Homemade Crescent Rolls
These homemade crescent rolls are flaky, buttery and easier than you’d think. They are the perfect accompaniment to any holiday meal!
Growing up, there were two ways in which I was acquainted with crescent rolls:
A veggie pizza appetizer that showed up every single year, without fail, on New Year’s Eve; and…
Crescent-wrapped hot dogs (stuffed with American cheese, hopefully) that my mom made on occasion.
I thought that those hot dogs were pretty much the best invention ever for a significant amount of time. In both cases, the crescent rolls were popped out of a can and while there is a place in my heart for each of those recipes, I thought it was high time that I tried my hand at homemade crescent rolls. My husband asked if I could make them a few weeks ago and it was perfect timing with the upcoming holiday. These would be a fantastic stand-in for regular rolls on your Thanksgiving table!
These crescent rolls were significantly easier than I anticipated; the dough is incredibly simple to mix together and it’s not finicky in the least. It results in a soft and buttery brioche-light dough that rose without an issue. Once the dough has doubled in size, you simply roll it out into a circle, slater it in butter and sprinkle it with salt, cut into wedges and roll up each individual crescent roll. They rise again, get brushed with an egg wash and are baked until golden brown.
The rolls are soft with a slight crust on the top and bottom, and fluffy and buttery inside. I guarantee no one at your table would complain when a basket of these are passed around!
If you’ve always loved crescent rolls, you will adore this recipe and find it easier than you imagined!
Homemade Crescent Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- ½ cup (118.29 ml) half-and-half, heated to 110 degrees
- 1 tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar, divided
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2½ cups (312.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Assembly:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
For the Topping:
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Whisk the melted butter, half-and-half, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of the sugar in a large liquid measuring cup until the yeast dissolves. Whisk in the egg and egg yolk.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the flour, remaining sugar, and salt on low speed until combined, about 15 seconds. With mixer running on low, add the half-and-half mixture in a steady stream and mix until the dough comes together. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth and comes away from the sides of bowl, about 6 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead to form a smooth, round ball. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm, draft-free spot. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 12-inch circle. Spread the softened butter over the dough, sprinkle with the salt, and cut into 12 wedges using a pizza cutter. Roll each wedge starting at the wide end, and arrange (with pointed tip of dough underneath each roll) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and return to a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Make-Ahead Note: At this point, the rolls can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk the egg white and water in a small bowl. Remove the plastic wrap and brush each roll twice with the egg white mixture. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through cooking. Cool rolls on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before serving. Leftover rolls can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
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Hello , the directions for the make ahead step are a little confusing. I read though some of the questions and it seems as though you told one person to refrigerate before shaping and another to refrigerate after the second rise ( after shaping) can you please clarify.
I already left one message but feel I should clarify since I read some of the other comments. I’m wanting to freeze after fully cooking, not prior to cooking. I bake all my granddaughter’s bread since she cannot eat store-bought due to allergies. Her favorite is your white bread. I bake and freeze and deliver to home. Her mom pulls out of the freezer as needed. Ok to freeze after cooking? Please say yes!!!
Love this recipe. Can I freeze these rolls?
Do you use 1 package of dry active yeast for tablespoon?
Hi Michele, 1 tablespoons is more than 1 packet of yeast, so you’ll need two packets and measure it out (one packet of yeast holds 2 ¼ teaspoons while 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons).
I want to make a crescent sheets to line pie pans to make asparagus pie and zucchini pie {Pillsbury recipe sort of} any way can the recipe be doubled and if I am making a pie with it can I line the pans and then use them the next day?
Hi Michele, I think that could work!
These are the rolls of my childhood, except we used whole milk rather than half and half. I love your recipe so much! I do get more than a dozen rolls from this recipe by rolling thinner — which just means more buttery layers! What’s not to love?
On your make ahead note you say “At this point, the rolls can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.” Is that after they’ve risen again for one hour or before?
After they’ve risen.
Thanks Michelle! I’m making you’re dutch apple pie, the November bake along pumpkin roll, and these crescent rolls for Thanksgiving! You are always my go to for recipes and you’ve never steered me wrong! I’ll make sure to take photos and tag!
I made the dough but seemed heavy
With the hot dog rolled up in it
It was like making pizza
But each.slice was rolled up
In a hot dog with cheese
What is “half and half”? I live in South Africa and have never heard of it.
Thank you
Hi Viviane, It’s basically half whole milk and half heavy cream :)
Had fun making these with one of my junior bakers. Wow, they were stunningly beautiful coming out of the oven and tasted even better! Urge anyone considering these rolls to start with a double batch. Any less than that is cruel. Thank you for this recipe which will stay in rotation at my house for years to come.