Bread Machine Potato Bread
FYI – Potato bread is not made solely with potatoes. Historically, potato bread was a way to extend a farmer’s food supplies by using leftover potatoes. Farmers would replace part of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with mashed potatoes.
However, be aware that this recipe uses DRY potato flakes because it is easier to measure and this helps to produce more consistent results. The recipe does NOT use already-made moist mashed potatoes because the moisture content of already-made mashed potatoes can vary a lot and this creates inconsistent bread results.
Key Ingredient – Dry Potato Flakes (Instant Potato Flakes)
- 1 1/2 Cups – Milk (lukewarm) – 345 milliliters
- 4 Tablespoons – Butter (softened & unsalted) – 57 grams
- 1/2 Cup – Potato Flakes (instant mashed potatoes) – 28 grams – Use DRY potato flakes (not moist mashed potatoes)
- 3 1/2 Cups – Bread Flour – 420 grams – Not all purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons – White Granulated Sugar – 25 grams
- 1/2 Teaspoon – Dried Rosemary – 1 gram
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons – Salt – 9 grams
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons – Bread Machine Yeast (Instant Yeast) – 4.5 grams – Not active dry yeast
** Subscribe to Bread Dad’s free recipe newsletter **
Instructions – Bread Machine – Potato Bread – 2 lb loaf-
Bread Machine settings – 2 pound loaf, light color and ”basic” bread setting.
- Unplug the bread machine and remove the bread pan.
-
Add all ingredients starting with the milk into the bread machine “bucket” (bread loaf pan). Place the bread machine yeast in last and the yeast should not touch the liquid (until the bread machine is turned on and the ingredients start to be mixed together).
- Place the bread pan back in the bread machine and plug in the bread machine.
- Enter the correct settings (basic, light color & 2 lb) and press the “start” button.
- When the bread machine has finished baking the bread, you should remove the bread loaf pan from the bread machine. Use oven mitts when removing the bread loaf pan as it will be very hot!
- Remove the bread from the bread loaf pan and place the bread on a cooling rack. Let the bread cool down on the cooling rack for 30-60 minutes.
- After removing the bread from the bread loaf pan, don’t forget to remove the mixing paddle if it is stuck in the bread. Use oven mitts as the mixing paddle will be very hot coming out of the bread machine. Or wait until the bread is completely cooled and then remove the mixing paddle.
- In our Sunbeam bread machine, the baking takes about 3 hours for a 2 pound bread at the light color & basic bread settings. However, some machines can differ and you don’t want to be away from home when the bread machine “finished” alarm goes off! Your bread machine should show you the length of the baking time after you have entered the settings into the machine. This will allow you to know when to be in the kitchen in order to remove the bread.
- Please read the tips section below for extra information on how to make this recipe successfully & to avoid common bread machine mistakes.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a comment below & give us a 5 star rating. It is ALWAYS great to hear from someone who has enjoyed our recipes!!!
Other Bread Dad Sections- Bread Machines – My favorites
- Bread Machine Cookbooks
- Bread Mixes – Ingredient kits
- Bread Tools – Baguette pans, etc.
- Online Classes, Ingredients, etc.
Tips – Bread Machine – Potato Bread
Other Bread Dad Sections
- The tips below are for bread machine “novices”. Hopefully, these tips will help you to maximize the success of your potato bread.
- Click on our “print recipe” link if you want to print out this recipe. It includes all of the recipe’s ingredients and instructions. However, the recipe print function does not include our tips section. Please read the tips section in order to avoid common recipe problems.
- This recipe is part of our series on easy Bread Machine Recipes.
- WARNING – You need to use DRY potato flakes when making this recipe. Reconstituted flakes (with water) will add too much moisture and the bread will come out soggy and/or the bread top could collapse. This is the number #1 error when people make this recipe (as they mistakenly use moist mashed potatoes versus using the required dry potato flakes).
- Be aware that old potato flakes (if not in an airtight container) can pick up moisture from the air. This may throw off recipes by adding too much liquid. Extra liquid (beyond what is called for in a recipe) can result in bread collapses, misshapen tops, etc. You should keep your potato flakes in airtight containers in order to avoid potential moisture contamination from the air.
- My potato bread recipe creates a 2 lb loaf. This recipe will NOT work in smaller bread machines (i.e. those with only a 1 lb capacity). The dough will overflow the bread pan and/or hit the top of the bread machine if the bread machine is too small.
