Cheryl Day’s Ultimate Icebox Rolls: Soft, Fluffy, and Irresistibly Tender Mashed Potato Dinner Rolls
Discover the magic of Cheryl Day’s icebox rolls, also affectionately known as refrigerator rolls. These delectable dinner rolls are celebrated for their incredible softness and cloud-like texture, a secret owed to the clever inclusion of mashed potatoes in the dough. Perfect for any meal, they’re divine slathered with butter or serving as the ideal foundation for your favorite sliders. Imagine the aroma of freshly baked bread filling your home, offering comfort and warmth to every gathering. This recipe not only delivers on taste and texture but also offers the incredible convenience of make-ahead preparation, allowing you to enjoy homemade rolls with minimal last-minute effort.
The Southern Tradition of Sunday Baking Meets Modern Convenience
In many Southern homes, Sunday is a sacred day for baking, a cherished tradition that brings families together around delicious, home-cooked food. This icebox roll recipe perfectly encapsulates that spirit, offering the flexibility to bake a batch for your Sunday dinner and refrigerate the rest of the shaped dough for effortless enjoyment throughout the week. This makes them a fantastic choice for busy households or for those who love to plan ahead. Whether it’s a casual weeknight meal or a special holiday feast, these rolls ensure you always have a comforting, homemade side dish at your fingertips.
As culinary expert Cheryl Day herself reveals, the secret ingredient behind the unparalleled tenderness of these icebox rolls is leftover mashed potatoes. “My grandmother Queen’s secret ingredient for these tender icebox rolls,” Day shares. “The potassium and starch molecules in the potatoes allow the yeast to rise quickly and also condition the dough, which makes for a soft, delicate crumb.” This ingenious addition not only enhances the texture but also adds a subtle depth of flavor that sets these rolls apart from ordinary dinner bread.
What Makes These Rolls a Tester Favorite?
Our recipe testers were unanimous in their praise for these remarkable rolls. Tester Anna Scott summed it up perfectly: “The recipe was easy to follow, it did not require any fancy baking equipment, and the results were simply divine.” This sentiment was echoed by many, highlighting the recipe’s accessibility for bakers of all skill levels and the consistently impressive outcomes it produces. The blend of simple instructions and exceptional flavor makes these icebox rolls a true standout.
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Icebox Rolls
Crafting these extraordinary rolls begins with understanding the role of each ingredient. While the recipe calls for common pantry staples, a few nuanced tips can elevate your baking experience and ensure the best possible results.
- All-purpose flour: This forms the foundational structure of your rolls. The dough for these icebox rolls is intentionally soft and sticky, contributing to their delicate texture. You might be tempted to add a lot of extra flour during kneading to make it less sticky, but resist this urge. Use just enough to prevent excessive sticking to your hands and work surface. Over-flouring can lead to tough, dense rolls, which is the opposite of what we’re aiming for.
- Whole milk: Full-fat milk is highly recommended for its richness, which translates into a more tender and flavorful roll. However, if lower-fat milk is all you have on hand, it can certainly be substituted. To warm the milk and butter efficiently without dirtying an extra pot, a microwave can be a great alternative. Heat it on low power for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the mixture is warm but not hot.
- Mashed potatoes: As Cheryl Day’s secret ingredient, smooth, lump-free mashed potatoes are absolutely crucial for achieving the signature fluffy texture of these rolls. Any lumps in your mashed potatoes will regrettably appear as small, firm bits in your finished rolls, affecting their delicate crumb. To ensure a perfectly smooth consistency, pass your mashed potatoes through a ricer or a food mill, or mash them vigorously until all lumps are completely gone. Ensure they are cooled to room temperature before incorporating them into the dough to avoid prematurely activating or killing the yeast.
Step-by-Step Guide to Baking Bliss
Follow these detailed instructions to create a batch of incredibly soft and tender icebox rolls that will impress everyone at your table.
- Make the Dough Starter: Begin by combining the all-purpose flour and instant yeast in a large mixing bowl. Whisk them together thoroughly to ensure the yeast is evenly distributed. In a separate medium saucepan, gently warm the whole milk and unsalted butter over low heat, stirring continuously until the butter is completely melted. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the granulated sugar and fine sea salt until they are fully dissolved. Allow this mixture to cool completely to room temperature. This cooling step is vital to protect the yeast when the wet and dry ingredients are combined.
