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Bread
Soft sweet potato sourdough rolls with overnight fermentation, tender golden crumb, active starter, and a buttery dinner-roll finish.
Prep
30 mins active (+ overnight fermentation)
Cook
18-22 mins
Total
14-18 hrs
Calories
226 kcal
Protein
11.3 g
Carbohydrates
40.1 g
Serves
12 rolls
Fat
3.1 g
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Soft, lightly sweet, and timed for real life: these sweet potato sourdough rolls use active starter and an overnight cold ferment for gentle acidity, flavor depth, and effortless scheduling. Mashed sweet potato lends starches and pectins that hold water for a plush crumb and natural golden color. Proof fully, bake to amber, and brush with butter for a classic dinner‑roll finish.
This is an enriched sourdough system tuned for softness and scheduling. Bread flour supplies the gluten network; fat, milk sugars, and sweet potato starches/pectins interrupt that network enough to keep the crumb tender. An autolyse‑style rest hydrates flour and sweet potato so the dough strengthens with less kneading. The overnight cold ferment slows yeast and bacteria, building flavor while tightening the dough for cleaner shaping. Final proof is intentionally generous so the enriched dough bakes up light instead of tight.
Hydration management: Sweet potato puree carries bound water that releases during mixing, so the dough may feel firmer at first and then relax. The 30‑minute rest lets starches and proteins hydrate before you add fat and salt, boosting extensibility without stickiness.
Delayed enrichment: Adding butter and salt after the rest prevents early gluten inhibition and helps the dough reach a smooth, elastic state with less kneading.
Cold fermentation: Chilling slows yeast and LAB activity, increases flavor complexity, and firms the dough so division and shaping are tidy. Expect slower final proof compared with lean doughs.
Proof cues: Properly proofed rolls look swollen and feel marshmallow‑soft. A fingertip dent should slowly spring back and leave a gentle impression; fast rebound means under‑proofed, and no rebound means over‑proofed.
Baking physics: A 375 F bake balances internal set with exterior browning. Sugars from sweet potato, milk, and honey/maple accelerate color; tent with foil near the end if tops brown too quickly.
Butter brush: Brushing immediately post‑bake traps steam under a thin fat layer, softening the crust and carrying fat‑soluble aromas to the surface.
Scheduling: If kitchen temperature is cool, extend the room‑temp rest before chilling to 90 minutes for a head start on fermentation; if warm, chill earlier to prevent over‑acidification that can tighten crumb.
Hydration tuning: If using canned or looser puree, reserve 10–15 g of liquid at mix and add as needed during kneading to maintain a supple, slightly tacky dough that clears the bowl.
Flour blend: For more flavor and minerals without compromising softness, swap 10–15% of the bread flour with fine whole wheat or spelt. Expect slightly faster fermentation; proof by feel.
Sodium awareness: The recipe’s salt provides structure and flavor. If you prefer a subtler salt profile, reduce to 7–8 g and compensate with a slightly longer final proof for comparable strength.
Dairy choice: Milk maximizes browning and aroma; water yields a cleaner wheaty flavor and marginally lighter nutrition profile; kefir increases tang. Pick based on the flavor/browning trade‑off you want.
Finish options: For a dairy‑free soft top, brush with neutral oil or olive oil; for sheen without added fat, steam the pan lightly by covering for 2–3 minutes after baking, then uncover to avoid sogginess.
Pan geometry: A snug 9×13 pan encourages pull‑apart sides and vertical lift. For more crust, space rolls farther apart on a parchment‑lined sheet.
Let the dough rest before adding butter and salt, proof fully, and use the fridge to control flavor and timing. Sweet potato’s starches and pectins deliver moisture‑holding power—the main reason these rolls stay soft a day later.
I hold back 10–15 g of liquid until the butter is mixed in; it’s easier to add a splash than rescue an over‑hydrated enriched dough.
For holiday service, I bake mid‑day, cool 20 minutes, wrap while slightly warm, then rewarm covered right before dinner and brush with fresh butter.
Kitchen scale
Large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl
Stand mixer with dough hook (optional, but helpful for enriched dough)
Bench scraper
9×13 inch baking dish or similar buttered dish
Plastic wrap or lid
Pastry brush
Instant‑read thermometer (optional, for doneness; target ~198–202 F center)
Author: Sharon Nissley
Prep time
30 mins active (+ overnight fermentation)
Cook time
18-22 mins
Total time
14-18 hrs
Yield
12 rolls
Ingredient notes
Bread flour gives the rolls enough structure while still baking up soft.
Milk gives the most classic dinner-roll flavor and browning; water keeps the dough simpler; water kefir adds more tang.
Honey and maple syrup both work well. Maple gives a slightly deeper, warmer sweetness.
Butter in the dough softens the crumb, and melted butter after baking keeps the tops tender.
Mix the dough (night before)
Add enrichments and knead
Bulk fermentation
Warm slightly and divide (next morning)
Shape the rolls
Final proof
Bake
Brush and serve
The overnight cold fermentation improves flavor and makes the dough easier to shape cleanly the next morning.
Nutrition Facts
12 rolls servings per container
Amount per serving
Calories
226
Protein 11.3 g
Per batch: 135.8 g
Total Fat 3.1 g
Per batch: 37.6 g
4%
Saturated Fat 0.4 g
Per batch: 5.1 g
2%
Total Carbohydrate 40.1 g
Per batch: 481 g
15%
Fiber 3.1 g
Per batch: 37.7 g
11%
Cholesterol 1 mg
Per batch: 16 mg
0%
Sodium 336 mg
Per batch: 4036 mg
15%
Vitamin A 64 mcg
Per batch: 763 mcg
7%
Vitamin C 1 mg
Per batch: 9 mg
1%
Vitamin E 0.6 mg
Per batch: 6.7 mg
4%
Calcium 43 mg
Per batch: 521 mg
3%
Iron 2.8 mg
Per batch: 33.6 mg
16%
Magnesium 32 mg
Per batch: 388 mg
8%
Potassium 221 mg
Per batch: 2653 mg
5%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition is estimated with 2% milk, a 100% hydration sourdough starter, and no optional butter brush.
Using water or water kefir instead of milk lowers calories and saturated fat slightly.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Good overall fit, with metabolic strongest and longevity the main limiting area.