Artificial Food Coloring Free Classic Parker House Rolls
Soft, pillowy, and golden-brown with a buttery fold that practically pulls itself apart, these rolls are the kind of thing that disappears from the table before dinner is even served. Every ingredient here is exactly what it sounds like — flour, milk, egg, butter, yeast, sugar, and salt — with zero synthetic dyes or mystery additives hiding in the mix. That matters more than you might think, since even packaged dinner rolls can sneak in artificial colorings to achieve that picture-perfect hue. Here, the gorgeous amber crust comes entirely from the egg wash effect of the dough itself and those generous brushings of real melted butter. The folded shape isn't just charming — it creates a soft, layered interior that soaks up even more butter as the rolls finish baking. Whether you're feeding a crowd at a holiday table or just want something homemade and wholesome on a weeknight, these rolls deliver serious bakery-level results from a completely clean ingredient list.
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Learn more →Ingredients
12 servings
For the dough
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup warm water (105–110°f / 40–43°c)
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar, divided
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 large egg
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
For brushing
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until it just begins to steam, about 2–3 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool until it is warm to the touch but not hot (around 105–110°F / 40–43°C). Combine the warm milk and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast and 1 tsp of the sugar over the liquid and let stand until foamy and fragrant, about 5–10 minutes.
- 2
Add the remaining sugar, flour, salt, and egg to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes, then increase to medium speed and knead for 4 minutes.
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