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Parker House Rolls: Recipe and History

by Aimee Seavey

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Parker House Rolls are one of New England's many trademark culinary offerings, and one that is perfect for this time of year, when the weather turns cool and we start thinking about comfort food and holiday dinners. Whether you are serving roasted turkey, hearty soup, or spaghetti with marinara, there should always be an accompanying basket of warm, buttery rolls to bite into and help clean your plate.

Parker House Rolls are a homerun. A crisp, buttery exterior makes way for a soft, tender crumb that steams when broken apart. In addition to their dinner table pedigree, they are equally delicious slathered with butter and jam at the breakfast table. This was how I enjoyed them on a recent morning.

The rolls are named after the Boston hotel where they originated during the 1870's. Legend has it that a disgruntled hotel baker threw a batch of unfinished rolls into the oven after an altercation with a hotel guest. When the rolls emerged from the oven, they had a distinct folded "pocketbook" shape that made them light and puffy on the inside, while staying crisp and buttery on the outside.

The oldest printed Parker House Rolls recipe on file is from an April 1874 issue of the New Hampshire Sentinel, and they have been a favorite in homes and restaurants ever since.

Make a large batch this fall for a family dinner, or freeze the rolls for a warm, toasted, buttery addition to any meal, at any time.

Recipe for Parker House Rolls

Ingredients for Parker House Rolls
6 cups flour (approx.), divided, plus extra for work surfaces
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 packages active dry yeast
1 cup (1/2 pound, or 2 sticks) butter (or margarine), softened, divided, plus extra for bowl
2 cups hot tap water
1 large egg

Instructions for Parker House Rolls

• In a large bowl (or the bowl of a standing mixer with paddle attachment), combine 2-1/4 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter. With your mixer on low speed, gradually pour 2 cups hot tap water (120-130 degrees) into the dry ingredients.
• Add egg and increase mixer speed to medium; beat 2 minutes, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in 3/4 cup flour, or enough to make a thick batter. Continue beating 2 minutes, occasionally scraping the bowl. Then with a spoon, stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough, around 2 1/2 cups.* When dough starts to get stiff, switch to a dough hook if using a standing mixer.
• Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, working in more flour (about 1/2 cup) while kneading. Shape dough into a ball and place in a large greased bowl. Turn dough over so that the top is greased. Cover with a towel; let rise in a warm place until volume doubles, about 1-1/2 hours.
• Gently deflate the dough, and then turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly to make a smooth ball, and then cover with a bowl for 15 minutes to let the dough rest.
• In a small saucepan, melt remaining 1/2 cup butter and line two baking sheets with parchment. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll dough out 1/2 inch thick. Using a 2-3/4-inch round biscuit cutter dipped in flour, cut dough into circles. Holding each dough circle by the edge, brush both sides of the dough with melted butter using a silicone pastry brush. Lay the dough circle onto the baking sheet, then fold in half, pressing the edge to seal it shut.
• Arrange folded dough circles in rows, each nearly touching the next. Cover the rolls with a towel and let the rolls rise in a warm place until volume doubles, about 40 minutes.
• Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until browned.

Yield: 24 rolls

View and print the original recipe for Parker House Rolls.

*I had to use nearly 4 cups of flour at this point to get my dough to look and feel the way it was supposed to. It should be lightly tacky, but not sticky. If there is a lot of humidity in your kitchen, you may encounter a similar issue. Trust your instincts! After the first rise the dough was lovely, glossy, and soft. The extra flour did increase my total yield to more like 40 rolls rather than the original 24 the recipe intended. Good thing I love rolls!