Potato Bread

This soft, fluffy potato bread is easy to make, even for those new to baking with yeast! Toast it and top with butter and your favorite jam for a perfect, simple breakfast.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Resting and Rising Time 1

Total Time 2

Servings

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast 1 envelope
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup water
½ cup milk
¼ honey
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 large egg
⅓ cup cooked and mashed potato (see notes)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add 2 cups of the flour, the yeast, and the salt.
4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
In a large microwave-safe measuring cup or a microwave-safe bowl, add the water, milk, honey, and butter. Microwave on high for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is warm but not hot – it should read between 110°F-120°F on an instant-read thermometer. Do not worry if the butter does not fully melt.
½ cup water, ½ cup milk, ¼ honey, ¼ cup unsalted butter
Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until well combined, using a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the egg and the mashed potato and mix on medium speed until well combined, again scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
1 large egg, ⅓ cup cooked and mashed potato
Switch to your dough hook attachment. With the mixer on low, add 1 more cup of the flour. Mix until combined. Add the final cup of flour, ½ cup at a time, adding just enough flour to make a soft but still slightly sticky dough that clings to the dough hook.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. (You can also knead the dough with your stand mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes if you prefer.)
Lightly cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly spray (1) 10x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
After 10 minutes, pat or roll the dough into (1) rectangle roughly 8 inches x 15 inches. Starting from the short side, tightly roll the dough into a log. Place into the prepared loaf pan seam-side down.
Place the shaped loaf in a warm place and cover with the kitchen towel. Let rise for about 40-50 minutes, or until doubled in size. The top of the dough should have risen just below the top edge of the loaf pan. The dough is done rising if, when you make an indentation in the surface of the dough with your finger, the dough slowly springs back. If you make the indentation and the dough does not spring back, it needs more time to rise.
While the loaf rises, preheat oven to 375°F.
Bake at 375°F for 35-40 minutes, or deeply golden and the interior temperature reads 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Carefully turn the bread out onto a wire rack to cool. Let cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Notes

Feel free to use leftover mashed potatoes in this recipe. If you do not have leftover mashed potatoes, prick a large russet potato all over with the tines of a fork or a paring knife and microwave or bake the potato until soft. Mash the interior of the potato with a fork and let cool before adding to the dough.
If you do not have a stand mixer, you can make this bread by hand. Just make sure to thoroughly mix the potato into the dough to evenly distribute it. You may also need to knead it for a few extra minutes to get the dough smooth and elastic if making it by hand.
If you do not have a 10x5-inch loaf pan, you can use a 9x5-inch pan instead. Note that your loaf will rise just above the edge of the pan and may need to bake for an extra 5-10 minutes for the center to reach 190°F on an instant-read thermometer. Loosely cover the top of the loaf with aluminum foil near the end of the baking time if it is getting too dark but the inside is not yet fully cooked through.