Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls

Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls Recipe Tips

Do I Have to Use Bread Flour? 

Bread flour contains a higher percentage of protein, which helps the dough to develop stronger strands of gluten, meaning it helps to form rolls with a nice tall structure and slightly chewy texture. If you don’t have bread flour, you can use the same amount of all-purpose – but your rolls may just be slightly shorter and less chewy, and may take longer to knead and rise.

The Sweet Potato

For this Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls recipe, I simply used one medium-large sweet potato and microwaved it until tender. The trick to ultra-light and fluffy rolls is to mash the potato until it’s completely lump-free. I think this is best done using a potato ricer (which also makes the BEST mashed potatoes) or even with a blender or food processor. Just don’t over-process. If you have to mash by hand, just keep going until no lumps remain.

The Yeast

I always use instant yeast (also called rapid-rise or quick-rise) because it’s so incredibly easy as it doesn’t require any proofing (aka the step where you combine the yeast with warm liquid for 5 minutes). You can just throw it in with the rest of the ingredients! If you don’t have instant yeast, you can always use regular active dry yeast. You’ll need to combine the active dry yeast with the warm water for 5 minutes, or until frothy, before you can add proceed with the recipe.

The Honey

There are two tablespoons of honey in this recipe to enhance the sweet potato flavor without making the rolls super sweet. However, if you like sweeter rolls, feel free to double that amount (1/4 cup honey) and add in about another 2 tablespoons flour to compensate for the extra moisture.

The Buttermilk

This not only acts as a tenderizer, but also gives a very slight tang to the rolls to balance out the flavor profile beautifully. If you can’t find buttermilk, simply use full-fat whole milk instead. Learn more about buttermilk and why I don’t recommend substitutions here.

Eggs & Butter

The eggs and the melted butter called for in this Potato Dinner Rolls recipe help to add flavor, richness, and a soft and tender texture. An egg wash is also brushed onto the unbaked rolls to encourage browning and a beautiful shiny crust. I also love to sprinkle the unbaked rolls with flaky sea salt to further enhance the flavor.

Can I Add More Flour if my Sweet Potato Dinner Roll Dough is Sticky?

I develop my recipes in Phoenix, Arizona, where it’s extremely dry. If you live in a humid climate, you’ll likely need to add more flour to the dough. Start by adding just a tablespoon at a time until the dough isn’t unbearably sticky – but be cautious not to add too much. It’s better to have a slightly sticky dough because adding too much extra flour can cause the rolls to become dense instead of light and fluffy.

Also, be sure to measure your flour correctly. I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale for accuracy, but if you don’t have one, use the spoon and level method to ensure you’re not accidentally compacting too much flour in your measuring cups. 

How to Make Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls Ahead of Time

For these sweet potato dinner rolls, here’s my recommended make-ahead method:

1. Make the dough all the way through to rising once and shaping into rolls.
2. Once the rolls are shaped, cover the pan well with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
3. When ready to bake, bring to room temperature as the oven preheats before baking as the recipe directs.
4. If the rolls haven’t doubled in size yet, allow to sit at room temperature until they do. The time this takes will depend on your kitchen temperature, humidity level, and how much the rolls have already risen, so be patient.
5. The rolls are best served the day they’re baked, but you can reheat the rolls briefly in the oven or toaster oven at 300°F until warmed through to refresh before serving.

How to Store Make Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls

Store rolls inside an airtight container or inside a ziptop freezer bag at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost to room temperature then reheat in a 300°F oven until warmed through before serving.