Parker House Rolls

I’m not one of those bread people. I won’t waste my calories on bread unless it’s freaking stellar – think flaky croissant, think buttery brioche, think warm soft-pretzel. Those are bread superstars for which I will blow my daily calorie allotment any day of the week. And when it comes to these pillowy Parker House rolls, I am utterly powerless to resist.

There’s something about working with yeast that really cranks my tractor. The heavenly smell, the inimitable taste, the warm magic that brews within as the yeast explodes, rising and swelling into its fullest glory. It’s the coolest feeling to stick a wad of dough into the oven to proof and return to find it proudly puffed to twice the original size. Like making a little dough baby.

People get intimidated by yeast. It can be a finicky bitch. But fret not: as long as you follow the cardinal rule of yeast – DON’T OVERHEAT THE WATER (The sweet spot is 105-110 degrees, I use a candy thermometer to make sure it’s at the right temp) – you’re golden. Overheating the yeast kills it, while not warming it enough (water under 100 degrees) will leave you with sticky dough that’s a pain in the ass to handle. The rest is just following directions. The more you do it, the easier it gets. And it’s so worth the effort.

These rolls are puffy and buttery and fresh, devoid of the skanky staleness you often get with store-bought, mass-produced baked goods. And their versatility knows no bounds: I use them as dinner rolls, slider buns, for cinnamon toast, avocado toast, mini grilled cheeses, tiny PB&Js for the boys, etc, etc, etc. You can even make a batch in advance and freeze them until you’re ready to roll. Just pop ’em in the oven for a few minutes to warm those suckers right back to life.

So get (b)ready to get your yeast on, my friend. Trust me on this, you won’t regret it.

Print Recipe

Parker House Rolls

There's just something about yeast rolls that I - one picky bitch when it comes to bread - have literally not a shot in hell of resisting. And these Parker House rolls are no exception. The recipe is simple and straightforward (just follow the steps and you're golden), and active prep is only 20 minutes or so, but just make sure you account for rising time. These are so insane and versatile, you'll make them over and over.

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Courses

Bread

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Servings

rolls MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (not too hot you want it right around 105-110 degrees, I stick a candy thermometer in the water to read the temp)
• 3 eggs lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• melted butter for brushing

Courses Bread Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Servings rolls MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 1 1/2 cups whole milk 1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into pieces 1/2 cup sugar 1 packet active dry yeast 1/2 cup warm water (not too hot you want it right around 105-110 degrees, I stick a candy thermometer in the water to read the temp) 3 eggs lightly beaten 1 1/2 tsp salt 6 cups all-purpose flour melted butter for brushing

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Instructions

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk to a simmer, then remove from heat and stir in the butter and sugar. Set aside to let it cool.
2. Pour the yeast over the warm water, lightly mixing with a fork until dissolved. Let it sit a few minutes, until it gets foamy. (If it doesn't foam, your yeast is bad or your water was too hot and killed the yeast. Start over with fresh water - about 105-110 degrees - and fresh yeast.)
3. Combine the milk mixture, eggs, yeast, salt and 3 cups of flour in the bowl of a mixer with the dough hook attached, and mix on low/med until smooth.
4. Add the remaining 3 cups flour a 1/2 cup at a time, mixing on low between each addition, until a smooth ball of dough forms, pulling away from the sides of the bowl. (I always end up using the full 6 cups of flour.)
5. Turn the dough out onto a clean, floured work surface and knead by hand for about 5 minutes.
6. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean dish towel and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 60-70 minutes. (For my warm spot: I heat a small bowl of water in the microwave for 2 minutes, then push the steaming bowl into the corner of the microwave and place the bowl of dough inside with it, shutting the door. Works. every. time.)
7. Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a clean, floured work surface and punch it down into a disk shape. Cut into 24 equal pieces, shape into balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover again and let rise until doubled, about 30-40 minutes. (If you can't fit a baking sheet into your microwave "warm spot", you can also use your oven. I preheat my oven to 170 degrees (its lowest setting), then turn it off a few minutes before I put the rolls in to rise, so it's still warm, but not hot.)
8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. (If you're using your oven as your "warm spot", obviously wait until you take the risen rolls out before preheating the oven.)
9. Bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. (Ummmmm, the smell alone as they bake is insane.) Remove from the oven and immediately brush the tops with melted butter (about a tbsp of butter, melted) before serving.
10. Stand back and observe your magical yeasty powers. (High five.)