The secret to the lightest and fluffiest dinner rolls is mashed potatoes, and I’m here to show you how it’s done. This garlic butter potato rolls recipe has been in my family for years – they always turn out perfectly soft and buttery. I’ll show you how to make them with or without a stand mixer!
Pillowy-soft potato rolls are even more irresistible when brushed with garlic butter!
Some recipes just feel like home, and these potato rolls are that for my family. They’ve shown up at holidays, Sunday dinners, and every big gathering in between — and after years of tweaking and testing, I’ve made sure they turn out soft, fluffy, and foolproof every single time.
The secret is simple: tender russet potatoes and a splash of their starchy cooking water worked right into the dough. Add butter, milk, sugar, yeast, eggs, flour, and salt, then finish with a brush of garlicky parsley butter over the warm rolls. They bake up pillowy and golden, with that irresistible soft pull-apart texture that makes it very hard to stop at just one.
How to store potato rolls
Store: Once your potato rolls have cooled to room temperature, transfer them to an airtight container. You can keep them at room temperature on the counter for three days or in the fridge for up to a week. I like to warm them up in the oven slightly before serving!
Reheat: I’ll often pop one of these potato rolls into the microwave for 15 seconds to warm it slightly. Yum!
Freeze: Simply package them in freezer-proof bags or airtight containers and pop them in the freezer for up to a month.
Garlic Butter Potato Rolls Recipe
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Ingredients
- ▢ 1 – 15 ounce Russet potato (peeled and chopped)
- ▢ ¼ cup butter (softened)
- ▢ ¼ cup whole milk
- ▢ ½ cup potato cooking water
- ▢ 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ▢ 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ▢ 2 large eggs
- ▢ 4 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
Garlic Butter Topping – see notes
- ▢ 1 tablespoon butter
- ▢ 1 small garlic clove (very finely minced)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon finely minced parsley
Instructions
- Put the chopped potato into a small pot and cover it with water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat and boil, covered, for 10 minutes, until the potato is soft. 1 – 15 ounce Russet potato
- Remove ½ cup of the potato cooking water and then drain the water from the pot.
- Add the butter and milk to the potatoes and mash well using a potato masher. ¼ cup butter, ¼ cup whole milk
- Mix the potato cooking water and sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Once the water has cooled and is lukewarm (100-110 degrees Fahrenheit) add the active dry yeast and let it bloom for 5 minutes. ½ cup potato cooking water, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- Add the mashed potatoes and eggs to the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon or your dough hook attachment. 2 large eggs
- Add the flour and salt and mix until the dough comes together into a loose ball. If mixing by hand, turn the dough out onto your counter and knead it for 5 minutes. If using a stand mixer, mix for 3 minutes with the dough hook. 4 ½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt
- Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl and turn it a few times to cover it lightly in oil.
- Cover the top with a clean kitchen towel and set the bowl aside for 1 hour in a warm (not hot) place until the dough has doubled in size. In the winter, I like to put it into my oven with the oven light turned on.
- Place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of a 9×11-inch baking dish and lightly oil the top of the parchment paper and the sides of the dish.
- Divide the dough into 15 equal sized pieces. Place them into the baking dish, seam side down, making 5 rows of 3 buns. Cover the baking dish with a clean kitchen towel and set it aside in a warm place for 45 minutes.
- Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit – REMOVE the buns first if you’re rising them in the oven! Uncover the buns and then bake them for 30-35 minutes, until the buns have puffed up and are golden. Let the buns cool in the pan before removing them. 1 tablespoon butter, 1 small garlic clove, 1 teaspoon finely minced parsley
- Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parsley. Brush the butter over the buns before serving
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .
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Garlic Butter Potato Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 - 15 ounce Russet potato , peeled and chopped
- ¼ cup butter , softened
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ½ cup potato cooking water
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs
- 4 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Garlic Butter Topping - see notes
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small garlic clove , very finely minced
- 1 teaspoon finely minced parsley
Instructions
- Put the chopped potato into a small pot and cover it with water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat and boil, covered, for 10 minutes, until the potato is soft. 1 - 15 ounce Russet potato
- Remove ½ cup of the potato cooking water and then drain the water from the pot.
- Add the butter and milk to the potatoes and mash well using a potato masher. ¼ cup butter, ¼ cup whole milk
- Mix the potato cooking water and sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Once the water has cooled and is lukewarm (100-110 degrees Fahrenheit) add the active dry yeast and let it bloom for 5 minutes. ½ cup potato cooking water, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- Add the mashed potatoes and eggs to the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon or your dough hook attachment. 2 large eggs
- Add the flour and salt and mix until the dough comes together into a loose ball. If mixing by hand, turn the dough out onto your counter and knead it for 5 minutes. If using a stand mixer, mix for 3 minutes with the dough hook. 4 ½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt
- Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl and turn it a few times to cover it lightly in oil.
- Cover the top with a clean kitchen towel and set the bowl aside for 1 hour in a warm (not hot) place until the dough has doubled in size. In the winter, I like to put it into my oven with the oven light turned on.
- Place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of a 9x11-inch baking dish and lightly oil the top of the parchment paper and the sides of the dish.
- Divide the dough into 15 equal sized pieces. Place them into the baking dish, seam side down, making 5 rows of 3 buns. Cover the baking dish with a clean kitchen towel and set it aside in a warm place for 45 minutes.
- Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit - REMOVE the buns first if you’re rising them in the oven! Uncover the buns and then bake them for 30-35 minutes, until the buns have puffed up and are golden. Let the buns cool in the pan before removing them. 1 tablespoon butter, 1 small garlic clove, 1 teaspoon finely minced parsley
- Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parsley. Brush the butter over the buns before serving
