Martha Stewart Adds a Surprising Ingredient to Her Cinnamon Rolls to Make Them Super Fluffy

When presented with a brunch menu, are you more likely to order the fluffy pancakes or the egg-topped hash?

Most people fall into one camp or the other—Team Sweet or Team Savory—but we're delighted by the way that Martha Stewart found a method to incorporate savory potatoes into a sweet breakfast roll...and both of those foods are better as a result. Just in time for Easter, spring showers and other soirées, introducing: Martha's Mashed Potato Cinnamon Rolls.

That's right, Stewart's signature Cinnamon Rolls recipe gets its lusciously fluffy texture from boiled and mashed potatoes. The concept might sound wild, but it's actually a tested and true technique that our sister brand, Better Homes & Gardens, uses for the Potato Cinnamon Rolls and Christmas Rolls featured in some editions of the Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book (buy it: $19.96, Amazon).

It's also a cross-cultural concept, according to one of Stewart's Instagram fans: "This recipe is similar to a Polish babka recipe which we've been making that includes mashed potatoes. It's delicious."

Incorporating mashed potatoes lends an ultra-airy, light yet moist texture without altering the taste. That's where the key tip comes in: After boiling, press the potatoes through a ricer (like this Bellemain Stainless Steel Potato Ricer; $19.95, Amazon) or mash with a fork without adding any other ingredients. Skip the garlic-herb mashed potatoes left over from last night's dinner and start from scratch here...although you could certainly boil up a few more for dinner tonight as you work on these homemade cinnamon rolls!

And while that babka recipe suggestion hints that this tip is universal, we don't recommend substituting a mashed potato for an equal amount of flour in any old cinnamon roll recipe. Ones that are designed with spuds from the start adjust the other liquid elements to adjust for the potato's extra hydration.

Admittedly, Stewart's Cinnamon Rolls are a bit of a labor of love. Each batch takes nearly 14 hours, but they can be made, sliced and frozen for up to 3 months ahead before defrosting, baking and glazing. So this weekend, we'll be tying on our aprons and taking to our kitchens to make a double batch (one for Easter brunch and one to freeze and save for Mother's Day...or maybe to combat a future case of the Mondays).

Score the recipe for Stewart's Cinnamon Rolls here, and if you're seeking a speedier yet super-showy option, try our done-in-an-afternoon Cinnamon Roll Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.