Parker House Rolls
Parker House Rolls are the softest, fluffiest, and quite possibly the best rolls you will ever eat!
Origin
These rolls are one of the first things I learned to make at my first restaurant job in California, way back in 2013. I then took the recipe with me to Sweden, where I proudly served them at the 3 Michelin-starred restaurant I worked at. When I tell you that everyone always falls in love with them, trust me, everyone really does!
Egg Wash
One of the most controversial aspects of these rolls (according to TikTok) is that I brush them with egg wash both before AND after baking. But there’s a good reason behind it! I brush them before they go into the oven to develop a rich, deep color, and then again after baking to impart softness and shine. The controversy arises because some thought the rolls were being served with raw egg. But here’s the thing: the egg is cooked. When you take the rolls out of the oven you immediately brush them with a thin layer of egg wash. The outside of the rolls are so hot you can literally watch the egg cook on top. No need to worry!
If you really don’t want to use egg wash after they bake you can instead brush them with melted butter as soon as they come out. They won’t have the same shine and will be a bit greasy to the touch but will be delicious.
Thinking Ahead
My preferred approach is to bake these on Thanksgiving morning and reheat them later for the main meal. This method is far less stressful than trying to time their baking right before serving, and they reheat beautifully. Just leave them in the pan they were baked in, refrain from pulling them apart, and reheat in a 375°F/190°C oven for 5-10 minutes until they’re hot. The goal is to avoid further browning. Then, pull them apart and serve!
You have various options for freezing this dough in advance. Once the dough is made and wrapped in plastic, you can freeze it for up to a week. Defrost the dough block overnight in the fridge and then follow the instructions below.
Another approach is to chill the dough, shape the rolls, place them in the pan, and then freeze them. As mentioned earlier, defrost overnight and allow them to proof at room temperature the next day. This method preps everything in advance, making it easier to bake later. However, I seldom use this method because I just don’t have the space in my freezer.
While you can freeze the rolls after baking, I recommend doing this only with leftovers, as they tend to dry out slightly upon defrosting. The best way to repurpose them is to create little cheese toasties or mini French toasts.
Parker House Rolls are always a resounding success and are undoubtedly worth the effort of making them from scratch. They are consistently beloved by everyone who tastes them.
Parker House Rolls
Ingredients
- 600 g flour
- 24 g sugar
- 16 g salt
- 20 g fresh yeast OR 6g dry yeast
- 410 g milk
- 140 g butter softened
Instructions
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt, milk, and fresh yeast. If using dry yeast whisk into the milk first before adding the other ingredients.
- Mix the ingredients with the hook attachment on a slow speed for 5 minutes.
- Increase the speed to a medium fast setting and mix for another 5 minutes.
- Add the softened butter and then continue mixing on medium fast.
- Mix until the dough becomes shiny and elastic, and the butter is fully integrated, about 30 minutes.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least an hour. It needs to be cold all the way through.
- After the dough has chilled and firmed up, remove it from the refrigerator.
- Cut the dough into 40-45g pieces.
- Roll each piece into a ball and place them in one or two oiled casserole or cake pans. Each roll should be about 2cm (¾ in) away from each other.
- Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let the rolls rise in the pans until they double in size. This may take around 1 to 2 hours, depending on the room temperature.
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Brush the tops of the rolls with beaten egg before placing them in the oven.
- Bake the rolls in the preheated oven until they turn golden brown and have a nice crust, usually about 15 to 20 minutes. IF they are packed really close together this could take longer. Look for an internal temperature of 92C/198F minimum.
- As soon as the rolls come out of the oven brush them again with beaten egg for extra softness and shine.