- I like to include a “hint” of rosemary in my potato bread in order to add a little extra flavor. Other flavor possibilities include black or white pepper, Italian seasoning, diced chives, etc.
- You should use bread flour when making this recipe. Bread flour has more gluten than all purpose flour. Gluten helps to provide structure to the bread.
- Use FRESH ingredients (i.e. flour) for the best results. Ingredients that have been sitting in the pantry for months can become stale or pick up weird smells & flavors. Try to keep your ingredients (i.e. flour) in airtight containers in order to extend their shelf life.
- Do not remove any of the salt from the recipe. Otherwise, the yeast will cause the dough to rise higher (and faster) than expected and you are more likely to suffer bread problems (i.e. dough overflowing the bread pan or a bread top that collapses or is misshapen).
- Many bakers like to make an indent in the top of the flour in order to hold the bread machine yeast in place (looks sort of like a small flour volcano with a yeast crater). This is done to prevent the yeast from falling into the liquid ingredients (and activating prematurely) and/or coming into contact with the salt until the bread machine is turned on.
- Do not place the salt next to the yeast (as this will kill the yeast). I like to place the yeast in the middle of the bread pan (in the “indent” mentioned above) and the salt next to one of the sides of the bread pan (away from the yeast).
- Do not open the lid of the bread machine during the baking cycle. This will release the heat and cause baking problems.
- This recipe uses bread machine yeast (instant yeast). It does NOT use “active dry” yeast. Bread machine yeast and instant yeast are not the same as active dry yeast. Bread machine yeast and instant yeast are added directly to the recipe’s ingredients. In contrast, active dry yeast is not an instant yeast and must be activated in water/milk before being added to a recipe’s ingredients. If you try to use active dry yeast for this recipe, it is much less likely to work properly (as the recipe instructions & leavening time is based on the use of bread machine yeast).
- If you haven’t used your bread machine or bread maker in a long time, please buy some NEW bread machine yeast before making your bread. Old yeast can die or lose its potency and this will lead to bread that does not rise properly. Bread machine yeast is not likely to be viable if it has been sitting in your pantry for years.
- Bread machine yeast loses its potency over time. Generally, bread machine yeast lasts for only 3-4 months after you have opened the bottle. However, if the yeast is exposed to air & moisture (i.e. the bottle not sealed tight) or exposed to higher temperatures, the yeast will expire even more quickly. Many bakers like to store their yeast jars (sealed tightly of course) in their refrigerator or freezer.
- Bread machine yeast in a bottle that has never been opened should last until the bottle’s “Best If Used By” date… but only if the bottle has been stored properly (i.e. in a refrigerator, freezer or in a dark, dry & cool spot in the pantry) and the bottle remains unopened.
- If your bread comes out too dense, it is likely due to one of the following reasons; You are using old or stale yeast, using a cold refrigerator temperature liquid (which slows yeast growth), baking in a cold winter temperature kitchen (yeast likes kitchen temps of 75-80 degree F), using all purpose flour (versus bread flour as called for in the recipe), placing salt on top of or next to the yeast (salt kills yeast so it must be placed away from the yeast in the bread pan), etc.
- Kitchen humidity can impact a recipe. A winter kitchen tends to be drier due to your heating system drying out the air. In contrast, a kitchen in the summer can be much more humid. This change in humidity impacts baking as flour can soak up humidity from the air. Of course, excessive kitchen humidity or dryness can impact a recipe at any time during the year (not just in the summer & winter)!
- This is one of the reasons that people should store flour in an airtight container if they have already opened the flour package. The flour will pick up extra moisture from the air while sitting in the pantry and this can throw off recipes, spoil flavor, degrade shelf life, etc.
- Having trouble with bread collapses & misshapen bread tops? Make sure to read Bread Dad’s article on bread machine bread collapses. It has reasons and solutions to potential bread collapses.
- If you have run out of potato flakes but want to make a white bead, you might like to try our buttery Bread Machine White Bread recipe instead. Or you might like to try our Bread Machine Buttermilk Bread or Extra Soft Bread Machine White Bread recipes.
