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Homemade Parker House Rolls Recipe

September 29, 2026

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Parker House Rolls are buttery, fluffy, golden dinner rolls with a unique shape. Absolutely worth making from scratch to have during dinner!

Soft dinner rolls are the perfect Bread side dish to complete your family dinner. Give my Homemade Crescent Rolls and Classic Butterhorn Dinner Rolls a try too!

These rolls are light and fluffy with an enriched flavor thanks to a few extra ingredients!
Perfect to serve with weeknight dinner but fancy enough to add to your Holiday dinner table.

Sabrina’s Parker House Rolls Recipe

Parker House Rolls get their name from the Boston Parker House Hotel where they originated. This is the perfect roll recipe for anyone who loves sweet, tender bread. Serve Parker House Rolls warm with a pat of butter melting in the center for the perfect filling, and delicious addition to your dinner.

Recipe Card

In your stand mixer add the warm water, yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar and mix.
Let stand for 5 minutes.
Add warmed milk, melted butter, eggs, salt, 3 cups of the flour and ⅓ cup sugar.
Start with mixing on the lowest speed setting, moving up to medium speed.
Switch to dough hook and knead on medium speed for 4-5 minutes.
Gradually add the rest of the flour, about ½ cup at a time. Let the flour fully incorporate between additions, until the dough comes together in one smooth mass.
Spray oil in a large bowl, add the dough and turn to cover the top of the dough in a bit of oil.
Cover and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place, until doubled in size.
Punch down dough.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove dough and cut into 24 equal pieces.
Roll each piece into a thick flattened circle about 1/2″ thick.
Fold the circle in half and place on baking sheets 2″ apart.
Brush with melted butter.
Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix egg and milk and brush over rolls.
Sprinkle with kosher salt.
Bake uncovered for 13-15 minutes until golden brown.

Note from Sabrina

A good rise is key to perfectly fluffy dinner rolls. Your dough will rise more quickly and effectively if left to sit in a warm, moist area. If your kitchen is cold, you can help the dough rise by placing it in your oven. Preheat your oven temperature to 200 degrees, then turn the heat off. Place the dough in an oven-safe bowl and cover it. Let it rise in the oven until doubled in size.

About this Recipe

These rolls are different from standard dinner rolls because they have enriched dough made with melted butter, sugar, milk, and eggs. This results in tender, flavorful, lightly sweet rolls. Parker Rolls are also instantly recognizable because of the shape. Instead of classic round rolls, you’ll make folded shaped dinner rolls by forming the dough into circles, then folding the circles in half. As they bake, the rolls puff up into delicious, golden brown bouncy rolls with a deep crease in the middle due to the folding technique.

Ingredients

2 packets active dry yeast (¼ ounce each): The yeast leavens the dough and gives the rolls their soft, fluffy texture. Use active dry yeast for a durable leavening agent that can handle two rises.
½ cup warm water: Unlike instant yeast, which you can add directly to the dry ingredients, active yeast needs time to bloom in warm water.
1 ¼ cups warm milk: Using whole milk as the main liquid ingredient creates a tender crumb as the milk coats the flour. Warm the dough to around 110 degrees. It’s important to use warm ingredients since cold milk can slow or stop the yeast.
½ cup unsalted butter melted: Use melted butter for the fat in your dough recipe.
2 large eggs: Room-temperature eggs add structure and flavor to your soft bread dough.
6 ½ cups flour: You can use all-purpose flour or bread flour in this recipe. If you have bread flour it’s a great option because the higher protein content makes chewier rolls.
⅓ cup and 1 teaspoon sugar: Add 1 teaspoon sugar to the yeast mixture to help feed the yeast. Later in the recipe, you’ll add a full ⅓ cup sugar to the bread dough. The addition of sugar makes this recipe perfect for sweet roll lovers.

Stand Mixer: Using a stand mixer is the easiest way to combine and knead the dough ingredients. You’ll need the standard paddle attachment and the dough hook to make this recipe.
Mixing Bowl: Use a large mixing bowl to place the dough in during the rising time.
Cooking spray: Prepare the mixing bowl with cooking oil spray to keep the dough from getting stuck to the sides of the bowl.
Kitchen Towel: Cover the dough in a clean tea towel to keep it from drying out while it rises.
Baking Sheets: This recipe makes enough dough for 24 Parker Rolls. Use two 9×13″ baking sheets, so you have enough space to fit 12 rolls on each pan.
Parchment Paper: Line the baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent the rolls from sticking to the pan.

Can this be made ahead of time?

Yes! You can make the roll dough now and bake it later. Follow the recipe instructions up to the point that you’ve shaped the dough into 24 pieces. Then, cover the dough balls and keep them in the fridge overnight. The next day, set them at room temperature for an hour before baking. For a longer make-ahead recipe, you can freeze the dough balls for up to 4 months. Then, let the dough thaw and come to room temperature before baking.

Serving Ideas

Dinner: Buttery homemade rolls are the perfect addition to practically any meal. They’re particularly excellent for dishes with a savory sauce or gravy because you can dip the delicious rolls into the sauce to soak up the extra flavor. Try serving the buttery rolls with Braised Pork Roast and Mushroom Gravy, Creamy Lemon Chicken, or Beef Stroganoff.
Holiday Meals: These fluffy rolls are a family favorite and they make a great addition to holiday gatherings. Serve them up with your holiday Ham or Turkey, and don’t forget other classic sides like Mashed Potatoes and Macaroni and Cheese.

How to Store

Store: You can keep any leftover rolls fresh by storing them in a ziplock bag or another airtight container. Kept sealed, Parker Rolls can stay good at room temperature for 2-4 days, or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Reheat: To reheat the rolls, place the cool rolls on a wire rack above a baking sheet. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees, and brush tops of the rolls with a layer of butter. Place the pan in the oven until rolls are warmed through.
Freeze: You can also keep the amazing dinner roll recipe frozen for up to 3 months. Lay the baked bread rolls in a single layer on a baking sheet and set it flat in the freezer for 1-2 hours. Once the rolls have frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag to keep stored.

Frequent Questions

What are Parker House Rolls?

Parker House Rolls are a type of soft, buttery dinner roll with a folded shape.

Why are my rolls flat?

If your rolls turn out flat, it could mean that the yeast is dead. Add the dry yeast to warm water and let it bloom before you mix it with the dough.

How do I know my bread it kneaded properly?

As you knead the dough, it will become more elastic and smooth. You’ll know the dough is well-kneaded when it passes the poke test. This means that the dough bounces back quickly after you poke an indentation into it.

Variations

Square Shape Rolls: Parker House Rolls are typically made with a circular shape. However, some prefer making squares of dough. For this version, you can divide the dough into 1/2″ thick rectangles. Then, fold the shaped dough into squares and let them rise before baking.
Salted Honey Parker House Rolls: Another way to make these rolls delicious is to swap out the sugar for honey. After adding the egg wash, sprinkle the large-grain sea salt over the top for beautiful salty and sweet rolls.
Garlic Parker Rolls: For bold, aromatic flavor, add a bit of garlic powder or minced garlic cloves to the buttery rolls.