I love rolls! Especially soft squishy ones. My love affair started in elementary school. I begged the lunch ladies for extra rolls every day. No wonder I wore plus size clothes! Adapted from King Arthur Flour from an old handwritten Amish recipe, these rolls will take you right back to your childhood. The mashed potatoes in the recipe make the rolls extra moist. The aroma is intoxicating. 

In this recipe I will give you my secret tips for light, fluffy rolls. Most recipes assume you know how to make bread. So if you are a beginner try this recipe. Your family will thank you! 

Amish Dinner Rolls
4 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 and 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons iodized salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup potatoes, boiled and mashed; No butter, milk or seasoning added
3/4 cup potato water (reserved from boiling potatoes), heated to 120-130ºF.
Non-stick spray made with canola oil
Melted butter

Peel, wash and dice a large russet potato into 1-inch cubes. Place cubes in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until done. Drain potatoes reserving 3/4 cup potato water. Mash potatoes with a fork or potato masher and lightly pack into a 1 cup measure. Set aside to cool slightly.

Stand Mixer Method: Mix flour and yeast in mixing bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Heat potato water to 120-130ºF. make sure potatoes are still warm (reheat briefly in microwave if needed. Add eggs, sugar, salt, butter, potatoes, and potato water to four mixture. Mix on medium speed until dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Change the paddle attachment to the dough hook. Knead dough 6-8 minutes with dough hook. Tip: If you knead dough on the counter don’t use flour. Spray your hands and the counter with non-stick canola oil spray. Why? This dough is really soft and sticky. You will be tempted to add additional flour and you will not end up with fluffy rolls! I just use the dough hook or my bread machine. That way they come out perfect every time! 

When dough is ready, place dough in a bowl sprayed with non-stick spray. Make sure bowl is large enough for dough to double in size. Spray top of dough with non-stick spray.  Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Put a kitchen towel on the bottom of the microwave. Place dough bowl in microwave and let rise 90 minutes. (Use your microwave as a proofing box).

Bread Machine Method: Place ingredients in bread machine according to manufacturer’s recommendations. For most bread machines the liquid ingredients go in first then the dry ingredients. Make sure you put the flour and yeast in last on top of everything else. Pile the flour like a little mountain and make a well in the top for the yeast. (The yeast likes to be king of the mountain)! Program the machine for “Regular” dough (not quick dough) and start the cycle. After cycle is completed let dough rise in the bread machine for an additional 30 minutes or until doubled. (Dough rises faster in the bread machine because it is temperature controlled.)

Shaping and Baking: Spray a 9 X 13-inch glass Pyrex baking dish with non-stick spray.  Spray countertop and your hands with non-stick spray. Place dough on countertop and divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Divide each of the 3 pieces into 5 equally sized pieces. You should end up with 15 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place into prepared baking dish. Place 3 rolls along the short side and 5 rolls along the long side of the Pyrex. Fill in remaining rolls. Cover with non-stick sprayed plastic wrap. 

Let rolls rise in microwave for 1 and 1/2 hours. They will get puffy and touch each other. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bake 25-30 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Rolls are done when internal temperature is 190ºF. Remove from oven. Brush with melted butter. Tip: You can bake rolls 15 minutes, cool completely, wrap in foil and freeze for one month. Then when you are ready; thaw the rolls, remove the foil, and finish baking. Alternative method: Bake rolls 20 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter. Cool. Just before serving, reheat rolls. Bake 350ºF until golden brown; around 5-10 minutes. Brush with additional butter.

Published in the News and Neighbor on June 14, 2023.