- Mix and Knead the Dough: Once the milk mixture has cooled, pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the prepared flour-yeast mixture, water, the perfectly smooth mashed potatoes, and the beaten eggs. Begin mixing on low speed for about 3 minutes, allowing the ingredients to come together. Increase the speed to medium and continue mixing for approximately 7 more minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Although the stand mixer does most of the work, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface for a brief final kneading by hand. This allows you to feel the dough’s consistency and ensures a taut, smooth ball.
- First Rise: Lightly spray a large clean bowl with nonstick cooking spray, or grease it with a neutral oil. Place the dough ball into the bowl, turning it once to coat all sides with a thin layer of oil. This prevents it from sticking. Turn the dough seam-side down, then cover the bowl tightly with a clean tea towel or plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm, draft-free location in your kitchen. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size, which typically takes between 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on your ambient room temperature. While the dough is undergoing its first rise, prepare your baking pan(s) by lightly buttering a 12- by 17-inch rimmed baking sheet, or two 9- by 13-inch baking dishes.
- Shape the Rolls and Second Rise (or Refrigerate): Once the dough has doubled, gently punch it down to release the air. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 48 equal pieces, each weighing approximately 1.5 ounces (44 grams). For consistency in size and baking, using a kitchen scale for this step is highly recommended. Shape each piece into a smooth ball. Arrange the shaped rolls in your prepared baking pan(s), placing them just barely touching each other. This close arrangement helps them rise upwards and creates that classic pull-apart texture. At this point, you have two options:
- Immediate Baking: Cover the pan(s) loosely with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let the rolls rise again in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, which will take another 1 to 1.5 hours.
- Refrigeration (Icebox Method): If you want to prepare ahead, cover the pan(s) tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the shaped rolls overnight, or for up to 1 day. When you’re ready to bake, remove them from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature and rise until doubled. This might take 2 to 3 hours, especially if they were thoroughly chilled.
- Bake the Rolls: When the rolls are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). In a small bowl, prepare the egg wash by whisking together one large egg yolk and two teaspoons of heavy cream until well combined. Gently brush the tops of the risen rolls with this egg wash. This will give them a beautiful golden-brown crust and a slight sheen. Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 16 to 24 minutes, or until they are gloriously golden brown. Keep a close eye on them, as oven temperatures can vary. Remove from the oven and serve warm, ideally with extra butter alongside.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Absolutely! Our testers experimented with various shapes, successfully creating hot dog buns, slider buns, and hamburger buns in addition to classic dinner rolls, all with outstanding results. The dough’s inherent softness makes it adaptable for simple shapes. However, due to its extremely tender nature, attempting intricate designs like braids, twists, or knots might prove challenging. For best results with more complex shapes, opt for a slightly stiffer dough.
Yes, that’s the beauty of icebox rolls! You can prepare the dough and arrange the shaped rolls in your baking dishes or on a baking sheet up to 1 day in advance. Simply cover them tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. On baking day, remove them from the fridge and allow them to rise at room temperature until they have doubled in size. This might take a bit longer than an initial rise, typically 2 to 3 hours, as the dough needs to warm up. Once risen, bake as directed and serve fresh.
Yes, you certainly can! Many of our testers successfully halved the recipe by using one 9-by-13-inch baking dish and proportionally reducing all of the ingredients. Just be mindful of yeast quantities; if using a standard packet, a full packet (a little over 2 teaspoons) can still work well for a halved recipe, providing a slightly faster or more robust rise. Adjust baking times slightly if you notice they are browning faster.
These icebox rolls are undeniably at their best when served warm, straight from the oven, generously slathered with softened butter. The combination of warm, fluffy bread and melting butter is pure culinary bliss. However, our testers also found that leftover rolls reheat beautifully and make a wonderful breakfast treat. A dollop of your favorite strawberry jam or marmalade turns them into an even more special morning indulgence.
Pro Tips for Masterful Rolls & Troubleshooting
- For Evenly Sized Rolls: To ensure uniform baking and presentation, use a kitchen scale to divide your dough into equal portions before shaping. This precision guarantees that each roll cooks at the same rate and looks picture-perfect.
- Handling Sticky Dough: The dough for these rolls is intentionally soft and quite sticky, which is key to their tender texture. Don’t be alarmed by this! Always dust your work surface generously with flour, and lightly coat your hands with flour as needed when you’re working with the dough. The trick is to handle the dough minimally. Quickly shape each piece into a ball with swift, gentle movements to prevent it from becoming too tough. Overworking the dough can develop too much gluten, resulting in a less tender roll.
- Storage and Reheating: Leftover icebox rolls store wonderfully at room temperature. Simply place them in an airtight plastic bag to maintain their freshness for up to 2-3 days. To reheat, arrange them on a baking sheet and warm them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they are heated through and regain their soft texture. They’ll taste almost as good as fresh from the oven!
