Thanksgiving Rolls
These Thanksgiving rolls are soft and chewy. They are flavorful and tender. They are simply perfect. Hello turkey and roll leftovers!
If you are a semi-regular reader of this blog, you are probably rolling your eyes that I am declaring undying love for a new roll. I mean, how many roll recipes can one girl need?
At the risk of offending all of my much-loved roll recipes, this new recipe may trump all the others. Really.
These rolls are beyond description. But for you, I’ll try. They are soft and chewy. They are flavorful and tender. They are simply perfect.
If it is any indication how much these rolls have affected my roll-loving person, (and this is no exaggeration, even though I love to exaggerate) I’ve made them nine (yes, nine) times in the last two months.
They are absolutely the best rolls I’ve ever made.
They are definitely going to be the star of our Thanksgiving dinner (and for many dinners thereafter).
Make Ahead Tip:
After shaping and placing on the baking sheet, these rolls can be refrigerated for 24 hours. Simply remove them from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for two to three hours (until warmed and risen) before baking.
Thanksgiving Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups warm water
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 3 cups (426 g) all-purpose flour, I’ve had great results using half white, half wheat flour, also
- ½ cup instant potato flakes
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Instructions
- Whisk water, oil, sugar, and yeast together in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup until the yeast dissolves. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or by hand, mix flour, potato flakes, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt until well combined. Add water mixture in a steady stream with the mixer on low (or stir in by hand) until the dough comes together, about one minute. Knead the dough until it is smooth and comes away from the sides of the bowl, about 6 minutes (add additional flour if absolutely necessary to make a soft dough that doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl while kneading). Knead the dough briefly until it forms a smooth ball.
- Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about an hour and a half. (For a quicker rising method, before you start making the dough, preheat the oven to 200 degrees. When the oven has reached 200 degrees, turn the oven off. Place the covered bowl in the oven and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.)
- Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces (divide into quarters and cut each quarter into thirds). Form each piece of dough into a ball by lightly cupping the dough in the palm of your hand and rolling it on an unfloured or ungreased surface in a circular motion until it forms a smooth ball.
- Transfer to a parchment-lined or lightly greased rimmed baking sheet. Cover lightly with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled (about an hour). (Again, you can return to the warm oven and let rise for 20 minutes for a quicker method.) If you are making them the night before, do not let them go through this rise, instead transfer to the refrigerator. Take the rolls out 2 hours before baking to allow them to come to room temperature and rise.
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush rolls with lightly beaten egg and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve.
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Cook’s Country
Omg made these today for Thanksgiving and they were perfect! Even past the Thanksgiving test! (Basically make a bobby)
Thank you
Anyone with experience making these ahead and freezing them? How do they turn out? Too many people and not enough ovens on Tgiving to make these.
I’ve frozen them already baked (and cooled) and I think they freeze great!
Mel! These are sooooo good. However, my rolls totally deflated when I took a pastry brush to them with the egg wash. Any recommendations?
Hey Lindsay – this is a super old recipe and I should update it…I’d actually recommend leaving off the egg wash and just buttering the rolls after they are baked. This dough is so soft, they do easily deflate. Sorry about that!
We made it and we loved it! We left them in the oven for a little more than 15 minutes though and we made sure the bottom would not burn. Love this recipe!!
Should the potato flakes be hydrated before adding?
No.
They didn’t have potato flakes at my grocery store. Can I use potatoes? And how much do you recommend I use to substitute for the flakes? Thanks!
I’m honestly not sure – it might be best to search for a potato roll that uses fresh potatoes. I have one here (it is delicious!): https://www.melskitchencafe.com/buttermilk-potato-rolls/
I believe there is an area of confusion in the recipe. There is not step to hydrate the potato flakes. A 1/2 cup of potato flakes requires 2/3 cup of liquid to hydrate. If you don’t do that first the potato flakes will take all the water for the 6 cups of flour. I would bet that’s what Holly from Oregon did.
Can this recipe be used to make Hoagie Buns? i want to make meatball hoagies for dinner tonight and would LOVE to make the rolls. If so, how many ounces would you say for each? LOVE…LOVE…LOVE your site!!!
