Ready to learn how to freeze potato flake sourdough dinner rolls? Freezing your potato flake sourdough dinner rolls is a fantastic way to enjoy freshly baked bread anytime you want without the time commitment of making them from scratch.
Whether you’re preparing for a busy holiday season or just want a batch of soft sourdough dinner rolls ready in the freezer for a weeknight dinner, this guide will walk you through the best methods to ensure your rolls are just as soft and flavorful after freezing as they are when freshly baked. We’ll cover everything from preparing the dough to freezing and reheating tips. By the end you’ll know exactly how to freeze potato flake sourdough dinner rolls.
Understanding Potato Flake Sourdough Rolls
Potato flake sourdough rolls are a variation of traditional sourdough, using a potato flake starter instead of the typical flour and water mixture. The potato flake sourdough starter adds a unique texture and sweetness to the rolls, making them soft and slightly sweet, a delightful twist on the traditional white bread or yeast rolls. The rolls rise beautifully due to the of wild yeast in the starter.
If you don’t have your own potato flake starter, don’t worry, these methods will work for most any homemade rolls. I’ve only tested them with my potato flake sourdough roll recipes, but the concept it the same.
However, if you haven’t tried potato flake sourdough dinner rolls, you are missing out! Let me just go ahead and tell you how soft and delicious they are! I can show you how to easily get started by making your own using my potato flake sourdough starter recipe. All you need to get started is warm water, active dry yeast, instant potato flakes, and sugar. After you make your starter for the first time you won’t need the commercial yeast anymore. Wild yeast will begin to take over in the starter and that is what will naturally rise your bread.
Aside from the fact that potato flake sourdough dinner rolls are absolutely delicious, I also love them because they are easier to digest. This is because of the slow natural fermentation that takes place.
Why Freeze Rolls?
Freezing rolls offers several advantages, making it a go-to solution for busy home bakers who still want to enjoy homemade bread. Here are a few key reasons why you should learn how to freeze potato flake sourdough dinner rolls:
Convenience for Busy Schedules
Freezing rolls saves time and effort, especially when you have a packed schedule. Preparing and baking dough from scratch can be time-consuming, but freezing partially baked rolls allows you to have fresh bread at your fingertips. Simply pop the rolls in the oven when needed and enjoy them warm and fresh without spending hours in the kitchen. This is particularly useful for holidays, family gatherings, or busy weeknights.
Preserve Freshness
Freezing dough helps lock in the flavors and textures that make homemade rolls so appealing. By freezing partially baked rolls, you retain their soft, fluffy texture and delicious flavor, preserving that just-baked taste even after time in the freezer. This method prevents the rolls from becoming stale or dry, so when you reheat them, they come out as if freshly baked.
Reduce Food Waste
If you are making food for just yourself or two people, you may often find yourself with leftover rolls after a meal. Freezing them is an excellent way to reduce food waste. Instead of letting extras go stale on the counter, you can freeze what you don’t need and reheat them when you’re ready. This allows you to stretch one baking session over multiple meals, reducing waste and making your efforts in the kitchen go further.
Prepare in Advance for Special Occasions
Freezing rolls in advance is a game-changer for hosting events like holidays, birthdays, or dinner parties. Prepping your rolls ahead of time means one less thing to worry about when the day of the event arrives. You can simply finish baking the rolls and serve them warm, without the stress of last-minute baking. Plus, they’ll taste as if they were freshly made!
Uses up extra Potato Flake Sourdough Starter
For those maintaining a potato flake sourdough starter, freezing rolls is a great way to make the most of your active starter. When you have extra starter but don’t want to bake a full batch of bread, freezing rolls allows you to use up your starter in smaller batches while still enjoying fresh bread later.
Versatile Serving Options
Freezing rolls gives you flexibility in how and when you serve them. You can easily reheat rolls for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Whether you need dinner rolls or sandwich buns, having frozen rolls on hand means you’re always ready to serve fresh bread, no matter the occasion.
Prepping the Potato Flake Sourdough Dinner Roll Dough
The foundation for a good make-ahead freezer roll is, of course, to prepare the dough correctly.
I have three styles of dinner rolls that my family loves. The first style is a pull-a-part dinner roll. These are baked close together in a pan. The second style reminds me of the Sister Schubert’s Frozen Dinner Yeast Rolls. They are baked far apart so that they don’t stick together and they could easily make a nice roll for a sandwich for left over meat the next day. The third style of rolls is a Hawaiian roll. Perfect all alone, but simply the best dinner roll for slider sandwiches!
Simple Potato Flake Sourdough Dinner Rolls
This first recipe is for the the pull-a-part style dinner rolls. They are soft, fluffy, and irresistible!
Dough Ingredients
- 1/3 cup of starter
- 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons melted butter not hot or it will kill your starter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 2 cups bread flour
Instructions
- In your stand mixer or another large bowl, add all of the ingredients.
- Using a dough hook, or wooden spoon, mix the ingredients on low speed until just incorporated. Finish off by using your hands to form it into a ball shape.
- Cover with plastic wrap, and leave out to rise for 8-10 hours, or until doubled or almost doubled.
Click HERE to READ the full instructions
Potato Flake Sourdough Bun Rolls
This second recipe is the individual roll style similar to Sister Schubert’s dinner rolls. Is it a bun, is it a roll? Either way, these potato flake sourdough bun rolls are sure to be a hit. Perfect for multiple dinner uses, if they last that long! Serve them along side your dinner, or slice ’em and top ’em with your favorite meat for a delicious sandwich.