- Add Flavor Variations: As suggested by our testers, don’t hesitate to experiment with flavor. A sprinkle of coarse kosher salt or flaky sea salt on top of the egg wash before baking adds a delightful textural crunch and boosts flavor. For an herbal note, a dash of Italian seasoning can be lovely. You could also try various seeds like poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or even “everything bagel” seasoning for an interesting twist and visual appeal.
Beyond the Basics: More Great Dinner Roll Recipes
If you’ve fallen in love with homemade rolls, explore these other fantastic recipes to expand your baking repertoire:
Share Your Culinary Journey: Write a Review
We love hearing about your kitchen adventures! If you try this recipe, or any other dish on Leite’s Culinaria, please consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. Your feedback and experiences are incredibly valuable to our community and to me personally. –David
Cheryl Day’s Icebox Rolls
Leftover mashed potatoes were my grandmother Queen’s secret ingredient for these tender icebox rolls. The potassium and starch molecules in the potatoes allow the yeast to rise quickly and also condition the dough, which makes for a soft, delicate crumb.
David Leite
Ingredients for Cheryl Day’s Icebox Rolls
For the icebox rolls
For the egg wash
Instructions for Making Icebox Rolls
Make the icebox rolls
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and yeast, stirring to blend well.
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, add the milk and butter. Stir frequently until the butter melts completely. Add the sugar and salt and stir until they fully dissolve. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the mixture cool down to room temperature.
- Pour the cooled milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the flour mixture, water, mashed potatoes, and beaten eggs. Mix on low speed for 3 minutes to combine. Increase the speed to medium and continue mixing until you have a smooth, elastic dough, which should take approximately 7 more minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough with a little flour and perform a final kneading by hand, gently shaping it into a ball and tucking the edges of the dough towards the bottom center to create a smooth, taut sphere.
- Lightly spray a large bowl with nonstick spray. Place the dough into the bowl and turn it to coat all sides with oil. Turn the dough seam side down, cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place until it has doubled in size, typically 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Lightly butter a 12- by 17-inch (30- by 43-cm) rimmed baking sheet. Alternatively, you can prepare two 9- by 13-inch (23- by 33-cm) baking pans.
- Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 48 pieces, each weighing about 1 1/2 ounces (44 g). Shape each piece into a smooth ball and arrange them in the prepared pan(s) in an 8 rows by 6 pattern, ensuring they just barely touch each other. This promotes an even rise and classic pull-apart texture. (You also have the option to cover and refrigerate the shaped rolls in the pan until you’re ready to bake, for up to 1 day.)
- Allow the rolls to undergo their second rise in a warm, draft-free place until they have doubled in size, which will take 1 to 1 1/2 hours. If your rolls were refrigerated overnight, this second rise may take longer, approximately 2 to 3 hours, as they need to come to room temperature and proof.
- When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C).
Make the egg wash
- In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk and heavy cream together until well combined. Lightly brush the tops of the risen rolls with this egg wash.
- Bake the rolls in the preheated oven until they are beautifully golden brown, typically 16 to 24 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve warm, with butter alongside, if desired.
Chef’s Notes for Success
- Halving the Recipe: For a smaller batch, you can successfully halve all of the ingredients and use a single 9-by-13-inch baking dish. This yields approximately 24 rolls.
- Dough Consistency: The dough is designed to be very soft and somewhat sticky, which is the secret to its tenderness. Always ensure your work surface is dusted with flour, and lightly flour your hands as needed when handling the dough. Avoid the temptation to add too much flour to the dough itself, as this can make the rolls tough. Handle the dough quickly and gently, shaping each roll into a ball with minimal fuss.
- Achieving Evenly-Sized Rolls: For consistent baking and a professional appearance, utilize a kitchen scale to weigh out your individual dough portions. This ensures all rolls are the same size and cook uniformly.
- Reheating Leftovers: Any leftover rolls can be easily reheated. Place them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until warmed through and soft again.
Adapted From
Cheryl Day’s Treasury of Southern Baking
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Substitutions
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Nutrition Information
Calories: 125 kcal
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Protein: 3 g
Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g
Trans Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 20 mg
Sodium: 104 mg
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 4 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews: Real Feedback from Our Kitchens
Our dedicated team of recipe testers put Cheryl Day’s Icebox Rolls to the test, and their feedback highlights the many reasons why this recipe is a must-try. Read on for their insights, tips, and personal experiences with these exceptional mashed potato dinner rolls.
