Parmesan-Black Pepper
Parker House Rolls
The Parker House Hotel in Boston began making these petite, buttery rolls in the 1870’s and since then this iconic recipe has inspired generations of devotees to make their own. As of late, I’ve been obsessing over Half-Baked Harvest’s easy Parker House roll method—they’ve become a regular at my Thanksgiving. In this version, the rolls are layered with nutty parmesan cheese and a generous amount of cracked black pepper, but still have the subtle sweetness and rich, pillowy texture that you expect from a traditional Parker House Roll. I use Rapid Rise yeast for ease, but there are instructions below if you only have active dry on hand. Serve these sweet-and-savory rolls alongside your holiday roast or with homemade soup on a chilly weeknight. Don’t be intimidated by this recipe—it’s a great introductory bread for novice (or impatient) bakers. I use a stand mixer here for ease, but you can also knead the dough by hand.
Makes 12 rolls
3¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 packet Rapid Rise Yeast (preferably Fleischmann’s brand; see Note)
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup whole milk, warmed
1 large egg, at room temperature
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick), at room temperature, plus 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
⅔ cup finely crumbled parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Freshly cracked black pepper, for sprinkling
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish (optional)
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour with the yeast, sugar and salt. Add the milk, egg and the 4 tablespoons of softened butter and mix at medium speed until the flour is fully incorporated, 3 to 4 minutes. If your dough seems sticky, then gradually add more flour, one tablespoon at a time. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature (I like a warm place like my stove top) until almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Brush a 9-by-9-inch metal baking pan with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter.
Lightly flour a work surface and then turn out the dough. Punch the dough down, then divide into two equal portions. Roll each half into a 12-inch square, about ¼-inch thick. Brush each square of dough with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. Sprinkle each half with ⅓ cup of parmesan cheese and then top with a generous amount of cracked pepper. Cut each square into six 2-inch-wide strips.
Roll each strip into a coil and then arrange seam side down in the prepared baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls until puffed and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Finish with more cracked black pepper, parmesan cheese, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and fresh thyme, if using. Serve warm.