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The BEST Buttery Crescent Rolls Recipe

These homemade crescent rolls are so fun to make – and eat. It’s one of those recipes that just makes my family happy.

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Growing up, we enjoyed the Pillsbury tube crescents. I mean, who didn’t, right?

Basket of golden brown crescent rolls on a wooden table.

As I started making more food from scratch, that included bread, and yes, I make homemade sandwich bread weekly. My simple homemade pizza dough is one of my most popular recipes, and I used that to make bagel dogs for years.

But my daughter decided she likes the traditional pigs in blankets with crescent roll dough better. So I played around with that idea for awhile until she gave her thumbs up.

Oddly, I used that dough for everything from those crescent roll bagel dogs to faux danishes to dessert crescent rolls, but I oddly skipped their main purpose. Until recently.

These copycat Pillsbury crescent rolls are my family’s new favorite. They begged me to make them for Thanksgiving (and I will), but they taste just as perfect alongside a bowl of creamy chicken tortellini soup, too.

So go ahead. You can make these homemade crescent rolls, and you can make them successfully for all your holiday gatherings and more.

And if you want to make homemade crescent dough but then get creative with it, go for it! With just a few simple ingredients, you can make one of these more than 25 stuffed crescent roll recipes – with both sweet and savory ideas to enjoy.

Baking pan with homemade crescent rolls scattered on it.

What does laminating your dough mean?

When you laminate dough, it adds layers of dough and butter that creates the perfect flaky layers you love. This is what makes croissants, danishes, and yes, crescent rolls so well layered that way you expect.

Can you skip it? Absolutely – if you have no time or if you don’t want to bother. The rolls still rise beautifully and still have a great texture and taste.

In fact, I rarely take the time to do it, but it does add great layers when I do. I save this step for those special holiday gatherings.

To do it, chill your dough in the fridge for an hour to rest instead of rising on the counter. Roll your chilled dough into a long rectangle.

Spread a stick of softened unsalted butter over the dough, leaving an inch border on all sides. Fold it into thirds from the long ends, just like you would a letter.

Roll it out again, and repeat the folding process three to five times. This creates all those lovely flaky layers.

Can I make homemade crescent rolls in advance?

Yes, you absolutely can. Just don’t bake them.

When I have a holiday dinner, I love recipes I can prep in advance so I’m less stressed. For homemade crescent rolls, prep them all the way up to just before you bake them.

Once you form them into the pretty crescent rolls, put them in the fridge, loosely covered by plastic wrap. You can leave them in the fridge for up to 24 hours before you bake them.

Remove them from the fridge an hour or two before you plan to bake them, and remember to brush them with butter just before you pop them in the oven.

How should I store leftover homemade crescent rolls?

If you have any leftover crescent rolls, let them cool fully to room temperature. If you put them in any container before that point, they will get soggy.

Once fully cooled, place them in an airtight container. You can leave them on the counter for two to three days.

If you plan to save them longer, you can also freeze them for up to a month. Remove them from the container and let them thaw for a half hour or so.

Reheat them at 250 degrees in your oven for five to ten minutes.

I don’t recommend you microwave them. When you use the microwave, it tends to change the texture and make them chewy, especially as they cool.

Do I need to bloom my yeast?

If you aren’t confident that your yeast is good, then yes. I use yeast constantly, so I generally don’t take the time to do this.

However, if you don’t use your yeast regularly, make sure it’s still good before you get too far into the process. Add the warm water, milk, sugar, and yeast to your bowl, and let it sit for five minutes.

What kind of yeast should I use?

This recipe works best with active dry yeast, which is the standard yeast you want to keep in your pantry. Don’t use instant yeast for this.

Whatever you do, make sure the yeast you use is not expired. I have all the yeast tips you could want if you’re new to  baking with yeast or have additional questions.

 How to Make Homemade Crescent Rolls

In a mixing bowl, combine the warm milk, water, sugar and yeast. Let  this stand 5 minutes until foamy.