Joan Hunter Mayer
The description of this icebox rolls recipe immediately brought to mind those popular, soft, and slightly sweet Hawaiian rolls, though these promised to be much less sweet, which was a definite draw for me. I also have a fondness for baking with potatoes, as it almost invariably results in a wonderfully pillowy and forgiving dough—a characteristic that certainly held true with this recipe!
These rolls are incredibly soft throughout, with a delicate hint of butteriness that makes them exceptionally versatile. They would be absolutely fabulous for breakfast, perfect as sliders, or even reimagined in a savory bread pudding. The possibilities truly are endless, but for now, we’re perfectly content enjoying them simply slathered in butter. You could honestly eat them plain; they’re that good! For an added burst of flavor and texture, I sprinkled a touch of Maldon sea salt atop the egg wash before baking, which I highly recommend.
I found my mashed potatoes to be quite moist, which necessitated adding about an extra cup of flour to achieve the right dough consistency. Initially, I worried that this extra flour might make the dough tough or impede its rise, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case—a testament, I believe, to the generous amount of potatoes and the inherent moisture they bring. Even after kneading for a bit longer than the recipe indicated (around 10 minutes), the dough remained slightly tacky, but I wisely decided against adding more flour. My plan was to see how the first rise went, and if there were any issues, I would simply start over. To my delight, both the first and second rises were absolutely perfect! I did use additional bench flour when shaping the individual rolls, but this didn’t negatively impact the dough’s final texture whatsoever.
For convenience, instead of heating the milk and butter on the stovetop, I used a 4-cup measuring cup and microwaved the mixture: 2 minutes at 20% power, followed by 1 minute at 40%. This method efficiently warmed the mixture enough to dissolve the sugar and salt. To help it cool down quickly to the ideal temperature, I added the 118 ml (1/2 cup) of water, then whisked in the eggs. This made the entire liquid preparation simple and speedy, taking less than 4 minutes.
When preparing so many rolls, I wholeheartedly recommend using a kitchen scale to ensure each piece of dough is evenly sized. This not only makes for a more professional-looking final product but also ensures consistent baking. Given the large yield, I’ve decided that next time, I’ll either halve the recipe or freeze a portion of the dough for future use. I’m definitely planning to freeze as many of the baked rolls as my freezer space allows and share the rest with eager friends and neighbors who have already requested them!
Anna Scott
One of my absolute favorite ways to spend a lazy afternoon is immersing myself in a baking project in the kitchen. There’s something incredibly therapeutic and rewarding about taking the time to carefully measure out all the ingredients, kneading the dough until it transforms into a smooth, supple ball, and then patiently watching your “dough baby” slowly rise to double its size. And, of course, the culmination of all that effort is the pure joy of pulling a perfectly browned, aromatic baked good from the warmth of the oven.
While all of this certainly demands a measure of your time and patience, it also fundamentally hinges on the hope that you are, in fact, following a well-written and successful recipe. I’m thrilled to report that these icebox rolls fit that description perfectly. It had been quite a while since I had embarked on a yeasted dough project, and this particular recipe served as a wonderful reminder of just how much I’ve been missing that experience! The instructions were remarkably easy to follow, I didn’t need any specialized or fancy baking equipment, and the final results were, without exaggeration, simply divine.
We had the pleasure of enjoying these delightful refrigerator rolls with our dinner last night. They were so flavorful and satisfying that we didn’t even feel the need to add butter to them—a true testament to their inherent deliciousness. As this recipe yields a generous quantity, we were left with a wonderful abundance of leftover rolls. This morning, we happily enjoyed them for breakfast, warmed and spread with some homemade refrigerator jam. They reheated beautifully in the oven at 350°F for just about 6 minutes, maintaining their soft texture and appealing taste.
Pam Kemp
These icebox rolls are undeniably the real deal! I have a profound love for warm bread paired with salted butter, and I can confidently say that these rolls are among the best I’ve ever tasted. They boast a pillowy soft interior, encased in a beautiful caramel-brown crust, with a lovely light yellow color inside, attributed to the egg in the dough. Soft both inside and out, they are a true delight.
If you’re not planning to feed a large crowd, rest assured that this recipe scales down perfectly. I successfully halved the recipe and baked it in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, achieving excellent results. From the halved batch, I yielded 23 rolls, which I arranged in roughly a 6 by 4 pattern (minus one). The recommended size for the dough balls (44g each) makes them absolutely perfect for a dinner roll or for crafting delightful ‘slider’ buns.