- If you have a problem with a “basic” bread machine recipe, please make sure that you are following the recipe exactly (i.e. using the correct bread machine settings), using the correct amount of an ingredient (i.e. don’t eyeball the measurements versus using a measuring cup or accidentally add a tablespoon when a teaspoon is called for), using the correct ingredients (i.e. bread machine yeast versus regular yeast or bread flour versus all purpose flour), etc. Please don’t “wing” things with recipes.
- Please read YOUR bread machine manufacturer’s instructions for information on how to use your bread machine safely and effectively. The manufacturer’s instructions will help you to master working with your specific bread machine model.
- Always wear oven mitts/gloves when dealing with a bread machine. The bread pan and the rest of the bread machine can get very hot during the baking process. This means that the bread pan and bread machine is likely to be very hot when you attempt to remove a baked good from the bread machine and/or bread pan.
- For more bread machine recipes (i.e. white bread, banana bread, cornbread, whole wheat bread, etc.), please visit Bread Dad’s Bread Machine Recipes section.
- If you enjoyed this recipe, we would love to see a picture of your masterpiece! Please post a photo of it on Instagram and tag it with @BreadDadRecipes
- Bread Machine Recipes
- Bread Recipes
- Banana Bread Recipe
- Quick Bread Recipes – Pumpkin bread, cranberry bread, etc.
- Cookie Recipes
- Wikipedia, Bread Machine
- Wikipedia, Instant Mashed Potatoes
Bread Machine Potato Bread (with Rosemary)
This bread machine potato bread recipe produces a light & airy white bread. The addition of potato flakes helps to create a softer & spongier bread. Many people also find potato bread tastier than regular white bread due to its mild potato flavor. For more great recipes, please visit Bread Dad (BreadDad.com).
Servings: 12 Slices
Calories: 202kcal
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Cups Milk (lukewarm)
- 4 Tablespoons Butter (softened & unsalted)
- 1/2 Cup Potato Flakes (instant mashed potatoes) - Use DRY potato flakes (not moist mashed potatoes)
- 3 1/2 Cups Bread Flour
- 2 Tablespoons White Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Rosemary
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Bread Machine Yeast (Instant Yeast) - Not active dry yeast
Instructions
- Bread Machine settings – 2 pound loaf, light color and ”basic” bread setting.
- Unplug bread machine and remove the bread pan.
- Add all ingredients starting with the milk into the bread machine “bucket” (bread loaf pan). Place the bread machine yeast in last and the yeast should not touch the liquid (until the bread machine is turned on and the ingredients start to be mixed together).
- Place the bread pan back in the bread machine and plug in the bread machine.
- Enter the correct settings (basic, light color & 2 lb) and press the "start" button.
- When the bread machine has finished baking the bread, you should remove the bread loaf pan from the bread machine. Use oven mitts when removing the bread loaf pan as it will be very hot!
- Remove the bread from the bread loaf pan and place the bread on a cooling rack. Let the bread cool down on the cooling rack for 30-60 minutes.
- After removing the bread from the bread loaf pan, don’t forget to remove the mixing paddle if it is stuck in the bread. Use oven mitts as the mixing paddle will be very hot coming out of the bread machine. Or wait until the bread is completely cooled and then remove the mixing paddle.
- In our Sunbeam bread machine, the baking takes about 3 hours for a 2 pound bread at the light color & basic bread settings. However, some machines can differ and you don’t want to be away from home when the bread machine “finished” alarm goes off! Your bread machine should show you the length of the baking time after you have entered the settings into the machine. This will allow you to know when to be in the kitchen in order to remove the bread.
- Before using your bread machine, you should read the bread machine manufacturer’s instructions in order to use the bread machine effectively and safely.
- Please read Bread Dad's tips section below for extra information on how to make this recipe successfully & to avoid common bread machine mistakes.
Notes
This is a Bread Dad recipe and may not be copied or reproduced. This recipe is copyright protected under the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Legal Disclaimer
The nutritional information is provided using recipe tools such as WP Recipe Maker. These figures should only be considered as an estimate. They should not be construed as a guarantee of accuracy given visitors may use different serving sizes, ingredients, etc. See our legal disclaimer for additional nutrition disclosures.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 336mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 167IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 0.4mg
- Bread Machine Buttermilk Bread
- Bread Machine French Bread
- Bread Machine Italian Bread
- Bread Machine White Bread – Extra buttery
- Soft Bread Machine Bread – Extra soft white bread
- White Bread (Instant Yeast) – No mixing paddle hole!