.jpg)
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes (plus 3 hours for resting)
These buns are a hybrid of two holiday-ready favorites: Parker House rolls and milk bread buns. The former, invented about 150 years ago at Boston’s Parker House Hotel, feature a folded-over shape and lots of melted butter. The latter relies on a tangzhong starter to create their characteristic pillowy texture. (Tangzhong is the Chinese method of precooking a small portion of a recipe’s starch and liquid, like flour and milk, to create a thick paste that then gets integrated with the rest of the dough ingredients.) Here you’ll mash up a milk bread dough with the Parker House folding technique, creating a rich, plush bun that’s as great on its own as it is sopping up gravy and mashed potatoes.
All products featured on Bon Appétit are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through the retail links below, we earn an affiliate commission.
What you’ll need
Stand Mixer
$330 $240 At Amazon
Scale
$26 At Amazon
Pastry Brush
$6 At Amazon
Bench Scraper
$8 At Amazon
13x9" Baking Dish
$20 At Amazon
Small Saucepan
$155 At Amazon
French Wire Whisk
$18 At Amazon
Large Bowl
$18 At Amazon
Ingredients
Makes 24
⅔
3
¼
1
2
3
½
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk ⅔ cup whole milk and 3 Tbsp. (23 g) all-purpose flour in a small saucepan to combine. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and pasty, 2–3 minutes. Transfer mixture (this is your tangzhong) to the bowl of a stand mixer and attach dough hook. Add ¼ cup (50 g) sugar, one ¼-oz. envelope instant yeast (about 2¼ tsp.), 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 2 large eggs, ¾ cup whole milk, and remaining 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 1 minute. Add ½ cup (1 stick) room-temperature butter, cut into pieces, a piece at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition before adding more. When all of the butter has been added, increase speed to medium-high and beat until dough is smooth and supple, about 10 minutes.
Step 2
Transfer dough to a large bowl lightly coated with vegetable oil; turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm, dry spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours. (Or, place in refrigerator and chill until doubled in size, at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours).
Step 3
Brush a 13x9" baking dish well with some of 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled. Punch down dough a couple of times to release air. Portion equally into 24 balls (about 45 g each). Cup your hand over a ball and drag across surface, moving your hand in a circular motion, to create a smooth, tight ball. Turn over so smooth side is facing down. Press out to a 4x2" rectangle and brush with melted butter. Fold in half and place in prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining balls, making sure to arrange buns so folded edges are all facing the same direction. Cover with a kitchen towel; let sit until slightly puffed, 45–60 minutes.
Step 4
Place a rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 350°. Beat remaining 1 large egg and 1 Tbsp. whole milk in a small bowl to combine. Brush over buns, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake, rotating front to back halfway through, until golden brown and tops are crisp to the touch, 35–38 minutes.
Leave a Review
Reviews (4)
Back to TopThe entire stairwell was in tears. The recipe was definitely not quick. It took half a day, and then a whole day for cleaning. Even now, there's a concrete-like bread on the countertop that won't budge. Everyone felt a bit down. The dough was as liquid as a smoothie, and working with it was awful; it stuck even to hands with oil. Dividing it into 24 parts was inconvenient since we don't have a kitchen scale. The bread turned out oversalted, even though we used less salt than the recipe called for. And it ended up looking unattractive. Two hours after making it, the bread became as hard as the dough on the countertop.
Fil
Kazahstan
12/30/2023
We made these for Thanksgiving instead of our usual roll dough. The recipe makes just the right amount for the number of guests at our house with a few left over to make turkey sandwiches. Delicious, buttery, pillowy bread. We will make these again.
Lisa
Kansas
11/26/2023
Made these for thanksgiving to rave reviews - great, cakey texture and loft, amazing depth of flavor. My new go-to parker house roll recipe.
Lauren
New York
11/24/2023
I love this recipe. The rolls are delicious. I baked a batch yesterday and my son said there’re “amazing.” I’ve been baking rolls for a long time and I have to say this recipe is the best. I bake with KAF so I used 480gms(120gms per cup). I only ate Parker House rolls when I was growing up. So like my mother and the recipe directions, I shaped my first batch that way too . However I shaped today’s batch like buns, adding a bit of butter to the middle of each ball of dough. After shaping and freezing individually, they are now in freezer bags ready to go for Thanksgiving.
Bite by Eve
Chicago
11/17/2023
Easy to make and very tasty. I made them to accompany a simple bean soup for dinner, and froze the rest (separated the buns individually and put in a freezer bag). Just thawed a couple and they freeze and thaw perfectly. Great to keep on hand in the freezer for all dinner roll emergencies!
LJ
Chicago
11/14/2023
Made these as a test-run for Thanksgiving, they were delicious and easy to make
Nicole
Richmond, VA
11/1/2023