The mixing process for these rolls is straightforward, though I must note that the dough is quite soft, leading to a slightly messy, but ultimately rewarding, experience. When halving the recipe, I adjusted all ingredients proportionally except for the yeast. I opted to use one full packet (which is a little over 2 teaspoons) for my single batch, and it worked wonderfully—it also meant I didn’t have a small, awkward amount of leftover yeast. Additionally, I had a particularly large russet potato on hand, so I baked it and found that just one was sufficient for the half-recipe’s mashed potato requirement.
My foremost tip for aspiring bakers of these rolls is to ensure your potato is thoroughly cooked and mashed to an absolutely smooth consistency. Any tiny lumps will stubbornly make their presence known in the final dough, and unfortunately, they won’t “mix out.” While these small lumps won’t ruin the flavor or the overall enjoyment of the rolls, they will prevent you from achieving perfectly smooth tops. If this is your first foray into bread baking, don’t let this deter you; simply consider it a learning experience. They will still taste utterly wonderful.
The entire baking process is easy to follow, and to guarantee the right dough consistency, I strongly recommend weighing your flour rather than relying solely on volumetric measurements.
For an elevated flavor profile, consider sprinkling a bit of coarse kosher salt over the rolls before baking. Another excellent option for a hint of savory flavor is to use some Italian seasoning. And for those looking to “upscale” their rolls, experimenting with various seeds can be a fantastic idea. Think classic poppy seeds, nutty sesame seeds, or the ever-popular ‘everything bagel’ seasoning for a truly unique and delicious finish.
Victoria Filippi
This refrigerator rolls recipe proved to be relatively simple to execute, with my trusty stand mixer doing the lion’s share of the work. Despite the ease of preparation, the outcome was nothing short of fabulous. The rolls are truly delicious—light, airy, and wonderfully pillow-y, exceeding all expectations.
While you’re in the process of making the mashed potatoes, it’s a perfect opportunity to simultaneously melt the butter and milk together in a separate saucepan, incorporating the salt and sugar until dissolved. Once these preliminary steps are completed and everything is cooled to the right temperature, you’re all set to embark on creating these truly wonderful refrigerator rolls!
Once the dough has completed its rise and you’re ready to shape the individual balls, it’s important to prepare your workspace. Make sure to generously sprinkle your countertop surface with flour and lightly dust the top of the dough itself. The dough, as expected for such tender rolls, is very soft and has a slight stickiness to it. When forming the balls, I found it easiest to take each piece of dough and gently tuck its edges underneath, rolling it into a neat ball shape this way, rather than trying to roll it vigorously between your palms. This technique helps maintain the dough’s delicate structure and prevents excessive stickiness.
Daniela Trapani
These are, without a doubt, the most delightful, soft, and fluffy refrigerator rolls I’ve ever had the pleasure of baking! I’ve always harbored a desire to try a potato bun recipe, and I’m thrilled to report that these did not disappoint in the slightest. My Italian grandmother used to often recount how, back in Italy, they would incorporate mashed potato into their bread dough, a tradition she spoke of fondly. While I’m certain this recipe yields a very different kind of bread than what she used to craft, I truly believe these icebox rolls would have absolutely astonished her!
For my personal taste, I prefer my bread with a touch more salt, so next time I prepare these, I will definitely increase the salt by an extra teaspoon. Other than that minor adjustment, the recipe was absolutely perfect. It does indeed produce a very generous quantity of bread, which offered a fantastic opportunity for variety. I actually shaped half of the dough into perfectly sized hot dog buns and hamburger buns, and with the remaining half, I created a traditional tray of small dinner rolls, much like the ones pictured. All of them baked up beautifully, with a gorgeous golden hue and an irresistible texture. I promptly devoured one of the small buns topped with a fried egg – it was utterly delicious and a perfect start to the day!
Embrace the Comfort of Homemade: Your Journey to Perfect Icebox Rolls Awaits
Cheryl Day’s icebox rolls are more than just a recipe; they are an invitation to embrace the comfort, tradition, and sheer delight of homemade bread. With the ingenious addition of mashed potatoes, these refrigerator rolls offer an unparalleled softness and a delicate crumb that will make them a staple in your kitchen. Their make-ahead convenience means you can enjoy fresh, warm rolls whenever the craving strikes, turning everyday meals into special occasions and making entertaining a breeze. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or new to the world of yeast doughs, this accessible and rewarding recipe promises divine results. So gather your ingredients, follow our comprehensive guide, and prepare to be enchanted by the magic of these tender, fluffy icebox rolls. Happy baking!