Soft Garlic Butter Rolls with Mashed Potato Dough

Garlic Butter Rolls

These soft dinner rolls start as squares cut from mashed-potato dough. They rise into separate pillows with rounded corners, lightly golden tops, and fluffy centers. Brush them with garlic-parsley butter as soon as they leave the oven: the hot rolls take on a glossy finish, while the parsley stays visible. Use thick, cooled mashed potato so the dough remains soft but holds its shape when cut.

Ingredients for Garlic Butter Rolls

For the dough

• 3¼ cups all-purpose flour (390g), plus a little for handling
• ¾ cup plain, thick mashed potato, cooled (150g)
• ¾ cup warm milk (180g)
• 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (7g)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (25g)
• 1¼ teaspoons fine salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (40g)

For the garlic butter

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (55g)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
• Pinch of fine salt, optional

How to Bake Garlic Butter Rolls

1. Mix the dough: Combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm milk, cooled mashed potato, and 3 tablespoons melted butter. Mix thoroughly for 8 to 10 minutes, until no dry flour remains and the dough is cohesive, soft, and slightly tacky. It should hold together rather than pour or spread.
2. Let it rise: Cover the bowl and leave it in a comfortably warm spot for about 60 to 90 minutes, until the dough looks roughly doubled and airy.
3. Cut the rolls: Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into an approximately 9-by-12-inch rectangle. Cut into 12 squares and place them on the sheet about 1 inch apart. Handle them gently to retain some of the air from the first rise.
4. Proof and preheat: Loosely cover the squares and let them rise for about 30 to 45 minutes, until noticeably puffy. Their corners should soften and round, but the rolls should remain distinct. Near the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
5. Bake: Uncover and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, starting to check at 17 minutes. Rotate the sheet halfway through if your oven browns unevenly. The tops should be lightly golden with a few deeper patches; an opened roll should have a set, fluffy center, not a gummy one.
6. Brush and serve: Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and stir in the garlic powder and parsley. Taste and add a pinch of salt if desired. Brush over the rolls as soon as they leave the oven, then let them stand for about 5 minutes before serving warm. For dipping, set aside a little garlic butter before brushing the rolls.

What the Dough Should Feel Like

Use thick mashed potato, not loose, creamy mash that pours from a spoon. The mixed dough should feel tacky but hold together. If it sticks while you cut it, lightly flour the work surface and your hands; working in too much flour can make the rolls dense.

Thick leftover mashed potato can work. Account for any salt already in it when seasoning the dough. If the mash is very wet, the dough may spread instead of holding cut squares.

Proofing and Baking Cues

Room temperature affects both rises, so look for expansion rather than relying only on the clock. Wait until the dough is airy after its first rise and the cut squares are visibly puffy before baking. Under-proofed rolls can bake up dense.

Check early if your squares are small, and remove the rolls once the tops are lightly golden rather than waiting for a dark crust. Brushing garlic butter on while they are hot gives them their glossy finish without baking the parsley into the tops.

For a fresh-garlic finish, replace the garlic powder with one small finely grated garlic clove. Let it stand briefly in warm, not scorching, melted butter before brushing.

Serving and Storing Garlic Butter Rolls

Serve warm as dinner rolls, or alongside old-fashioned soul food mac and cheese.

The rolls are best on the day they are baked. Cool leftovers fully and store them airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days. Warm an individual roll briefly in the microwave, or warm a batch for a few minutes in a low oven, checking so they do not dry out. For longer storage, wrap cooled baked rolls airtight and freeze; thaw before gently reheating.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per roll, based on 12 rolls: 210 calories, 4g protein, 8g fat, and 31g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g of baked rolls: 320 calories, 7g protein, 12g fat, and 47g carbohydrates. Values vary with the milk, mashed potato, and amount of garlic butter used.