Buttery Parker House Rolls are a beloved Thanksgiving tradition that has been a part of our family gatherings for as long as I can remember. They are so unbelievably soft, tender, and delicious – and did I mention buttery? This original Parker House yeast rolls recipe is a tried-and-true classic that will certainly be a favorite in your house, too!
Of course you love a warm, fluffy dinner bun fresh from the oven. But if you are really serious about serving the most perfectly soft and buttery rolls for your holiday celebrations, you are going to LOVE love this old-fashioned Parker House rolls recipe! They are baked in butter, then buttered again. So how could they not be amazing?
Begin by snatching the step-by-step instructions for this buttery yeast rolls recipe by going to the Cheddar Cheese Rolls recipe. I use this recipe for a lot of recipes because it’s easy and it works. (I even use this recipe to make cinnamon rolls as well!)
Make these buttery beauties for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, family dinners, or any special gathering!
Recipe Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Yeast
- Sugar
- Salt
- Milk
- Butter
- Eggs
Plus butter for cutting out the rolls.
How to Make Buttery Parker House Rolls
- Begin by making the dough. For step-by-step instructions for dough only follow this link Cheddar Cheese Rolls. Place the dough in a large oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 1 hour. (Whoa! Looks like I needed a larger bowl.)
- Once the dough has risen, gently turn dough out on to a lightly oiled board or countertop. DO NOT KNEAD OR PUNCH DOWN THE DOUGH. Gently roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness.
- Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut out circles of dough.
- Gently stretch the dough, without forcing it, into an oval shape.
- Dip bottom 2/3rds of the oval into the melted 1/2 cup butter.
- Fold dough over and place on a prepared baking sheet that has been greased or lined with parchment. Make sure the top of the roll is longer than the bottom. If you don’t do this it will open up during baking.
- Leave about 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch space between rolls to allow for rising without crowding the pan. This way the rolls will bake more uniformly without being doughy. Next step is completely optional. I like to drizzle any leftover butter between the rolls. DO NOT pour over top of the rolls. It will cause them for brown unevenly. Just carefully drizzle between each row.
- Cover lightly with a cloth and allow to rise for about 30 minutes or until the dough feels like a soft marshmallow.
- Bake in preheated 400 degrees F oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
The bottoms should be golden and buttery crisp. Perfect.
TIP: Dark golden on the outside. Light and fluffy on the inside. My father loves his rolls buttery crisp on the bottom. For that reason, I will tip the hot rolls out onto a cooling rack bottom side up. This will ensure the bottom remains buttery crisp. (How many times have I said the word butter/buttery?)
Serving Suggestions
First, let’s discuss options for what to slather onto these beauties… Pair buttery Park House rolls with – wait for it – garlic herb butter! The fresh herbs beautifully compliment the richness of the dinner rolls. If you’d like to skip the herbs, check out my classic recipe for homemade cultured butter.
And while these are technically “dinner rolls,” they are also fabulous to pair them with sweet toppings, too. Try drizzling on honey or smearing on honey butter, fruit preserves like my blackberry raspberry jam, apple butter, or any spreadable goodness you like.
The original Parker House yeast rolls recipe is terrific to make for occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas. They’re perfect to serve alongside other holiday favorites like turkey and ham, southern yams, mashed potatoes and gravy, and any number of veggie dishes.
Bonus: Buttery Parker House Rolls are great for a leftover turkey sandwich with cranberries!
But you don’t have to wait for the holiday season to serve these savory buns! Make any meal fee like a special occasion by pairing yeast rolls with southern-style comfort food dishes. Try my Grandma’s famous mac and cheese, funeral potatoes, southern spoonbread, for a truly memorable meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Typical dinner rolls are made by rolling yeast dough into balls and baking together in a pan. What makes Parker House yeast rolls wonderfully unique is that the dough is first cut out into thin ovals, then folded over in half and baked on baking sheet. This creates the distinct buttery layers that you know and love!
The dough needs to be properly kneaded until it becomes soft and stretchy… If you do not take the time to do this, the gluten will not be activated to create that light and fluffy texture.
Keep buttery yeast rolls in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. I suggest storing them in a cool, dark place to keep them freshest.
These buns freeze beautifully! Wrap each roll individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Then place all together in one plastic ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
More Classic Baking Recipes for You to Try
- Pumpkin Buns with Herb Butter
- Giant Cheddar Twists
- Overnight Crescent Dinner Rolls
- Brioche Burger Buns
- Kalamata Olive and Rosemary Fougasse
Buttery Parkerhouse Rolls
Buttery Parker House Rolls are a beloved Thanksgiving tradition that has been a part of our family gatherings for as long as I can remember. This original Parker House yeast rolls recipe is a tried-and-true classic that will certainly be a favorite in your house, too!
