With their burnished tops, buttery sheen, and sprinkle of flaky sea salt, these Parker House rolls are truly eye-catching. Created at Boston’s Parker House Hotel in the 1850s, the iconic folded rolls—sometimes called pocketbook rolls for their purse-like shape—are as perfect for tucking around a slice of Thanksgiving turkey or holiday ham as they are split open and slathered with honey or jam for breakfast.
If you’re new to bread baking, dinner rolls are a forgiving place to start. Be sure to plan ahead for two rises: a bulk rise for developing flavor, another after shaping. This dough is easy enough to knead by hand, but a stand mixer with a dough hook also works well. Ignore any instincts to look for a warm spot (unless you’re in a hurry), and let the dough rise at room temperature. A slower proof develops better flavor. You could even chill the dough overnight for their first rise to make shaping the rolls even easier the next day.
Tips for the best Parker House rolls
- Don’t be shy with the butter: Brush the rolls with melted butter twice—once before baking for golden color, and again right out of the oven for that signature glossy finish.
- Shape smart: Use a bench scraper or small offset spatula to make clean, even folds for that classic Parker House crease.
- Big-batch rolls: Freeze the unbaked rolls on a tray, then transfer them to a resealable plastic bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
FAQs
- Can I make these Parker House rolls ahead?
Yes. The dough can be made and chilled overnight, or the baked rolls can be frozen for up to a month. Rewarm in a low oven to bring back their pillowy soft texture. - Do I have to use whole milk?
Whole milk gives the best flavor and tenderness, but if you need to avoid dairy, we’ve found oat milk and cashew milk to be good substitutes for baking. Avoid low-fat dairy, which can lead to tough rolls. - Why did my Parker House rolls turn out dense?
Most often, the dough was underproofed (didn’t rise long enough) or too much flour was added (we recommend using a kitchen scale to avoid this). The dough should feel soft, slightly tacky, and airy before baking. - Can I bake these in advance for a crowd?
Definitely. Bake the rolls earlier in the day, cover with foil, and rewarm in a 300° oven for about
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
$22 At Amazon
Small Saucepan
$155 At Amazon
Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast, ¾-oz. packet (Pack of 9)
$9 $8 At Amazon
Saltverk Hand-Harvested Flaky Sea Salt
$14 At Amazon
Made In 9-x-13-inch Baking Dish
$89 $40 At Made In
Recipe information
Total Time
55 minutes plus at least 2 hours chilling
Yield
Makes 36
Ingredients
1
1
¼
3
1½
1
3½
¼
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. 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.
Step 3
Lightly brush a 13x9" baking dish with some of the ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted. Punch down dough; divide into 4 equal pieces. Working one at a time, roll out pieces on a lightly floured surface to a 12x6" rectangle. Cut 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 over buttered side, leaving ¼" uncovered at the end. Place rolls, flat side down, starting in a corner of prepared dish, so folded edge is against a short side of the dish. Add rolls side by side to form a long row, then repeat with remaining rolls until you have 4 rows. Brush tops with melted butter, loosely cover with plastic, and chill at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.
Step 4
Preheat oven to 350°. Bake rolls until golden and puffed, 25–35 minutes. Brush with more 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.’ It also appeared in our November 2012 Thanksgiving spread. Head this way for more of our best Thanksgiving recipes →