Crescent Rolls Recipe

5 from 203 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

Cook Time12

Rising Time2

Total Time2 32

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Kristyn Merkley

Ingredients

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup warm water
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup warm milk
1 large egg
⅓ 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 flour and mix until combined. Gradually add the remaining flour, ¼ cup at a time, until the dough is soft and slightly tacky but pulls away from the sides of the bowl. You may not need every bit of the flour, so stop once the dough reaches the right consistency.
Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should still feel soft and slightly tacky, not dry. Shape the crescent dough into a ball. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
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.
Starting at the wide end of each triangle, roll the dough toward the pointed tip. Tuck the point underneath the roll, then gently curve the ends inward to form a crescent shape. Place on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
Cover the shaped rolls and let them rise until puffy and nearly doubled in size, about 30 to 60 minutes.
While the rolls rise, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the rolls are puffed and lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and immediately brush the warm tops with 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.

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