Homemade Crescent Rolls
No more store-bought crescent rolls! These can be made ahead of time, refrigerated or frozen. It’s so easy, buttery and fluffy!
So for years, well, my entire life actually, I was using the crescent rolls that come in those refrigerated tubes.
Always, always, always.
But, I am frequently asked if I have a homemade recipe.
I honestly didn’t even know you could make a homemade version.
That is, until now.
And after extensive recipe testing with my team, and many failed yet consumed batches of crescent rolls, I think we were able to finally perfect this.
After this, we’ll never be using those refrigerated tubes ever again.
Because you can make this ahead of time, refrigerate or freeze as needed.
So now you really have no excuse!
Homemade Crescent Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups warm whole milk, 105-110 degrees F
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine milk, butter, honey and yeast; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- Add 2 cups flour, egg and salt. Using the dough hook, beat on low speed for 1-2 minutes. Add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft, smooth ball of dough is formed. The dough should feel elastic and slightly tacky to the touch. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes.
- Lightly oil a large bowl or coat with nonstick spray; place dough in bowl, turning to coat. Cover with a clean dishtowel and let stand in a warm spot until dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Gently deflate dough by punching down. Working on a lightly floured surface, divide in half. Roll into 12-inch rounds; cut into 12 wedges. Roll up wedges, starting from the wide end, to form a crescent shape.
- Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. Place rolls, point sides down, onto the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a clean dishtowel and let stand in a warm spot until dough has doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush tops with butter. Place into oven and bake until golden brown, about 12-14 minutes.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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I’m so glad to see this recipe. Do you have any suggestions of how to tweak it if I’m using Gluten free flour?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications. Sorry, Fotini!
Will this recipe work with a non-dairy substitute for whole milk and butter? Such as soy-milk or almond milk and margarine?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications. Sorry, Tamiko!
If you want to make them even better, put a layer of sour cream over the dough before you cut and roll. Have made a roll like this for the last 40 years.
That sounds amazing! I will definitely have to try that next time.
TO FREEZE: Prepare the dough as directed until step 4. Place rolls in a single layer on a baking sheet overnight; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Transfer to freezer bags. Resume with step 5 with desired number of rolls, loosely covered with plastic wrap, letting it come to room temperature and doubling in size prior baking. My question is: the dough needs to thaw (in or out of refrigerator?) and once it is thawed why do you skip the kneading, rising and dusting in step 4.
Terry, are you referring to making this ahead of time? When you freeze, the rolls are not going in and out of the refrigerator. Please refer to these directions to make this ahead of time.
*MAKE AHEAD: Prepare the dough as directed until step 3. Place into a lightly oiled Ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to two days. Resume with step 4.
I think when you say “until” step 4 this would suggest not doing step 4 – only doing 3, then proceeding to step 5 after thawing. This is where the confusion is. If you want to include step 4, the instructions should say “through” step 4. I asked a question below about the same thing…
“Until step 3” does not involve continuing with step 3. Hope that helps!
The rolls look delicious! To make half would I cut all ingredients in half, including the yeast?
Thanks!
Yes, that is correct!
can soy milk be substituted for the whole milk and can margarine be substituted for the butter?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications. Sorry, Janet!
How can I make these without a stand mixer? They look amazing!
Do you have a hand mixer?
Any particular reason you chose AP flour rather than bread flour? Thanks for adding tips on refrigeration and freezing. 24 are too many for my small family so will make and freeze some for future meals. Thanks for this, and your many other delicious recipes!
Bread flour actually has a higher protein content so it makes denser, chewier bread, which is not ideal for crescent rolls. Hope that makes sense!
Must make sense since the family graded these A+! Thanks again.