Parker House Rolls

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Stir together warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar, and yeast in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

   Step 2

   Melt 6 Tbsp. butter in a small saucepan. Add milk and heat to lukewarm. Stir together yeast mixture, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, butter mixture, bread flour, and salt in a bowl with a wooden spoon until combined well, then stir in enough all-purpose flour to make a slightly sticky dough that forms a ball.

   Step 3

   Butter a large bowl. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface, kneading in more all-purpose flour if dough is too sticky, 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic but still slightly sticky. Form into a ball and put in buttered bowl. Turn to coat with butter, then let dough rise in bowl, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

   Step 4

   Butter a 13x9" baking pan. Divide dough into 20 equal pieces and roll into balls. Arrange evenly in 4 rows of 5 in pan and let rise, covered loosely, in a warm place 45 minutes, or until almost doubled in bulk. Make a deep crease down center of each row of rolls using length of a floured chopstick or side of a ruler. Let rolls rise, covered loosely, 15 minutes.

   Step 5

   Preheat oven to 375°F.

   Step 6

   Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter and cool slightly. Brush tops of rolls with butter and bake in middle of oven until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rolls cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool to warm.

   Do Ahead: You can make rolls 1 day ahead and keep, wrapped well in foil, at room temperature. Reheat in foil in a preheated 375°F oven 15 to 20 minutes.
   
   Editor's note: This recipe was originally printed in the November 1999 issue of Gourmet and first appeared on Epicurious in August 2004. Head this way for more of our best Thanksgiving recipes →