Mashed Potato Craisin Bread
Hey, don’t throw away those leftover mashed potatoes! Make this soft and fragrant Mashed Potato Craisin Bread with a sweet cinnamon swirl.
I love Thanksgiving leftovers. In fact, if I don’t host the holiday meal I’ll sometimes buy a small turkey breast to roast just so we can have leftovers for ourselves all weekend.
I don’t know about you, but mashed potatoes are probably my least favorite to have left over. They’re never quite the same after the day they’re made. Once the starches in the potatoes cool down there’s no going back.
Leftover potatoes can be a great base for other starchy dishes like pancakes and bread. The cranberry, orange and cinnamon flavors are perfect for the season.
If you want to make a dish from leftovers of leftovers, the bread makes great french toast or bread pudding.
Scroll through the process photos to see how to make Mashed Potato Craisin Bread with a cinnamon swirl:
You might also enjoy Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread (or a sourdough version).
If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a star rating and a quick comment. Ratings and comments help my recipes show in search results. Thanks!
Mashed Potato Craisin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold mashed potatoes (see note)
- 8 oz warm water (1 cup)
- 2 teaspoons dry yeast
- 2 oz granulated sugar (¼ cup)
- 20 oz bread flour (4 cups, see note)
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 2 oz butter (melted)
- 1 orange (finely grated zest)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 oz craisins (1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 oz granulated sugar (¼ cup)
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Generously butter two loaf pans.
- Combine 1 cup cold mashed potatoes and 8 oz warm water in a microwave safe bowl. Warm in 30 second increments until the mixture is about 110°-120°F, or slightly warmer than body temperature.
- Transfer the potato mixture to a mixer bowl and add 2 teaspoons dry yeast, 2 oz granulated sugar and. Mix on low speed to combine. Add 1½ cup of flour and mix to form a thick batter. Remove the bowl from the mixer, sprinkle ½ cup of flour over the batter. Set aside and allow to rise for 1 hour.
- Return the bowl to the mixer with the dough hook. Mix on low speed to deflate the batter. Add 1 teaspoon table salt, 1 large egg, 2 oz butter, the finely grated zest of 1 orange and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the batter.
- Add the remaining 2 cups flour. Knead until the dough gathers onto the dough hook. The dough will still be soft and a little sticky.
- (If mixing by hand add flour until you can no longer stir with a spoon then turn the dough onto a floured surface and continue kneading in flour until the dough is elastic, but is still soft.)
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead in 6 oz craisins. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl mix together 1 tablespoon cinnamon and 2 oz granulated sugar.
- Roll one portion of dough to a 8"x 12" rectangle. Brush the entire surface of the dough with egg wash. Sprinkle 1/2 the cinnamon sugar over the dough. Roll the dough tightly from the short side, pinching the ends to close. Place the dough into the prepared loaf pan, seam side down. Repeat with the second portion of dough.
- Cover the loaves with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for about 1- 1½ hours until the dough fills the pan and has doubled in volume. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 °F.
- Brush the loaves with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
- Bake about 30-35 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The interior temp should be 200 °F.
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This bread is seriously the best thing I’ve seen in a long time. We don’t do regular mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving or Christmas, but next time I make mashed potatoes for a regular dinner, you can bet I’m making extra!
I’ve been searching for a bread recipe using mashed potatoes. I think I found the right one. Thanks for sharing.
I hope you like it, Betty.
Who would ever throw away Mashed Potatoes? I would even make a fresh batch of them for this bread. I bet the house smells amazing when it bakes.
Ha, ha. I did make mashed potatoes 2x just to make this bread.
This looks and sounds absolutely delicious! Now I know what I’m going to make next time I have leftover mashed potatoes.
Thanks, Caroline.
This looks INSANELY good. Can’t wait to try it
Such a gorgeous loaf! I love potato bread, but you’ve made it even more enticing and delicious!!!
Thanks, Liz. I don’t think I’ve ever met a bread I didn’t like.
Oh my goodness! I am totally making this! I never would have put mashed potatoes in my bread but I’m loving this idea!
Thanks!
Brilliant way to use the mashed potatoes! Any tips for the bread machine? P.s. Fantastic photos and pinning!
Thanks, Ninja! I’ve never used a bread machine so, sorry, I can’t give any tips. The photos are always a struggle for me.
I so wish I had a couple slices of this for tomorrow’s breakfast. It is bringing back so many memories of eating raisin bread with my Granny.
Awww, that’s so nice Laura. It’s amazing how many memories the sharing of food creates.
Sounds like a great way to use up those leftover mashed!
Thanks, Cindy.