Oh no! It happened… I didn’t think it was ever going to be possible, but I FAILED (horribly) at one of your recipes (first time ever)! 🙁 I’m so upset because everything I’ve made from you has always been 110% (and I’ve made MANY of your recipes, they’re all amazing!) but I have no idea where things went wrong with these rolls! I knew early something was awry. While mixing the ingredients in my stand mixer for the allotted time, the entire mixture was completely dry! Like, still-loose-flour-in-the-bowl dry. I double checked the recipe thinking I somehow mis-read the amount of water or flour, but that wasn’t’ it. I tried to stay calm… working it with my hands a bit to see if I could get it together and… no luck. I was NOT go to give up… I tried to salvage it and add a little more water until it was the consistency needed. I thought maybe I had salvaged it as I did the dough-ball-test from your “yeast tutorial video” and I was like, “oh, yeah.. I nailed it!” But then… it was WAY slower to rise and when I went to form the rolls it was now a sticky, gooey mess! I was almost in tears out of frustration, but was still determined NOT to give up (I mean, this is a MEL recipe!) so I managed to form the rolls (but it was sticking to me so much, I had to add a little flour to my hands). With a heavy heart – I put them in the oven wishing upon every star in the sky that they PLEASE TURN OUT-PLEASE! They baked beautifully and I clung to this last shred of hope that maybe I did it…nope. They just tasted like… nothing really (which I expected at this point due to how far off the recipe I was by the end). SO, sigh… I will have to try again, but for now, I need to let this failure wear off… it’s so disheartening. I think I scared my husband though when I declared “I’m never cooking again!” as I threw my apron down and stamped my foot. (lol, I was totally teasing him and blowing off steam, but it was a much needed comic relief to my evening). Till next time….
Holly W.
Portland, OR
Sorry these didn’t work out for you, Holly! The dough definitely sounds like it was over floured at the start which can happen since everyone tends to measure flour a bit differently (so 3 cups to one person might be a little less than someone else who packs it into the cup). Don’t give up! I’m sure your next batch will be great (if/when you dare try them again). Just start with a bit less flour and add more gradually if needed.
Awesome, I will try that. Thank you!
Hi Mel,
I enjoyed reading about this recipe and everyone’s wonderful comments! I am desperately searching for a bread/roll recipe with a very strong yeast flavor to make for my father for the holidays. I have tried many but haven’t found one yet. Any suggestions to modify this Thanksgiving roll recipe, or do you have a recipe with that very strong yeast flavor?
Many thanks!
Aron – this recipe, out of all my roll recipes, definitely has the strongest yeast flavor. In order to magnify that flavor, you can refrigerate the dough for 1-2 days. That will definitely increase the yeast flavor. Just let the dough come to room temperature before shaping and baking. Good luck!
I made these for Thanksgiving this year but I made them on Tuesday. After the first rise I formed them then froze them. Then on Thanksgiving day I let them thaw for about 2 hours. They didn’t rise much beyond about 25% but they were delicious. My nephews ate them a bunch, a sister would have swore they were Rhodes rolls and my brother who feels rolls are useless filler food enjoyed them! I did not add all 3 cups of flour. I started with 2 cups and mixed it up. Then one batch needed a half cup more, the other only a quarter cup.
Mel THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! These were perfect and turned out beautifully! I was worried since I live in Colorado and am at 5,000 ft and didn’t know if I’d need to adjust anything since my cookies never work. But these rose and are just beautiful and such great flavor! Thank you again for all your wonderful recipes. It’s nice to have someone I can turn to for last minute dinner decisions and they’re ALWAYS a WIN!
Hi Mel, I’m going to attempt homemade rolls this year and I’m a bit nervous (to say the least). Do you think I could use all sprouted whole wheat flour, or must I use at least half white? Thanks!
Amanda – you could definitely try 100% whole wheat flour but I think if this is one of your 1st times making rolls, it would be best to add a bit of white flour. All wheat flour can make the rolls dense and heavy – although that can be combated by kneading for a long time and using a light hand when measuring flour (and using white wheat flour instead of red wheat flour). Good luck!
Hi Mel… have you ever made these rolls and frozen them after baking? I have a very large crowd for thanksgiving, and am trying to do a lot of the work ahead of time (I also am lacking in oven space!). If I make them early in the week and freeze them until the morning of Thanksgiving, I wonder if they would still taste fresh?
