato flakes
  • 4 1/4 C flour

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of your mixer, combine the warm water, milk, yeast and sugar. Allow yeast to proof.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix on low until the dough forms and is well kneaded, about 5 minutes. Remove the dough hook, cover the bowl and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
  3. Divide the dough into 16 equal portions and roll them into tight balls. Place them on a lightly greased 9×13 inch glass pan, cover and allow them to rise until doubled, about 90 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 25 minutes, until light brown. Leftover rolls can be stored in an airtight container for several days.

Notes

You can double the recipe and bake them on a half sheet pan.

**My friend, this post contains Amazon affiliate links which means I receive a small compensation if you make a purchase using my link, at no additional cost to you.   And no worries….I only link to products that I both use and love! ~Carole 
Amish Potato Rolls

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I am looking forward to trying this recipe this week. I’d like to use my potato flakes, as you did. Do you have a good water to potato ratio? Can I simply add the flakes and the water, or would I need to make up the potatoes first? Thanks so much for your online efforts! You’re making dinner better, one kitchen at a time. 🙂

    Diana

    Reply

    • Diana – I made them just like the box instructed me to, except I didn’t add the butter or salt to the potatoes. I think you need to prepare the potatoes first, or at least soak the flakes in very hot water to rehydrate them first. Good luck and thank you for your kind words -Carole

      Reply

  5. Hi Carole! These Look so yummy! The potato flakes I have call for milk. Should I just add water and leave the milk out? Thank you!

    Reply

    • I think that would be fine Michelle, but I would add enough milk to them so they have a mashed potato thickness. Just plain, riced potatoes would be too dry. -Carole

      Reply

  7. So I had never made bread in my adult life, and I happened upon your recipe when my mother decided she wanted me to bring rolls for Thanksgiving this year. To keep in line with her theme of “from scratch,” I decided to give it a whirl. These. are. divine.

    Super easy to whip up, a little bit sweet but still yummy. They actually remind me of the bread they give you at Outback Steak House. I love this recipe and will definitely share it with all my friends!

    Cheers!

    Reply

  8. These look delicious! I plan on making a batch tomorrow morning, and I wanted to know if you brush egg on the tops of the rolls before baking?

    Reply

      • Hi Carole, I just wanted to come back and tell you that the rolls were delicious! I found that the dough was a little too sticky with the amount of flour listed, so I added a little more and also oiled my hands when rolling the balls, and it worked out well. This recipe is definitely a keeper!

        Reply

  9. I made these roll tonight and I hate to sound ignorant but how do you roll the dough into tight balls. My.dough was very spongy and sticky. I didn’t pot the dough onto a floured surface because I didn’t want to add more flour and have dry rolls. Should i have?. They look like they are rising fine but they are pinch rolls more-or-less. Lol. Thanks for your reply. I’m definitely not.a bread maker!

    Reply

    • I do use a lightly floured counter when I am rolling the dough into balls. The dough should be a bit sticky and the little extra flour on the counter won’t make a difference. Good luck

      Reply

  11. Can you use real mash potatoes instead of flakes? We don’t really eat boxed or canned food unless I can it homemade. The recipe looks so yummy and would love to try if I could substitute the flakes?

    Reply

    • Absolutely Marla. The recipe calls for prepared mashed potatoes which is what I usually use but if I don’t have any in hand, I will make them from the flakes. Let me know what you think after you try them

      Reply

  12. Can’t wait to try these! Silly question… How long did you let the yeast “proof”? Did you use one of the small square envelopes of yeast?

    Reply

  13. Coming from an Amish background and wanting to feed my family better, I bake bread two to three times a week. I usually make whole wheat potato bread, using leftover cooking water from making mashed potatoes. I just mix the potato flakes into the dry ingredients, and have never had an issue. If you want to just use flakes instead of making mashed potatoes, you could just add the amount of liquid called for to make the potatoes and throw the flakes in, because they’ll rehydrate just fine.

    Reply

  15. Hi Carole, I have a recipe for potato rolls that a friend gave me. But, I always have trouble getting the rolls to rise. So, I’ll be trying your recipe to make rolls to accompany the rouladen I’ll be making for Valentine’s Day dinner. Wish me luck! 🙂

    Reply

  16. When using real potatoes, would you prepare them as normal adding in the butter and milk and whipping them or would you just boil a couple potatoes and mash enough to make the 1 cup called for not adding anything to it? I’m wondering if by unseasoned you mean no salt and pepper or if it really needs to be unseasoned like nothing other than the pototo. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Great question Carrie! I would prepare them as normal with the butter and milk but no seasoning. Please come back and let me know how they turn out for you! -Carole

      Reply

  17. Hi from France ! These are amazing ! I just baked them and tey didn’t last !! Thank you for the recipe ! I spent time with it because I wanted to convert the recipe in french measures so that it will be easyer next time ! I think I’ll try many of your recipes in the future !!

