Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: The sweet potato and honey give these rolls just a hint of sweetness.
Texture: The best part! These rolls are golden brown and slightly chewy on the outside, with an amazingly soft and fluffy inside.
Ease: Totally doable!! Promise.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: Amazing dinner roll recipe everyone will adore.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls belong on your Thanksgiving table this year.
These rolls turned out WAY better than I ever imagined. A friend actually said they were possibly the best dinner rolls he’s ever eaten. I’d say that’s a pretty incredible review!
These rolls are perfectly light and fluffy, with a golden brown, slightly crisp crust, a hint of chewiness throughout, and a subtle sweet potato flavor.
Free Baking Science Mini-Course!
From cookies that spread to undercooked brownies, this FREE 5-day Baking Science course helps you conquer common baking challenges and make bakery-worthy treats every time.
No need to be intimidated by yeast baking, I promise. This recipe is super simple!
These Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls pair beautifully with both sweet and savory, so they’re absolutely perfect for Thanksgiving! I hope you’ll give them a try!
Sprinkle of Science
Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls Recipe Tips
Do I Have to Use Bread Flour?
Bread flour contains a higher percentage of protein, which helps the dough to develop stronger strands of gluten. This creates rolls with a nice tall structure and slightly chewy texture. If you don’t have bread flour, you can use the same amount of all-purpose – but your rolls may just be slightly shorter and less chewy, and may take longer to knead and rise.
The Sweet Potato
For this recipe, I simply used one medium-large sweet potato and microwaved it until tender. The trick to ultra-light and fluffy rolls is to mash the potato until it’s completely lump-free. I think this is best done using a potato ricer (which also makes the BEST mashed potatoes!) or even with a blender or food processor. Just don’t over-process. If you have to mash by hand, just keep going until no lumps remain.
The Yeast
I always use instant yeast (also called rapid-rise or quick-rise) because it’s so easy and doesn’t require any proofing (aka the step where you combine the yeast with warm liquid for 5 minutes). You can just throw it in with the rest of the ingredients! If you don’t have instant yeast, you can always use regular active dry yeast. You’ll need to combine the active dry yeast with the warm water for 5 minutes, or until frothy, before you can proceed with the recipe.
The Honey
There are two tablespoons of honey in this recipe to enhance the sweet potato flavor without making the rolls super sweet. However, if you like sweeter rolls, feel free to double that amount (1/4 cup honey) and add in about another 2 tablespoons flour to compensate for the extra moisture.
The Buttermilk
This not only acts as a tenderizer but also gives a very slight tang to the rolls to balance out the flavor profile beautifully. If you can’t find buttermilk, simply use full-fat whole milk instead. Learn more about buttermilk in baking, and buttermilk substitutions, here.
Eggs & Butter
The eggs and the melted butter called for in this recipe help to add flavor, richness, and a soft and tender texture. An egg wash is also brushed onto the unbaked rolls to encourage browning and a beautiful shiny crust. I also love to sprinkle the unbaked rolls with flaky sea salt to further enhance the flavor.
Can I Add More Flour if My Dough is Sticky?
I develop my recipes in Phoenix, Arizona, where it’s extremely dry. If you live in a humid climate, you’ll likely need to add more flour to the dough. Start by adding just a tablespoon at a time until the dough isn’t unbearably sticky – but be cautious not to add too much. It’s better to have a slightly sticky dough because adding too much extra flour can cause the rolls to become dense instead of light and fluffy.
Also, be sure to measure your flour correctly. I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale for accuracy, but if you don’t have one, use the spoon and level method to ensure you’re not accidentally compacting too much flour in your measuring cups.
What Type of Pan for Dinner Rolls?
This recipe was written for a 9×13-inch baking pan. While I usually prefer metal baking pans over glass or ceramic (metal conducts heat more efficiently), I prefer the table presentation ceramic pans offer when making dinner rolls – especially for a special occasion! Ceramic pans will also help these rolls stay soft in the centers.
How to Make Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls Ahead of Time
- Make the dough all the way through to rising once and shaping into rolls.
- Once the rolls are shaped, cover the pan well with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- When ready to bake, bring to room temperature as the oven preheats before baking as the recipe directs.
- If the rolls haven’t doubled in size yet, allow to sit at room temperature until they do. The time this takes will depend on your kitchen temperature, humidity level, and how much the rolls have already risen, so be patient.
- The rolls are best served the day they’re baked, but you can reheat the rolls briefly in the oven or toaster oven at 300°F until warmed through to refresh before serving.
How to Store Dinner Rolls
Store rolls inside an airtight container or inside a ziptop freezer bag at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost to room temperature then reheat in a 300°F oven until warmed through before serving.
More Side Dishes You’ll Love:
- Garlic Knot Rolls – soft, fluffy, and drenched in garlic butter!