Dough Ingredients
- 3 cups + 2 Tablespoons Bread Flour
- 1/4 cup Warm Water hot water can kill your starter
- 3/4 cup Active Potato Flake Starter
- 1/2 Tablespoon Salt
- 1/4 Cup softened Butter plus an additional tablespoon for brushing the tops
- 1 Egg
- 1/4 cup Sugar
Instructions
- In your stand mixer, add all of the ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dough has come together.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 8-10 hours until doubled.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the dough onto the work surface.
Click HERE to READ the full instructions
Hawaiian Rolls Made With Potato Flake Starter
This third recipe is one of my favorites to have stuck in the freezer. With this recipe you will learn how to make your own light and fluffy Hawaiian rolls using a potato flake sourdough starter. They are healthier and cheaper than store bought. My favorite thing about them? They are perfect for making Hawaiian roll sliders or for enjoying as dinner rolls with a meal.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Pineapple Juice canned or bottled works best
- 2 Tablespoon milk
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup Potato flake Sourdough starter – Be sure it is active
- 2 Tablespoon Softened butter if it isn’t soft it won’t incorporate into the dough
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 3 cups Bread Flour (if dough is extremely too sticky only add up to 1/2 cup more flour) All purpose will work but it may not be as light and fluffy
Egg wash
- 1 Egg white
- 1 Tablespoon Water
Instructions
- Put all of your ingredients (except the egg wash) into the stand mixer. Using a dough hook knead the dough just until everything is incorporated and the dough pulls from the sides.
- Place into a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it ferment (rise) overnight or for about 12 hours depending on the temperature of your home.
Click HERE to READ the full instructions
Baking your potato flake sourdough dinner rolls
So, why bake the roll first? Well, I have found the best way is baking the rolls prior to freezing. Not only does this guarantee that your rolls will have a nice rise but it also cuts down on the waiting time when you are ready for them.
If you try to freeze rolls in the dough form, after the first rise, you will have to wait for them to thaw and complete the second rise before baking. This can take up to 12-14 hours. Typically these freezer rolls are my go-to for a quick side. I don’t have that kind of time to wait.
It is also a gamble if they are going to rise properly. While it is completely possible to have rolls that rise perfectly after being frozen, it’s much more likely to have issues here than if you just allowed them to rise when the dough was freshly made.
The key when baking your dinner rolls:
Bake each style of roll according to the directions BUT don’t fully cook them. You want to bake them until they are about to start browning on top. They would be edible at this stage but won’t have that beautiful golden brown color on the tops.
This is the most important direction when planning to freeze the rolls for a later time. This is what allows you to reheat the rolls up in the oven without over baking them or having them dry out.
Cooling and Freezing the Rolls
Once your rolls have been partially baked, it’s important to cool them completely before freezing to avoid freezer burn and preserve texture.
Cool the Rolls:
After the rolls have baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. Cooling them completely is crucial for preventing condensation when they’re frozen, which can affect texture.
How to Freeze Potato Flake Sourdough Dinner Rolls:
Once the rolls have cooled, you have a few options on ways to freeze them.
1. Freeze them individually
For the rolls that are stuck together, carefully pull them apart first. Place the rolls in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze them for 1-2 hours. This flash-freezing method ensures the rolls won’t stick together during storage. After the rolls are frozen solid, transfer them to airtight freezer bags or containers. You can even wrap each roll individually with plastic wrap for additional freezer burn protection before placing them in a larger container.
2. Freeze them in a aluminum pan
This method is particularly ideal for the pull-a-part rolls and the Hawaiian rolls. Having them already prepped in a pan makes it even easier to grab out of the freezer and heat them up. You can heat them from frozen or allow them to thaw at room temperature first. These make a perfect dish to bring over for a last minute dinner or pot-luck meal.
3.Freeze using parchment paper to transfer
When baking the Hawaiian rolls or pull-a-part rolls, this method is great for using a whole batch and saving on waste. Line your pan with parchment paper before placing rolls in the pan. after baking simple remove the parchment paper with the rolls inside and after allowing them to cool place the parchment paper and rolls into the freezer safe bag or container. It will be ready for a quick transfer back into the original dish whenever you are ready to use them, with very little mess and very little waste!
Be sure to label the bags with the date and contents. The partially baked rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months.
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Best items for storing your frozen rolls:
Ikea zip-loc bags for Hawaiian rolls- The larger size is the perfect size for freezing a 9×13 dish full of rolls. This is the amazon link, but they are much cheaper at IKEA if you have one near you. If not, you can use these hefty bags instead. They will be a little too big, but will do the job!
Zip-loc freezer bags for circle pan
Plastic wrap– If you have a Sam’s Club near you, you can find an item like this for cheaper!
Reheating and Finishing the Rolls
When you’re ready to serve your potato flake sourdough rolls, the process of reheating and finishing them is quick and easy. To get a good result, follow these steps:
- Preheat the Oven: Remove the rolls from the freezer and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Finish Baking: Place the frozen rolls on a baking sheet or in a baking dish lined with parchment paper. You can also keep them in an aluminum pan if you chose to freeze them this way. Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until the rolls are fully heated and the tops are a beautiful golden brown. If you need to keep them warm, cover with aluminum foil and turn the oven off and keep them in the oven for up to 10 minutes until ready to serve. For added flavor, brush the tops with melted butter using a pastry brush during the last few minutes of baking.
- Serve: Once the rolls are heated through and golden brown, they’re ready to be enjoyed! Serve them with butter, jam, or even homemade honey butter for a delightful treat.
Tips for Best Results
- Don’t Over Bake Before Freezing: It’s essential to underbake the rolls slightly before freezing them. If they’re baked fully before freezing, they may dry out when reheated.
- Use a Kitchen Scale: Weighing your dough portions ensures even baking, so all rolls finish at the same time. Of course, it also makes the rolls look proportional!
- Flash Freeze for Ease: Flash-freezing the rolls prevents them from sticking together, so you can easily remove just the amount you need for reheating later.
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