    (sorry for my bad english)

    Reply

  18. How many tsps. are in a package of yeast? I usually buy the jar? Looking forward to making these and freezing them like the Rhodes!!! Thanks!

    Reply

  20. I applaud you for this recipe, I made these yesterday and they are the best darn rolls I have ever ate, my whole family loves them, def a keeper.

    Reply

  21. Carole, I just wanted to thank you sincerely for what appears to be a wonderful roll recipe! My grandmother was a cook at CSU for years and she was well known for her yeast rolls, pies, doughnuts, etc. My absolute BIGGEST regret is that I was too young to understand the joy of cooking and never really learned recipes/techniques from watching her. I’m dying to ask people who have mastered yeast dough if they have any tips & pointers for people like me that are wanting to master yeast doughs! I cannot wait to try your recipe! I noticed that you mentioned you like the active yeast, but I’ve been buying the Red Star Platinum yeast packets (1/4 oz) and wonder if you have an absolute “go to” yeast that you love?
    One other question…do you have a favorite roll recipe that can be used for Krautburgers (Think Runza restaurant). She was famous for those in our town! Me and my brand new 6QT KitchenAid are SO ready to get started and yours seems like a perfect place to start! God Bless, and thank you again for sharing!

    Reply

    • What a great comment Cris! Both of my grandmothers were amazing cooks and bakers as well. It was such a part of who they were! I have had success with all types of yeast and really don’t prefer one over another. Please come back after you give these a try and let me know how it went. They are my favorite

      Reply

  23. Hi, I wanted to try making a large batch. I was wondering if I could just double the recipe, including the yeast, or if there were other measurements for a large batch?

    Reply

  25. These sound good but has any one tried to make them on a BBQ ? If so how did they turn out and any temp and time suggestions?
    Thanks

    Reply

    • I wish I could help you here Rachel, but I’ve never baked them inside a grill. If you try it, please come back and tell me the details -Carole

      Reply

  26. Hi Carole, Stacey from Louisiana here! I was simply searching Pinterest for a good tip on freezing homemade dinner rolls for baking at a later time, and came across your post on DIY Rhodes Rolls. We love those darn little frozen balls so much, but I figured it would be so much cheaper just making my own, so thank you so much for that post! I wasn’t sure about when exactly to put the dough in the freezer, and you cleared that up for me! Anyhoo, I saw your link to this recipe, so of course I had to click on it, and what to my surprise was this recipe for potato rolls!! My grandmother used to make them when I was a kid, and it’s been so long that I completely forgot about them! I’m going gather up my ingredients tomorrow so I can get started on stocking my freezer for a big July 4th party next weekend. Forget Rhodes! I’ll take potato rolls instead!! I can’t wait to get started!

    Reply

  27. Hi! I really want to try this recipe, it looks amazing. But I have a problem, I’m from Costa Rica, and I’m having problems with the yeast, I usually use instante dry yeast, not the active one. I was wondering how many grams or tbs do I have to use ? Please help me, I really want to try this recipe.

    Reply

    • Hi Floryliz! You can use the same amount of instant dry yeast as it shows in the recipe and follow the same directions! Good luck -Carole

      Reply

  30. Hi Carole- quick question, I am making these for a family who just had a little one a week ago who we are taking soup and rolls to tomorrow. Can I let the dough (rolled in balls in the baking pan) rise overnight in the fridge or on the counter?

    Reply

    • Yes, you can let them rise overnight in the fridge but you will want to reduce the amount of yeast by about 1/3 and then be sure they are tightly covered.

      Reply

  32. I made these tonight and they turned out amazing!! I didn’t use dry active yeast, I used instant yeast and just omitted step one. When using instant yeast you do not need to proof the yeast. I also let my balled rolls rise for an additional 20 min before putting in oven! Amazing!!!! If I could send a picture of them I would.
    Thank you so much for the recipe!

    Reply

      • I seriously can not stop eating them and my husband is in love with them already!! I had whhat so ever, the measurements were perfect!! My dough wasnt too sticky or dry, absolutely perfect!!! I did it ALL by hand too!! I love your recipes!!

        Reply

  33. I want to try your rolls but have a question–can you use the dough cycle on the bread machine instead of using the mixer? I make bread every week and just use the dough cycle and then bake in the oven and was wondering if I could do the same with the rolls. Thank you and I cannot wait to try these!!

