Mashed potatoes in cinnamon rolls make them unbelievably soft, tender, and fluffy (they stay fresh longer too!). Here’s a tried-and-true recipe:
🥔🍥 Mashed Potato Cinnamon Rolls
🛒 Ingredients (Makes 12 rolls)
Dough
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1 cup warm milk (110°F / 43°C)
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2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
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½ cup mashed potatoes (plain, no butter or salt)
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¼ cup granulated sugar
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1 large egg
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¼ cup melted butter
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3 ½–4 cups all-purpose flour
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1 teaspoon salt
Filling
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½ cup softened butter
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¾ cup brown sugar
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1–2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
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Optional: pinch of nutmeg or cardamom
Cream Cheese Frosting
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4 oz cream cheese, softened
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¼ cup butter, softened
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1 ½ cups powdered sugar
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½ teaspoon vanilla extract
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1–2 tablespoons milk (to thin)
🔥 Instructions
1️⃣ Activate Yeast
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In a bowl, combine warm milk and yeast.
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Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
2️⃣ Make the Dough
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Mix in mashed potatoes, sugar, egg, and melted butter.
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Add salt and gradually stir in flour until a soft dough forms.
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Knead 6–8 minutes (by hand or mixer) until smooth and slightly tacky.
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Place in greased bowl, cover, and rise 1–1½ hours until doubled.
3️⃣ Roll & Fill
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Roll dough into a 16×12-inch rectangle.
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Spread softened butter evenly.
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Mix brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over butter.
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Roll tightly from the long side.
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Slice into 12 rolls.
4️⃣ Second Rise
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Place in greased 9×13 pan.
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Cover and rise 30–45 minutes until puffy.
5️⃣ Bake
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Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20–25 minutes until golden.
6️⃣ Frost
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Beat frosting ingredients until smooth.
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Spread over warm (not hot) rolls.
💡 Tips
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Leftover holiday mashed potatoes work great — just make sure they’re not heavily seasoned.
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For extra softness, replace half the milk with heavy cream.
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Add chopped pecans or raisins to the filling for variation.
If you’d like, I can also share:
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A make-ahead overnight version
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A no-yeast quick version
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Or a maple-glazed twist 😊