Kansas Wheat News: Champion Refrigerator Potato Rolls Make Holiday Baking a Breeze

Nothing welcomes a family home for the holidays like the great aroma of fresh bread baking in the oven. Cindy Falk, nutrition educator for Kansas Wheat, says simple refrigerator yeast dough can be used to easily accomplish what seems like a difficult task during the busy holiday season.

Champion Refrigerator Potato Rolls, an award-winning favorite recipe of Falk’s own family, is an easy, convenient bread recipe that can be made well ahead of time.

“I like to pass this cherished recipe along to others so they can enjoy making and serving the recipe as much as my family enjoys it,” Falk says. “If you prefer a whole wheat dinner roll, you can easily replace half of the bread flour with whole wheat flour. The dough can also be made into sweet rolls or tea rings.”

If prepared ahead of time, use these simple steps: “Remove the dough from the refrigerator and punch it down about one-half hour before shaping it into dinner rolls or tea rings,” she says. The dough is ready to be baked when, you press gently on one edge of the roll with your finger, an indentation remains. Falk adds that for attractive crescent-shaped rolls, use the “Flip ‘em Roll shape” in the recipe below.

If you prefer, the rolls may be fully baked, cooled and frozen several weeks in advance of the holiday. The rolls freeze very well, Falk says. Simply pack them into a food-grade plastic bag and press out as much air from the bag as possible. For extra protection against freezer burn, double wrap them, or place the sealed bag inside another plastic bag. Label each bag with date and contents.

Thaw rolls in original wrapping (breads will thaw at room temperature in two to three hours) and unwrap just before serving. To warm the rolls, wrap them snugly in foil and place in a preheated 375 degree oven for about five minutes.

The recipe will yield about 3 dozen dinner rolls or two large tea rings.

Preparing holiday rolls can be a special tradition in many kitchens each holiday season. As a youngster, Falk often assisted her mother when it was time to make holiday gifts for the neighbors.

“My mother and I would make the potato dough and shape it into cinnamon and sugar filled tea rings. My job was to help twist each slice, making sure one slice was turned to the center while the next slice was turned to the outside of the ring,” she recalls. Pink icing, tinted with maraschino cherry juice, adheres the strategically placed cherry halves and whole pecans.

“If you plan to bake the tea rings ahead of time and freeze them, plan to thaw the tea rings before decorating,” Falk suggests.

Now, Falk’s two grown daughters bake Champion Refrigerator Potato Rolls. Thus, the recipe has been a family favorite for three generations.

“All ages will enjoy these homemade potato rolls,” she says. “Sometimes they may be about all a little toddler will eat!”

For more recipes to help you prepare for holiday gatherings, log onto www.KansasWheat.org and click on “Recipes,” under the Consumers section.

Champion Refrigerator Potato Rolls

1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water, 110-115 degrees F
2/3 cup shortening or butter
1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt
1 cup hot mashed potatoes*
1 cup hot potato water
3 eggs, beaten
7-7 1/2 cups bread flour, divided**
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1. Dissolve yeast in water; set aside. In a large bowl, combine butter or shortening, sugar, salt, potatoes and potato water; let cool to lukewarm (110-115 degrees F).

2. Add yeast, eggs, 2 cups of flour and lemon zest; beat 2 minutes. Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead until smooth and elastic, 15 minutes by hand or with a dough hook.

3. Place in lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat.*** Cover; let rise in a warm (80 degrees F) place until double. Punch down, cover, and let rise again.

4. Punch down dough, cover and let rest 10 minutes. Shape into Flip’em Rolls or as desired. Cover, let rise in warm (90-110 degrees F) place until double.

5. Bake 13-14 minutes in a preheated 400 degrees F oven. Remove rolls and cool on wire racks. Makes 36 rolls.

Optional Flip ‘em Rolls: Divide dough into thirds. Roll each third into a 13-14 inch circle. Using a pizza cutter, evenly divide circle into 12 wedge-shaped pieces. Pick up each triangle at the wide edge and flip the point edge of the dough toward you until it wraps around itself forming about 3 layers. Pinch the point to the roll to prevent unrolling and lay point-side-down on a lightly greased baking sheet, shaping into a crescent roll.

*Three medium potatoes boiled in 3 cups water will yield about 1 cup mashed potatoes.
**Half of the flour may be whole wheat flour.
***Dough may be placed in a sealable bowl and refrigerated 1-2 days. Punch down dough as necessary.

Nutrition Analysis. One roll provides 156 calories, 3 g protein, 25 g carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber, 4 g fat, 18 mg cholesterol, 7 mg calcium, 74 mg potassium and 125 mg sodium.