    Reply

  36. I store my potato flakes in a big mason jar (I use them in place of breadcrumbs sometimes) and do not have the measurements for the mashed potato part….do you? Thank you kindly

    Reply

  38. If I do not have a stand mixer, can I use the regular hand mixer? Also, I would like to freeze some of the dough. Is it better to let the first rise occur and freeze prior to the dough ball rising stage. Thanks

    Reply

  39. Hi Carole,
    I made a half recipe two days ago and these were the best buns I’ve ever made! I bake a fair bit, but usually use my bread machine for bread and dough. This was quick and easy, even without a stand mixer (just kneaded the dough on a lightly floured counter for five minutes). Now I’ve got a full batch rising and might even share these ones… No promises though!
    Thank you for the recipe. It’s definitely a keeper

    Reply

      • These have become my very favourite of all time and here I am on Mother’s Day (!) making them again. Just wanted to thank you again, they’re becoming my grandkids favourites too! lol

        I also made them for a girls’ night a couple of weeks ago and they couldn’t believe I made them myself.

        Happy Mother’s Day!

        Reply

  40. I am trying to go gluten free. Can I use gluten free flour and should the amount to use be the same amount as the all purpose flour in the recipe?

    Reply

    • Hi Susan. I wish it was that simple of a substitution but the science of baking with gluten vs no gluten is tremendously different. You can try it but you will not have a similar result. I do have some gluten free baking recipes if you look in my “categories” section of my page and selected “gluten free”

      Reply

  41. I am wondering if I could refrigerate the dough for the second rise? At what point do you think I could freeze them?

    Reply

  42. Hi Carole,
    I decided to try these tonight. The dough was very sticky with the amount of flour called for. I had to add quite a bit more flour. It raised nicely in the bowl, and the rolls did too. Waiting for the oven, once the meatloaf is done.

    Reply

      • Glad they worked for you Sharon! There are many factors that influence dough, so flour amounts are always a guideline. The level of moisture of your mashed potatoes might also be different than mine.

        Reply

  44. I just made these rolls. They are actually still rising for the second time, but based off of the raving comments and how they look, I know they are going to be good! My question is…how did you fit 16 rolls into a 9×13 pan? Did you really crunch them in there, or is there a trick up your sleeve?

    Reply

  45. I just came across your site on FB I love it. Can’t wait to try your Potatoe rolls. I have made bread and rolls for years and this is by far the easiest recipe I have ever found. Can’t wait to try them. Thank you, Carole!

    Reply

  46. Hi Carole, just love these rolls! Thank you for the recipe! My question is – Can you freeze this dough and bake later? I am in the middle of making a batch and was so careful to make the potatoes without milk for my dairy-free nephew and threw in the butter the recipe calls for:( I’m wondering if I can throw this batch in the freezer after I’ve put into balls and start another batch?

    Reply

  47. I am on my sixth time making these rolls and I realized I hadn’t let you know how wonderful they are! This recipe is absolutely fantastic and we can’t make another roll recipe. Absolutely pillowy and delicious! Thank you for sharing such a great recipe.

    Reply

  48. Carol I have a mixer there is no hook with mine. Can I still make these in the mixer. Looking forward to hearing from you. Can’t wait to try this recipe out.

    Reply

    • Hey there Diane! I worry that you might break either the motor of the mixer or the attachment if yours doesn’t come with a hook. I would use the mixer until the dough just starts to become thicker and then knead in the remaining flour by hand. These rolls are worth it 🙂

      Reply

  49. I’m so confused…. according to the recipe, we do not makes the potatoes first but just put all ingredients (including potato flakes) in the mixer and mix. However, after reading the comments, the author states she makes the potatoes first. Which is correct? If I make the potatoes first, do I use the liquid in the recipe OR make the according to directions on the Box and still add all the liquid in the original recipe to the flour mixture after preparing the potatoes?

    Reply

    • Hey Confused 🙂 When I originally posted this recipe, I used to make the mashed potatoes and then add them to the rolls. I recently changed the recipe to save that step and be able to just dump them all in the mixer bowl at once. They turn out just as awesome! Thanks for the great question.

      Reply

      • The recipe says 2/3 cup flakes but in some comments it says 1 cup mashed potatoes. Which amount is correct when using real mashed potatoes? If using real potatoes do you reduce the liquid? Thanks!

        Reply

        • Hey there Linda! I recently updated the recipe to make it easier for most people who were using flakes. If you are using flakes, follow the recipe as it is written. Your other option is to use 1 C of already prepared mashed potatoes, eliminate the milk and reduce the water by 2/3 C.

