Delicious, easy homemade crescent rolls, that are a great sidekick for your Winter soup or always perfect for your holiday table.
Why I love these homemade crescent rolls
Winter, for me, is just one long soup season. We eat a lot of comforting bowls of soup to combat the months of winter. I have collected a long list of hearty soup recipes, and they are often dinner for us. When it comes to having soup for dinner though, I always feel the need for a little something to put on the side. Just to dress it up a bit. These easy homemade crescent rolls are always a favourite.
I like to bake them up and freeze the extras (already baked), but you can also freeze the shaped dough and bake them off fresh as needed. Simply shape and place on a baking sheet, then pop the baking sheet-full into the freezer until they’re firm. Move to a freezer bag to store. To bake, take out a few and allow to thaw, then rise a bit on a baking sheet, covered with sprayed plastic wrap. Bake as usual and enjoy.
Crescent rolls are also perfect for some great variations. Add some garlic powder to the melted butter and brush on when they are hot from the oven. Add a bit of shredded cheese to the inside before rolling up (delicious, but the cheese does tend to run out the ends a bit, making a lovely baked cheese puddle around them. I think we can agree, though … not a bad thing ;). You could also sprinkle the tops with shredded cheddar or Parmesan half way through baking.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Yeast – you can use either Active Dry yeast or Instant yeast for these rolls.
Recipe Tips
These rolls are best served fresh and hot from the oven with a big smear of butter. If you’ve made them ahead, you can re-heat by placing on a baking sheet and placing in a 350° oven for a few minutes, or just microwave.
This recipe makes 16 rolls, but you can easily double the dough recipe and make 32 rolls in one batch (to freeze). Simply cut the dough in half after the first rise and make two circles.
For a fun variation, add some garlic powder to the melted butter for brushing after they’re baked, or sprinkle some grated Cheddar or Parmesan on top half-way through baking.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
You can make these crescent rolls ahead, but they are best enjoyed within 24 hours of baking. Store in an airtight container. Re-heat wrapped in foil in a 350F oven until warmed through.
These rolls freeze well, both after being baked or after being shaped.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Seasons and Suppers.
Get the Recipe: Easy Homemade Crescent Rolls
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup warm milk, or evaporated milk
- 1 Tablespoon dry active or instant yeast
- 2 Tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt, 1 1/4 tsp. if using unsalted butter
- 1/2 egg, beaten (see Note 1 below)
- 2 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature (plus more for brushing)
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil , or other neutral oil
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more as needed
For brushing after baking:
- 2-3 Tablespoons butter, melted, for brushing after baking
Instructions
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, stir in warm water, warm milk and add yeast. Let stand 5 minutes, then add the sugar, salt, butter, vegetable oil, egg, and 1 cup of the flour.
- Stir or mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then mix 2 minutes more at medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and switch to kneading hook.
- Add 1 more cup of the flour, mix on low speed until ingredients are combined. Add 1/4 cup flour again, mixing on low speed until dough comes together. Add additional flour if your dough is still too wet. Dough should be soft, not overly sticky, and not stiff.
- Spray a large bowl and place dough into it, covering with plastic wrap. Allow it to rise in a warm place until the dough doubles in size (45-60 minutes, approx).
- Once the dough has risen, place your dough on a lightly floured surface (that you can cut on), then roll into a 16-inch diameter circle. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into 16 even slices (cut in half horizontally, then vertically, then cut each quarter in half again, then each of 8 pieces in half again).
- Roll each triangle of dough in, starting from the wide end and tuck the small point slightly underneath. Place rolls on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- *** IF DESIRED, FREEZE ON BAKING SHEET UNTIL FIRM AND THEN STORE IN A FREEZER BAG TO BAKE LATER. TO BAKE, ALLOW TO THAW THEN RISE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE ON A BAKING SHEET, COVERED WITH SPRAYED PLASTIC WRAP AND THEN BAKE ***
- Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray on the underside and allow to rise until puffy (30 minutes or so).
- Preheat oven to 375° F. . When rolls are ready to be baked, bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden-brown and sound hollow when tapped. Brush with melted butter while still hot. Variation: Mix 1/4 tsp. garlic powder with melted butter before brushing.
Notes
More Roll Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
These are so delicious and so easy to make. I had to freeze some or else my husband would devour them in one sitting. Love your recipes and on this blizzardy day in Ontario, a perfect time to cuddle up and browse.
I’m so glad to hear, Brenda! And I hear you on the blizzardy weather. Muskoka is a mess, too. A good time to stay in and eat delicious things :)
So yummy! I made these today to go w our Easter turkey, since we’re having a smaller dinner this year I had extra time (due to lockdown) they turned out great and were easy to do.
Hi Jennifer,
I’m happy to find your web site. I’m going to make them this weekend. I just wonder how warm is the water and the milk. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Vivian, the temperature should be in the range suggested by the yeast you are using. For active dry yeast, in the 110F range. Instant yeast can take a little more heat – 115-120F. Hope that helps :)
Jennifer,
Great recipe for crescent rolls. I made a double batch and in the second on I cut into rectangles and tied a knot around 1/3 slice of mozzarella or cheddar stick, sealed well. Then when done, rolled in a combo of butter, garlic and grated parmesan. With and without were outstanding!! Can’t wait for the guests tomorrow to try them
So glad to hear, Sisusue :) Thanks!
The dough was sooooo soft and I love these little rolls!!! They are perfection!!! But how do you get them nicely browned on top? My bread and muffins hardly get to that stage, but I’m afraid if I bake them longer they might get dry…
So glad you enjoyed these Claire! Regarding the browning, if you have an issue with all/most of your baking, maybe try adjusting your oven rack, moving it up one level. Also, I wouldn’t be afraid of baking longer. Once food it cooked on the outside, it works to lock in the moisture pretty well, so allowing it to cook a few more minutes to brown more should have little effect on the moistness.
Being a major carboholic, I’ve always wanted to try homemade crescent rolls!
These rolls are a fellow carboholic’s dream, Chung-Ah :)
Crescent Rolls that looks AND tastes delicious? BE MY VALENTINE. Pinning this awesome recipe
I tried to make these once… if I recall, from a Martha Stewart recipe, and they were dismal. And it was for Thanksgiving. Phooey! These are lovely and sound simple! I’m stuck at work, it’s snowing, and I’m reading blogs about what I wish I had on my table at home for dinner :) Soup sounds good too!
I know the feeling, Sophie. Snowing here as well (again!). Wouldn’t it be great if all these things we read about magically showed up on our table as soon as we got home ;)
These are the most gorgeous crescent rolls I’ve ever seen!
Thanks so much, Laura.
The rolls look great. Do you think I can make buttermilk ones but just swapping out the milk? You have a great site and I am glad I found it. Thanks
Hi Julie and thanks :) Absolutely, you can swap out the milk for buttermilk. If you find they’re not buttermilk-y enough, you can replace the water with buttermilk as well.
P.S. I usually add a pinch of baking soda when baking yeast things with buttermilk. It’s supposed to neutralize the acidity of buttermilk, that can affect the rising ability of the yeast.
I’ve always wanted to make my own!! These look perfect!
Thanks Katrina. They’re super easy and a batch makes a lot, so great for freezing extras for later.