Lion House Rolls
These famous lion house rolls are so fluffy! They have the perfect hint of sweetness, and saltiness from the melted butter brushed on top!
As you already know, this roll recipe is called “lion house rolls”. So, me being “The Hungry Lyoness” and my last name being “Lyon”, it was only right to try and make these rolls!
Now, I don’t know if it’s because thanksgiving is coming up or what, but I’ve been hearing a lot about “Parker House rolls”. On Food network, Pinterest, scrolling through Facebook. I got curious, so I googled them and a few recipes came up, and some history. Parker House rolls originated in the Parker House hotel (now the omni) in downtown Boston. Guests always raved about their rolls. You can find a recipe here for them https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/parker-house-rolls-recipe?utm_source=ec151122&utm_campaign=sunday_content&utm_content=thanksgiving-rolls&go=EC151122_R2&uid=MTE1NDE0MDUwNDcS1&utm_medium=email&&e=anbr72@gmail.com&spMailingID=8278370&spUserID=MTE1NDE0MDUwNDcS1&spJobID=802156048&spReportId=ODAyMTU2MDQ4S0
I then went on Pinterest and typed them in the search to find a recipe to make them. Thats when a recipe popped up for lion house rolls. I immediately thought “screw the Parker House rolls, I need to make these lion house rolls”! The name got to me. We share the same name in our title! Just spelt differently. But still cool!
These famous Lion House Rolls originated in The Lion House restaurant in Salt Lake City, Utah back in 1865! So these rolls are pretty old!
I gathered all of my ingredients, and got to baking!
Speaking of ingredients, I didn’t happen to have one ingredient needed, which was dry milk. So I kinda did my own thing, which you’ll see in the ingredients list and steps!
I make bread often. Pretty much every recipe I follow calls for instant yeast. This recipes calls for active dry yeast. It doesn’t seem to dissolve as well. I just wanted to add in that when I mixed together my yeast and warm milk, the yeast clumped up. So if that happens to you, don’t panic! Your rolls should still turn out fine. Mine did!
When you let your dough rise for 1 hour, it will double in size, and look airy and stretchy, if you will. You want a nice smooth dough. Not tacky or sticky.
This was my first time ever making these rolls, so naturally they aren’t going to be perfect. I rolled my dough out into an oval shape, but realized as I was cutting it into strips that my ends were going to be small rolls.
So, you might want to roll your dough out more into a rectangle shape as much as you can.
My batch made 18 rolls. I guess it depends how thick you cut the pieces.
roll each strip up into a spiral, and place on a lined baking sheet. They have to rise again for another 45 minutes.
At this point, I was pretty excited. The dough was this perfect smooth and soft texture and they smelt amazing! Not to mention they look adorable.
Then the magic happens. You bake them, brush them with melted butter, and you get these amazing, soft and buttery rolls!
These guys would be PERFECT for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner!
Even a dinner party for any occasion, or just because. Wow your guests with these guys!
If you enjoy making bread just as much as I do, make sure to check out one of my favorite recipes for honey brioche bread! https://thehungrylyoness.com/2019/11/10/flaky-honey-brioche-bread/
Lion House Rolls
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Half and Half, warmed to a temperature of (105°-110°)
- 1½ Cups Water
- 2 tbsp Active Dry Yeast
- 1/4 Cup Sugar
- 2 tsp Salt
- 6 tbsp Salted Butter, softened
- 1 Egg
- 5 Cups All Purpose Flour, or Bread Flour
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 2 tbsp Butter, melted (for brushing tops of rolls after baked)
Instructions
- In a microwave safe bowl, add half and half and water. Heat for about 45 seconds. Using a cooking thermometer, check to make sure its between 105°-110°. If you dont happen to have a thermometer, heat up for 45 seconds for a guesstimate. Mine took 45 seconds to heat to desired temperature.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add water and half and half. Sprinkle yeast in and mix together. Let sit for a few minutes. The yeast may clump up like mine did. Thats ok, my rolls still came out great!
- Add in your sugar, salt, butter, egg and 3 cups of flour. Using a dough hook attachment, mix on low speed for 3 minutes. If you dont have a stand mixer or dough hook attachment, you can use a wooden spoon to mix everything. Or your hands!
- Add 2 more cups of flour to bowl and mix on low until well combined and wet.
- You dont want dough to be too sticky or tacky. If thats the case, add 1/2 cup of flour until dough isnt sticky.
- Scrape dough off sides of the bowl and add vegetable oil to sides of bowl.
- Turn dough around and get it coated in the oil to help prevent it from drying out during the rise process.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.
- On a well floured surface, roll dough out into a rectangle/oval shape.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut dough in half, horizontally and then cut into about 18 strips that are about 2 inches wide.
- Roll strips up and place on a lined baking sheet. Let rise for another 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Bake rolls in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until your rolls start to brown on top. If you want them to have a nice dark brown color, leave in for longer.
- When done and out of oven, brush with some melted butter.
- Enjoy!
Notes