          Reply

  50. Wonderful! Thank you! That’s how I made them and they turned out great, although the 90 minute rise time was too much. My rolls had tiny air pockets throughout but were still delicious!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Hi Paulina! I don’t have any experience with potato flour but you really need that gluten that comes from the wheat for that great texture you see. If you do try it, I would love to know how they turn out!

      Reply

  52. In the video, it looks like you add the potato flakes dry. In the comments, it sounds like you prepare them (sans butter and salt) before adding. Would you clarify for me? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hey there Debby! Yes, this recipe and video were recently updated to make it easier for most readers since they won’t have mashed potatoes sitting around. Just follow the recipe as it is written and you will be great!

      Reply

  55. Hi there,
    Would really like to try and make these. If I was to use the mashed potatoes, do I still use only 2/3 cup?
    Thanks.

    Reply

  57. Could you please help me? The video and instructions don’t show or state anything about making the mashed potatoes, but in the comments I see you are telling people to make the flakes into potatoes.. if that is the case, am I measuring the potato flakes before preparing or using 2/3 c prepared mashed potatoes? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Great question Barb! This is a recipe I have recently updated to use just potato flakes instead of mixing them up before adding them to the rolls. I reworked the original recipe to save my readers a step. Just follow the recipe as it is written.

      Reply

  59. Hey, Carole, I would love to try and make these rolls for Easter next week! I was wondering if you thought that I could make the dough in my bread machine?

    Reply

  60. Yikes! I’ve been making these for a couple of years (they’re utterly fabulous, BTW), but not for a few months. They’re now in the microwave rising, but I sat down to read some of the comments and realized that I followed the recipe exactly and added the potato flakes with the rest of the ingredients, but I should have turned the flakes into actual mashed potatoes. Keeping my fingers crossed that they’ll still be ok… but I’m thinking they’ll be pretty dry.

    Reply

  61. Made these rolls and paired them with BBQ meatballs; delicious! Very quick to come together. I let them do their first rise in the refrigerator overnight and they turned out perfectly. My husband claimed they were his new favorite rolls! Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply

  62. Carole, have you used this dough for anything besides rolls. I like to use my bread dough for cinnamon rolls, calzones, pizza crust, even frying in the skillet with butter. What do you think?

    Reply

    • Great question Glenda! I haven’t used this for anything other than rolls. I think it has possibilities for cinnamon rolls or frying in the skillet, but I think it is too tender for a pizza or calzone.

      Reply

  63. I have been baking bread for years, both sourdough and regular bread.This recipe is one of the best for potato bread rolls.Unfortunately although i hate to change a recipe,i did have to reduce the sugar to 1 tbs.This now a recipe that i will use on a regular basis.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  64. Carole,
    I don’t know why I’m so confused but I want to make these and i have leftover homemade mashed potatoes. So my question is, how many cups of already prepared mashed potatoes do i use and do i still use the milk and water listed in the recipe? I’ve read where you say to reduce the liquid by 2/3 cup but 1. Which liquid, the mil or water and 2. What is the measurement of liquid you are left with after reducing? Sorry. I just really want to make these right. They look delicious!!! Thank you!

    Reply

  65. I made these today because I’ve gotten tired of my old roll recipe. I had to add about a cup of flour, but I’m thinking it was because of the size eggs I used (JUMBO) and the fact that I used freshly boiled/riced potatoes instead of flakes. So that gave me 15 X 2 1/2 ounce rolls in the 13 X 9 glass pan and 6 3 oz. rolls for the freezer. These were the most AWESOME rolls I’ve ever made.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  66. Hey Carole,
    I made these and they were delish!!! So I’m back with another question…have you ever made cinnamon rolls with this dough???

    Reply

    • Hi Jennifer! I haven’t ever tried it, but I bet they would make amazing cinnamon rolls! If you give it a try, please come back and let me know how they turned out.

      Reply

  67. I made these without reading the comments. I did not rehydrate the potatoe flakes, just dumped them in dry with the flour no extra water or milk and they were perfect.

    Reply

    • Hi Peggy! I actually rewrote the recipe a couple years ago because so many people wanted to know how to make them without having to make the potatoes separately so you were spot on! Those comments were from the first version of the recipe. Glad you love them as much as I do 🙂

      Reply

  68. I am looking forward to trying this recipe this week. I’d like to use my potato flakes, as you did. Do you have a good water to potato ratio? Can I simply add the flakes and the water, or would I need to make up the potatoes first? Thanks so much for your online efforts! You’re making dinner better, one kitchen at a time.
    Diana

    Reply

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