Butt Bun Potato Rolls

These tasty butt bun potato rolls are the perfect addition to any family feast or celebration.  These rolls affectionately received their name from my son, who was making them with Grandma.  Originally intended to be a clover shape, these rolls were formed by three balls of dough.  When you have only two remaining balls of dough, the shape is less clover and more…..well that is how the Butt Bun got its name. And let’s just say the name has stuck!

Butt Bun Ingredients

Mashed Potatoes

The key ingredient for these butt bun potato rolls is the freshly made mashed potatoes. Any type of potatoes will do, and when peeling you can leave a few pieces of skin before boiling and mashing them. You will need one large or two smaller potatoes.  One important note is that there even may be lumps in your potatoes and this will not affect the dough- so don’t worry- the potato lumps just disappear when baking the rolls.  Sometimes we just reserve a cup of mashed potatoes from a dinner and then use these for rolls when making the next day. Or you can freshly make some mashed potatoes just in preparation for making the rolls.

The Dough

The remaining ingredients include two room-temperature eggs, ½ cup softened butter (1 stick), ½ cup sugar (plus a pinch of additional sugar for activating the yeast), 1 tsp salt, 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (one package of this Red Star brand is our mom’s favorite), ½ cup warm water, 3 ½ cups of bread flour and some for the surface where you will roll the dough out.

How to Make the Butt Buns

First, prepare the mashed potatoes and set aside. Then,  add the 1/4 tsp sugar to the warm water in a medium mixing bowl. Next, add the yeast and allow it to foam up for about 5 minutes.

Making the dough: 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, eggs, and butter together. Then stir in the sugar, salt, yeast, and warm water mixture.  Begin to add flour, about 1 cup at a time, until a dough forms.

Preparing for rising: 

Then, turn the dough bowl out onto a floured surface and knead it until it is smooth and elastic.  This usually takes about 8 minutes.  After your dough is smooth and elastic, place it in a greased bowl, turning it around to coat it on all sides.  Now you can cover the bowl loosely with a towel and let it rise for 1 hour in a warm place (next to a window or by the oven) until it has doubled in size. *If you live at altitude, the rising time is much less.

Dividing the dough: 

Once the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a floured board/ surface.  Then you will want to knead any bubbles out.  Divide the dough into 4 pieces.  Keep dividing the dough into even pieces until you have 48 total.  (A great math experiment for your elementary-age kids!)

Making the rolls: 

Now roll each piece into a ball.  Then, lightly dust each ball with flour.  Grease 2 muffin tins (like these from Amazon) and put two dough balls per muffin circle, for a total of 24 rolls.  Cover the prepared rolls with a towel to rise for about 30 minutes.

Baking: 

At this point, you can preheat your oven to 375° Fahrenheit (or 360° for convection).  Then, bake the buns for 10 minutes. After that, turn in the oven for even browning.  Watch closely from this point, and likely your rolls will be lightly browned and ready in just 2-4 more minutes depending on your oven.

Side Notes and Butt Bun Tips

• Don’t worry about lumpy mashed potatoes or some skin left on.  Lumps will melt during baking and skins add to the character of the buns.
• Rising times vary according to altitude, less for higher elevations. Watch closely on your first few times.
• We love making and serving these rolls with holiday meals.  Here are a few of our other favorite baked goods for during the holidays:  Finnish Bread and Cinnamon Raisin Pinwheel.Print
  

  Butt Bun Potato Rolls

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  • Author: Gnarly Roots
  • Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 24 rolls 1x

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  Description

  Perfect potato rolls for family gathering and holiday events.

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  Ingredients

  Scale 1x2x3x

  • 1 cup mashed potatoes (1 large or 2 smaller potatoes)
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar (plus an additional pinch of sugar for activating the yeast)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (or one package active dry yeast)
  • 1/2 cup warm water (a bit more if at altitude)
  • 3 1/2 cups bread flour (may a bit more; up to 4 1/2 cups)

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  Instructions

  For the mashed potatoes:

  1. First, prepare the mashed potatoes and set aside. You can just peel, boil and mash the potato as is without adding any milk, butter, etc.

  For the Dough:

  1. First,  mix the 1/4 tsp sugar into the warm water in a mixing bowl. Then add in the dry yeast, and allow to foam up for about 5 minutes.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the mashed potatoes, eggs, and butter together.
  3. Next, stir in the sugar, salt, yeast and warm water mixture.  After that, begin to add flour, about 1 cup at a time, until a dough forms.
  4. Then turn the dough bowl out onto a floured surface and knead it until it is smooth and elastic.  This usually takes about 8 minutes.  After your dough is smooth and elastic, place it in a greased bowl, turning it around to coat it on all sides.

  Rising:

  1. Cover the bowl loosely with a towel and let it rise 1 hour in a warm place (next to a window or by the oven) until it has doubled in size. *If you live at altitude, rising time is much less.
  2. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a floured board/ surface.  Then you will want to knead any bubbles out.

  Dividing the Dough and Making the Buns:

  1. Divide the dough into 4 pieces.  Keep dividing the dough into even pieces until you have 48 total.  (A great math experiment for your elementary age kids!)
  2. Roll each piece into a ball.  Then, lightly dust each ball in flour.  Grease 2 muffin tins and put two dough balls per muffin circle, for a total of 24 rolls.
  3. Cover the prepared rolls with a towel to rise for about 30 minutes.

  Baking:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (or 360 for convection).  Bake buns for 10 minutes, and then turn in the oven for even browning.  Watch closely, as your rolls will be lightly browned and ready in just 2-4 more minutes depending on your oven.

  Notes

  • Don’t worry about lumpy mashed potatoes or some skin left on.  Lumps will melt in baking and skins add to the character of the buns.
  • Rising times vary according to altitude, less for higher elevations. Watch closely on your first few times.

  • Prep Time: 2 hours
  • Cook Time: 10 min
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

  Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 rolls
  • Calories: 140
  • Sugar: 4.4 g
  • Sodium: 106.8 mg
  • Fat: 4.6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 21.2 g
  • Protein: 3.3 g