Thanks, Barb
Hi Barb – yes, I freeze these all the time after baking. They warm up very well in the microwave (I usually let them defrost at room temperature for a couple hours). They taste great especially if you warm them up right before serving.
Hi Mel! I love all your recipes and make lots of bread – I don’t ever have bread making problems. I made these a couple years ago and had the flattening issue that others spoke about so I didn’t post aything. I just made them today again using half wheat/white flour. The rols were perfect – rose beautifully and looked gorgeous. I brush on the egg and bam! They go flat. So I guess when I make them again I’m gonna just leave the egg brushing out.
Hi Mel,
I love your site and am having lots of fun trying many of your recipes. I have made your French bread rolls many times and they always turn out great. Yesterday I made the Thanksgiving rolls, for the second time. The first time they turned out great. This time I found they tasted “yeasty”. When I was making them in my mixer the dough came together but not in a nice round ball. I was thinking that I should have used less flour because the dough didn’t seem sticky. The rolls also didn’t double in size in the second rise. Could too much flour cause the yeasty taste?
Brenda – hmmm, the fact that the dough didn’t rise again makes me think that you probably used a bit too much flour but I’m not sure that would have caused an overly yeasty taste. For the record, when I make these rolls, the yeast taste is more pronounced than in other roll recipes I have so it might be that they are tasting how they should be (not sure why the first time they would have had less of a yeast taste).
Hi Mel. I made these rolls yesterday. Yummy! We loved them but they did turn out a little dense, like a biscuit. Any suggestions? Thanks for your website. I’m a better cook because of YOU!
I made these rolls again today, for the third time. The first time, I followed the recipe exactly and they were great. The second time I used half AP and half Whole Wheat flour, again they were excelent. This time I decided to mix it up a little. I added some rosemary, thyme, sage, garlic powder and onion powder. They were heavenly!
Now that I understand how bread dough should look and feel, I have stopped making hockey pucks and door stops! Thanks again for the great recipes and blog!
These are THE roll recipe in our house, and I have been looking for a while. I’m always sure to have instant potato flakes on hand so that I can make them. I usually use canola oil instead of olive oil, and I don’t need as much flour where I live near the mountains (I use 2.5 cups per batch). It’s rare to find a roll recipe that has low saturated fat like this one. My kids love them with soups/stews and as leftover cheese buns in their lunches. The search is over!
perhaps though the dough didn’t seem sticky to me. they were still good!
Eva – these rolls tend to flatten if they are underfloured – do you think that could have been the case?
I made these tonight to go with your cheese soup. They were good, but flatter like the others have said. I’ve tried another of your roll recipes and these were very similar – more like buns than rolls. I’m not sure it’s just your recipe. I wonder if it has something to do with the yeast? I’m not sure. I was gonna ask my mom 😉
Hi! Mel,
I just made whole wheat bread with my new Bosch mixer and Nutrimill. I love my new machines. Do you have a bread recipe for white bread, by any chance?
Much appreciated.
Ann
Hi Ann – I don’t make white bread very often so I don’t have a great recipe, but you might try googling the recipe to find one. Good luck!
delicious! wonderful! easy! perfect even with 1/2 ww flour!
Can you place the ingredients in a breadmaker and put it on the dough cycle eliminating some of the steps? I have a recipe for rolls that I use the breadmaker for. I then take the dough out and roll them into balls and place in the oven to make. I do have to let them rise for 15 minutes after I roll them into balls. Just wondering. I am new to your site and love it.
Jill – I don’t have a breadmaker so I’ve never tried this method. It is probably worth a try, although if I were you, I’d compare this recipe to the one you’ve used in your breadmaker in the past to make sure the amount of ingredients will fit. Let me know if you try it!
Okay, so I made these rolls for Thanksgiving and let me just say, the way you described them was the perfect description. These were wonderful! Absolutely delicious! My husband even said, now keep this between you and me, they were better than his mom’s rolls! That is a huge compliment, my mother in law makes some good rolls. Anyways, I am now addicted to them and will be making them again, soon. I did not brush them with the egg though. Instead, I just put them in without it, and when they came out of the oven, I rubbed butter all over the tops. YUM!
