Amish Dinner Rolls

Amish dinner rolls are the kind of bread that makes you close your eyes and just breathe in. Soft, pillowy, and butterythese rolls practically melt the second you tear one apart. I first made them on a chilly Sunday afternoon when Henry mentioned he missed the kind of bread his grandmother used to bake. So I pulled out a bag of potatoes, got to work, and honestly? The whole house smelled like a bakery within hours. Isabella and Noah couldn’t stop sneaking them off the cooling rack. Trust me, once you try these homemade dinner rolls, store-bought will never hit the same. If you love fresh bread, you’ll also want to check out my soft Amish white bread recipe it’s another family favorite.

Why You Will Like This Recipe

• Super soft texture thanks to real mashed potatoes in the dough
• Only 15 minutes of hands-on prep before letting the dough do its thing
• Perfect for holiday dinners, Sunday suppers, or meal prepping for the week
• The potato dinner rolls stay fresh and moist way longer than regular rolls
• Kid-approved Emma literally asked me to make these every weekend
• Works with both instant yeast and active dry yeast, so you can use what you have

The Ingredients For These Amish Dinner Rolls

Here’s what you’ll need to make a batch of these beauties:

• 2 large eggs they add richness and help bind everything together
• 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar just enough sweetness without making them dessert-like
• 2 teaspoons (12g) table salt balances out the sugar perfectly
• 6 tablespoons (85g) butter, softened this is where that melt-in-your-mouth texture comes from
• 1 cup (213g) mashed potatoes, unseasoned, lightly packed the secret ingredient that keeps these rolls incredibly soft (one medium-to-large baking potato will give you about 227g)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
• 3/4 cup (170g) lukewarm water use the potato cooking water if you can, it adds extra starch and flavor
• 4 1/4 cups (510g) all-purpose flour

A quick note on the mashed potatoes: make sure they’re plain and unseasoned. No butter, no milk, no garlic. Just boiled and mashed. That way the flavor stays neutral and the rolls come out perfectly balanced.

How To Make Soft Amish Dinner Rolls Step By Step

1. Make the dough. Weigh your flour or gently spoon it into a cup and sweep off the excess. Mix all ingredients together by hand, stand mixer, or bread machine on the dough cycle until you get a smooth, soft dough. Don’t rush this step. The dough should feel slightly tacky but not sticky.
2. Let it rise. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise until doubled in size. This takes about 90 minutes. (If you’re using a bread machine, let it finish the cycle, then give it an extra 30 minutes.)
3. Shape the rolls. Gently deflate the dough and divide it into 16 large or 24 smaller balls. Roll each one into a smooth, round shape. I like to tuck the edges underneath for a clean top.
4. Second rise. Place the rolls in a lightly greased 9″ x 13″ pan. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let them rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until they’re puffy and touching each other. Preheat your oven to 350°F toward the end of the rise.
5. Bake. Pop them in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden on top. Brush with melted butter right when they come out trust me, this step is non-negotiable.

Storage And Reheating Tips

These old fashioned dinner rolls store really well, which is one of the reasons I love them for meal prep.

Keep cooled rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They’ll stay soft thanks to the potato starch in the dough.

For longer storage, freeze them in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw at room temperature and warm in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes. They’ll taste just as fresh as the day you baked them.

Creative Variations For Your Amish Dinner Rolls

Ever wondered what would happen if you added herbs to these rolls? Go for it. A tablespoon of chopped rosemary or dried Italian seasoning mixed into the dough is amazing.

• Garlic butter rolls brush with garlic butter before and after baking
• Cheese rolls fold in 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar before shaping
• Honey wheat version swap half the all-purpose flour for whole wheat and add a drizzle of honey
• Pull-apart style arrange in a round cake pan instead of a rectangular one for a fun pull-apart bread

One thing I’d avoid: don’t add too many mix-ins or the dough gets heavy and won’t rise as well.

Time To Bake Your Own Amish Dinner Rolls

These Amish dinner rolls are the real deal soft, buttery, and made with love (and mashed potatoes). Whether you’re baking them for a holiday table or just because it’s Tuesday and you want fresh bread, they’re worth every minute. My family asks for them constantly, and I have a feeling yours will too.

Give them a try and let me know how they turn out! Drop a comment below or be sure to tag me on Instagram. And don’t forget to save this recipe to Pinterest so you always have it handy.

Recipes You May Like

If you loved these rolls, here are a few more recipes from my kitchen that I think you’ll enjoy:

• Easy fried herb yeast rolls another bread recipe that’s perfect alongside soups and stews
• Best Italian meatloaf recipe pairs beautifully with a basket of warm dinner rolls
• Old fashioned vegetable beef soup because nothing beats dunking a warm roll into a hearty soup

Happy baking

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