Extra Fluffy Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls with Honey Butter

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 22

Rising Time: 1

Total Time: 1 42

Servings: rolls

Calories: 239kcal

Author: Jazzmine Woodard

Impossibly soft and fluffy dinner rolls infused with earthy sweet potato flavor for your holiday table

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Equipment

Ingredients

4 ½ cup all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
1 ½ tablespoon instant yeast about two 7-gram packets
1 ½ teaspoon fine sea salt plus one or two pinches
1 ⅓ cup sweet potato puree
7 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
6 tablespoons honey divided
½ cup buttermilk at room temperature
3 eggs divided and beaten, at room temperature
2 teaspoon oil

Instructions

Make the Dough: Use a stand mixer, fitted with the hook attachment, to combine the flour, yeast, and 1 ½ teaspoon salt.
*If you don't have a stand mixer, use a large mixing bowl.
4 ½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 ½ tablespoon instant yeast, 1 ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Meanwhile, add 4 tablespoons of butter to a small saucepan over low heat and allow to melt. Add in sweet potato puree and four tablespoons of honey and stir until combined. Continue heating the mixture until it reaches 110 degrees Fahrenheit, then remove from heat. (If the mixture reaches a higher temperature, just remove from heat and wait until it falls between 100 and 120 degrees.)
1 ⅓ cup sweet potato puree, 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, 6 tablespoons honey
Add the warmed sweet potato mixture to the flour mixture, followed by buttermilk and two of the beaten eggs, and set the mixer to medium speed to knead the ingredients together into a smooth, sticky dough (about six minutes).
*If not using a stand mixer, knead the dough by hand, on a floured surface, for about 12 minutes. It will be elastic and sticky when ready.
½ cup buttermilk, 3 eggs
Proof the Dough: Use floured hands to remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a ball. Swirl the oil inside the bowl to coat it, then place the dough back inside. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and sit it in a warm spot to rise until it has doubled in size (about 40 minutes to one hour depending on the overall temperature in your kitchen).
2 teaspoon oil
Prep and Rise the Rolls: Grease and flour your baking dish. Punch/press the risen dough to remove extra air then turn it out onto a floured surface and divide it into 16 equal pieces.
Shape each piece into a smooth ball, and place them into prepared baking dish. Cover and let rise again until doubled in size (about 20-40 minutes depending on the temperature of your kitchen). Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit while the dough rises.
Bake and Finish the Rolls: Brush the top of each ball of dough with the remaining beaten egg, then place the pan in the oven to bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown and fluffy.
While the rolls bake, melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the honey and a pinch or two of salt until uniform. Remove from heat, and brush the mixture over the rolls as soon as they come out of the oven. Serve warm.

Notes

Preparation

I like to let the dough rise for the first time in a cold oven (meaning turned off) with the oven light turned on or near a sunny window.

And for the second rise, you can save time by preheating the oven at the same time and setting the pan of unbaked rolls on the stovetop so that they benefit from the heat. Just make sure no stove burners are on.

Modifications

Use plant-based butter and egg alternatives and a dairy-free milk to make the rolls vegan. And you can substitute maple syrup for the honey.

For a quick swap, drain candied yams from the can and run them through a blender to make your puree. These will be significantly sweeter, so I recommend reducing the amount of honey in the rolls to just one or two tablespoons.

Storage

Store the rolls at room temperature in an airtight container or plastic wrap for up to three days. I don't recommend refrigerating them because this dries them out.

To freeze, don't finish the rolls with honey butter. Cool them to room temperature, then wrap snugly in aluminum foil then place into an airtight freezer-safe container. You can wrap the whole tray of rolls or separate them and do so individually. They will keep for up to three months.

To thaw, set the rolls out at room temperature overnight, then warm in an oven (at about 300 degrees F for 20 minutes), microwave (for about 10 seconds), or air fryer. Add the honey butter before serving.

Nutrition