Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls

Does anyone else get an increased urge to bake when the season changes from summer to fall? I sure do! I'm spending less time outdoors and more time in the kitchen these days. Sunday is my favorite day to bake.  My weekend chores are usually done by then, football and/or drag racing is on the TV, no grandchildren are spending the night (which wears Nana out!).  I have more time to devote to baking.  Often I turn to making something with yeast.  I love the whole bread-making process; the smell of yeast dough as it's rising, kneading and shaping the bread.  And, of course, there are few things in this world that can top the smell of bread baking in the oven!

These dinner rolls have a small amount of sweet potatoes in them.  The flavor is not overpowering, they aren't too sweet.  Potatoes have long been a great ingredient for a yeast dough.  They are made mostly of starch which turns into sugar.  Yeast loves sugar, it helps the dough rise and become moist and tender.

My son smoked spareribs the night I made these rolls.  Everyone devoured both! They would also be a great addition to the Thanksgiving table.

If you have a Kitchenaid mixer, the mixing and kneading can be done in the mixer bowl, just change to the dough hook for the kneading process. 

Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls

One .25 oz. package active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)
1 tablespoon white sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup mashed sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 1/2 cups bread flour

Dissolve the yeast, warm water and white sugar in a large bowl. Let stand 5-7 minutes, or until yeast is bubbly and has risen up.

Add the brown sugar, sweet potatoes, butter, salt and eggs to the bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer on low until the ingredients are well mixed.

With the mixer still on low speed, add 3 cups of flour to the bowl, mix until flour is just incorporated.  Turn the dough out onto a clean lightly floured surface. Knead the dough and add enough of the remaining 1/2 cup flour to make a soft tacky dough.  Do not over knead the dough.

Place the dough in a large bowl coated with vegetable oil, turn the dough in the bowl so all sides are coated with oil. Place in a  warm, draft-free place to rise and cover the top of the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let rise until double in size, about one hour.

Punch the dough down and let it rest for 2 minutes. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls.  Place in a greased 13x9-inch baking pan.  Place in a warm draft-free place to rise covered with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap until double in size, about 45 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until the roll tops are golden brown.

The yeast is nice and bubbly, which means it's alive and will make light fluffy rolls!

Small flecks of sweet potato in the dough.

I usually let my yeast dough rise on my cooktop, with the overhead light on.