Flaky, buttery homemade crescent rolls are the perfect addition to any meal and are surprisingly easy to make from scratch.
If you love fresh, warm bread straight from the oven, you’ll find this recipe to be a delightful treat.
For more fantastic ideas, be sure to check out our full collection of side dish recipes.
Whether you’re preparing a special holiday feast or just want to enjoy some comforting baked goods, these rolls will impress everyone at the table.
Are homemade Crescent Rolls easy to make?
Yes, they are surprisingly easy to make! While they do require some time for the dough to rise, the process itself is simple and manageable, even for beginner bakers.
The dough comes together with basic ingredients like flour, yeast, milk, and butter, and the steps to shape and bake them are straightforward. With a bit of patience, you’ll have soft, flaky, and buttery crescent rolls that taste better than store-bought.
Plus, they’re versatile, making them perfect for any occasion!
What is crescent roll dough made of?
- Flour is typically used for the dough’s structure and texture.
- Yeast helps the dough rise, giving crescent rolls their soft and fluffy texture.
- Warm milk activates the yeast and adds moisture and richness to the dough.
- Butter adds flavor and helps create the dough’s flaky, tender layers.
- A small amount of sugar feeds the yeast and adds a hint of sweetness.
- Salt enhances flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Eggs add richness, softness, and color to the dough.
These ingredients combine to create flaky crescent rolls!
How to Make Crescent Dough
Gather the ingredients.
Activate the yeast by dissolving it in warm milk with a bit of sugar. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy.
Mix dry ingredients In a large bowl.
Pour the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients. Add melted butter and eggs. Stir until combined.
Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Let It Rise. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise in a warm spot for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
To shape the dough, roll it into a large circle, then cut into triangles.
Roll the dough wedges tightly from the wide end to the point, to give the rolls their classic crescent shape.
Place the crescent rolls on a baking sheet, cover, and let them rise again for 30-45 minutes.
Brush with melted butter and bake until golden brown.
Homemade Crescent Rolls Recipe FAQs
What kind of flour do you use to make Crescent Rolls?
All-purpose flour is the best choice. It provides the right balance of structure and softness for the dough, allowing the crescent rolls to be light and fluffy with a tender crumb. Be sure to measure the flour accurately for the best results!
Can you make Crescent Rolls in advance?
Yes. There are a couple of methods to do this:
- After preparing the dough and shaping the crescent rolls, you can cover them and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. When you’re ready to bake, just let them come to room temperature and rise a bit more before popping them in the oven.
- After shaping the rolls, place them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then, transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. When ready to bake, thaw the rolls overnight in the refrigerator, let them rise, and bake.
You can also fully bake the crescent rolls, let them cool, and freeze them. When you want to serve them, just reheat in the oven until warmed through.
Supply List
Homemade Crescent Rolls
Discover how easy it is to bake homemade crescent rolls from scratch! Whether you're making them for Thanksgiving, a special family dinner, or just because, this recipe will guide you step-by-step to soft, fluffy, and buttery perfection.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed
- 2 ½ tsp yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 egg, whisked
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon flour
Instructions
- Mix warm milk, yeast and sugar. Set aside for 10 mins.
- After 10 mins, add 3 ¼ cup all purpose flour, whisked egg, ⅓ cup sugar and salt to a bowl with the yeast mixture and knead in an electric mixer with the dough hook attachment until well incorporated.
- Add ¼ Cup butter and 1 tablespoon flour and knead in the mixer for 10-15 mins.
The dough should form a ball, if it does not, you will need to stop kneading with the dough hook at 10 mins and knead it by hand on a floured surface for the remaining 5 mins or until smooth. - Place the smooth dough ball in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place.
- After 1 hour, turn dough out onto a floured surface and roll it into a large circle. The larger the circle the more slices you will be able to roll.
- Cut the dough into 12-16 sections (triangles) with a sharp knife, pizza roller or bench scraper.
- Roll each section into a circle, largest end first (like a crescent roll)
- Add to lightly greased 9*13 baking dish, cover and rest 30 mins in a warm place.
- After 30 minutes, brush with egg wash (1 egg + 1 tbsp water) and bake 25-30 mins or until golden brown.
- Brush with melted butter or honey butter upon removing from oven, serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
For a quick honey butter sauce, melt 3 tablespoons butter with 1-2 tablespoons honey in the microwave. Stir and brush onto freshly baked rolls.
Veronica
Tuesday 13th of June 2023
What speed to you set your mixer to in order to knead the dough?
momma lew
Wednesday 14th of June 2023
I usually do medium - start off slow and move up once the flour is incorporated.
Angie
Thursday 27th of April 2023
What temperature do you set the oven to?
Angie
Tuesday 2nd of May 2023
@momma lew, thank you.
momma lew
Friday 28th of April 2023
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