Looking for a delicious and unique breakfast recipe? Look no further than mashed potato cinnamon rolls! These rolls are soft, fluffy, and loaded with flavor. Plus, they can be made ahead of time so you can enjoy them for breakfast or brunch on the weekend or on special occasions. No one will ever guess the secret ingredient!
4½cupsall-purpose flourseparated 1½ and 3 cups (215g and 425g)
1package active dry yeast2¼ teaspoons (8 grams)
1cupmilk
1cupmashed potato(russet) cooked
⅓cupbuttercut up
¼cupsugargranulated
1teaspoonsalt
2eggsroom temperature
Cinnamon sugar mixture
½cupbrown sugarlight
1½teaspooncinnamongound
1tablespoonflour
¼cupbuttersoftened (for brushing)
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl (of a stand mixer) combine 1½ cups (215 grams) of flour with yeast. Set aside.
Combine milk, potato, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium heat and whisk until butter starts to melt and a thermometer reads 105°F-115°F (41-46°C).
Remove from heat.
Add this mixture to the flour and yeast in the stand mixer and whisk on low speed for about one minute.
Add eggs and continue beating until well incorporated (1-2 minutes). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
Switch to the dough hook.
Add the rest of the flour (3 cups) and mix for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl while sticking to the bottom. Alternately, you can knead by hand.
Place it in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat.
Cover with plastic wrap.
Let rise for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
Punch down dough. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes.
While waiting, prepare the cinnamon-sugar mixture by whisking together the brown sugar, cinnamon and flour in a small bowl. Set aside. Also, prepare the pan (13 x 9 x 2 inches) by greasing or spraying with non-stick spray. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Remove teh dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured work surface.
Roll out dough until you get an 18 x 12 inch rectangle.
Spread most of the softened butter evenly over the surface of the dough leaving a ½-inch border. Can also use melted butter.
Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the butter. Press the mixture into the dough gently with your fingers.
Starting with one long side, tightly roll up the dough into a log shape, jelly-roll style.
Pinch the seams together.
Brush the top surface and sides of the log with the remaining softened butter.
With a serrated knife, cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. First, cut in half, then cut the halves in half, and then the quarters in thirds.
Transfer rolls and place them in the prepared pan barely touching each other.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 30 minutes or until double in size.
Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until you get golden-brown rolls.
Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes before drizzling with vanilla icing (if using).
Cool slightly and serve warm.
Video
Notes
Check the expiration date on the yeast and test it to see if it’s still viable.
For easier mixing, have the eggs at room temperature.
If possible, use russet potatoes because they have a high starch content and yield a light and fluffy texture in the bread.
The most precise technique to measure flour is by weight. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, fluff your flour and then scoop it using a dry measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife. For reference, 1 cup of all-purpose flour = 142 grams [source].
When slicing the dough, you'll squish the rolls if your knife isn't sharp enough. One alternative is to use kitchen string or unflavored dental floss. Simply slide the string (or floss) under the rolled dough, bring the two ends up and cross them over each other to cut through the dough. Another alternative is to use a serrated knife or a sharp bench scraper.
A simple vanilla icing:Combine icing ingredients In a medium bowl, and whisk together. More specifically, 1 cup of powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract, and enough milk (a tablespoon at a time) to reach desired consistency. If you want a thicker icing, add more powdered sugar. If you want a thinner icing, add more milk.Pour the icing over the fluffy cinnamon rolls and let it drizzle down the sides.To make overnight cinnamon rolls:Simply follow the instructions up to the point where you cut and place the shaped dough in a greased pan. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (for 2-24 hours). In the morning, before baking, take the cinnamon rolls out of the fridge and let stand, covered, at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Then, uncover and bake as directed.*adapted from a recipe in Cook's Secrets Magazine