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ingredients

Dough
1 package active dry yeast
11/2 cups warm water (105° to 115°)
5 cups sifted all-purpose flour, divided into 4 cups and 1 cup
1/2 cup sugar
11/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup shortening, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Extras
1/2 cup butter, melted
11/4 cups all-purpose flour (for rolling)

Equipment

  • 4 (8-inch) round cake pans, lightly greased
  • Rolling Pin
  • 2-inch biscuit cutter
  • 2-cup liquid measuring cup
  • Oven: Place your rack in the center. Midway through the second rise you’ll preheat to 400°F.

Instructions

Make the Dough: With this recipe, as with most, it’s important to measure out all your ingredients before combining.

  1. First, to activate the yeast, combine the yeast and warm water in the 2-cup liquid measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes.
  2. Then, in a large bowl, combine & stir together 4 cups of the divided flour, sugar, and salt.
  3. Once the yeast is activated (you should see some foaming on the top of the water), stir the yeast mixture and shortening into the flour mixture. Add the eggs and the remaining 1 cup of flour and stir vigorously until well-blended. (Do not knead. Dough will be soft and sticky.)
    Brush or lightly rub the dough with some of the melted butter. Cover loosely; let rise in a warm place (85°) until doubled in size, (Because the dough is so soft, this will take 1½ to 2 hours).

Prepare the Rolls:

  1. Once the dough has risen, sift ¾ cup flour in a thick layer evenly over your work surface; turn dough out onto floured surface. (Dough will be soft. Do not knead.) Sift ½ cup flour evenly over dough and roll the dough to ½-inch thickness; brush off excess flour.
  2. Cut out dough using a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter, cutting the rounds as close together as pos­sible. Once you can’t cut anymore, lightly press the rem­nants of dough together, and reroll to ½-inch thickness; continue cutting the dough into rounds.
  3. Pull each round into an oval, approximately 2½ inches long. Dip 1 side of oval into melted butter. Fold oval in half with but­tered side facing out. (Floured side will form the famous Parkerhouse pocket.)
  4. For each of the greased pans, place the folds of 10 rolls against the side of the pan to create an outer ring. (The pocket side of each roll will be facing the center). Press the front seam of rolls together gently to seal. Place 5 rolls to create an inner circle, and finally 1 roll in center for a total of 16 rolls per pan. Cover loosely, and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

Recipe yields 64 rolls.

(Depending on the size of the dough after the first rise, the size when rolled out, and the size of the biscuit cutter; you may not always end up with 64 rolls. Don’t worry if it only makes 3 pans.)

Bake: Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake rolls, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool in pans on a wire rack.

Enjoy!: Serve warm. Divide among your loved ones and be satisfied. And remember while eating these that Jesus is the Bread of Life.

Leftovers: Freeze up to 3 months. To reheat frozen rolls: Preheat oven to 300°. Remove pan from freezer bag, and cover pan loosely with aluminum foil. Place pan on center rack of oven and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 additional minutes or until lightly browned.