Homemade Crescent Rolls
Homemade crescent rolls are slightly sweet and pillowy-soft, lightly crusty on the outside and fluffy, and buttery on the inside. A great make-ahead dinner roll or perfect bread for stuffing!
Post-Christmas last year, I tried my hand at these sweet, soft, buttery homemade crescent rolls. Honestly, I wasn’t that confident about making these because I still get nervous about buttery dough. But the bread lover in me screamed for the adventure!
Boy, I was thankful I didn’t let the fear stop me. These beauties were easier to make than I thought and way better than store-bought ones.
Crescent Rolls vs. Croissants
Believe it or not, some people use these terms interchangeably. I guess it’s because they have the same shape, but that’s where it ends. Croissants are flakier and lighter than crescent rolls. Plus, they have lots of butter and are folded several times to create flaky layers.
On the other hand, crescent rolls are easier to make and have less baking time. Buttery and crispy on the outside, yet soft and fluffy on the inside. And oh, they make an incredible dinner roll ideal for filling with your favorite savory or sweet stuffing.
How to Make Crescent Rolls
- Activate Yeast – Combine water and yeast in the stand mixer bowl with a dough hook. Or use a large bowl if making it by hand. Let it sit until the yeast dissolves for about 5 minutes. (Photo 1)
- Liquids – Mix the milk, butter pieces, sugar, and salt in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for about a minute, stirring occasionally until everything melts. Be careful not to heat it over 115℉ (46 ℃) or it will kill the yeast. (Photo 2)
- Pour the butter mixture into the large bowl or stand mixer (it should be lukewarm; if not, let it sit until it is). Whisk in the eggs and combine thoroughly. (Photo 3)
- Add Flour – Gradually add about 3¾ cups of flour and continue mixing on low, adding just enough flour to form a soft dough. If mixing by hand, place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead for 6-8 minutes. (Photos 4-6)
- Rise – Place your crescent roll dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover the bowl loosely with a clean, damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for an hour or two or until doubled. Punch it down. (Photos 7-8)
- Roll – Divide the dough in half on a lightly floured surface. Then, roll each half out into 12-inch circles; cut into 12-16 wedges (like a pizza). At this point, you could add a spoonful of filling on the wide end (see the variations below for ideas). (Photos 9-14)
- Roll up the wedges, starting at the wide end, and bend to form a crescent shape. Spray a baking sheet pan with oil or butter, and place the crescent rolls on the oiled pan about ½-1 inches apart. Cover lightly with a damp kitchen towel and let them rise for about 30 minutes or until they look puffy. (Photo 15)
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ (205℃) while the crescent rolls are rising.
- Bake – Brush the tops with butter. Place them into the oven and bake until golden brown, 12-14 minutes. Serve warm with the remaining butter if desired. (Photo 16)
Recipe Variations
- Stuffed Crescent Rolls – For a savory treat, stuff them with bacon, scrambled eggs, and cheddar cheese; pulled pork; or pepperoni and cheese. For dessert, stuff them with apple butter and cinnamon, Nutella and banana, or strawberries and cream cheese.
- Herby Goodness – Brush the unbaked rolls with melted butter seasoned with dried herbs and shredded cheese.
- Dessert Crescent Rolls – Sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar straight out of the oven so it sticks. It’s an easy cinnamon roll substitute.
Tips and Tricks
- If you want to make your crescent rolls extra flaky, laminate the dough. That’s a fancy word for folding the dough and brushing it with melted butter between each fold. Repeat this process 3-4 times.
- Refrain from overworking the dough to avoid tough crescent rolls.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into triangles because a dull knife will tear the dough.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
If you want to make your crescent rolls ahead, make them as instructed, assemble them, let them rise, and flash-freeze them.
Line a baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper and place them on it. Freeze for about 30 minutes (or until they’re firm). Then, transfer the frozen crescent rolls to a ziplock freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months.
You can stick them directly in the oven straight from the freezer for a quick crescent roll fix. Heat the oven to 400℉ (205℃) and bake for about 15 minutes.
To store leftover homemade crescent rolls, let them cool completely. Cover them in plastic wrap and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Or freeze them on a baking sheet in a single layer for an hour or two. Then, transfer the frozen crescent rolls to a ziplock freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. Take out as many as you want and reheat them in the oven.
FAQs
This crescent roll recipe is easier than you think. Divide the dough in half (you can also freeze it this time). Roll each dough ball into a ⅛-inch thick and 12-inch wide circle.
Cut it in half with a sharp knife or pizza cutter, and then cut it in half crosswise. Repeat until you have eight pieces, just like a pizza.
Wet the center where the points come together so the end sticks to the roll when you’re done. Roll the wedges, starting with the wide part and rolling them to the tip. Press the point so it sticks, then curve it into the trademark crescent shape. Done!
Both are delicious and versatile; one can substitute the other in a pinch. Crescent rolls are a yeast-based bread, while puff pastry has lots of butter with the usual flour and water. The texture and taste differ slightly, so expect a variation if you use one instead of the other.
