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.
Servings Prep Time
24rolls 20minutes
Cook Time
20minutes
Servings Prep Time
24rolls 20minutes
Cook Time
20minutes
Ingredients
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.)