Easy Cheesy Potato Rolls with Idahoan Potatoes

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• 13.5 oz (about 1 2/3 cup) whole milk
• 2 oz (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 2.5 oz (about ½ cup) Idahoan® Loaded Baked Mashed Potatoes (or your favorite flavor)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (for best results, shred your own cheese)
• 20 oz (about 4-4 ½ cups) all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur)
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast

To Finish:

• 1.5 oz (3 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

For the Dough:

1. Put the milk and butter in a microwave-safe measuring cup and heat until the butter has melted and the milk is hot but not boiling, about 1 minute. Stir well to make sure all the butter melts.
2. Pour the dry Idahoan® Mashed Potatoes into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
3. Add the milk/butter mixture, the egg, and the salt.
4. Whisk or stir well to combine. The mixture will be very soupy.
5. Add the shredded cheese to the bowl and top with all the flour.
6. Spoon the yeast on top.
7. Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms.
8. Increase speed to medium and knead for 7-8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and shiny and very extensible.
9. Shape the dough into a ball and place it back into the mixer bowl.
10. Spray the exposed surface of the dough with pan spray or brush with neutral oil.
11. Cover the dough with a lint-free kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 ½ hour until doubled in bulk.
12. Press the gases out of the dough and then turn it out onto a clean work surface.
13. Scale the dough into 18 equal balls. If you have a scale, they should each weigh between 2.4-2.5 oz apiece.
14. Press each scaled piece of dough into a disc and then gather up all the edges into the center, making a ball. Place the ball, smooth side up, on the work surface and cup your hands around it, pushing it around in small circles on the counter and using that friction to tighten up the outside and make smooth balls.
15. Place the shaped rolls into a sprayed 9"x13" pan in 3 rows of 6. The rolls in each row will touch but each "column" of rolls may not. That's okay.
16. Spray the rolls with pan spray, cover with a lint-free kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in bulk again, about 45 minutes to an hour. After about 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 350°F.
17. Bake the rolls for 25-35 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden brown on the tops and the internal temperature reaches 195-200°F.

To Finish:

1. Remove the pan of rolls from the oven and immediately brush the tops with the melted butter.
2. Allow the rolls to cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then use a spatula to help you slide them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
3. Reheat to serve, either wrapped in foil in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350°F or for a few seconds in the microwave.
4. Store rolls at room temperature, covered, for 3 days.
5. For longer storage, place in zip-top freezer bags and press out as much air as you can before sealing and freezing.

Notes:

Tips: Heating the rolls in the microwave really does restore them to "fresh from the oven," even if they've been stored at room temperature for a few days.

Experiment with other Idahoan® Mashed Potatoes flavors including Monterey Pepper Jack, Cheddar and Sour Cream, Four Cheese, Bacon and Cheddar Chipotle and more. You could even try using some of the Baby Reds® flavors if you'd like, although the starch structure of a red potato is different than a Russet, so you may need a bit less liquid.