Add the room temperature butter, salt, eggs, and all purpose flour. Use your dough hook to mix until incorporated, Continue to let it knead the dough for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic.

You want this soft dough to be lightly tacky but not sticky. Depending on how humid your home, you may need additional flour, usually just another quarter to half cup of flour.

Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel. Let it rise for about 45 minutes, or follow the instructions above for laminating, and place it in the fridge.

Once the crescent roll dough rises, lightly dust your rolling surface with flour. Ensure you start with as even and round of a ball of dough as you can.

Ball of crescent roll dough on lightly floured black counter.

Press it out gently, using your clean hand. Do your best to keep it in an even circle, then use a rolling pin to finish the job.

Flattening dough by hand on a floured surface.

You want about a 12 inch diameter circle at the end. As you roll, make sure to move from the center to the edges.

12 inch round of dough next to a rolling pin.

Use a pizza cutter to cut it into 12 even triangles. I find it easiest to cut it in half, then quarters, then cut the quarters each into three even pieces.

Slicing dough into twelve circles with a pizza cutter.

Roll wedges from the wide end to the center, then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat. Repeat for each wedge, then cover with the kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise for a 30-45 minutes.

Homemade crescent rolls on a baking pan ready to rise.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Use a pastry brush to coat each roll with the melted butter. It’s ok if some of the butter drips off onto the baking sheet.

Brushing homemade crescent rolls with melted butter.

Bake rolls for 11-13 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Serve immediately.

Fresh baked crescent rolls on a baking sheet.

Let any leftover rolls cool to room temperature, then store on the counter in an airtight container for two to three days.

Save this homemade crescent rolls recipe to make again!

Basket of golden brown crescent rolls on a wooden table.

Homemade Crescent Rolls

Yield: 12 rolls
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Rise Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 7 minutes

Homemade crescent rolls are a holiday gathering staple. These buttery, flaky rolls are absolutely delicious. They're easier to make than you think and make a perfect accompaniment to any meal.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, add water, milk, sugar, and yeast. Let yeast dissolve and sit for 5 minutes until bubbly.
  2. Add butter, salt, egg, and flour. Mix with dough hook until incorporated, then knead an additional 5-7 minutes. Add additional flour if too sticky.
  3. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.
  4. Prep baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
  5. Lightly flour a surface, and place the dough on it. Roll it into a 12 inch round.
  6. Use a pizza cutter to slice into 12 triangles. Roll each wedge into a crescent, place on the baking sheet with the point facing down.
  7. Cover and let rise another 30 minutes.
  8. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  9. Melt butter, and brush the tops of each roll.
  10. Bake for 11-13 minutes until lightly golden. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • You can easily double this recipe for larger holiday gatherings. Form two 12 inch rounds (or three if your triple it) to create the extra rolls.
  • To make even more buttery, flaky layers, laminate your dough. The details for how to do this are in the article above but not required to have a delicious roll.
  • For more tips and tricks, be sure to read the hints in the full article.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 roll
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 154Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 69mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 3g

This site uses an outside source to provide nutrition as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.

Did you make this recipe?

Please rate the recipe above and save it on Pinterest so you can find it to make again and again. Leave me a comment to let me know what you think about it, too!

Basket of crescent rolls with text how to make flaky crescent rolls.

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  1. Rica says:

    Thank you for sharing your tips. The recipe is easy to follow. The rolls turned out flaky–just the way i like them, soft inside and very delicious.

  2. Lauren says:

    The best crescent rolls recipe I have come across! Followed the recipe and they came out great for a first try! I’ll be making this again for a family gathering next week. Thank you for the recipe!

  3. Winona says:

    The best part about these crescent rolls is definitely the buttery flavor. They’re rich and delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe!

  4. Aimee says:

    They turned out soft, fluffy, and i got the right amount of sweetness. I love the smell as it baked. This was perfect for a big family dinner I was hosting!

  5. GRETA says:

    I loved every step of this recipe. Love to make homemade crescent rolls, and it was nice to try this recipe out.Thanks x

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