Potato Dinner Rolls with Charred Onion Butter

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

If you’ve eaten around Boston, you’ve probably run into a Parker House roll, the delicious, pillowy dinner roll, made famous by accident when (as the story goes) an angry baker gave up on shaping them. These potato rolls incorporate the same decadent crumb by using some food science. Adding mashed potatoes to the dough increases the amount of starch and therefore the rolls hold onto extra moisture as they bake. The result: a softer, more generous bread with a longer shelf life. Slather these rolls with butter and try customizing it with any herbs or greens you have around the kitchen. I opted for a charred onion butter!

Makes 12 rolls

FOR THE ROLLS:
1 pound Yukon Gold or russet potatoes
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
4½ cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
3½ tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons salted butter, softened
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon salted butter, melted

FOR THE CHARRED ONION BUTTER:
1 yellow onion
6 tablespoons salted butter, softened
pinch salt, to taste

To make the rolls, rinse, peel and roughly chop the potatoes. Add the potatoes to a small pot of boiling water and let cook until fork-tender, about 13 minutes. Reserve ¾ cup of the water before draining. Use a potato ricer or masher to create a smooth and uniform potato mash. Spread the mixture onto a plate and let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, add the reserved potato water (cooled), yeast, sugar, mashed potatoes, eggs, salt and flour. Beat on a medium speed until everything is incorporated, about 3–4 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides if necessary. Once no dry spots remain, add the butter and mix on medium speed for an additional 10 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, about 90 grams each. Shape each roll by placing one hand in a downward C shape over each dough ball, with your palm resting on the table. With firm and equal pressure, move your hand in a clockwise rotation to shape each roll, about 10 rotations. The goal is to create a tight and uniform dough ball.

Arrange the shaped rolls in a buttered 9- by 13-inch baking dish, so they just touch each other. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for about 90 minutes, or until almost tripled in size.

While the rolls are rising, make the charred onion butter: Peel and cut the onion in half lengthwise, then separate the layers of the onion and add them directly to a hot cast-iron skillet or in the oven broiler for 3–5 minutes, until slightly burnt. Once cool, blend the onions in a food processor. Add the onion mixture to the softened butter with a sprinkle of salt, then mix and refrigerate.

Bake rolls at 350°F for 25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven, brush with 1 teaspoon unsalted butter and sprinkle with salt. Serve with the charred onion butter at the table.

This recipe appeared in the Fall 2026 issue as part of a larger story, Traditional Dishes Reimagined with the New England Fall Harvest.