Crescent roll dough is versatile for both sweet and savory recipes. It makes incredible pigs in a blanket, sausage pinwheels, pizza bites, and breakfast sandwiches. For a sweet tooth, it makes a great pie crust for any pie filling, fruit turnover crust, and a quick strudel.
What to Serve With Crescent Rolls
Serve these as a side with some smoked chicken and a Greek salad for a light dinner option. Or have these warm, brushed with some garlic butter.
These also make for great desserts. Serve with some caramel sauce to dip them in for a real treat!
More Savory Bread Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in November 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, gorgeous photos, and a new video.
Homemade Crescent Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (9g) instant yeast
- ½ cup (120ml) warm water (110℉/45℃)
- ½ cup (120ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120g) butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) white sugar
- 1 teaspoon (6g) salt
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups (480g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (42g) melted unsalted butter, for topping
Instructions
- Combine water and yeast in the stand mixer bowl and let sit for about five minutes or until yeast dissolves. If you don't have a stand mixer and are making it by hand, put them in a large bowl.
- Meanwhile, combine milk, butter, sugar, and salt in a microwave-safe medium bowl and microwave for about a minute. Stir until the butter and sugar melt. If the mixture gets too hot, let it cool to lukewarm so it doesn't kill the yeast.
- Pour the butter mixture into the large bowl or stand mixer. Thoroughly mix (it should be lukewarm) and whisk in the eggs.
- Gradually add about 3¾ cups of flour and continue mixing the dough on low, adding just enough flour to form a soft dough.
- If mixing by hand, remove the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Knead for 6-8 minutes.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm place for 1½-2 hours or until doubled. Punch the dough down.
- Lightly flour your work surface and divide the dough in half. Form a ball with each half, roll them into 12-inch rounds, and cut them into 16 wedges. Roll up wedges, starting from the wide end, to form a crescent shape.
- Spray the baking sheet pan with oil or butter, then place crescent rolls on the oiled pan ½-1” apart. Cover lightly with a kitchen towel and let rise for about 30 minutes or until the dough is puffy.
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Brush crescent rolls with butter. Place in the oven and bake until golden brown, 12-14 minutes.
- Serve warm with remaining butter if desired.
Tips & Notes:
- To make ahead, you can prepare the dough as directed until step #6. Then place the dough in a lightly oiled ziplock bag and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready to bake, resume with step #7.
- Or you can freeze formed and risen crescent-rolled dough covered in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap, freeze until solid, pop them into a freezer bag, and bake when ready. You can take them from the freezer straight to the oven.
- If you want to make your crescent rolls extra flaky, laminate the dough. That’s a fancy word for folding the dough and brushing it with melted butter between each fold. Repeat this process 3-4 times.
- Refrain from overworking the dough to avoid tough crescent rolls.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into triangles because a dull knife will tear the dough.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Can I use honey instead of sugar?
Yes, you can use honey instead. Please let me know how it goes.
I knew these rolls were going to be perfection when the dough was soooo smooth and soft when I was kneading it. My 3.5 year old picky eater asked for a roll for dessert tonight, they were that good.
Awesome!!! Thank you so much for your comment. Moms know all about picky eaters, don’t we 😉
Also, should the dough be sticky or not at all after the initial mix?
It should be a little sticky in the beginning. After 20-30 minutes, the flour will absorb the moisture, and kneading will develop the gluten for a firmer dough. Hope that helps.
I want to use these for my chicken bacon ranch crescent rolls. Do I stuff the chicken and cheese mixture in on the last rise? These look great and I would rather make some than buy the canned kind! Thanks!
What a great idea! I just looked up Pillsbury’s recipe, and yes, this recipe will work great. Roll the dough out after the first rise, cut it into the wedges, fill as usual, and then let them rise about 30 minutes before baking. Please let me know how they turn out.
This recipe was simple to follow and the end result was so delicious!
Yay!!! I’m so happy.
Can this dough be fried to make Cronuts?
I’ve never tried it, but I don’t see why you can’t do it. Please let me know how it turns out if you do try it.
I LOVE THIS RECIPE!!! I’d rather eat these than the store bought every time!
Hi Ashly!
That’s fantastic to hear! There’s something incredibly satisfying about homemade crescent rolls—the flavor, the texture, and the aroma are just unbeatable compared to store-bought.
I’m thrilled that you love the recipe so much that it’s become your go-to over store-bought options. That’s the ultimate compliment!
Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm. It’s feedback like this that makes the food community so enriching. Keep baking and keep enjoying! ️✨
Can I use self rising flour instead of plain or bread flour
Since this is a yeast bread, self-rising flour wouldn’t work the same. Of course, you could try it but the texture may be different. Please let me know how it turns out if you decide to try it.
Did the dough in bread machine. Super easy. Thanks
So glad to hear that, Cari. Thank you for stopping by.