Mashed Potato Cinnamon Rolls
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Mashed potatoes are the secret ingredient to making these absolutely super fluffy and airy Mashed Potato Cinnamon Rolls with the perfect flavor and texture!
Calling all cinnamon lovers to try my Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Bars, Overnight Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole, Crescent Roll Cinnamon Buns, and Cinnamon Roll Ups!
It’s NOVEMBER. I don’t know how it happened, but October just vanished into thin air and I’m freaking out a tiny bit about the fact that Halloween has come and gone and now it’s time to get ready for Thanksgiving. And when I say freaking out, I mean that in multiple ways. Freaking out in a bad way because I am dearly going to miss October – my favorite month of the year. And also freaking out in a good way because HELLO! Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving means potatoes. And potatoes mean cinnamon rolls.
Are you confused?? It’s okay I was too. This is my mother in law’s recipe. With a few tweaks. For the longest time I was completely baffled why my mother in law only made cinnamon rolls the day after she served roast and potatoes for Sunday dinner. It was like clock work. And I never made the connection on my own until one day she said “I made mashed potatoes for dinner because I was really craving cinnamon rolls”.
Me: Ummmmmm. I don’t get it.
Then she told me. Her cinnamon roll recipe calls for a cup of mashed potatoes. I’m sure I would have been fairly grossed out if I hadn’t tried her cinnamon rolls before which taste a lot like Cinnabon only… lighter and fluffier and wonderful-er.
Look at that dough – it has mashed potatoes in it. Crazy huh?? I know it seems weird but I swear it works. They don’t give the cinnamon rolls a weird flavor or texture – in fact they make the cinnamon rolls extra fluffy and airy, it’s pretty much the most amazing trick EVER.
And since turkey + potato day is coming up in a few short weeks, I thought I’d share it in time for you to plan on starting a new tradition: mashed potato cinnamon rolls the day after Thanksgiving. Genius right?!
You know you’re going to have hoards of leftover mashed potatoes and while everyone has their ideas for what to do with your leftover turkey, there are only so many ways to eat leftover mashed potatoes you know? So while I’m a huge fan of re-heating potatoes and gravy the next day, I am advocating something different here. And that something is cinnamon rolls. Topped with frosting. Not gravy.
No offense gravy, but you wouldn’t taste awesome on a cinnamon roll. It’s nothing personal.
Would get a load of these beauties?! Oh oh oh, I almost forgot to mention that they only require 45 minutes of rising time so this isn’t a whole-day affair. They’re a cinch to make and the flavor and texture is perfect. So if you’re wondering what to do with all of those Thanksgiving leftovers – here’s your answer… Perfect, fluffy, cinnamon rolls!
What people are saying about these Mashed Potato Cinnamon Rolls
“I have tried many, many cinnamon roll recipes and these are really the best I have ever had! )this includes recipes from Food and Wine and Peter Reinhart. Thank you for sharing.” – Shannon
“I just made them, and they are so far the best cinnamon rolls I have ever had!! <3 Thanks so much.” – Kate
Mashed Potato Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 cups hot milk
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup finely mashed potatoes, (see note)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast , (2 packets)
- ½ cup warm water
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 7 – 8 ½ cups flour
Filling
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Frosting
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 5 tablespoons milk
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the 1/2 cup butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl. Pour hot milk over butter. Add sugar, mashed potatoes, and salt. Allow to cool slightly while you do the next step.
- Dissolve yeast in the 1/2 cup warm water. Add to milk mixture with eggs and 4 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth and well blended.
- Add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. When dough comes together, transfer to a clean, well-floured surface and knead for 1-2 minutes by hand. Place in a lightly greased large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet or large casserole dish.
- Roll dough into a large rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. For the filling, spread the softened butter onto the dough. Mix together sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon and sprinkle over buttered dough. Tightly roll one long side to the other long side and pinch the seam to seal. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut into about 16 sections.
- Place sections swirl-side-up/down onto your greased casserole dish or baking sheet. (see note) Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden and cooked through.
- Prepare the frosting. Cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla and mix again for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Drizzle or spread over warm cinnamon rolls and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These tasted exactly how I remember from my childhood.
My dough was a bit floppy. What can I do to make it a little stronger for nicely shaped rolls? Also, can this be baked in loaf form?
Thank you!
Hi Nan! I have not tried baking these recipe into mini loaves. I’d love to hear your result if you give it a try!
Even though I haven’t made them yet I already know they’re going to be fantastic! My mother used to make these when I was a child and she had every kid in the neighborhood at her front door waiting for them to come out of the oven! I just got my potato ricer so tomorrow will be my day! Thanks!
Such an awesome memory!! I hope you have just as much of a success, Denyse!
These are fantastic. I used leftover mashed potatoes from KFC (long story) and didn’t add any additional salt. I did proof a second time after cutting into rolls. So light and delicious!
You didn’t even have to prepare your mashed potatoes, that’s the best idea everrrrr!
The cinnamon rolls are amazing thank youthe cinnamon rolls are amazing thank you
Just baked These – wonderful cinnamon rolls
Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I love this recipe. My mother made great cinnamon buns but these are even better – moister.
To cut the dough into buns my mom used a long length of thread that she slipped under the roll, then pulled the 2 ends to cross over and slice through the dough. It’s a flawless system.
She prepped the pans with a paste of brown sugar and butter (and sometimes chopped walnuts or raisins.
I made these sticky bun style with a simple brown sugar, honey, butter sauce and used walnuts instead of pecans. ABSOLUTELY the best cinnamon roll dough I have found yet. I did add a little extra sugar to the dough and only needed 7 cups of flour. The buns came out super soft! Perfection!
Sounds fantastic!! I’m so excited to hear that you enjoyed this recipe so much, Ali!
I made these in a travel trailer and they were fabulous. My son makes great cinnamon rolls with mashed potatoes but these were even better. There was way too much icing but can make less next time. Try them I bet you will love them. would not let me give stars but I would give 5 stars.
Super excited to hear that you enjoyed this recipe so much, Jack! Thanks for your feedback!
Hi Tiffany! Great recipe, but at the end, my Mom’s instructions say to “place rolls in greased pan and let rise till double in bulk… Then bake” …. that second rising makes them light & tender. Perhaps different yeast or something …. ???
These are great – my advice – roll them very thin as they really expand. I would recommend using slightly more filling than recommended as well.