Soft Sourdough Parker House Dinner Rolls Recipe

Last Updated on November 20, 2024 by TheFarmChicken

What is it about a different shape of roll that makes it feel extra fun and special. The original Parker House Roll goes way back, and I will share a little bit of the history behind them below. I hope you enjoy this spin off the original, my Soft Sourdough Parker House Dinner Rolls Recipe.

So, what is a Parker House Dinner Roll? Think super soft, fluffy, and rich buttery rolls. The traditional way a Parker House Roll is shaped is flattened with a layer of butter and then folded and proofed. You could also shape them as a traditional roll, and they would be just as good. These will perfectly pair with a holiday dinner! I hope you love the step-by-step instructions for these sourdough dinner rolls!

This post may contain Amazon affiliate links or other affiliate links. This is no additional cost to you. Read our full disclosure here.

The History Behind the Parker House Roll:

The Parker House Roll goes way back to a time when soft bread was not really something that people had and that is partly how it became famous. A bread that was enriched with butter, milk and egg.

The name comes from the famous Boston hotel- the Parker House Hotel (now the Omni Parker House) in Boston MA. They were invented kind of by accident in the 1870’s by a baker at the hotel.

Legend has it that the Parker House Roll was created when the disgruntled hotel baker threw the rolls into the oven creating the signature fold.

The Ingredients for Soft Sourdough Parker House Dinner Rolls Recipe

Active Sourdough Starter

This recipe requires an active and bubbly sourdough starter for this recipe. If you don’t have a sourdough starter yet be sure to check out Learning Sourdough with Agnes OR you can purchase some of my starter.

These rolls do not require any commercial yeast.

Bread Flour

You can use bread flour or all-purpose flour for this recipe. Either one you should use an unbleached flour that is a good quality. I like using Dakota Maid flour for my breads and baked goods.

Honey

The touch of honey in this recipe brings such a lovely sweetness to these rolls. I love that along with bringing a sweetness to the rolls the honey helps the starter flourish making these rolls soft and oh so fluffy!

If you want an extra honey butter flavor to your rolls be sure to slather honey butter on top of the freshly baked rolls. More on this below.

Mashed Potatoes

A little secret ingredient for adding softness and flavor. You can use leftover mashed potatoes if you have them. I usually will freeze any leftover mashed potatoes that way I can use them for recipes like this one or my Sourdough Potato Bread.

NOTE: If you have really liquid mashed potatoes, I would cut back the milk by 25g.

Butter

Part of the softness to these rolls comes from the butter that is incorporated into the dough. Butter is a common ingredient for enriched doughs (which this is). You also need the butter for the layer inside and to slather the tops of the rolls.

Egg

This recipe takes one egg and does not require an egg wash. The rolls turn a nice golden brown without the need for an egg wash on top.

Whole Milk

You could also use 2% milk for this recipe.

Sea Salt

To balance the sweet. You should be able to use whatever your favorite salt is if you don’t have sea salt.

Honey Butter Rolls:

If you would like these rolls to burst with honey flavor, follow the directions below and you will have the softest rolls that are sweet and lovely.

Baking Schedule for Sourdough Parker House Rolls:

The best schedule for having soft fluffy freshly baked rolls for your mid-day meal or celebration!

1(starter day):

Feed your starter before bed.

2(mixing & shaping day):

8-10 AM Mix up dough
11 AM Complete 2 coil folds
12 PM Place in fridge
9 PM Shape and set at room temperature to proof overnight

3 (bake day):

The next day when the rolls are puffy and risen to the top of the pan bake and enjoy!

Other Recipes to Try:

Ways to Use the Parker House Dinner Roll:

As a dinner roll
For sliders
Sliced for mini French toast
For breakfast with butter and jam

Pin for Later:

Soft Sourdough Parker House Dinner Rolls Recipe

½ cup (125g) active sourdough starter
5 ¼ cups (600g) bread flour
¼ cup (85g) honey
½ cup (75g) mashed potatoes
8 T (120g) butter, softened
4 T (60g) butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 ¼ cup (300g) whole or 2% milk
1 ½ tsp (8g) sea salt

Instructions for Soft Sourdough Parker House Dinner Rolls:

First, in a large bowl of a stand mixer combine the sourdough starter, milk, and honey. Mix by hand or with a Danish dough whisk until combined.
Next, add the mashed potatoes, flour, and egg and mix on a low speed until you form a shaggy dough.
At this point you will let the dough rest for 20 minutes, this is a fermentolyse.
After the 20-minute rest add the salt and start your mixer with the dough hook attachment on the lowest setting. As it is kneading you will add 8 T butter to the dough a little at a time.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Knead for a total of 15-20 minutes until the dough passes the windowpane test.
Next, take the dough and transfer it to a greased mixing bowl. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes and complete a coil fold. Cover, let rest for another 30 minutes and then preform the second and final coil fold.
Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 6-10 hours or overnight. This is a tacky dough. Chilling the dough makes it much easier to work with.

