Gluten free sweet potato browned butter rolls are soft, tender and packed with flavor. Use up your extra roasted potatoes.
These are pretty special rolls, these super soft gluten free sweet potato brown butter rolls. And judging from your reaction to them on my Must Make Gluten Free Pinterest Board (the place where I think out loud about some of the things I'm thinking about making for the blog, and you “vote” with your clicks), you kind of agree. Let's review them, okay? First, they're made with browned butter, which takes butter from one of my favorite things (what can I say?) straight to my favorite. Second, they're made with sweet potatoes. I truly love sweet potatoes, but I always know that if I talk about them at all, I run the risk of getting one of those eye-rolling lectures from someone about the difference between sweet potatoes and yams and how grocery stores the world over name them all wrong. I don't know the difference, and if you try to tell it to me, I'm gonna class it up and stick my fingers in my ears (or in my eyes, if you write it out here on the Internet).
Oh, and guess what? The bread dough is so dreamy and easy to work with that there is absolutely no need for any sort of long, slow refrigerator rise. You will want to chill the dough a bit, though, after it rises since it's just much easier to work with cold dough and that's a fact.
If you're afraid of browning butter, I pulled this side by side photo from my recipe for gluten free browned butter snickerdoodles (and yes, I'm sure you've noticed that I can't decide if I should call it “brown butter” or “browned butter” but it's all gonna be okay I promise!). It's super easy—just take it slow.
I most like these super flavorful rolls made full-size, because they make amazing hamburger buns and I just don't see the point of making “sliders” at home since, well, double the work for exactly the same enjoyment. But if you'd prefer sliders, go ahead and divide the rolls into as many pieces as you like before baking (say, 12?).
Gluten Free Sweet Potato Browned Butter Rolls
Ingredients
6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, chopped
3 1/2 cups (490 g) Gluten Free Bread Flour, plus more for sprinkling
1 2/3 teaspoons (5 g) instant yeast
2 teaspoons (12 g) kosher salt
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) roasted mashed sweet potatoes (See Recipe Notes)
1 tablespoon (21 g) honey
1Â cup + 2 tablespoons (9 fluid ounces) milk, at room temperature
Egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, beaten), for brushing
Unsalted butter, for brushing the tops
Notes
Roasting the sweet potatoes brings out their natural sweetness, and makes it easier to control the amount of moisture in the bread dough. Roast sweet potatoes by washing, drying and piercing them, then placing them on a baking sheet in a 400°F oven until softened (about 40 minutes). Then, peel and mash them.
Instructions
First, brown the butter. Place the butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. First, the butter will melt, and then it will boil and foam. Continue to stir, and watch carefully. The protein solids will separate and drop to the bottom of the pan. As soon as you begin to smell a nutty smell and begin to see a golden brown color start forming around the edges of the saucepan, remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir. Once the bubbles clear, you will be able to see whether the protein has begun to brown. If not, return to the heat briefly, stirring constantly, and remove once the butter has begun to brown. Continue to stir, as it will continue to brown off the heat. Pour the brown butter into a small, heat-safe bowl and set it aside to cool until no longer hot to the touch.
To make the dough, place the bread flour and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer, and use a handheld whisk to combine well. Add the salt, and whisk to combine. Add the cooled browned butter, sweet potatoes, honey and milk, then attach the dough hook to the stand mixer, and mix on low speed until combined. Raise the mixer speed to medium and mix for about 5 minutes. The dough should be smooth and stretchy. Spray a silicone spatula lightly with cooking oil spray, and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl or proofing bucket large enough for the dough to rise to double its size, and cover with an oiled piece of plastic wrap (or the oiled top of your proofing bucket). Set the dough in a warm, draft-free environment to allow it to rise to double its size (about 1 1/2 hours). Once it has doubled, place it in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes or until it is chilled. This will make it much easier to handle.
On baking day, line a rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and, using the scrape and fold kneading method and a very light touch, sprinkle the dough with more flour and knead it lightly, sprinkling with flour when necessary to prevent it from sticking, scraping the dough off the floured surface with a floured bench scraper, then folding it over on itself. Repeat scraping and folding until the dough has become smoother. Do not overwork the dough or you will incorporate too much flour and it will not rise properly.
Shaping the buns + the final rise. With a floured bench scraper, divide the dough into eight pieces of equal size. Shape one piece into a round by following the Directions for Shaping Small, Round Rolls, and place the rounds on the prepared baking sheet, about 3-inches apart from one another, and sprinkle the tops of the rounds lightly with flour. Cover the baking sheet with lightly oiled plastic wrap, and place in a warm, draft-free location until nearly doubled in size (about 1 1/2 hours).
Baking the buns. About 25 minutes before the buns have finished rising, preheat your oven to 375°F, then remove the plastic wrap and brush the rolls generously with the egg wash. Allow to finish rising, and then place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F, remove the buns from the oven, and brush the tops with the melted butter. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the internal temperature of the buns reaches about 185° and they are golden brown all over (about another 8 minutes). Remove from the oven and cover with a tea towel as they cool before slicing and serving.
Adapted from Lady and Pups Sweet Potato and Brown Butter Slider Rolls and the Sweet Potato Bread from page 72 of GFOAS Bakes Bread.
anna says
I made these halfway last night, and i have to say that the batter was gorgeous! I was, however, a bit confused about the rise times: 90 minute warm rise, short sit in the fridge, shaping, and then another 90 minute warm rise? I did the first 90 minute warm rise, but, instead of a short stint in the fridge, theyll be sitting in there until I shape them tonight (a full day). Do you think thatll impact their flavor or texture? Maybe a bit more yeasty tasting? Thanks!
