Garlic Thyme Parker House Rolls

1. Add the butter, garlic and thyme to a small skillet. Heat over medium low to medium heat until butter melts and is a little bubbly and thyme and garlic are fragrant. (don’t brown the garlic). Remove from heat and let cool.
2. In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, potato flakes, salt and sugar. Whisk to combine and set aside.
3. Add the milk to a 2 cup glass measuring cup and microwave in 30 second bursts to take the chill off the milk. (You don’t want the milk to go over 115 degrees otherwise, it could kill the yeast.)
4. Add the butter mixture and egg to the milk and whisk to combine.Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and mix together until combined. Knead for 7 minutes if using a dough hook and stand mixer or knead for 10 minutes by hand, until dough is smooth.
5. Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a clean dish towel. Let rise for 90 minutes.
6. Divide the dough in half.On a lightly greased work surface, roll or pat the dough into a 8” x 12”rectangle. Use a pizza cutter to cut that dough in half to form two 4” x 12” rectangles.Brush the dough with 3/4 tablespoons of the melted butter, then gently fold one half of the dough over the other, vertically, leaving the bottom dough protruding about 1/2” more than the top.Do the same with the other rectangle of dough.
7. Use the pizza cutter to cut the rectangles into 3” lengths. Arrange the dough in a lightly greased 13 x 9” pan so that the longer edge of the rolls goes along the longer edge of the pan. Repeat with the other half of the dough. and fill the rest of the pan with the remainder of the rolls so there are 4 rows of 4 rolls each. Lightly brush the tops of the rolls with 3/4 tablespoon  melted butter
8. Cover with a dish towel and let rise an additional 45 minutes to an hour. Towards the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 350°.
9. Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. 

FINISHING GARLIC HERB PARKER HOUSE ROLLS RECIPE:

1. Traditional Parker House rolls are brushed with melted butter just before serving. (That's what I've done here)
2. For more garlic herb flavor on the soft dinner rolls, melt the butter in a pan over medium low heat and add the additional chopped garlic and thyme. Cook for about a minute, just to soften the garlic and take away some of the bite, then brush the garlic herb butter over the hot rolls and serve.