Sourdough sweet potato rosemary rolls are lightly sweetened with honey butter and infused with hints of rosemary. A perfect addition to Thanksgiving dinner!
sweet potato rosemary rolls- A thanksgiving must!
Sweet potato rolls have been a staple on my Thanksgiving table for years, so when I started baking with sourdough I knew that I would have to come up with a way to incorporate it into this recipe. And it did not disapoint! These sourdough sweet potato rosemary rolls are everything I love about sourdough and everything I love about Thanksgiving rolled into one! The earthy flavor of the sweet potato and rosemary is perfect alongside the natural tanginess of sourdough. I hope you love them as much as I do!
Ingredients for sourdough sweet potato rosemary rolls
- 5 Cups All Purpose Flour + more for dusting when shaping the rolls
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 Cup Table Sugar
- 1 Cup Warm Whole Milk
- 1 Cup Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- 4 Tbsp Salted Butter
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1/2 Cup Active Sourdough Starter
- 1 1/4 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary
Honey Butter Glaze
- 4 Tbsp Salted Butter
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- 1/4 tsp Fresh Chopped Rosemary
Making sourdough sweet potato rosemary rolls
In preparation for this recipe, you need one cup of mashed sweet potato. I usually roast mine in the oven until they are soft, but you could alternatively them and mash them. I think the flavor is superior with the roasting method though.
Step 1: Scald the milk + add the sugar & sweet potato
Now, the first step in making these delicious sourdough sweet potato rolls is to gently heat your milk to a near boil. Once there are bubbles around the outside of the pan and it is steaming, remove it from the heat. Add in the sugar and mashed sweet potato and mix together with a fork or whisk.
Step 2:Melt and add the butter
Melt the butter in a skillet over low heat. Then, stir it into the sweet potato- milk mixture. Allow it to cool nearly to room temperature before adding in the egg.***
Step 3: Mix in Eggs, Salt, and Flour
Once the sweet potato mixture has cooled to room temperature, add in the salt and eggs and mix well. Then, add in 4 1/2 cups of the flour.
Step 4: Mix in Rosemary and Active Starter
Mix in 1 1/4 Tbsp of the chopped rosemary (reserve 1/4 Tbsp for the prepared rolls) and the active sourdough starter. Mix until all of the flour, starter, and rosemary is fully incorporated. Then, add in the remaining flour, little by little until the dough is firm and holds together in a workable ball of dough.
Step 5: Knead and Allow Dough to “Rest”
Knead the dough by hand a few times and transfer it to an oiled bowl to “rest”. Cover it with a clean towel and allow it to sit prove for one hour.
Step 6: Stretch and Folds
After the dough has rested for one hour, it’s time to begin a series of stretch and folds. You will do one every 30 minutes for two hours, totalling with a series of 4 stretch and folds. This is what strengthens the gluten in the dough and takes the place of kneading. To stretch and fold, wet your hands with cool water and beginning with the top section of the dough (North), lift the dough up and stretch it out. Then, fold it toward you and push it under the front side of the dough. Repeat this step on four sides of the dough (South, East, West). Then, cover the dough with a towel again and allow it to rest until the next stretch and fold.
As you repeat this step, you will notiec the dough is less and less stretchy. This is because the gluten is developing and the dough is strengthening!
Once you are done with all four stretch and folds, Place the covered dough into the refrigerator to continue to prove overnight.
Shaping the sourdough sweet potato rolls
The next morning, take the dough out of the refrigerator and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Begin dividing the dough into small sections (I weigh mine on a kitchen scale and make each roll 54 grams). Roll them up into balls and place them into a prepared pan. Allow them to sit in a warm area of your kitchen to prove and rise for two-three hours, or until the rolls double in size. Then, bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
Honey Butter Glaze
In a small sauce pan, melt 4 Tbsp of Salted Butter. Add 2 Tbsp of honey to the butter and stir to blend. Brush or pour over the rolls and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 tsp of chopped rosemary over the top. Serve warm and enjoy!
FAQ for Sourdough sweet potato rolls
Why are my rolls not light and fluffy? If your rolls turned out heavy or dense, it could be one of these things: 1. You used the wrong type of flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content and will create chewier, desner bread. 2. You didn’t get a good enough rise due to time or temperature. 3. Your starter was not “active” enough when you mixed your dough.
Can I freeze these before baking? Yes, you can freeze these rolls after shaping them. Simply shape them and put them on a cookie sheet in the freezer and allow to freeze for 3-4 hours. Then, transfer them to a Freezer safe Ziploc. To bake, take them out and arrange them on a baking sheet or pan and allow them to thaw for several hours. Once thawed, they will begin rising and should be allowed to double in size before baking. This should take roughly 2 hours.
What does the sweet potato add to the roll? A lot! These rolls are packed with flavor due to the sweetness and earthiness of the sweet potato. Because of the starchiness of the potato, they also hold moisture well and produce a deliciously moist roll.
ingredients for sourdough sweet potato rosemary rolls
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Sourdough Sweet Potato Rosemary Rolls
Ingredients
- 5 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 Cup Table Sugar
- 1 Cup Warm Whole Milk
- 1 Cup Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- 4 Tbsp Salted Butter
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1/2 Cup Active Sourdough Starter
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary
Instructions
- In preparation for this recipe, you need one cup of mashed sweet potato. I usually roast mine in the oven until they are soft, but you could alternatively boil and mash them.
- Now, the first step in making these delicious sourdough sweet potato rolls is to gently heat your milk to a near boil. Once there are bubbles around the outside of the pan and it is steaming, remove it from the heat. Add in the sugar and mashed sweet potato.
- Once the sweet potato-milk mixture is room temperature, add in the salt and eggs and mix well. Then, add in 4 1/2 cups of the flour.
- Mix in 1 1/4 Tbsp of the chopped rosemary (reserve 1/4 Tbsp for the prepared rolls) and the active sourdough starter. Mix until all of the flour, starter, and rosemary is fully incorporated. Then, add in the remaining 1/2 cup flour, little by little until the dough is firm and holds together in a workable ball of dough.
- Knead the dough by hand a few times and transfer it to an oiled bowl to "rest". Cover it with a clean towel and allow it to sit and prove for one hour.
- After the dough has rested for one hour, it's time to begin a series of stretch and folds. You will do one every 30 minutes for two hours, totalling with a series of 4 stretch and folds. This is what strengthens the gluten in the dough and takes the place of kneading. To stretch and fold, wet your hands with cool water and beginning with the top section of the dough (North), lift the dough up and stretch it out. Then, fold it toward you and push it under the front side of the dough. Repeat this step on four sides of the dough (South, East, West). Then, cover the dough with a towel again and allow it to rest until the next stretch and fold. Once you are done with all four stretch and folds, Place the covered dough into the refrigerator to continue to prove overnight.
- The next morning, take the dough out of the refrigerator and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Begin dividing the dough into small sections (I weigh mine on a kitchen scale and make each roll 54 grams). Roll them up into balls and place them into a prepared pan. Allow them to sit in a warm area of your kitchen to prove and rise for two-three hours, or until the rolls double in size. Preheat your oven to 350*F. Then, bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
Honey Butter Glaze
- In a small sauce pan, melt 4 Tbsp of Salted Butter. Add 2 Tbsp of honey to the butter and stir to blend. Brush or pour over the rolls and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 tsp of chopped rosemary over the top. Serve warm and enjoy!
Okay I was honestly nervous to try these because I’ve never had rolls with sweet potato before… but seriously some of the best rolls I’ve ever had. The flavor is on point, and the texture is just to die for.