Fluffiest 1940s Potato Ice Box Rolls Recipe | Vintage WWII Dinner Rolls

Fluffiest 1940s Potato Ice Box Rolls Recipe | Vintage WWII Dinner Rolls

Bake along with me, Trista, a vintage recipe enthusiast! Experience a taste of history with this authentic 1942 potato ice box rolls recipe! Perfect for homesteading, vintage cooking enthusiasts, or anyone seeking the fluffiest dinner rolls that taste just like Grandma's.

This is an easy, make-ahead vintage recipe where the potato yeast starter stores in your "ice box" (refrigerator) for days, allowing you to bake fresh, warm rolls for any meal with minimal daily effort. The mixture keeps for 10 days!

I found this WWII-era recipe in an old cookbook called Cross Creek Cookery and had to share how delicious and practical it is. Learn the secrets to these light, airy, and budget-friendly potato rolls that were a staple during the war years. They are fluffy, delicious & 100 times better than anything store-bought!

Ice Box Roll Recipe (Adapted From Cross Creek Cookery, 1942

Makes 4 large rolls

Potato Yeast Mixture:
1 cup hot mashed potatoes
1 cup sugar
1 cup of the potato water that the potatoes were boiled in
1 cup cold water
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast whisked into 1/2 cup lukewarm water

Mix all of these ingredients together in a large bowl and cover it with a clean towel for 5 hours. It will puff up and bubble. If you are not ready to make the rolls right away, you can store the mixture in the refrigerator for up to 10 days for later.

Roll Dough:
1 egg
Enough of the potato yeast mixture to fill a liquid measuring cup up to the one-cup mark above the beaten egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup melted butter (plus extra for brushing on top of the rolls before baking)
2 cups all-purpose flour

1. Heat the oven to 375°F and place a cast-iron Dutch oven pot and lid inside to heat.
2. Beat the egg inside a liquid measuring cup. Add enough of the liquid potato yeast mixture to add up to 1 cup.
3. Add this mixture to a large mixing bowl, then stir in the salt, melted butter, and flour. Mix together gently to form a dough.
4. Turn out onto a floured mat or board.
5. Divide into 4 pieces with a bench scraper or knife.
6. Roll and form into large balls for the rolls. Place them on a piece of greased parchment paper or a non-stick mat. (I like to spray either one with pan spray so the rolls don't stick).
7. Set the rolls aside for 45 minutes to rise.
8. Place the rolls on the paper or non-stick baking mat inside the Dutch oven.
9. Bake for 15 minutes with the lid on at 375°F. Then, take the lid off to brown the rolls.

Enjoy!

Check out my Vintage Thanksgiving Recipe Playlist for more recipes and inspiration:
   • Vintage Drinks  

#vintagecooking #vintagerecipes #cookingchannel #recipe #cookingathome #cookingvideo #rollrecipe