These homemade Parker house rolls are the end all, be all of dinner rolls! The texture of the rolls is extremely light and airy. These big and fluffy rolls practically melt in your mouth. I based my recipe on a Bon Appetit recipe but rather than using shortening, I used butter and it was a great choice because you can really taste the butter not only on top but throughout the roll itself. I garnished the rolls with a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt I highly recommend topping them with some kind of coarse salt like kosher. That salty crunch just adds a little extra pop to the rolls that we loved. Parker house rolls are the perfect addition to your table, whether it’s a holiday like Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s. Or simply make them for a time when you’re craving homemade dinner rolls. You will be surprised just how easy these rolls are to make! It’s a simple yeast dough with two rises, similar to what you’d find in most dinner rolls or yeast doughs.
Recipe Ingredients
To make this recipe for Parker house rolls, you will need to have the following on hand:
Active dry yeast Water Whole milk Unsalted butter, divided Granulated sugar Kosher salt Large egg, room temp, lightly beaten All-purpose flour Vegetable or canola oil Maldon sea salt, for garnishing
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Parker House Rolls
Make-Ahead Instructions
I have never tried prepping this dough in advance. The only possible thing that may work — and I don’t know since I haven’t personally tried — is to make the dough and get it kneaded and into the greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge. This would be through Step 13 as written in the recipe card below. Overnight is the absolute longest I would stretch it. As in, make the dough before bed, and plan to bake these off for a midday meal, at the latest, the next day.
Recipe Tips
The dough when putting them together is EXTREMELY sticky. At first, I thought it was a mistake but after kneading the dough it came together so beautifully and was awesome to work with. You know a great dough when you see one and this one is something special. I suggest really resisting the temptation to add more flour because you will lose the wonderful light and airy texture the Parker house rolls have. However, that being said, all climates, brands of flour, yeast, and so forth vary and if you’re having an absolutely impossible time with sticky dough that just will not come together, go ahead and add another 1/4-cup or so of flour and take it from there.
More Easy Yeast Roll Recipes:
ALL OF MY YEAST BREAD RECIPES! In the Freezer: This recipe will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 3 months. To Soften: I use my microwave and zap leftover rolls for about 5-10 seconds, or just until a tiny bit warm. It’s optional but a nice touch. Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Herby Garlic Rolls – Made with plenty of garlic, fresh rosemary and herbs, these soft dinner rolls are a must-have for family dinners or celebration meals like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Texas Roadhouse Rolls — Soft, buttery, fluffy, and light this easy COPYCAT recipe for Texas Roadhouse rolls with cinnamon honey butter is INCREDIBLE! No-Knead Rolls with Honey Butter — These soft, light, fluffy yeast dinner rolls are so easy to make! They’re practically work-free because there’s no-kneading involved. Soft & Fluffy Sweet Dinner Rolls — Lightly sweetened from the honey in the dough and brushed with honey-butter prior to baking!! These dinner rolls are made from scratch and are baked to golden brown perfection! Pumpkin Dinner Rolls — These rolls are soft, slightly chewy, and the pumpkin puree keeps them moist and adds just enough tooth-sinking density. No-Knead Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls — These 100% whole wheat dinner rolls are soft, light, fluffy, and so easy. They’re practically work-free because there’s no kneading. Originally published March 31, 2021 and republished March 29, 2024 with updated text.
