Homemade Crescent Rolls

Sweet and soft with a slight crust on the top and bottom and fluffy buttery on the inside. A great make-ahead dinner roll for your holiday meal!

Makes about 32 rolls

Course Bread

Cuisine French

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 12

Rising Time 2

Total Time 2 32

Servings

Calories 332kcal

Author Imma

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.

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.

Nutrition