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Homemade crescent rolls on white plate.
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5 from 200 votes

Crescent Rolls Recipe

Homemade Crescent Rolls bake soft, buttery, and golden with simple pantry ingredients, easy to shape, perfect for holidays, and always crowd pleasing.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Rising Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 32 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ cup warm water
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • ½ cup warm milk
  • 1 large egg
  • cup sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

  • In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar in the warm water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, until bubbly and foamy. Add the butter, warm milk, egg, remaining ⅓ cup sugar, and salt to the yeast mixture.
  • Add 2 cups of flour, and mix until combined. Mix in additional flour, ¼ cup at a time, to form a soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for about one hour, until doubled.
  • After the dough has risen, gently punch it down and divide them into two balls. Roll each ball out into a circle that is about 12 inches wide, then cut each circle into twelve wedges using a pizza cutter.
  • Roll each wedge of dough up, starting at the wide end, to form a crescent shape. Place on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise until doubled, 30-60 minutes.
  • While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake 10-12 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with the melted butter. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

Make it ahead of time: Mix up the dough and either refrigerate or freeze to make ahead and bake later.
  • Refrigerate the dough: Once the dough is kneaded, place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready to bake: roll, form, rise, and bake.
  • Freeze the dough: Form rolls into a crescent shape, line them up on a baking sheet, and freeze. Once solid, transfer the individual rolls into a freezer-safe container. They are best when used by 3 months, but can last for up to 6 months.
  • To bake: Place crescent rolls on a baking pan. Cover the pan with a greased piece of plastic wrap (the cooking spray helps keep the plastic from sticking to the dough). Allow to rise for about 4 hours before baking.  
STORE. Keep any leftover crescent rolls in Ziploc bags on the counter at room temperature for 2-3 days.
FREEZE. Wrap the leftovers in plastic wrap, then again with foil, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 24g | Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 116mg | Potassium: 36mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 165IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg