Published: Sep 26, 2022 · Updated: Jun 27, 2023 by Carole Jones · 194 Comments

Amish Potato Rolls

Amish potato rolls are the best homemade dinner roll recipe you will ever make! These Amish dinner rolls turn out dense and stay super soft for days. I think they are actually better on day two. This Amish potato roll recipe is everything you want from a nice, big, fluffy dinner roll slathered with butter. This is my kid’s favorite recipe for homemade rolls on Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner but you won’t believe the story behind this recipe.

A Funny History with This Recipe for 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 Amish Potato 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.

Even though I saw it coming, I was still shocked when it failed to mix this potato roll recipe. 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.

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 batch of potato roll dough.

Why I Love These Potato Rolls

Even though these Amish potato rolls were the death of my mixer, they were soooo worth it. These are now part of our Sunday dinner roll rotation because we love them so much. Before now, the rotation only consisted of Lion House rolls and Oatmeal rolls but these will definitely be worked into the new “roll rotation schedule.” They turn out dense, moist, and amazing from that addition of potato! 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.

What are Potato Rolls

Potato rolls are an egg-based dinner roll recipe that uses potatoes to enhance both the texture and the flavor of the roll. Either mashed potatoes or instant potato flakes are used in the dough. Once baked, the addition of potato adds density and hefty texture to the rolls, along with the ability to hold moisture for days after it is baked. Because of this, they are the perfect dinner roll recipe to make the day before you need them. They will actually be better on the second day as long as you store them in an airtight container.

Amish Potato Dinner Roll Ingredients

This recipe was originally written using leftover mashed potatoes but it took so much extra time to first prepare the potatoes, then turn them into rolls. So, I have transformed the recipe into one using instant potato flakes that get mixed right into the dough.

Instant Potato Flakes
All Purpose Flour
Granulated Sugar
Milk
Eggs
Salted Butter
Instant Yeast
Kosher salt
Water

Dinner rolls made with mashed potatoes on a wooden cutting board

Difference Between Potato Rolls and Regular Rolls

Most standard dinner roll recipes use milk, butter, and eggs to create a soft and tender finished roll. Most bakers consider this type of dough a brioche. Potato rolls also use these same fatty ingredients for that soft texture, but the addition of the potato adds more heft to each roll.

Potato rolls do have a bit of a unique flavor as well, and in a good way. The potato definitely adds a bit of flavor, but because there is a bit more sugar in the dough, they have a hint of sweetness. They aren’t super sweet. Just a bit more than a classic dinner roll, creating a well balanced flavor profile.

What Makes This an Amish Dinner Roll Recipe?

There is no such thing as “Amish food.” There are only recipes that reflect the qualities of classic Amish meals. When I think of Amish cooking, the words rich, sweet, hearty, homemade, and comfort food come to mind. Many Amish recipes are very filling and high in carbs. Milk and eggs are also a huge part of their diet. So, many of their dishes are super-rich and creamy. And we are all blessed that they share their amazing recipes with us!

These amazing Amish Potato Rolls definitely have all of those classic qualities you would expect to find. The use of butter, milk, and eggs creates a higher than normal fat content. The use of both potato and flour brings in that expected higher level of carbs. And of course, the extra sugar in the dough results in a sweeter than usual dinner roll.

How to Make Potato Rolls Recipe

If you are new to making yeast breads and doughs, potato rolls are a great place to start. These dinner rolls are a very forgiving recipe and not as finicky as French Bread or Cinnamon Rolls. And remember, any type of yeast bread that is hot from the oven is amazing!

Proof the yeast in warm water, milk, and sugar. You’ll know the yeast is ready when it has bubbled to the top of the bowl. Usually takes 5-10 minutes.
Mix the dough in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. If you do not have a stand mixer, use a large bowl and wooden spoon.
Knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Unlike a standard bread dough, you’ll only knead the dough until it comes together into a smooth ball. You don’t want to knead it too long or too much gluten will form and make the potato rolls tough.
Raise the dough until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
Form the dough into rolls and place them in a greased pan. Cover and rise until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
Bake the rolls until golden brown.

Potato Roll Recipe Variations

Being a home cook provides endless opportunities to experiment with recipes, personalizing them to your tastes and creativity. Any of the following variations would be great spin-offs of this potato roll recipe:

Add cheese to the dough right before the kneading begins. Pick a cheese with a distinct flavor so it can stand out against the flavor of the potato roll. Parmesan, sharp cheddar, gorgonzola, and feta cheese would all work quite well in this recipe.
Add cinnamon and raisins for a sweeter potato roll experience. It will provide a similar flavor profile as cinnamon rolls but without all the hard work! Add the cinnamon with the dry ingredients and the raisins right before the kneading begins.
Add sundried tomatoes and garlic to the dough for a very savory roll. Be sure the sundried tomatoes have been blotted dry and chopped fine, as should the fresh garlic. Add them into the dough right before the kneading begins.
Add olives and herbs to the dough right before the kneading begins. Specifically chopped Kalamata olives and fresh thyme, oregano, and rosemary would give a great Mediterranean flavor to these yummy rolls.