The Best Parker House Rolls Recipes

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:

• Spray a half sheet pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
• Place the milk, sugar, yeast, flour, egg yolks, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine on low speed for 1 minute. Change the paddle attachment to the dough hook and rest the dough for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add 2 ounces of the room temperature butter and mix on low speed. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and you are able to gently pull the dough into a thin sheet that light will pass through, about 8 minutes.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll and shape with hands to form a large ball. Return dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm, dry place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Remove the dough from the bowl and roll into a 16 by 3-inch log. Use a bench knife to cut the dough into 1 3/4-ounce portions, about 16 rolls. Using your loosely cupped hand, roll each portion on the counter until they tighten into small balls. Working 1 at a time, use a rolling pin to roll each small ball into a 3-inch circle or oval. Use the side of your hand or a small dowel to make an indentation across the middle of the circle. Place a small pat of chilled butter into the center of the indentation, then fold in half and gently press to seal the edges. Place the rolls, top-side down, onto the prepared sheet pan, spacing them evenly. Melt the remaining 1 ounce butter and brush the tops of the rolls. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, dry place to rise until doubled in size, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Remove the plastic wrap and bake until the rolls reach an internal temperature of 200 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking.
• Remove the pan to a cooling rack and cool for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
• For Brown and Serve option:
• Assemble rolls as above, but bake as follows.
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• Bake until the outside of the rolls just begin to set but have not browned and the internal temperature is 185 degrees, about 30 minutes. Remove and cool on the pan for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the rolls from the pan and place on a cooling rack until they are room temperature, 30 to 40 minutes. Place the rolls in bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
• To Finish:
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Thaw the rolls for 60 to 90 minutes.
• Spray a sheet pan with nonstick spray. Place the rolls on the prepared sheet pan and bake until the rolls reach an internal temperature of 200 degrees F. Rotate the pan halfway through baking, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pan to a cooling rack and cool for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

PARKER HOUSE ROLLS

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in 1/2 cup warm water in a bowl; let stand until mixture is foaming, about 10 minutes.
• Stir warm milk, 6 tablespoons sugar, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup warm water into yeast mixture. Gradually whisk 2 cups flour into yeast mixture until smooth. Add remaining 3 1/2 cup flour, egg, 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons vegetable oil to flour-yeast mixture; stir until dough is soft.
• Turn dough onto a floured work surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once so top of dough is greased. Cover bowl with a damp towel and let rise in a warm room until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough and divide in half. Roll each half on a floured surface until 1/3 to 1/2-inch thick. Cut dough using a floured 2 1/2-inch round cutter. Brush each dough circle with melted butter.
• Make an off-center crease in each dough circle using the dull edge of a table knife. Fold along crease so larger half is on top; press along folded edge.
• Grease a baking sheet.
• Arrange folded dough circles, 2 to 3 inches apart, on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Remove towel or plastic wrap from dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven until rolls are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer rolls to a wire rack to cool.

PARKER HOUSE ROLLS

Steps:

• Bloom the yeast.
• Measure out 1/2 cup warm water and check the temperature: It should be between 110 degrees F and 120 degrees F (comfortable bathwater temperature). Sprinkle the yeast into a large bowl, add the warm water and whisk in the sugar. Let sit 1 minute (it should bubble and froth slightly), then gently stir in 1 cup flour. Set aside near the stove while you prepare the dough.
• Make the dough.
• Mix the melted butter and milk in a mixer with the hook attachment on low speed. Add the eggs and mix until blended. Scrape in the yeast mixture and mix until incorporated. Add 6 1/2 cups flour and 1 tablespoon salt; mix until the dough forms a ball, 2 to 3 minutes, adding up to 1/2 cup more flour if the dough is too wet and sticky.
• Let it rise.
• Brush a large bowl with softened butter. Transfer the dough to the bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place, 2 hours to 2 hours, 30 minutes. The dough should double in volume.
• Shape the dough.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dust a clean flat surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Flour your hands; gently press the dough into a 16-by-8-inch rectangle, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick (don't use a rolling pin).
• Cut the dough.
• With the short side in front of you, cut the dough in half lengthwise with a floured knife. Then slice crosswise into 12 strips.
• Shape the dough.
• One at a time, fold each strip of dough unevenly in half so the top part slightly overlaps the bottom half, then tuck the overhang underneath. Place the rolls seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet in 3 tightly packed rows. (If making in advance, wrap the baking sheet tightly in plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 weeks.)
• Bake the rolls.
• Bake until the rolls are bursting at the seams and golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. (If frozen, bake 25 minutes at 325 degrees F, then 10 minutes at 375 degrees F.) Remove from the oven and brush with softened butter. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

PARKER HOUSE ROLLS

Steps:

• Stage 1: Combine the milk, sugar and 2 sticks butter in a large pot. Bring to a simmer and when the mixture is hot (but not boiling), turn off the heat and allow to cool to warmer than lukewarm, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Stage 2: Sprinkle in the yeast and add 8 cups of flour. Stir to combine, then cover and allow to rise for 1 hour.
• Stage 3: After 1 hour, add the salt, baking powder, baking soda and remaining 1 cup flour and stir to combine. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes, then form into a ball, cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes.
• Stage 4: Melt 2 sticks butter in a saucepan.
• Roll out the dough to 1/2 inch thick. Cut circles with a 2 1/2-inch cutter. Dunk each circle in the melted butter, then immediately fold in half and place on a baking sheet. Press lightly to encourage sealing. Cover with a towel and allow the rolls to rise 30 to 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Stage 5: To parbake the rolls before freezing, bake until the rolls are risen and set but not brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Freeze the rolls separately, then store them in batches in freezer bags. (If you're not freezing the rolls and want to serve them right away, bake at 400 degrees F until risen, set and golden brown, about 15 minutes total.)
• When ready to cook and serve the frozen rolls, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the remaining stick of butter in a saucepan.
• Place the frozen rolls on baking sheets and brush them with the melted butter. Bake until golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes. Brush them with additional melted butter if you like and let them sit for 1 minute. Serve while still warm.