In a large mixing bowl (I do this in my kitchen aid mixer), add in the warm water and yeast; stir to dissolve yeast. Sprinkle with a little of the ⅓ cup sugar.

Next, add in 1½ cups of the flour, the rest of the sugar, melted butter or oil, egg, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute, scraping sides of bowl constantly.

Using a wooden spoon or dough hook on the kitchen aid, mix in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough that just starts to pull away from sides of bowl (dough will be slightly sticky).

Coat a 3-quart bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in container; turn once to grease surface of dough. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Lightly grease a 18 x 13 baking sheet.

Separate dough into 24 pieces and roll each piece into a 12 inch rope. Tie each rope into a loose knot and then tuck the bottom end in the top center of the knot and the upper end under to make a rosette shape. Be careful not to overwork dough; it becomes stickier the more you work with it. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (about 45 minutes).

In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, garlic powder, parsley, and parmesan together. Brush mixture over all the rosettes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Serve warm. Makes 2 dozen rosettes.