- Crowd-Pleasing Sweet Potato Casserole
- Cheesy Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
- Homemade Hawaiian Rolls
- Ultimate Dinner Rolls
Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 (250 grams) medium-large sweet potato
- 1 cup (240 ml) room temperature buttermilk or whole milk
- 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 whole eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
- 4 3/4 cups (600 grams) bread flour
For baking:
- 1 large egg
- Coarse salt
Instructions
- Prick the sweet potato all over with a fork. Place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave at least 4 minutes, turning halfway through, until a knife glides easily through the tender center. Cut in half and let cool before scooping out the flesh and discarding the skin.
- Press the flesh through a potato ricer for the best texture. You can also puree in a blender or food processor. Or, mash very well until no lumps are remaining. You should have about 230 grams of sweet potato after removing the skin.
- Combine the buttermilk, butter, eggs, honey, yeast, and sweet potato in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the salt and 2 cups of the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a rough, shaggy mass.
- Attach the dough hook to the mixer, turn to medium-low speed, and gradually add in the remaining flour, kneading until a mass of dough begins to form. Continue kneading on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes or until a soft, smooth ball of dough is formed. The dough should feel elastic and slightly tacky to the touch. If the dough is unbearably sticky, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Lightly spray a large clean bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl lightly with plastic wrap. Let rise for about 45 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature or until the dough is puffy and about doubled in size.
Bake the rolls:
- Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Gently deflate the dough. Use a bench scraper, knife, or pizza wheel to divide the dough into 15 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place in the prepared pan. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the rolls all over with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt. Lightly cover the dough with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for 30 minutes, or until about doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake the rolls for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm. Store leftovers in an airtight container or ziptop bag for up to 3 days.
This post was originally published in 2016 and has been updated with new photos, and additional baking tips. Photos by Patty Kraikittikun-Phuong.
This recipe came out very lovely and the rolls were amazing! If I wanted to make the rolls a little bit more sweeter how much sugar would you suggest?
I made the recipe at Thanksgiving, as written, and it made a LOT of rolls. That’s a 9×13 and I made a couple burger size rolls too!
I had my bread machine to all the work. I set it on dough and let Oster manage it for me.
On the site now to do the same for Christmas. Probably the lightest and tastiest rolls I ever made and I DO bake bread.
Could I sub canned pumpkin for sweet potato? Any adjustments because the pumpkin has more moisture? Thanks
We haven’t tried that, so I can’t say for sure. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
I’m wondering how this would work with sourdough? I’d love to try it. Any suggestions?
Works out perfectly each time. This recipe will be used over and over again by me! Uses a respectable amount of sweet potato compared to other recipes I’ve seen. Amazing melt in your mouth consistency and can be paired with so many meals, breakfast to dinner.
So delicious! I used whole milk instead of buttermilk and made no other subs.
Thank you!!
Outstanding flavor and texture. Saving this recipe!
Best, easiest yeast roll EVER! I LOVE this recipe!
I have made these three times and they have turned out beautifully each time, my entire family love how tasty and fluffy and moist they are! Great recipe, I follow it exactly each time.
These turned out really well – I make homemade rolls often and now my husband loves these better than regular dinner rolls because they stay so moist the days following baking.
I read several comments about blooming the yeast in water – no need. First, I add an extra teaspoon of yeast and one tablespoon of sugar (in addition to honey) to your recipe because of the weight of the flour and sweet potato. Heat up the milk in the microwave carefully. I usually warm mine up (combo of buttermilk and whole milk) at 30 second intervals until the internal temp of the liquid feels warm to my finger. Add warm milk to yeast and sugar in mixing bowl, whisk thoroughly, cover tightly to let it bloom while you measure out your other ingredients. At my house, it takes longer for the dough to rise – no matter the recipe. Might want to add timing to your recipe since climate and altitude make a difference.
Also, I add a few dashes of cinnamon (not too much because it prevents rising), a tiny pinch of ground cloves; no salt after the egg wash and honey butter brushed over them after baking. Then I add the flaked salt.
Great job and looking forward to more of your recipes!!
Since Covid I have found a number of out of date yeast on grocery shelves. Blooming the yeast is always a good idea. Tossing out unrisen dough can be an expensive time wasting experience
Hello , i was thrilled to come across your recipe. sweet potato is healthier than potato. question, i dont have a microwave. can i steam my potato instead or will that creat too much moisture?
Hi Lissy! That should work just fine, but if your steamed sweet potato looks too moist once it’s done, you could try using cheesecloth to squeeze out some of the additional moisture. Let us know how you like these rolls once you give them a try 🙂
These rolls are absolutely delicious and so easy to make! This recipe is a KEEPER! Many thanks!