Homemade Crescent Rolls

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Soft, slightly sweet crescent rolls are easy to make from scratch. They are perfect for the holidays or just because. Make a batch and fall in love!

These crescent rolls are delicious, and easy to make/  They are just a little bit sweet and very soft and light.  

The recipe makes a big batch of dough, but don’t worry, you can freeze the extra dough for even easier rolls later. It is so nice to have balls of crescent roll dough in the freezer!

You are going to love their buttery flavor and the fact that you know everything that went into them.  Added bonus: no jumping when the tube pops!

MiMi got this recipe from a family friend, Sarah.  She said it is her grandma’s recipe and it is a holiday meal staple.  I can see why!

The dough was really easy to make.  After the first rise, you divide the dough into fourths and each of those get rolled into a circle and cut into 12 triangles.

Each triangle is brushed with butter and rolled into the classic crescent shape. Let them rise and bake them to golden flaky crescent roll perfection.

Can I freeze the dough for later?

YES! You do not have to make all 48 rolls at once. Make 12 now and freeze the rest of the dough for another day.

There are a couple of options for freezing the remaining dough. My preferred method is to wrap the other balls of dough in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag in the freezer.

Then when you want fresh crescents, just thawed a ball of dough and proceed from there.  Once the dough is defrosted you can roll and shape the rolls and follow the remaining instructions like normal.

Freezing them as balls of dough like that means you aren’t committed to baking them as crescent rolls later.

You can use the dough in any way you would normally use a can of refrigerated crescent dough from the store.

So you can roll it into a rectangle for a flatbread crust. You could also stuff them with a variety of fillings or whatever your heart desires.

The balls of dough will be good for several months in the freezer. Though I am not sure you’ll be able to wait that long.

Can I freeze formed crescent rolls?

It is also possible to form the crescents and freeze them on a sheet pan. Then move them to a zippered bag and store in the freezer.  The night before you’d like to use them place them on a baking sheet and cover with greased plastic wrap.

Place in refrigerator to defrost. About a half hour to an hour before you’d like to use them, move them to the counter to finish rising and then bake off.

This is a great way to reduce your prep work for a big meal or holiday. You can still have fresh rolls on the table without a flurry of flour and effort on the big day.

More great bread recipes:

• Celtic Knot Rolls are a bit like garlic bread but twisted up into knots. They would be yummy with soups and stews or a fun addition to your St. Patrick’s day menu.
• If you have a sourdough starter, you may want to give Sourdough Crescent Rolls a try.  It is another easy recipe with great flavor and a wonderful way to give that starter a workout! 
• Dori’s Beer Bread is a fabulous quick bread. There is no yeast to rise and you can alter the flavor by using different kinds of beer. It is great with lagers, would be wonderful with an IPA or use hard cider like Dori for another fabulous flavor. 
• If you like fluffy homemade rolls, try making MiMi’s 3 day rolls. The recipe is an absolute favorite that we have used for everything from hamburger buns to dinner rolls.

Did you make this great recipe? Please leave a review in the recipe card below!

Homemade Crescent Rolls

Carlee

Buttery homemade crescent rolls are easier to make than you think. Take simple ingredients and a soft dough to make flaky layers perfect for Sunday dinner or your holiday spread. The homemade version is even better than the tube, I promise!

4.85 from 19 ratings

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Additional Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 28 minutes mins

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Servings 48 Servings

Calories 68 kcal

Equipment

• Bench Scrape
• KitchenAid  5-Qt. Stand Mixer 

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
• ½ cup warm water
• ½ cup unsalted butter melted + more for brushing
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 4 cups all purpose flour plus additional for rolling

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Instructions

 

• Dissolve yeast in the water, set aside.
• In your stand mixer, combine the melted butter, sugar and salt.
• Lightly beat 2 room temperature eggs and add to butter mixture.
• Stir in milk and yeast mixture.
• Add 4 cups flour. Mix and make into a ball. (I let my dough hook work mine for 5 minutes)
• Place in a warm buttered bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
• Punch down the crescent roll dough and work into a ball. Cut dough ball into quarters.
• Roll one quarter of the dough into a 14" circle. Use a pizza cutter to cut the circle into 12 equal pieces (cut it like you would cut a pizza into slices.)
• Brush each "slice" with melted butter, then roll starting from the wide end toward the point. Place on a baking sheet. Cover with a slightly damp towel and let rise until almost doubled.
• Continue with remaining balls of dough, or wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them to use later.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Gently brush tops of rolls with melted butter, then bake for about 8 minutes or until golden brown. Best when served warm.

Notes

You can freeze additional balls of dough until you are ready to use them. Just allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, roll, cut and rise like normal.

It is also possible to form the crescents and freeze them on a baking pan. Then move them to a zippered bag and store in the freezer. The night before you'd like to use them place them on a baking sheet and cover with greased plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator to defrost. About a half hour before you'd like to use them, move them to the counter to finish rising and then bake off. You'll have fluffy homemade crescent rolls in almost no time.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 68kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 2gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 42mgSugar: 2g

Tried this recipe?Mention @carleecooks or tag #cookingwcarlee!

Thanks for sharing!