Ingredients
Roll dough:
- 6-7 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons yeast rapid rise
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 ½ cups milk
- ½ cup butter
- 2 eggs
Cutting out rolls:
- 1/2 cup butter unsalted
Instructions
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Make the dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer combine, 4 cups of the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. In a medium size sauce pan melt the butter. When butter has melted add the milk into the pan. Continue to barely warm the milk until it reaches a temperature of about 110-115 degrees. Remove from the heat and pour over the flour mixture while the mixer is running. Continue to beat for about 5-7 minutes. Making sure the yeast has dissolved. Beat in the eggs. Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time. Add enough flour to make a soft, slightly sticky dough or until the dough begins to pull away from the edges of the bowl while mixing. Place the dough in a large bowl that has been oiled. Turn the dough to coat completely in the oil. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
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Melt 1/2 cup butter. Set aside. Remove the dough from the bowl and roll out about 1/2-inch thick.
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Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut rounds for rolls.
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Gently stretch each round to form an oval shape.
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Dip bottom 2/3rds of the oval into the melted 1/2 cup butter.
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Fold dough in half so that the top half is longer than the bottom.
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Place the rolls on a parchment lined baking sheet about ½-inch apart.
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Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.
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Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
Recipe Notes
- Because the yeast is added in with flour, rapid rise works best. If using regular active yeast, mix with 1/4 cup warm water then add to flour mixture.
- To keep the bottom of rolls crisp after baking, tip rolls out of pan top side down and let cool.
- Keep buttery yeast rolls in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. I suggest storing them in a cool, dark place to keep them freshest.
- These buns freeze beautifully! Wrap each roll individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Then place all together in one plastic ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Can you prefreeze after the fold over and thaw out on pan to rise the day of so you can bake as needed?
Hi Sandra, yes you can freeze the rolls after folding them over.
Use a parchment lined baking sheet to place the folded rolls on. Cover and freeze them. Once completely frozen you can put the frozen rolls in a plastic ziplock bag or a container with a lid.
When ready to bake, take the frozen rolls and place them on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment or greased. It will take 5-6 hours to thaw and rise depending on the room temp. Just make sure they are soft and pillowy when gently pressed.
I have noticed that the rolls have a crisper top crust when they have been frozen first. I hope this helps.
Happy baking!
Janet
Ummm these are the best rolls I’ve ever had! So soft. So buttery. Basically melt in your mouth. I’m a huge fan. I’m all about trying new recipes but I think we found a keeper for rolls! I cut the recipe in half for our family of 3. It made 16 rolls. I did have to add a bit more flour than it called for but it was so incredible. I can’t wait to make them again!
Thank you, Lyndie. I’m so thrilled you liked the rolls. It’s a tried-and-true recipe that I have made for years. I’m so glad it worked well for you.
BAked these for thanksgiving tmrw, and they had a difficult time rising. It ToOk double the time to Rise,
Both times, and still didnt get quite as marshallowy as i would have hoped.
The end product was tasty but not quite like yours. I tired keeping the room warm, but i think i maybhave used thr wrong kind of bowl and should buy a Big ceramic one like yours! All in all, they will do niceLy foR tmrw, but will have to give it another go
I’m so sorry you have had trouble with the rolls rising. Here are some tips for troubleshooting.
– Is your yeast fresh and not outdated?
– Do you pack the flour into the measuring cup. Lightly stir the flour and carefully spoon into the measuring cup then level off.
– Perhaps at your altitude you don’t need quite so much flour. Slowly add the flour to the wet ingredients until it begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. It may be a bit sticky to the touch, but that’s ok.
I hope you have better success next time. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi JaneT! Would i be able to make these, form the buns and let them rise on the Pan in the fridge overnight, then bake off right before dinner? TryIng to make ahead what i can for CHRISTMAS dinner!
I’m so sorry to be late in responding. I had so much company for Christmas I neglected my blog. I think your idea should work. It just makes sense to have rolls ready to back first thing in the morning. I’d take them out of the fridge an hour or so before baking.
Hi JAnet – are anY alterations needed to this recipe fOr higher altitudes? I live at 5280 in Denver. Thanks so much
I’m heading to Denver today for Thanksgiving to be with my grandkids. There are no alterations. Just slowly add in the last 2-3 cups of flour slowly. I’m at about 5000 altitude and sometimes I only need 6 cups of flour total. The dough will be a little sticky but will be easy to handle after the rise time. Have a great Thanksgiving. I’ll be in Parker, CO having the same rolls.
Should the butter-dipped part of the dough be placed down or up on the baking sheet?
Place the buttered side down on the baking sheet.
can you make a loaf of bread have this n u
Yes! You will have enough dough to make 2 loaves.
Can