Grandpa Joe's
Parker House Rolls

Soft, fluffy, and simply delicious.

About this recipe

For too many years, I used Pillsbury's Hot Roll Mix to make dinner rolls.  A few years ago, however, I decided to make them from "scratch."  This recipe is the result. 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • warm water (room temperature)
  • 23½ ounces all-purpose flour (5¼ cups)
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons instant dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

  1. Place the milk and butter in a small bowl and microwave for about 1 minute to melt the butter and bring the mixture to just above room temperature.  
  2. Using a kitchen scale, tare out a medium-sized bowl.  Add the eggs and beat lightly.  Add the milk and butter, and then add sufficient water to bring the total weight to 17 ounces.  (NOTE:  17 ounces is equivalent to 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons).
  3. In the bowl of a mixer, combine the milk mixture with the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.  Knead with the dough attachment at low speed for 5 minutes.  The dough should be very soft and slightly sticky.
  4. Remove the dough from the bowl to a greased bowl.  Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. 
  5. On a floured surface, punch down the dough until it is about one-half inch thick.  Cut the dough into desired shapes.  Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
  6. Bake for 17 minutes in a preheated 350° F oven, or until golden brown. 
  7. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter before serving.
Parker House Rolls.  Mille grazie, Kaitlyn!

Notes

  • I like to cut the dough into three-inch squares and then fold the squares into rectangles for baking.
Posted: August 2014.