These buttery, slightly sweet dinner rolls originated at Boston's Parker House hotel in the 1870s—thus the name "Parker House Rolls." We tweaked a few ingredients to make them healthier but just as snatch-the-last-one delicious as the classic version.

EatingWell Magazine, November 2020; Updated October 2022

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Recipe Summary

active:
30 mins
total:
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings:
16
Servings:
16
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Why Ingredients Matter

These buttery, slightly sweet dinner rolls originated at Boston's Parker House hotel in the 1870s—thus the name "Parker House Rolls." We tweaked a few ingredients to make them healthier but just as snatch-the-last-one delicious as the classic version.

Canola Oil

Parker House rolls are known for being rich and buttery. We substituted canola oil for some of the butter to cut back on saturated fat—without sacrificing tenderness. (We tried equal parts butter and oil, but found 2 parts butter to 1 part oil made for the best texture.)

Whole-Wheat Pastry Flour

We originally tested these rolls with white whole-wheat flour, but found that whole-wheat pastry flour—which is more finely milled—made them more pillowy and tender. Bonus: It has about three times the fiber compared to all-purpose white flour.

Low-Fat Milk

Adding milk instead of water lends a hint of sweetness to the rolls thanks to the natural sugars (lactose) it contains. The sugars in milk also cause a Maillard reaction—a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars—that helps make the rolls golden brown.

Instant Yeast

We like instant yeast because it works faster than active dry yeast and doesn't need to be bloomed first (which many bread recipes call for). Simply dump your packet of instant yeast in a bowl with the other ingredients and mix them all together.

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

Directions

Instructions Checklist
  • Place all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar, yeast and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add egg, milk, 4 tablespoons butter and oil. Mix on low until a shaggy dough forms, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-low and continue mixing until smooth but still a bit sticky, about 7 minutes.

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  • Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and set aside until nearly doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch pan with cooking spray. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl in the microwave.

  • Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece of dough into a 12-by-6-inch rectangle. Drizzle and brush with 1/2 teaspoon of the melted butter. Fold in half lengthwise and cut into 4 pieces. Drizzle and brush again with another 1/2 teaspoon butter, then fold each piece in half again to create a roll about 1 1/2 inches square. Transfer the rolls to the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining dough. Brush the rolls with the remaining butter and sprinkle with flaky salt. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

  • Bake the rolls until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

1 roll
156 calories; fat 7g; cholesterol 24mg; sodium 303mg; carbohydrates 20g; dietary fiber 2g; protein 4g; sugars 2g; niacin equivalents 1mg; saturated fat 3g; vitamin a iu 180IU.
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