A recipe for Sweet Potato Rolls! These rolls are packed with pureed sweet potato to create a light and fluffy texture.
I made Pumpkin Yeast Rolls around Thanksgiving last year, so I thought I would try something a little different and make them with pureed sweet potato this year.
These Sweet Potato Rolls are such a great addition to the holiday table. The color and flavor of the sweet potatoes shine through to create light and fluffy rolls perfect for pairing with butter or even creamed honey.
Chad likes to use them as the base for leftover turkey sandwiches.
Making the Sweet Potato Puree
To make the sweet potato puree, preheat the oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Pierce a sweet potato a few times with a fork and bake in preheated oven until tender, about 45 minutes to one hour.
Once the sweet potato is just cool enough to handle, peel away the skin, scoop out 5 ounces (142 grams), and blend in a food processor with lukewarm milk until smooth.
Using the food processor and blending with milk will help get out any small pieces to really create a smooth and soft dough. This step can also be done with a potato masher, but you may end up with a more textured puree.
A Few Sweet Potato Roll Tips
When adding the yeast to the water, make sure the water isn’t too hot or it will damage the yeast. The temperature should be about 105˚F (40˚C)- just warm enough to activate. Allow to rest at room temperature until frothy, about 10 minutes.
Do not pack in the flour when measuring or you may end up with too much. To measure flour, gently spoon it into the measuring cup and level with a knife without pressing down. The most accurate way to measure is by weight.
When mixing the dough, it will be a little sticky due to the sweet potato puree. Add just enough flour to make the dough workable and soft. Too much flour will cause the rolls to become tough. If too crumbly, add a little more lukewarm milk.
In a warm kitchen, the first rise should take about 1-1 1/2 hours to double in size. During the winter with cooler temperatures, it sometimes takes closer to 2 hours.
Same goes for the second rise before baking. Warmer kitchens may only need 30 minutes while cooler temperatures will need closer to an hour.
Take care when brushing the egg wash over the tops of the rolls to not pierce or deflate them.
Purple Sweet Potatoes
For a little variation, you can also make this recipe with purple sweet potatoes. For the photo above, I used Stokes purple sweet potatoes as the base.
The exact shade may vary based on the sweet potato variety.
Looking for more recipes with sweet potatoes?
Try my:
Sweet Potato Rolls Recipe
Adapted from Cinnamon Freud
Sweet Potato Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) lukewarm water 105-115˚F (40-46˚C)
- 4 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 ounces (142 grams) peeled, cooked sweet potato
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) lukewarm milk 105-115˚F (40-46˚C)
- 4 tablespoons (60 grams) unsalted butter softened at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
- 1 large egg
For topping:
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) milk
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the lukewarm water. Stir briefly to combine and allow to sit at room temperature until frothy, about 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, and salt.
- Place the cooked sweet potato in the bowl of a food processor and add the lukewarm milk. Pulse, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, to form a creamy, smooth mixture.
- Slowly pour the frothy yeast water mixture into the flour, followed by the sweet potato puree, softened butter, and egg to form a soft, smooth, and slightly sticky dough.
- On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, then transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and allow to rest at room temperature until doubled, 1-2 hours.
- Grease a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 centimeter) baking dish with butter.
- On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces.
- Form each piece into a smooth ball, seam side down, and arrange in the greased baking dish about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) apart.
- Cover the baking dish with a towel and allow to rise at room temperature until puffed, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375˚F (190˚C) and place the oven rack in the center.
- In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolk and milk.
- Gently brush the egg wash over the risen rolls.
- Transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven and bake until the rolls are golden, 12-15 minutes.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and brush with the melted butter.
- These Sweet Potato Rolls are best served warm.
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