You just have to taste these buns to understand why they are called Lucky Irish Potato Buns. These delicious soft textured buns melt in your mouth and you feel so fortunate to have had an opportunity to enjoy one.
If you have never ventured into the world of yeast-raised bread or buns, this is a great recipe for you to start with. It is easy and quick to mix together. The rest of the process is just resting (proofing) time. This softly textured bun is perfect for Pulled Pork and Classic Coleslaw (recipes that will be posted soon) or you can simply enjoy with butter and homemade jam.
“I’m a great believer in luck – and I find the harder I work, the more I find of it.”
Thomas Jefferson
LUCKY IRISH POTATO BUNS
CHEF TALK: We have enjoyed making this recipe for many years. A gluten-free version will be posted at a later date. The original recipe was created by Chef Michael Smith of Food Network Canada.
Yield: 1050 g total dough making 12 buns (85 g each) or 16 buns (65 g each) or 20 buns (50 g each)
Preparation time: 5 minutes preparation plus 10 minutes to form the buns
Resting Time: 60 minutes + 30 minutes
Baking Time: 25 – 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 cups (435 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (7 g) fast rising instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons (12 g) fine sea salt
- 1 cup (70 g) instant potato flakes
- 1 egg, lightly whisked
- 1 ½ cups (12 oz./360 ml) warm milk
- ½ cup butter, softened (4 oz./113 g)
METHOD:
- Preheat the oven to 350oF/325oF if using convection setting.
- Put the flour, yeast, salt and potato flakes into the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attached.
- Add the egg, milk and softened butter. Turn on low speed.
- Mix until a soft dough forms, and continue kneading the dough until it is smooth and elastic.
- Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover and rest in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
- Punch the dough down and form into the size of buns you want (85 g each or 65 g each or 50 g each).
- Place on a baking sheet and let them rise a second time until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
- Bake for 24 – 30 minutes for the 85 g buns; 20 – 25 minutes for 65 g buns; or 15 – 20 minutes for 50 g buns or until the buns are a light golden brown.
Here is your visual step-by-step in photographs:
The Ingredients for Potato Bun dough are very simple
The potato bun dough is smooth and elastic and ready for its first rise. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and proof in a warm spot for one hour
Potato Bun dough is punched down and formed into rolls. The second rise is proofed for 30 minutes.
Potato Buns fresh from the oven are irresistible
Lucky Irish Potato Buns
Prep
Cook
Inactive
Total
Yield 20 small buns
You just have to taste these buns to understand why they are called Lucky Irish Potato Buns. These delicious soft textured buns melt in your mouth and you feel so fortunate to have had an opportunity to enjoy one.
If you have never ventured into the world of yeast-raised breads or buns, this is a great recipe for you to start with.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (435 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (7 g) fast rising instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons (12 g) fine sea salt
- 1 cup (70 g) instant potato flakes
- 1 egg, lightly whisked
- 1 ½ cups (12 oz./360 ml) warm milk
- ½ cup butter, softened (4 oz./113 g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350oF/325oF if using convection setting.
- Put the flour, yeast, salt and potato flakes into the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attached.
- Add the egg, milk and softened butter. Turn on low speed.
- Mix until a soft dough forms, and continue kneading the dough until it is smooth and elastic.
- Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover and rest in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
- Punch the dough down and form into the size of buns you want (85 g each or 65 g each or 50 g each).
- Place on a baking sheet and let them rise a second time until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
- Bake for 24 – 30 minutes for the 85 g buns; 20 – 25 minutes for 65 g buns; or 15 – 20 minutes for 50 g buns or until the buns are a light golden brown.
Notes
For further details including photographs and variations on bun size, please refer to my original post: https://urbnspice.com/my-recipes/breads/lucky-irish-potato-buns/
Did you Make my Recipe?
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Courses Baked Goods
Cuisine Irish
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Challenging the Art of Sourdough
The Art of Doing Without – Including a recipe for Salt Risen Bread
Please CLICK the link above to access my UrbnSpice LEARNING TIPS, which are listed alphabetically on the Learning Tips blog post under the following subheadings:
- Blooming – Yeast
- Proofing – Yeast Products
- Oven Temperature Accuracy
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If you try my recipe for Lucky Irish Potato Buns, please leave me a comment below with your feedback.
You can find me on social media (see links below) – just be sure to tag @urbnspice and #urbnspice so I am sure to see it. Enjoy!
Denise Paré-Watson
The Urbnspice Chef
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I’ve made bread before, but have never ventured out to bun making, but I do remember waking up at my grandma’s house and coming down the stairs to a counter full of fresh baked bread, buns and biscuits. There’s nothing quite like the taste and aroma of fresh baked bread/buns. These sound like a perfect, easy recipe to try.
Hi, Natalie! Thanks for your comments. Yes, these are very easy to make and if you have already ventured into the art of bread baking, making these buns are even easier. I agree with you regarding the taste and aroma of fresh baked bread and buns. There is nothing like it, is there? Have fun baking!
I’ve been delving more and more into bread making and these are right up my alley. That beautiful tan crust, the perfect shape, and potato! I’ve always been so curious about baking with potato. Guess I’m going to have to bite the bullet and give it a try!
Thanks, Sean! This recipe for potato buns is super easy and fun to do – it uses pure potato flakes instead of mashed potatoes. The resulting bun is light and flavourful. They would be lovely with your slow-cooked puerco pibil 🙂
The colour on these looks amazing, I will be trying this recipe today to go with beef and Guinness Stew. Did you brush them with an egg wash before baking?
Thanks
Thank you so much for your lovely comments, Sandra. The dairy in the dough (milk and butter) really do a great job of caramelizing the buns so I did not brush the dough with egg wash. Feel free to do so, though as it will give you a shinier bun, much like a brioche bun. However, the dough is delicate when proofed, so a word of caution to brush them quite gingerly. Thanks for visiting Urbnspice. Cheers, enjoy your Irish meal and Happy St. Patrick’s Day! These Lucky Irish Potato Buns are our favourite!