Homemade Crescent Rolls

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These Homemade Crescent Rolls are so soft and buttery they almost melt in your mouth. Made with just a handful of ingredients, these crescent yeast rolls are a welcome addition to any table, no matter the occasion.

Close-up of a plate of homemade crescent rolls

The Best Homemade Crescent Rolls Recipe

Is it really a holiday if there’s not at least one type of homemade rolls on the table? I think not. While we love biscuits and dinner rolls too, there’s nothing quite like a soft, buttery crescent roll fresh from the oven. Add a bit of butter or dip it in some gravy on your plate and it’s utter perfection.

Before you run to the store and grab a can of Pillsbury, I encourage you to try this homemade crescent roll recipe instead. These require just 6 ingredients and I can guarantee you have most in your pantry already. And, as far as yeast roll recipes goes, this one is quite easy to make. You’ll need to allot time for the dough to chill and rise, but otherwise, the prep time goes quickly!

Angled view of a baking sheet of homemade crescent rolls

What’s The Difference Between Crescent Rolls and Croissants?

Though they may appear similar, crescent rolls and croissants are two different things. Crescent rolls are a yeast roll, while croissants are a pastry. They are made with some similar ingredients but a different process. Crescent rolls are made with yeast which allows the dough to rise and creates a light texture. Croissants are made with laminated dough (dough layered with butter) for a flaky texture.

Crescent roll ingredients

Recipe Ingredients

All of the crescent roll ingredients needed for this recipe are likely already in your cupboard. You’ll need just a handful of pantry staples plus yeast to make these buttery rolls.

  • Warm water – Warm, not hot, water is essential. Water that’s too hot will kill the yeast.
  • Active dry yeast – Yeast does expire, so always check the expiration date. If it doesn’t dissolve in the first step, get new yeast and try again.
  • Butter – For the dough, as well as some extra for brushing over the baked rolls.
  • Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Salt
  • Flour

How to Make Crescent Rolls from Scratch

This is a yeast rolls recipe, which means that you’ll need to allow the dough to rise and chill before baking. Altogether, you’ll need to set aside about 4 and a half hours to make your cresent rolls – but much of that time is inactive rise time.

  • Prepare the yeast. Mix 1/4 cup of warm water with the yeast. Set aside to dissolve.
  • Make the dough. Mix together the butter, water, sugar, eggs, salt, and dissolved yeast mixture until well combined. Slowly add the flour. Mix until fully combined and the dough is smooth but sticky.
  • Chill the dough. Let the dough sit on the counter for 30 minutes, then push it down to get rid of air bubbles. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
  • Shape the rolls. Divide the dough in half. Roll out each half into a circle and cut into 12 triangle. Roll each triangle starting at the large end. Transfer to the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
  • Allow the rolls to rise. Cover the baking sheet of rolls with a towel and allow to rise in a warm place until double in size (about 2-3 hours).
  • Bake. Bake the crescent rolls for 7 to 10 minutes, until beautifully golden brown.
  • Serve. Brush with melted butter while warm and enjoy.
A plate of homemade crescent rolls

Can Crescent Roll Dough Be Made The Night Before?

As much as I love making things in advance, I do not recommend making this crescent roll dough a day in advance and refrigerating it overnight. The longer it sits in the fridge, the stickier it becomes and if it’s left there overnight, it can become too sticky to work with.

For the best crescent rolls (and the easiest time shaping them), refrigerate the dough for no more than 3 hours.

A pile of crescent rolls, the top one with a bite missing

Tips & FAQs

Here are a few tips for making these buttery crescent rolls.

  • How to easily work with the dough. If the dough becomes too thick to stir normally, I like to use a folding motion to continue stirring. It will seem lumpy at first but smooth out and become more of a dough as you continue mixing.
  • Do not add extra flour. This crescent roll dough is very sticky when you finish stirring in the flour. That’s the way it should be for light and soft yeast rolls. Do not add any extra flour, as you can end up with dense and heavy rolls instead.
  • What’s the easiest way to cut the dough into 12 equal triangles? To cut the dough into 12 triangles, start with a cross so that you have 4 equal sections. Then divide each of those sections into thirds. I like to use a pizza cut to do this.
  • How can I make the yeast rolls rise faster? To make the rolls rise faster, turn on the oven to 375°F and set the trays on top of the stove or set them next to a sunny window
  • Do I have to chill the dough? Yes, chilling the dough is necessary to make the dough easier to work with and it provides a better flavor since the dough rises more slowly!
A hand holding a homemade crescent roll

What to Serve with These Homemade Rolls

These light, buttery crescent rolls are perfect for holiday meals, next to the turkey and ham. I love to use them to soak up every bit of gravy on the plate!

Or serve them as a side to dishes like cube steak with gravy and chicken and gravy. They make a nice alternative to biscuits if you prefer a lighter texture.

You can also use these to make a sandwich, whether you make a twist on a ham and cheese slider or fill them with egg salad, tuna salad, or chicken salad. Or just stay classic with some peanut butter and jelly. Nutella is great if you’re craving something sweet too. If you have leftovers after the holidays, try stuffing them with turkey, gravy, and even stuffing.

The corner of a baking sheet of homemade crescent rolls

How to Store

To keep your crescent rolls soft and fresh, store them in an airtight container on the counter. They’ll last for 3 to 4 days.

Can I Freeze Homemade Crescent Rolls?

Absolutely! Just keep them in a freezer container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes on the lowest setting.

More Homemade Rolls:

Homemade Crescent Rolls Feature
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Homemade Crescent Rolls

These Homemade Crescent Rolls are so soft and buttery they almost melt in your mouth. Made with just a handful of ingredients, these yeast rolls are a welcome addition to any table, no matter the occasion.
Servings: 24 rolls
Prep: 45 minutes
Cook: 7 minutes
Chill & Rising Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Total: 5 hours 22 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ¼ cup warm water divided
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • ½ cup butter, melted (1 stick)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 3 eggs well beaten
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 ½ cups flour
  • Additional melted butter for topping

Instructions

  • Mix ¼ cup warm water and yeast in a small bowl and set aside until dissolved (about 5 minutes).
  • In a large bowl with a spoon or a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, add melted butter, remaining 1 cup warm water, sugar, beaten eggs, salt, and the dissolved yeast mixture. Mix together until well combined.
  • Gradually add the flour into the mixture. Mix until flour is fully combined and the dough is smooth. No additional kneading is required. The dough will be very sticky but don’t add any extra flour.
  • Let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes, then push/fold it down to get rid of air bubbles. Spray plastic wrap with cooking spray and cover bowl with wrap. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours (not overnight).
  • Grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Divide dough into 2 halves. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each dough half in a circle like a pizza to be ⅛-¼ inch thick (add flour to rolling pin if dough is sticking). If using paper to roll it out on, use parchment and not wax paper. Cut into 12 equal triangles.
  • Tightly roll each triangle starting at the large end to form the crescent. Place on the baking sheet, point side down (place rolls about 2 inches apart – 12 rolls per pan). Cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours or until double in size (rising time will depend on the ambient temperature).
  • Bake at 375°F for 7-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
  • Brush with melted butter and serve!

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Nutrition

Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 136mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 148IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

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