Homemade Crescent Rolls
Soft, buttery crescent-shaped dinner rolls with a tender enriched crumb.
- Measurements grams + cups
Why You'll Like This Recipe
- The shaping looks harder than it is — you cut a circle into wedges and roll each one up.
- Butter goes into the dough and gets spread over it, which is where the layers come from.
- They make an ordinary dinner look like you planned it.
Soft enriched dinner rolls with butter worked into the dough and spread across it before shaping. The crescent shape is a cut circle rolled into wedges, which is easier than it looks.
Recipe
Homemade Crescent Rolls
Soft, buttery crescent-shaped dinner rolls with a tender enriched crumb.
Ingredients
Ingredients scaled. The method below still refers to the original quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1. Mix the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl.
- Step 2. Add the warm milk, egg, and 45 g (3 tbsp) of the softened butter.
- Step 3. Knead 7 to 8 minutes, until smooth.
- Step 4. Cover and rise about 1 hour.
- Step 5. Roll into a 30 cm / 12 inch circle. Spread with the remaining 40 g (about 3 tbsp) butter.
- Step 6. Cut into 12 wedges. Roll each wedge from the wide end toward the point and curve slightly.
- Step 7. Arrange on a lined baking sheet, cover, and rest 15 minutes.
- Step 8. Bake at 190 C / 375 F for 14 to 16 minutes, until golden.
Notes
- Point the tip underneath when you place each roll on the sheet. Left on top it lifts and unrolls in the oven.
- Roll from the wide end without stretching. Pulling the dough thin makes rolls that bake unevenly.
Homemade Crescent Rolls — Simple Table Recipes · https://simpletablerecipes.com/recipes/homemade-crescent-rolls/
Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted butter
- Split between the dough and the filling. Both amounts need to be genuinely soft — cold butter will tear the rolled circle rather than spread across it.
Equipment
- Rolling pin
- Pizza wheel or sharp knife
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Substitutions
- Butter
- The dough butter can be halved for a lighter roll, but keep the full amount for the spreading step — that is where the layers come from.
- Savoury version
- Sprinkle grated parmesan and dried herbs over the buttered circle before cutting.
Storage & Freezing
Storing: Keep covered at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
Freezing: Freeze baked and cooled rolls for up to 2 months. Warm from frozen in a low oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my crescent rolls unroll in the oven?
The tip was left on top. Tuck the point underneath the roll when you place it on the sheet — the weight holds it down as the dough expands.
How do I cut 12 even wedges?
Cut the circle in half, then each half in half, then each quarter into three. A pizza wheel makes cleaner cuts than a knife and does not drag the dough.
Why are my crescent rolls not flaky?
The butter spread over the circle needs to be genuinely soft, not melted. Melted butter soaks into the dough instead of forming a layer between the rolled sheets.
Can I make crescent rolls ahead?
Shape them, place on the sheet, cover and refrigerate overnight. Take them out an hour before baking to finish rising at room temperature.
Why are my rolls uneven?
Usually the circle was not rolled evenly, so some wedges have more dough than others. Roll from the centre outward and rotate as you go.
Did you make this?
Let other people know how it went. One tap, nothing to fill in.
Thanks — that helps.
