With burnished tops, buttery layers, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, Parker House rolls are the classic American dinner roll. Created at Boston’s Parker House Hotel in the 19th century, the soft, fluffy yeast rolls are sometimes called pocketbook rolls due to their signature folded shape. Serve them alongside Thanksgiving turkey or holiday ham, then pry open any leftovers to slather with honey or jam for breakfast.
Adapted from The Fannie Farmer Baking Book, this Parker House roll recipe is straightforward enough for novice bread bakers: The dough is easy to knead by hand (though a stand mixer works too). Brushing each piece with melted butter before folding creates the rolls’ characteristic shape, while a second swab after baking gives them their sheen.
Parker House rolls FAQ
What makes a Parker House roll different from a regular dinner roll?
It’s all in the fold. Instead of shaping the dough into balls, Parker House rolls are shaped into rectangles, brushed with butter, and folded over themselves. The result is their distinctive pocketbook shape and a buttery seam that makes them easy to pull apart.
Can I make Parker House rolls ahead of time?
Yes. Dough can be mixed 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Once shaped, the rolls can be covered and refrigerated for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours before baking. You can also bake them earlier in the day. Remove them from the oven about 5 minutes before they are done (they should be puffed and cooked through but not yet golden). Finish baking when ready to serve.
Why did my Parker House rolls turn out dense?
Too much flour or insufficient rising can produce dense rolls. For the most accurate measurement, weigh the flour rather than scooping it by volume and let the dough rise until doubled in size before shaping.
Unfortunately, overproofing can also create a dense roll. To get it just right, use the poke test to determine when your rolls are ready to bake.
Can I freeze Parker House rolls?
Yes. Freeze baked and then cooled Parker House rolls up to a month. Thaw and rewarm them in a low oven to restore their soft texture. A spritz of water on top of the rolls will keep them plush and prevent them from becoming too dark.
You can also freeze the risen, unbaked rolls for up to a month. Bake straight from the freezer, adding about 5 minutes of extra cooking time.
This recipe was adapted for style from ‘The Fannie Farmer Baking Book’ by Marion Cunningham. Buy the full book on Amazon or ThriftBooks.
What you’ll need
Pyrex Essentials (3-Piece) Glass Mixing Bowls
$18 At Amazon
Small Saucepan
$155 At Amazon
Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast, ¾-oz. packet (Pack of 9)
$9 At Amazon
Saltverk Hand-Harvested Flaky Sea Salt
$13 At Amazon
Made In 9-x-13-inch Baking Dish
$89 $40 At Made In
Recipe information
Total Time
55 minutes plus chilling
Yield
Makes 36
Ingredients
1
1
¼
3
1½
1
3½
4
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk one ¼-oz. envelope active dry yeast (about 2¼ tsp.) and ¼ cup warm water (110°–115°) in a small bowl; let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Heat 1 cup whole milk in a small saucepan over medium until just warm. Combine ¼ cup vegetable shortening, 3 Tbsp. sugar, and 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl. Pour in warm milk, whisking constantly to blend and break up shortening into small clumps (it may not melt completely). Add yeast mixture and 1 large egg, room temperature, and whisk to combine. Add 3½ cups (438 g) all-purpose flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a dough forms.
Step 3
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead with lightly floured hands until smooth, about 5 minutes. Lightly coat a large bowl with vegetable oil; transfer dough to bowl and turn to coat. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.
Do Ahead: Dough can be mixed 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate, dough will rise more slowly as it chills.
Step 4
Lightly brush a 13x9" baking dish with some of the 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted. Punch down dough; divide into 4 equal pieces. Working one at a time, roll out pieces on a lightly floured surface into 12x6" rectangles. Cut each rectangle lengthwise into three 2"-wide strips; cut each strip crosswise to make three 4x2" rectangles (9 total per piece). Brush half of each rectangle (about 2x2") with melted butter, then fold unbuttered side up and over buttered side, leaving ¼" uncovered at the end. Starting in a corner of prepared dish, place rolls, flat side down, so folded edge is against a short side of the dish. Add rolls side by side to form a long row. Repeat with remaining rolls, facing folded edge toward rolls in previous row, until you have 4 rows total. Brush tops of rolls with melted butter, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and chill at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.
Step 5
Preheat oven to 350°. Bake rolls until golden and puffed, 25–35 minutes. Brush with more melted butter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let cool slightly before serving.
Editor’s note: This Parker House roll recipe was first printed in the 1984 edition of the ‘Fannie Farmer Baking Book,’ and appeared in our November 2012 Thanksgiving issue. Head this way for more of our best Thanksgiving recipes →