Parker House Rolls: the easy and rich recipe to serve with dinner

If you’re looking for a rich, flavorful roll to serve with dinner, then Parker House Rolls should be your first choice. Butter makes everything better, and that’s exactly why Parker House Rolls are so special. Because the rolls are enriched with butter and eggs, they’re a step up from your everyday dinner rolls. The crust is flavorful and buttery, while the inside is soft and feather-light with just the right amount of bread flavor. Serve these with dinner, or enjoy them with a coffee for a light lunch. They’re so delicious, you can eat them as is, or add a bit of butter and cheese.

What are Parker House Rolls

These rich rolls were invented in the 1800s and get their name from the hotel that made them, the Parker House. It’s actually the same hotel that invented the Boston Cream Pie! Because the baking process involves a few rounds of buttering, as well as milk and eggs, the rolls are exceptionally rich and flavorful, while remaining soft and light. If you’re looking for a better-than-basic dinner roll the next time you host guests, these melt-in-your-mouth Parker House Rolls should be your go-to!

Tips 

– These rolls can easily be made ahead of time. Simply follow the recipe until the shaping step. After you folded the dough and shaped them correctly, you can add then to the pan, and store in the refrigerator (for a maximum time overnight). Take them out of the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to baking.

– To freeze them, follow the same steps, shaping the rolls and placing them in the pan. Place in the freezer for at least 12 hours (you can do this overnight). Transfer them to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and bake as direct.

– Baked rolls can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Instructions

In a glass bowl, whisk together the milk, yeast, and half of the sugar. Set aside for the yeast to activate.

In another glass bowl, add the melted butter, egg, sugar, and salt.

Pour the yeast into the egg mixture and whisk.

Add the flour and stir to combine.

Knead together for around 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball, cover with plastic and set aside in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.

Roll the dough out on a floured surface. Divide the dough in half and roll out each half into a rectangle.

Use a pizza cutter to cut each rectangle into 9 square pieces.

Fold each square in half.

Place the folded buns in a buttered and floured baking pan (9×11 inches), cover and set aside for 1 hour (or until doubled).

Brush the buns with melted butter and season with a pinch of flaky salt.

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 180°C/350°F. Brush with more butter before serving.

Recipe Notes

– These rolls are delicious enough on their own, but you can also serve them with a fruit preserve, or savory butter.

– Make sure to use full-fat milk for the Parker House Rolls. The higher the fat content, the richer the rolls will be.

– Because butter is such a big part of flavor for these rolls, it’s important to use a high-quality product. Now is not the time to be cheap.