Nicole Hunn says
You should be fine, Anna! Like you said, a bit more yeasty in flavor, and the only other to watch out for is that they don’t overproof in their second rise. That’s all. :)
anna says
Thank you, Nicole! Im going to assume that the finger poke test will work the same with gluten free bread to check for over/under/perfect “proofed-ness”?
anna says
I didnt get home til after 9pm last night so I ended up smoothing the dough and then just cutting these into pieces instead of shaping them. They only needed a 60ish minute warm rise, and ended up rising and baking more biscuit-shaped, but oh man were they delicious! Next time i definitely need to schedule better and shape them, but theyre still amazing done the lazy woman’s way. Thank you for this recipe!
Janet Monk , jansglutenfree says
The Rolls look great!
GraceFaithGlitter says
Oh wow!! That looks delicious & totally doable for my 2nd gluten free Thanksgiving!
Name says
How can I ask a question about a bread recipie from the your book?
BB says
Great sounding recipe! I’ll be hosting a Friendsgiving dinner this year with gluten sensitive folks and wanted to offer some GF options.
Do you know how well these would work as a par-bake/brown and serve?
KVA says
You’re amazing – my daughter’s celiac dx was the week after thanksgiving 2 years ago, and I had JUST learned to make these incredible pumpkin rolls that I had to abandon. These might fill the void!
Eppie says
Is it possible to use sweet potatoes in a can?
Ann Nonymous says
These would be great with turkey, cranberry relish, some lettuce and orange slices on there. Don’t forget the mayo!
Lori says
I’m confused by how much GF flour to use after looking at step 1. The ingredient list states 3 1/2 cups, but the step one is confusing me – sorry!
Nicole Hunn says
Step one is about browning the butter, Lori. Step two discusses when to use the flour.
pam says
I get so disappointed when I click on a promising recipe and it has not one, but two, dairy ingredients. There are a LOT of us dairy-free bakers out here, probably more in the GF than in the general population. Please give us substitution ideas, hopefully ones you have tested. Ok, margarine probably doesn’t brown, but what about the whey powder? Thanks!
Mare Masterson says
Nicole has provided for dairy substitution of the whey protein isolate in her book “Gluten Free on a Shoestring Bakes Bread” where this bread flour is actually published, and she provides the exact amount needed. I know one of the alternatives is pea protein powder. As far as “brown butter” you can Google “dairy free brown butter.”
Nicole Hunn says
Pam, I’m afraid I don’t have any experience substituting browned butter for anything dairy free. I like Mare’s suggestion of googling “dairy free browned butter.” And yes, I give dairy free protein powder substitutes on pages 10-11 of my book. I recommend rice protein isolate or pea protein isolate. You must increase the liquid by 150%.
Kat says
I use Earth Balance butter for cooking dairy free – works amazingly well. I made sugar cookies with it recently and they turned out AMAZING!! I have also made cakes and several other desserts! I am betting you could brown it!
Dana says
I’ve been adding a little bit of sweet potato to my baking for a couple of years .. never tried browned butter though. Hmmm.
Mare Masterson says
Literally drooling here at my desk!!! Did you use orange or yellow sweet potatoes?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Mare! I used regular orange ones. I never find that the lighter color sweet potatoes ever actually get truly soft when roasted.
Becky says
Do you think they would work with butternut squash? For no reason except that is what I have on hand?
Nicole Hunn says
I’m honestly not sure, Becky. Butternut squash, even when roasted, tends to have a higher water content than sweet potato, so I think you’d have to drain it. I’d try it with the sweet potato at least once, though, so you have something to compare it to.
Becky says
Ok, thank you, that makes sense.
NicAndy says
These look fantastic!! However, I have a family member who is rice intolerant. Any suggestions for alternative GF flour blends?? Please and thank you!
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid you can’t make anything but my Paleo recipes without rice flour, NicAndy. Sorry!
Lucy says
Beautiful! I have this on the “To Bake” list!
My youngest won’t touch sweet potato/yams, what she don’t know won’t kill her :)
Thanks Nicole!
Nicole Hunn says
Oh you can definitely get away with this, Lucy! She’ll never know and I certainly won’t tell. :)
Jennifer S. says
these look awesome and I can never tell the difference between those buggers either. but I thought of more DIY Fridays: browned butter, clarified butter and all the things you can do with them!
Nicole Hunn says
Interesting idea, Jennifer! Browned butter and ghee are a great idea. I wonder if there’s anything else that might fit into that category… Hmmmm….
Anneke says
I’m going to like these babies! I know how to brown butter (love those Snickerdoodles!), sweet potatoes are awesome, and rolls are a necessity. Hey, did you know there is a difference between yams and sweet potatoes? Most grocery stores label them all wrong, too. Can you believe they would lead us astray like that? ;) There, now I get to have the image of you covering your eyes and saying, “nooooo, not the sweet potato/yam debate!”
Donia Robinson says
Anneke, please don’t make Nicole poke herself in the eyes!
P.S. Seems like for Thanksgiving, these are just crying out for some homemade pumpkin butter smeared on them?
Nicole Hunn says
Yes they are begging for that, Donia!
Jennifer S. says
oooo.. yeah!
Nicole Hunn says
Anneke! You’re cruel. :)