Homemade Crescent Rolls
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How to make homemade crescent rolls from scratch! No more canned tubes! It is so easy and can be made ahead of time! So buttery, so fluffy!
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Why you’ll love homemade crescent rolls
- So much better than store-bought. Say goodbye to the canned tubes of crescent rolls! This homemade version offers better flavor, real ingredients, and an unmatched texture with all the flaky, airy layers.
- Great make-ahead recipe. You can easily prep the dough ahead of time, storing in the fridge or freezer as needed for complete convenience.
- Perfect for all occasions. Whether you’re preparing for a big holiday gathering, a quick weeknight dinner, or a weekend brunch, these crescent rolls deliver bakery-quality rolls every single time.
What are crescent rolls?
Crescent rolls are light, buttery, yeast-based rolls shaped into a crescent moon. They are made by rolling the dough into a circle that is then cut into triangle wedges, rolling each piece from the wide base all the way to the narrow point. Finally, the two outer corners are bent inward to form a classic crescent.
how to make Homemade Crescent Rolls
- Activate the yeast. Mix the warm milk, butter, honey, and active dry yeast in a large bowl of a stand mixer. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it becomes bubbly and foamy.
- Make the dough. Add 2 cups of the flour, egg, and salt, beating on low speed with the dough hook. Then add the remaining flour until a soft, elastic dough forms, beating on medium-high for a few minutes.
- Let it rise (first rise). Place the dough ball into a large greased bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Roll and cut. Deflate the dough by punching down, then divide the dough into two balls. Roll each ball into a 12-inch circle and use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut each circle into 12 wedges.
- Shape the rolls. Starting at the wide bottom edge of the triangle, roll it straight up toward the narrow tip, making sure the pointed tip of the triangle is secured and finishes underneath the roll. Gently bend the two outer ends inward to form a classic crescent curve.
- Let it rise (second rise). Place the rolls, point side down, onto a greased baking sheet. Cover and let them rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.
- Bake. Bake at 400°F for 12-14 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve. Immediately brush the warm rolls with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
freezing and storage
Make-ahead
Once the crescent rolls are shaped, place the rolls on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper, covering tightly with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. To bake, let the rolls come to room temperature and rise for about 1-2 hours, then bake as directed.
Storage
Leftover crescent rolls can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. Placing rolls in the fridge may dry them out, making them stale and hard.
Reheating
Reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes.
Freeze before baking
Once the crescent rolls are shaped, place the rolls on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper, freezing for 1 hour until solid. Transfer the rolls to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date, and freeze up to 2 months. To bake, place the rolls onto the prepared baking sheet, cover and thaw overnight in the fridge. Rise for about 1 hour and bake as directed.
Freeze after baking
Let the rolls cool completely. Transfer the rolls to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date and freeze up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes.
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Tools For This Recipe
Homemade Crescent Rolls: Frequently Asked Questions
The yeast is likely dead or inactive. Discard the mixture and start again using fresh yeast.
No stand mixer, no problem! It will take a little bit of elbow grease but the dough can be kneaded by hand on a lightly floured surface, kneading for about 10-15 minutes.
Use a pizza cutter for clean slices without dragging or tearing the dough.
The tops and bottoms should be golden brown and the layers will be set. An instant-read thermometer can also be used to check for doneness, and the internal temperature should reach 190-200°F.
The crescent rolls probably did not have enough time to rise properly. Always allow the dough to double in size in a warm spot during each rising phase.
Crescent rolls are very freezer-friendly, and can be frozen both before or after baking for convenience.
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
For the topping
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
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 side 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. Place into oven and bake until golden brown, about 12-14 minutes.
- Brush with butter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, to taste. Serve warm.
Equipment
Notes
- Use warm milk. The warm milk will help activate the yeast to help the dough rise. If the milk is too hot (120°F), the yeast can start to die, preventing the bread from rising.
- Whole milk is best. Using nonfat or skim milk will result in less rich flavors. Whole milk contains more fat, and will add richness, body, flavor and texture.
- A pizza cutter will allow for clean lines. Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into neat, equal wedges.
- Brush with butter immediately. Brush the rolls with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven for a rich, glossy shine.
- Use the Post-It note trick. The dough should feel slightly tacky to the touch, similar to the back of a Post It note, indicating good gluten development with the right amount of moisture.
- Freeze for later. Freeze the shaped (unbaked) rolls up to 2 months, thawing overnight and letting them rise on baking day to save time (especially during the holidays).
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.