I also just wanted to say, that in addition to these rolls, I made the two hour turkey recipe, your giblet gravy recipe, and your stuffing recipe, the celery herb one. ALL were FABULOUS! My husband was nervous about the turkey when he saw me put the greased paper bag over it, but after taking one bite, he was speechless, it was that good. Anways, I could go on and on, but I really appreciate the time you put into this blog to help amateur cooks like me! So, thank you again, our Thanksgiving was a great one because of these wonderful recipes.
Sorry this comment was so long! 🙂
Heidi – I’m so happy you liked these rolls (and your husband, too, although don’t worry, mum’s the word on not letting it get back to his mum!). I’m thrilled all the components of your Thanksgiving spread worked out. That’s awesome. Thank you!
This was my first attempt at making bread! The rolls came out very delicious, but I wonder why they never actually turned golden brown even after staying in the oven for an extra minute.
Lisa – glad you liked the rolls…to be honest, I’m not sure why they didn’t brown! Sometimes if your oven rack is too low in the oven that makes a difference, but usually they should brown either way. Sorry I can’t help more!
Hi! I am addicted to your site! It is fabulous! I have a question about instant yeast. Is that the same as quick rise yeast? I have only ever used active dry yeast I am making these rolls for Thanksgiving this year, and I don’t want to mess them up by using the wrong yeast. Thanks for your help.
Hi Heidi – yes, quick rise yeast is the same as instant yeast. Also, if you are attempting these rolls (and I know you’ll do great!), read through the other comments before making them. Several others have had problems with the rolls flattening. I don’t want that to happen to you so I’ve offered some feedback to the other commenters. Let me know how it goes!
Hi Mel!
I tried these today. I enjoyed the taste very much but mine were a little flat too. I was wondering, when you let them rise in the oven should they still be covered with plastic wrap or would the plastic wrap melt? I did it the long way since I wasn’t sure. I felt like the plastic wrap prevented them from rising as much as they might have in the oven without wrap?
Elena – ugh! I’m sorry that your rolls flattened, too. It seems to be a widespread problem with these darned rolls. I usually choose the longer rising method but I think the plastic wrap should be fine in the oven because the oven shouldn’t be hot enough to bake the rolls – just warm them slightly to rise. I noticed last time I made these that my plastic wrap was tucked tightly underneath the bottom of my baking pan and I made sure to take it out so that the plastic wrap wasn’t putting too much pressure on the rolls – they should have room to grow without flattening and the tight plastic wrap can sometimes cause them to flatten, as well as not enough flour. I hope that helps a little!
So I made these rolls the other day and the reviews from the family were “okay, not as good as grandma’s (my mom-in-law). Urg. They did fall a little when I brushed the egg on, even though I tried to be oh so gentle. Can I put the egg on before they rise? I would really like to get the roll thing down. Wish you could come to my house for a roll making lesson. 🙁
Lorie – I’m starting to think I may be the only fan of these rolls! Several other commenters have been less than pleased, also, which makes me so sad because honestly, these rolls are some of my favorites! If I were you, I’d take the egg wash step out completely. There won’t be much of a difference and you won’t run the risk of the rolls deflating. Was that the only issue with the rolls or was it also just the general taste/flavor?
Reyna – stop! Don’t bad talk your yeast/bread-making abilities. Think of all your successes! As for these rolls, I don’t know why they wouldn’t be rising as much. My first thought was the one that is my first line of defense when anyone comments that their bread/rolls aren’t rising. Do you think you might be overflouring the dough? There is a fine line between underflouring and overflouring. You want to achieve a soft, tender dough that even might be on the side of slightly sticky – but as you roll the dough into balls, the stickiness isn’t so apparent that the balls can’t be shaped. If the dough is too sticky, the rolls may flatten as they rise. It’s a tricky balance but overflouring can definitely lead to dense, under-risen rolls. How long do you let them rise on the baking sheet? Perhaps it may take extra time based on the temp/conditions of your kitchen to get them to rise fully. I kind of think that even though we’ve never met but since we live fairly close, we should just get together and make them! But until then, don’t get discouraged. And comment or email if you want further clarification/ideas.
Ugh Mel–I need help! I’ve made these twice now, and both times they’ve been less than stellar. Both times I’ve had difficulty getting them to rise as much as they should. The flavor has been good, but the texture has been dense. What am I doing wrong? I feel like I’m following the directions exactly, but obviously not! I thought I might be getting better at this whole yeast thing, but now I’m rethinking that…