Cranberry Parker House Rolls Recipes

THE BEST PARKER HOUSE ROLLS

Steps:

• Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium-high until it just starts to simmer, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter and the sugar until melted. Set aside to cool.
• Put the warm water in a small liquid measuring cup and stir in the yeast. Let it sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Combine the milk mixture, yeast mixture, eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and half the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the remaining flour, mixing until a smooth ball forms. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to knead the dough until very smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Coat a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray, then place the dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 60 to 75 minutes.
• Melt the remaining 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Set aside.
• Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, line with parchment paper then spray the paper.
• Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto the prepared surface. Pat into an even thickness.
• Use a chef's knife or bench scraper to divide the dough into 24 pieces, then shape into balls to create small rolls. Place in the prepared baking dish in rows of 4 by 6, then brush the tops of the rolls with 4 tablespoons of the melted butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven 350 degrees F.
• Remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the rolls lightly with flaky sea salt. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter. Serve warm.

CRANBERRY PARKER HOUSE ROLLS

Steps:

• Use an electric mixer, fitted with dough hook if possible, or a paddle. In mixer's bowl, combine yeast with 1/4 cup tepid water and a pinch of sugar. Stir until yeast dissolves; let stand until mixture gets foamy, about 10 minutes.
• Add milk, eggs and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar. Mix on a low speed until mixture is combined.
• Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, mixing for several seconds after each addition. Sprinkle in the salt and mix until dough comes together in a ball, 3 to 5 minutes. With mixer running at a medium speed, add cubes of butter one at a time. Mix until butter is completely incorporated, and dough is glossy and comes away from sides of bowl, about 5 minutes.
• Spray a bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Form dough into a loose ball and place it in bowl. Lightly spray plastic wrap and cover dough loosely with it. Allow dough to rest at room temperature for 2 1/2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
• While dough is rising, make cranberry butter. Place cranberries in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Add 1/2 cup water and sprinkle in the sugar. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until berries are mushy and water evaporates. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
• Place softened butter in bowl of an electric mixer and beat on a low speed with paddle attachment. Add cranberries and beat until well combined. Keep butter covered with plastic wrap at room temperature until ready to use.
• Lightly spray 2 (12-cup) muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray. When dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each eighth into a 6-inch-long cylinder. Set one aside and cover remaining 7 cylinders with plastic wrap to prevent drying while you work.
• Cut first cylinder into 6 equal round pieces about 1 inch thick. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and flatten with your hands into a 2 1/2-inch round. Spread a generous amount of cranberry butter (about 2 teaspoons) on the face of each round and place each in a muffin cup, butter side up. Repeat this process with second cylinder of dough, this time placing the rounds butter side down on top of rounds in tin. Using your thumb, gently press center of each roll, making an indentation in middle. Place a dot of cranberry butter in each indentation. Repeat with remaining dough. Loosely cover muffin tins with plastic wrap.
• Allow rolls to rise until tops are puffed up to edge of muffin tin, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover and bake rolls until golden brown, about 22 to 28 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Turn rolls out of muffin tins. Serve warm with additional cranberry butter on the side.

PARKER HOUSE ROLLS

Steps:

• Place milk in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and sugar and let cool. Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit until foamy. Combine milk mixture, eggs, yeast, salt, and 1/2 of the flour in a mixer with the dough attachment and mix until smooth. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir until a smooth ball forms.
• Remove from the bowl and knead by hand on a floured surface for about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 60 to 70 minutes. On a floured surface, punch down the dough and shape into desired shapes. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover again and let rise until doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes.
• Preheat the oven 350 degrees F.
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter before serving.

PARKER HOUSE ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in 1/2 cup warm water; let stand 5 minutes. Add milk, salt, egg, oil, 2 cups flour and remaining water and sugar. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes., Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 2 portions. Roll each portion to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter. If desired, brush with butter., Using the dull edge of a knife, crease each slightly off-center. Fold at the crease. Press edges together lightly. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover with a kitchen towel; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°., Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

FANNIE FARMER'S PARKER HOUSE ROLLS

Steps:

• Mix the 4 tablespoons room-temperature butter, the sugar, the salt and the warm milk in a large bowl and let cool to lukewarm.
• Stir the yeast into 1/4 cup warm water and let it stand for 5 minutes to dissolve.
• Make the sponge: Add 3 cups flour and the dissolved yeast to the ​milk​ mixture and beat vigorously for 2 minutes​ to form a loose batter.​ Cover and let rise in a warm place until double​d​ in bulk, about 1 hour​. ​​​
• Stir in the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time to form a shaggy dough firm enough to knead. Turn out onto a lightly floured board, knead for a minute or two, then let rest for 10 minutes. Resume kneading until smooth​, 8 to 10 minutes​.​ (Alternatively, add the sponge and 3 cups flour to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, and knead on low until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 10 minutes.) Cover the bowl and let rise again until doubled in bulk, 45 to 60 minutes. ​
• Using a rolling pin, roll out dough until it is 1/3 inch thick. Cut with a 2 3/4-inch round biscuit cutter or with an oval Parker House roll cutter.
• Using the dull edge of a knife, make a crease through the center of each piece of dough, brush with melted butter, fold in half along the crease, and press edges lightly together.
• Place rolls 1 inch apart on a buttered baking sheet (or use a silicone baking mat). Let rise again until dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes. (It should feel spongy to the touch, and hold an indentation when pressed with a finger.)
• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to 425 degrees. Bake rolls until golden, about 12 to 18 minutes. Brush again with melted butter. Let cool for a few minutes, then serve warm. The rolls are best when freshly baked but can be reheated in a 350-degree oven for a few minutes before serving.