These homemade crescent rolls are soft, fluffy, buttery, and so much better than anything from a tube. Perfect for holiday dinners or weeknight meals!
They’re similar to my dinner rolls, but the dough is rolled into classic crescent shapes just like my soft potato rolls.
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Key Takeaways: Homemade Crescent Rolls
- Soft and fluffy texture: The enriched yeast dough is made with milk, butter and egg for tender, pillowy rolls.
- Makes 24 rolls: One batch fills two baking sheets, with about 15 to 20 minutes of bake time at 350°F. Perfect for feeding a Thanksgiving crowd!
- Make-ahead friendly: The dough can be refrigerated, shaped overnight, or frozen before baking (after 1st rise) for easier holiday prep.
- Versatile homemade dough: Use the same homemade crescent roll dough to make classic crescents or knotted dinner rolls.
Why I Love This Recipe
These homemade crescent rolls bake up golden with soft, pillowy centers and a buttery finish. Shaping them is easier than you might think: just roll the dough into a circle, cut it into wedges like a pizza, and roll each wedge from the wide end to the tip.
With several make-ahead options, they’re perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Serve them alongside Parker House rolls or Lion House rolls for holidays, Sunday dinner or any meal that could use a basket of warm homemade bread!
Ingredients Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Active dry yeast: Make sure your yeast is fresh so the dough rises properly. It should foam after sitting in the warm water and sugar for about 5 minutes.
- Warm water: Aim for about 105°F. Water that is too hot can kill the yeast, while water that is too cool can slow down activation.
- Granulated sugar: A little sugar helps activate the yeast, while the remaining sugar adds a subtle sweetness to the dough.
- Butter and milk: Salted butter makes the rolls rich and flavorful. It is used in the dough, spread over the rolled dough and brushed over the warm rolls after baking. Milk adds moisture for a softer, more tender crumb.
- Bread flour, egg, and salt: All-purpose flour also works well if that’s what you have on hand. The egg enriches the dough, and salt enhances the flavor.
How to Make Homemade Crescent Rolls
Step 1: Combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit for about 5 minutes, until foamy. Add cubed butter and milk to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for about 45 seconds, until the butter is mostly melted. Let cool until lukewarm (110°F or less) so it doesn’t harm the yeast.
Step 2: In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Add the cooled milk mixture, the whisked egg, and the foamy yeast mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
Step 3: Knead the dough until it is soft, smooth, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl without feeling too sticky. If it seems really sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour. Cover with a dish towel and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
Step 4: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly flour the counter. Divide the dough into two equal balls. Roll each into a 12-inch circle, about ¼ inch thick. If the dough keeps shrinking back, let it rest for 5 minutes and try again.
Step 5: Spread softened butter over each circle. Cut each circle into 12 wedges like a pizza (in half, then into quarters, then each quarter into thirds).
Step 6: Starting at the wide end, gently roll each wedge toward the tip. Place on the baking sheets with the tip tucked underneath, about 12 per sheet.
Step 7: Cover the pans with a dish towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 45 to 60 minutes, until puffy and nearly doubled in size.
Step 8: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining 1 Tablespoon of butter. Serve warm.
Recipe Tips
- Test your yeast. If the mixture doesn’t foam within 5 to 10 minutes, start over with fresh yeast. Skipping this check is a common reason rolls don’t rise.
- Keep the liquid lukewarm. Both the water (about 105°F) and the milk mixture should feel comfortably warm, never hot.
- Weigh the dough for even rolls. Divide the dough into two equal portions on a kitchen scale so both circles and all 24 rolls bake at the same rate.
- Tuck the tips underneath. This keeps the crescents from unrolling as they rise and bake.
- Don’t overbake. Pull the rolls when the tops are lightly golden. Extra minutes will dry them out.
Homemade Crescent Rolls FAQs
A pizza cutter gives the cleanest edges, although kitchen shears will work too. Cut the circle in half, then into quarters, then divide each quarter into three wedges for 12 evenly sized triangles. A sharp knife can be used if you press straight down rather than drag it.
Yes. For knotted rolls, roll each ball of dough into a 10 x 12-inch rectangle, spread with butter, fold in half lengthwise, and cut into 12 short strips. Tie each strip in a loose knot. You can also cut the dough into 24 pieces and shape them as classic dinner rolls.
Yes. Shape the rolls after the first rise, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. Let them sit on the counter for 30 to 60 minutes before baking. You can also refrigerate the unshaped dough for up to 24 hours, then shape and let the rolls rise before baking.
No. Crescent rolls use a simple enriched yeast dough, similar to brioche, so they’re soft, bread-like, and easy to make. Croissants use laminated dough, with butter folded in repeatedly to create flaky layers. That process takes much longer and more patience!
Love homemade bread recipes? Try my white homemade bread, Hawaiian rolls and skillet dinner rolls.
More Bread Recipes
Homemade Crescent Rolls
Video
Ingredients
- ¾ cup warm water (about 105°F)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- ¼ cup + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar , 50g
- 8 Tablespoons salted butter , softened, divided
- ¾ cup milk
- 4 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg , whisked
Optional: Butter and jam for serving
Instructions
- Activate yeast. In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, or until it foams up.
- Warm milk and butter: Cube 4 tablespoons of the butter and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Add 3/4 cup milk and microwave for 45 seconds, or until the butter is mostly melted. Let cool for a couple minutes.
- Knead dough. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 4 cups flour, remaining ¼ cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the milk mixture, 1 egg, and yeast mixture. Knead by hand or with a dough hook in your mixer for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is soft and smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl without feeling too sticky. If the dough seems really sticky, add 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of flour.
- 1st rise. Cover with a dish towel and allow to rise for 1 hour in a warm spot, or until it’s doubled in size.
- Divide dough. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and dust the counter with flour. Divide the dough into two equal balls.
- For crescent rolls: Roll each ball into a large circle about 12 inches wide and about ¼ inch thick. Spread the tops with 3 tablespoons of the butter. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the circle like a pizza. First cut it into quarters, then cut each quarter into 3 triangles (you should have 12 triangles per circle). Starting at the wide end of each triangle, gently roll the dough toward the pointed tip. Place the rolls on the baking sheets with the tip tucked under.
- 2nd rise. Cover the pans with a dish towel or plastic wrap and let rise again until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Bake. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Serve. Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Serve warm.
Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
