By Becky Hardin
Published Nov 20, 2021
Sweet Potato Rolls are the perfect dinner rolls for Thanksgiving! They’re fluffy, soft, and made from scratch with sweet potatoes. While making homemade bread requires a little bit of patience, these rolls are really easy to whip up and well worth the effort!
What’s in this Sweet Potato Rolls Recipe
Sweet potato adds just a hint of sweetness to this bread that creates an amazing flavor.
- Sweet Potatoes: You’ll need 1-2 medium-sized sweet potatoes to get the 3 cups needed for the recipe. Peel, and dice or cube so that they’re easy to boil and mash.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is best. Let it sit on the counter to adjust to room temperature prior to using.
- Milk: This will also need to adjust to room temperature with the butter.
- Egg: Plan on leaving this on the counter with the milk and butter as it also needs to be room temperature!
- Salt: Just a little bit is used to help with the structure of the bread.
- Water: It needs to be warmed to 105-110°F.
- Sugar: Granulated white sugar is used to enhance the natural flavor of the sweet potatoes.
- Active Dry Yeast: This recipe uses active yeast, which means it needs to be activated before use. But don’t worry, it’s simple and the steps for that are included in the recipe card.
- Bread Flour: I recommend using bread flour for these sweet potato rolls. It creates the perfect texture!
PRO TIP: Don’t add too much flour while kneading. Only add flour if the dough is too sticky.
Can I add fresh herbs to these rolls?
If you like, try mixing rosemary, sage, or thyme into the dough before baking. It will add an herby taste to the sweet potato!
I recommend sticking to the active dry yeast for best results. But if you are using instant yeast, skip the activation step (step 4 in the recipe card). Just mix in the instant yeast as is in step 5, along with the water and sugar from step 4.
I highly recommend using bread flour. However, you can simply substitute the same amount of all-purpose flour if you need to. It will affect the texture slightly, but it shouldn’t cause any baking issues.
You can let the dough rest in the refrigerator overnight if needed. But you’ll need to let it warm up and come to room temperature before continuing on with the recipe. So let it sit on the counter at least an hour before baking. You can also bake the rolls the day before and just warm them up in the oven to serve.
How to Store
You can store sweet potato dinner rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze
Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the sweet potato rolls to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the fridge prior to reheating and serving.
Serving Suggestions
You can add different ingredients to finish off these sweet potato dinner rolls. Add a dusting of cinnamon, some brown sugar for added sweetness, or mix in garlic to the melted butter before brushing it on top. No matter how you serve them, they’ll be perfect for Thanksgiving !
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 3 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes about 1 pound
- ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 57 grams, room temperature (½ stick)
- ▢ ¾ cup milk 170 grams, room temperature
- ▢ 1 large egg 50 grams, room temperature
- ▢ 2 teaspoons kosher salt 6 grams
- ▢ ⅓ cup water 76 grams, warm (105-110°F)
- ▢ 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 25 grams
- ▢ 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 9 grams
- ▢ 4-4½ cups bread flour 480-540 grams
- ▢ Melted butter optional, for brushing on warm rolls
Video
Instructions
- Heat 6 cups of water over high heat until it begins to boil. Add the sweet potatoes and cook for 10 minutes or until they are soft. Drain the potatoes. 3 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes
- Begin mashing the potatoes, add the butter, and continue mashing them. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Stir in the milk and mash until almost completely smooth, then stir in the egg and salt. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. ¾ cup milk, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- In a large bowl, stir the water, sugar, and yeast together. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the yeast activate for 10 minutes. ⅓ cup water, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- Stir the sweet potato mixture into the activated yeast until smooth then gradually stir in the flour, 1 cup at a time. 4-4½ cups bread flour
- When you can no longer stir, turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes, or until the dough comes together, adding flour only when it’s too sticky (too much extra flour will result in tough rolls).
- Scrape out the remaining bits of dough in the bowl. Grease the sides of the bowl well.
- Tuck the edges of the dough together and place it into the greased bowl.
- Cover the bowl with a towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Form 16 equal balls from the dough (about 3 ounces each).
- Place the dough balls into the prepared baking pan, cover, and let them rise again for 30 more minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F 10 minutes before the rolls are ready to go in.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops turn a light golden color and they spring back when you lightly touch the tops.
- Let the rolls cool for 15 minutes, brush the tops with melted butter, and serve. Melted butter
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9×13 Baking Pan
Becky’s Tips
- Boil potatoes just until they are soft enough to mash. This should only take about 10 minutes.
- Since you are making bread from scratch, you will need to let the dough rest and rise multiple times. So plan ahead for your time in the kitchen.
- Dough will need to rise in a warm spot.
- Don’t add too much flour while kneading. Only add flour if the dough is too sticky.
- The tops of the rolls should be golden brown when done.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Bread Roll Recipes We Love
- Homemade Dinner Rolls
- Sweet Potato Biscuits
- Angel Biscuits
- Sweet Potato Cornbread
- Thanksgiving Rolls
Sweet Potato Rolls Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9x13 Baking Pan
Ingredients
- 3 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes about 1 pound
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 57 grams, room temperature (½ stick)
- ¾ cup milk 170 grams, room temperature
- 1 large egg 50 grams, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt 6 grams
- ⅓ cup water 76 grams, warm (105-110°F)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 25 grams
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 9 grams
- 4-4½ cups bread flour 480-540 grams
- Melted butter optional, for brushing on warm rolls
Instructions
- Heat 6 cups of water over high heat until it begins to boil. Add the sweet potatoes and cook for 10 minutes or until they are soft. Drain the potatoes. 3 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes
- Begin mashing the potatoes, add the butter, and continue mashing them. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Stir in the milk and mash until almost completely smooth, then stir in the egg and salt. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. ¾ cup milk, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- In a large bowl, stir the water, sugar, and yeast together. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the yeast activate for 10 minutes. ⅓ cup water, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- Stir the sweet potato mixture into the activated yeast until smooth then gradually stir in the flour, 1 cup at a time. 4-4½ cups bread flour
- When you can no longer stir, turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes, or until the dough comes together, adding flour only when it’s too sticky (too much extra flour will result in tough rolls).
- Scrape out the remaining bits of dough in the bowl. Grease the sides of the bowl well.
- Tuck the edges of the dough together and place it into the greased bowl.
- Cover the bowl with a towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Form 16 equal balls from the dough (about 3 ounces each).
- Place the dough balls into the prepared baking pan, cover, and let them rise again for 30 more minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F 10 minutes before the rolls are ready to go in.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops turn a light golden color and they spring back when you lightly touch the tops.
- Let the rolls cool for 15 minutes, brush the tops with melted butter, and serve. Melted butter
Video
Notes
- Boil potatoes just until they are soft enough to mash. This should only take about 10 minutes.
- Since you are making bread from scratch, you will need to let the dough rest and rise multiple times. So plan ahead for your time in the kitchen.
- Dough will need to rise in a warm spot.
- Don’t add too much flour while kneading. Only add flour if the dough is too sticky.
- The tops of the rolls should be golden brown when done.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
