Country Potato Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

I love cinnamon rolls. That’s why I’m confessing right now that I’ve never quite been able to replicate the melt-in-your-mouth texture and flavor you get from places like Cinnabon. That is until I discovered how to make potato cinnamon rolls.

Cinnamon rolls are the perfect combination of carbs filled with butter and cinnamon and covered in icing. How could you not love them as much as I do?

But what if I told you that you could make them perfect at home. Every time. 

You might love me for teaching you how to bake these soft cinnamon rolls. You might hate me for helping you make one of the most irresistible treats of all time. 

Either way, cinnamon rolls with mashed potatoes will change your life.

This recipe was actually shared with me by a friend. Up until then, I hadn’t ever heard of putting mashed potatoes in cinnamon rolls. To be honest, I was pretty skeptical. 

But they didn’t disappoint! These cinnamon rolls are so rich in flavor and come out super soft every time. It’s become my go-to ever since – and I know it will be yours, too.

Ingredients

For the dough, you’ll need milk, butter, yeast, warm water, eggs, sugar, salt, mashed potatoes, and flour. The cinnamon filling is made up of butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon.

If you’d like to add icing, you’ll need powdered sugar, butter, shortening, vanilla, a dash of salt, and a small amount of milk.

How to Make Mashed Potato Cinnamon Rolls

First, we’re going to prepare the dough. Scald your milk and allow it to cool until lukewarm. 

Then, mix your yeast into the warm water to soften it up. Add that to the milk mixture and stir it together.

Slightly beat the eggs and add them into the mixture, along with the sugar, salt, mashed potatoes, and 4 cups of flour. Blend it together with a mixer until it’s smooth and well combined.

Next, slowly mix the remaining flour in one cup at a time until you end up with a soft dough. The amount of flour you need to add will vary, and should be between 9 and 10 cups total. I usually use closer to 9. 

Cover your dough and allow it to rise until it’s doubled in size.

Once the dough has risen, divide it in half and roll it out into two large rectangles. Or, for larger cinnamon rolls, don’t divide the dough before rolling it out.

Next, you’re going to make the cinnamon filling. First, spread softened butter evenly over the rolled-out dough. Depending on how thin your dough is rolled, you might need more or less than ½ cup of butter.

In a small bowl, mix together the sugars and cinnamon. Then sprinkle the mixture evenly over your buttered dough.

Starting at the edge, roll up your rectangle into a long roll.

Then slice it with a sharp knife or unscented floss to create each cinnamon roll. The width of the sliced pieces can be adjusted based on your preference, but I usually cut mine 1 to 1 ½ inches wide.

Arrange your slices on a greased 9 x 13 pan or baking sheet and cover. Let the rolls rise until doubled in size.

After rising, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake your cinnamon rolls for 20 minutes or until browned. They’ll come out looking (and smelling) absolutely delicious!

While your cinnamon rolls cool, make the icing. Combine the powdered sugar, butter, shortening, vanilla, and a dash of salt. Then add a small amount (about 1-2 teaspoons) of milk. Mix it in well, adding more until you get your desired consistency.

Spread your icing over the cooled cinnamon rolls. The shortening in the icing will help keep it soft. 

Why use Mashed Potatoes in Cinnamon Rolls? 

OK, I know what you’re thinking. Mashed potatoes aren’t something you’d usually expect to see in pastries. But, like other rolls with mashed potatoes, they actually help create a softer and richer dough. 

The starch in the potatoes is what makes the dough extra soft. Potato starch holds on to more moisture than flour, and a combination of the two can really improve your dough. What a great way to use up leftover (unseasoned) mashed potatoes!

Can I use Instant Potatoes?

While I prefer to use regular mashed potatoes, you can totally use instant mashed potatoes in your cinnamon rolls, too. Just prepare your instant mashed potatoes following the package directions.

Just make sure the variety of instant mashed potatoes you use doesn’t have any extra seasoning or ingredients. Only plain instant mashed potatoes will work!

Pro Tips/Notes

• Cinnamon rolls can be served at room temperature, cold, or warm. Personally, I love them warmed up in the microwave! They come out extra gooey and delicious.

• If you want to make these ahead for breakfast, follow the recipe directions normally. After slicing the rolls and putting them into the pan, cover and store the pan in the fridge overnight. Then bake in the morning! 

• Baking time will vary depending on what kind of pan you use and how pressed together your rolls are.

• You could substitute the icing in this recipe for cream cheese frosting. It’s made with ½ a cup of butter, one 8oz stick of cream cheese, 2-3 cups of powdered sugar, and tsp of vanilla. 

• If you want to use leftover mashed potatoes in this recipe, make sure that they’re not too heavily seasoned. However, preparing mashed potatoes with butter, milk, and a bit of salt should still work fine in this recipe.

Love These Soft Cinnamon Rolls? Try These Ideas!

If you love cinnamon rolls, you should try this healthy Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats recipe. Or stick to dessert and make some Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Spiced Bread or some Freezer Friendly Brownie Bites. If that doesn’t hit the spot, treat your family with this Maple Glazed French Toast Casserole recipe, or try these Homemade Blueberry Lemon Sweet Rolls for a cinnamon roll style recipe with a twist. 

How did your gooey cinnamon rolls turn out? If you share your take on this recipe, I’d love to see it! Tag me in your pictures on Instagram @happymoneysaver and use the hashtag #happymoneysaver!

This recipe was first posted on November 27, 2012, but was updated with new photos and better-detailed instructions & tips on July 21st, 2022.