Sweet Potato Rolls
Sweet potato gives these yeast rolls a soft orange-tinted crumb and gentle sweetness. Bake 15 rolls close together in a 9-by-13-inch pan, and they rise into a pull-apart block with tender sides and golden, butter-brushed tops.
The dough needs two rises and should remain slightly tacky after kneading. Sweet potato puree varies in moisture, so add extra flour only if the kneaded dough is too wet to shape. With prepared puree, allow about 2 1/2 to 3 hours from mixing to serving.
Ingredients for Sweet Potato Rolls
- 1 cup plain, smooth sweet potato puree, cooled (245g)
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (450g), plus up to 1/4 cup more if needed
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (7g)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (25g)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons fine salt
- 1/2 cup lukewarm whole milk (120g)
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (55g), for the dough
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (30g), for brushing
- About 1 tablespoon softened butter (15g), for serving one torn roll
- A little butter or neutral oil, for greasing
Use homemade or prepared unsweetened puree, not sweetened pie filling. Measure it after cooking and cooling, and mash or blend it until no large lumps remain.
How to Make Sweet Potato Rolls
- Prepare the pan: Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan and a large rising bowl. Make sure the sweet potato puree is smooth and no longer hot.
- Mix the dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the 3 3/4 cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add the puree, lukewarm milk, egg, and cooled melted butter for the dough. Mix until no dry flour remains and a soft, somewhat sticky dough forms.
- Knead: Knead with a dough hook for about 8 to 10 minutes, or a little longer by hand, until smoother and stretchy. Slight tackiness is normal. If the kneaded dough is too wet to handle, add flour from the reserved 1/4 cup, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Let the dough rise: Place it in the greased bowl, cover, and leave in a warm, draft-free spot until roughly doubled, about 60 to 90 minutes.
- Shape 15 rolls: Divide the dough into even portions, keeping the pieces you are not shaping loosely covered. Tuck the edges of each portion underneath to form a smooth ball with the seam on the bottom. Arrange the balls close together in three rows of five in the pan.
- Proof and preheat: Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap or a roomy cover. Let the rolls rise until noticeably puffy and touching, about 35 to 60 minutes. During the latter part of this rise, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake: Remove the cover and bake uncovered on the center rack for about 20 to 25 minutes. Start checking at 20 minutes. The tops should have golden-brown patches, and the center rolls should look set, not wet or doughy, at their seams. If the tops brown before the center is baked through, shield them loosely and continue baking briefly.
- Butter and serve: Brush the hot tops with the 2 tablespoons melted butter. Rest in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer the joined rolls to a wooden board. Pull away one roll, tear it open, and spread it with the softened butter. Serve warm.
How Sticky Should the Dough Be?
Puree from different sweet potatoes can change how the dough feels. Knead before deciding it needs more flour: the dough should become stretchy but still cling slightly to your hands. Use the reserved flour only if it remains too wet to shape. Adding too much can make the rolls heavy or dry.
Proofing and Baking Cues
Follow the dough’s expansion as well as the clock. It should roughly double during the first rise; after shaping, the rolls should look puffy and meet their neighbors. That close spacing gives them soft, joined sides and gently squared tops.
The center rolls may bake more slowly than the edges, so check their seams before removing the pan. Puree moisture and pan material can change browning and timing; a very dark pan may brown the bottoms faster.
Serving and Storing Sweet Potato Rolls
Serve the rolls warm with butter alongside soup or stew. For another sweet potato bread, try sweet potato cornbread; creamy scalloped sweet potatoes make a separate side dish.
Cool leftover rolls completely, then store airtight at room temperature for 2 to 3 days for the best texture. Warm several rolls loosely wrapped in foil in a low oven until heated through. For longer keeping, tightly wrap and freeze cooled baked rolls for up to 2 months. Thaw and gently warm them before adding serving butter.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per roll, based on 15 rolls and including the butter for brushing and serving: 190 calories, 4g protein, 6g fat, and 28g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g of baked rolls: 315 calories, 7g protein, 10g fat, and 47g carbohydrates. Values vary with the puree, flour used, and moisture lost during baking.
Equipment
- 9-by-13-inch baking pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Stand mixer with dough hook (optional)
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 cup plain, smooth sweet potato puree, cooled (245 g)
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (450 g), plus up to 1/4 cup more if needed
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (7 g)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (25 g)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons fine salt
- 1/2 cup lukewarm whole milk (120 g)
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (55 g)
For brushing and serving
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (30 g), for brushing
- About 1 tablespoon softened butter (15 g), for serving one torn roll
For greasing
- A little butter or neutral oil
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan and a large bowl. Make sure the sweet potato puree is smooth and no longer hot.
- Combine the 3 3/4 cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl or stand mixer. Add the puree, lukewarm milk, egg, and cooled melted butter for the dough. Mix until no dry flour remains and a soft, somewhat sticky dough forms.
- Knead with a dough hook for 8 to 10 minutes, or a little longer by hand, until the dough is smoother and stretchy. If it is too wet to handle, add reserved flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Place the dough in the greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until roughly doubled, about 60 to 90 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 15 even portions, keeping unshaped pieces loosely covered. Tuck the edges of each portion underneath to form a smooth ball with the seam on the bottom. Arrange the balls close together in three rows of five in the pan.
- Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap or a roomy cover. Let the rolls rise until puffy and touching, about 35 to 60 minutes. During the latter part of the rise, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Uncover the rolls and bake on the center rack for 20 to 25 minutes, checking at 20 minutes. The tops should have golden-brown patches and the center rolls should look set at their seams. If the tops brown before the center is baked through, loosely shield them and continue baking briefly.
- Brush the hot tops with the melted butter. Rest in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer the joined rolls to a board. Pull away a roll, tear it open, and spread with softened butter. Serve warm.
Tips
- Use plain, unsweetened sweet potato puree, not sweetened pie filling.
- Measure the puree after cooking and cooling, and mash or blend it until smooth.
- Knead before adding extra flour; the dough should remain slightly tacky.
- Add reserved flour only if the kneaded dough is too wet to shape, since too much flour can make the rolls heavy or dry.
- Check the center rolls at their seams, as they may bake more slowly than the edges.