Shaping the rolls:

On a clean work surface, remove the dough onto the counter and divide into 24 equal pieces.
One way to get even pieces is to weigh the dough and then divide that by 24. It is about 55 grams per roll. Or you can just eyeball it!
Once you have the dough divided out, take and roll each on the counter forming tension on the dough ball tops.
Now you can continue two different ways…one you can just place the shaped rolls in a greased 9”x13” pan. Put them in 6×4.
Or for the signature Parker House style roll follow the steps below:
On a lightly floured surface take a rolling pin and roll out a roll into an oval shape.
Then in a small bowl, melt the butter and brush it liberally on the rolls. Fold it over most of the way. Like two-thirds of the way. (See Picture)
Place the shaped rolls slightly laying on each other, seam side down in a 9”x13” pan. You will want 6 rolls across and 4 down.
After you have finished shaping the rolls you will cover them with greased plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise. The final rise can take anywhere from 6 hours in a warm environment to 10 in a cool environment.
NOTE: If you are baking them in the morning for a midday meal it is best to leave them at room temperature on the counter overnight at 69-71 degrees. The rise time can vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

Baking the Parker House Rolls:

Once the rolls have risen to the top of the pan preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack. Slather the tops of the rolls with either butter or honey and butter that have been mixed together (1/4 cup butter and ¼ cup honey).
For best results serve while still warm!

Reheating instructions:

If you have leftovers they reheat well. Place in a casserole dish with the lid on and place in a preheated 400-degree oven for 10 minutes.

NOTES:

How to do a coil fold:

Take both hands and reach under the center of the dough. Pick up the dough stretching it up and folding it under. Turn the bowl by a quarter turn and repeat until the dough starts to stiffen and not stretch anymore.

Make ahead tip:

If you need to make these ahead of time do so but wait to add the melted butter to the top. You can reheat covered in a 400-degree oven for about 10 minutes and then add the butter/butter and honey!

~Don’t worry if they don’t seem to rise much at first. With the ingredients that are added to the dough it takes a little bit for them to start rising but after they do they rise fairly quick.

Makes: 24 Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

½ cup (125g) active sourdough starter
5 ¼ cups (600g) bread flour
¼ cup (85g) honey
½ cup (75g) mashed potatoes
8 T (120g) butter softened
4 T (60g) butter melted
1 egg lightly beaten
1 ¼ cup (300g) whole or 2% milk
1 ½ tsp (8g) sea salt

Instructions

Instructions for Soft Sourdough Parker House Dinner Rolls:

First, in a large bowl of a stand mixer combine the sourdough starter, milk, and honey. Mix by hand or with a Danish dough whisk until combined.
Next, add the mashed potatoes, flour, and egg and mix on a low speed until you form a shaggy dough.
At this point you will let the dough rest for 20 minutes, this is a fermentolyse.
After the 20-minute rest add the salt and start your mixer with the dough hook attachment on the lowest setting. As it is kneading you will add 8 T butter to the dough a little at a time.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Knead for a total of 15-20 minutes until the dough passes the windowpane test.
Next, take the dough and transfer it to a greased mixing bowl. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes and complete a coil fold. Cover, let rest for another 30 minutes and then preform the second and final coil fold.
Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 6-10 hours or overnight. This is a tacky dough. Chilling the dough makes it much easier to work with.

Shaping the rolls:

On a clean work surface, remove the dough onto the counter and divide into 24 equal pieces.
One way to get even pieces is to weigh the dough and then divide that by 24. It is about 55 grams per roll. Or you can just eyeball it!
Once you have the dough divided out, take and roll each on the counter forming tension on the dough ball tops.
Now you can continue two different ways…one you can just place the shaped rolls in a greased 9”x13” pan. Put them in 6×4.
Or for the signature Parker House style roll follow the steps below:
On a lightly floured surface take a rolling pin and roll out a roll into an oval shape.
Then in a small bowl, melt the butter and brush it liberally on the rolls. Fold it over most of the way. Like two-thirds of the way. (See Picture)
Place the shaped rolls slightly laying on each other, seam side down in a 9”x13” pan. You will want 6 rolls across and 4 down.
After you have finished shaping the rolls you will cover them with greased plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise. The final rise can take anywhere from 6 hours in a warm environment to 10 in a cool environment.
NOTE: If you are baking them in the morning for a midday meal it is best to leave them at room temperature on the counter overnight at 69-71 degrees. The rise time can vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

Baking the Parker House Rolls:

Once the rolls have risen to the top of the pan preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack. Slather the tops of the rolls with either butter or honey and butter that have been mixed together (1/4 cup butter and ¼ cup honey).
For best results serve while still warm!

Reheating instructions:

If you have leftovers they reheat well. Place in a casserole dish with the lid on and place in a preheated 400-degree oven for 10 minutes.

Notes

NOTES:

How to do a coil fold: Take both hands and reach under the center of the dough. Pick up the dough stretching it up and folding it under. Turn the bowl by a quarter turn and repeat until the dough starts to stiffen and not stretch anymore.

Make ahead tip: If you need to make these ahead of time do so but wait to add the melted butter to the top. You can reheat covered in a 400-degree oven for about 10 minutes and then add the butter/butter and honey!

-Don’t worry if they don’t seem to rise much at first. With the ingredients that are added to the dough it takes a little bit for them to start rising but after they do they rise fairly quick.

Servings: 24 rolls

I hope you enjoy this great recipe for soft sourdough dinner rolls. They are the perfect pairing to a holiday meal or serve for a breakfast treat with butter and jam. These are sure to become a family favorite to share around your dinner table. You can leave a comment or questions below.

Happy Baking,

Mariah Nienhuis | TheFarmChicken

Casting all your care upon him; for He careth for you.
1 Peter 5:7

Shop This Post

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where did the Parker House Rolls originate?

Parker House Rolls originated in Boston at the Parker House Hotel.

What is the difference between dinner rolls and Parker House rolls?

The biggest difference is the signature fold over shape of a Parker House roll. Almost like the fold of a pocketbook. They also have a fun history.

Can you reheat sourdough Parker House Rolls?

Yes! Simply put them in a casserole dish with the lid on and heat in a 400-degree oven for about 10 minutes. You can add butter to the tops again if desired.