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If there’s one roll that disappears first, it’s a warm, buttery crescent. These are soft, layered, and genuinely doable—no all-day lamination. We use quick folds and short freezer rests to lock in flaky layers, so they bake up golden and tender for your holiday table or Sunday roast.
**Heads up, there are a ton of step-by-step shots in the post, if you just want the recipe scroll down through them.
Why These Crescents Work
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Quick, approachable lamination (three book folds) builds real layers without traditional croissant timing.
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Freezer rests keep butter cold = flakier, more defined layers.
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Dough is soft but workable; rises once after shaping so you can bake the same day.
Sooo, it’s time we talk about these easy extra flaky homemade crescent rolls.
Cause you know, extra flaky is the best.
When they’re extra flaky, that means extra buttery, a combo that can never be beat.
In my family? Well, we all love our rolls. In my opinion, you can’t do Thanksgiving (or Christmas) without really, really good rolls. Obsessed much? Definitely.
There are a lot of foods that I have always wanted make. I have this list running in my head (that I should really write down because my head is too full of lists as it is) of classic foods that I want to cook/bake. It may seem odd that I have a list of classic foods, since all I tend to do around here is twist the classics into something totally new. But to be totally honest, I think the classics will always be the best. They’re timeless you know? Plus, typically they are simple, full of flavor, and pretty straight forward. And ok, they are mostly all comfort, cozy foods… which you all know I adore.
Last year, I decided to be all crazy and make Croissants. Not sure what the heck I was thinking at the time because wow, those things are a labor of love, BUT it was still worth the effort. AND believe it or not I actually make them regularly now. After the first couple of times, you get the hang of things and now it’s a simple recipe for me to do. We LOVE um. Like I make them for every special occasion and yeah, that does include out twenty + Christmas clan too. You can all call me insane now, I totally am.
But really though, if you have a little time you should try making these Croissants for one of your holiday gatherings. The best.
For this Thanksgiving though, I really wanted to try Crescent Rolls. Way back when I was still in middle school and my family was still living in Ohio, my mom would occasionally buy Pillsbury Crescent rolls for Sunday dinner or her Thanksgiving gathering. They where always the best. I mean, they came from everyone’s favorite dough boy so what do you expect? Always good.
My goal for these rolls was to create a “copy cat” of the Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, but to also keep the recipe easy so that everyone can actually make them, and make them with success. I mean, no one wants any failures on Thanksgiving.
That is the worst.
I was actually really surprised at how easy it was to “easify” these crescents rolls. The process of making them is actually very similar to making croissants, but easier and much quicker, using only a few simple steps.
You are still going to have to roll the dough out five different times… which yes, I know, sounds horrible. Sorry, but you need to do this to create those classic flaky layers. I promise, it’s not that hard. You can make these in just a couple of hours AND this dough is super easy to work with. Meaning it is one of those doughs that isn’t hard to roll out. Yes!
Oh, and then, I made some butter.
Well, I didn’t make butter. Like churn it and all that, but I made cranberry toasted coconut butter (winning combo, guys!) to slather all over these rolls.
Obviously.
Really though, can’t you see just how good these are? All warm and buttery and perfect.
Easy Extra Flaky Homemade Crescent Rolls.
Servings: 20 Crescent rolls
Calories Per Serving: 244 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Crescent Rolls
- 1/4 cup very warm water but not boiling water
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast one packet
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup warm milk not boiling
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted or softened
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
- 8 tablespoons salted butter softened
- 1 egg beaten and or melted butter, for brushing
Cranberry Toasted Coconut Butter (OPTIONAL)
- 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon grated orange peel or more to your taste
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or large glass bowl, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar. Mix until combined. Let the mixture sit for about five minutes until it smells like bread and is foamy.
- Once the yeast has proofed and is foamy, add the warm milk, egg, butter, salt and flour. Using a dough hook, knead the dough on medium-high speed for about five minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. It will seem sticky at first, but keep mixing (or kneading by hand*) and it will become smooth.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a floured work surface. Knead the dough into a smooth ball. Grease the bowl that you mixed the dough in and set the dough back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove dough from fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface to a large rectangle that’s about 1/4th inch thick. Spread the softened butter all over dough, leaving an inch around the sides of the rectangle, being careful not to break through dough with butter.
- Fold one half of the rectangle towards the center and fold the other half over as well on top of the first layer so you have three dough layers, cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer for 10 minutes.
- Roll out dough again to a long rectangle (being careful of the butter—roll gently) and fold dough again into thirds like a book. Place back in freezer for 10 more minutes. Repeat this process two more times for a total of three folds (and 30 minutes in the freezer)
- After the three folds, you can either proceed with the directions or you can wrap your dough tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight or up to three days.
- To proceed, using a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife cut the dough in half lengthwise, and then cut the dough into triangles. Using both hands, roll the crescent up. Place on a baking sheet about 2-3 inches apart, cover with a towel and set in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Before baking, brush each crescent with the beaten egg wash. Bake rolls for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden brown. If desired brush with melted butter. Serve warm along side the cranberry toasted coconut butter (recipe is below) if desired.
Cranberry Toasted Coconut Butter
- Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread coconut in thin layer on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake 5 to 10 minutes until toasted. Cool 5 minutes. In large bowl, beat butter, maple, and orange peel with electric mixer on medium speed until honey is whipped into butter. Using rubber spatula, fold in cooled toasted coconut and dried cranberries. Transfer to serving bowl and serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate, and use within 1 week.
Sorry Pillsbury dough boy, but you ain’t got nothin’ on that. Nothin’.
This post was originally published on November 11, 2014
I love these! I have made these a couple of times 🙂 this is my favorite recipe! Takes time and effort…lots of patience but so worth it!
So happy you loved them! THANKS!!
I have recently began using quite a few of your recipes and had enjoyed them greatly!
I recently took the endeavor of baking… I am a cook not a baker. I started with bread and so thought I would make these rolls. I made them on Sunday and I did something wrong. They taste more like pie crust than crescent rolls not flaky at all. I am hand kneading so I’m wondering if I didn’t knead it enough and also I was a bit confused of what to do with the dough once i take it out of the freezer do you roll it while it is folded or unfold it and roll it?
Thanks!
Chanae
P.S. Sorry for such a long post. I want to try and make them again!
Rolled while it is folded. This is probably why you got a more pie crust like roll. let me know if you have any other questions. So happy to help make these turn out perfect for you!
Was there meant to be a note for people who are kneading by hand? There was a * after it, but no corresponding footnote later in the recipe. I think I’m going to try your Cinnamon Crunch Braided Brioche in the next few days, and it appears to be a stand mixer recipe too, so I’d like to know if hand kneading requires a modification for either of these.
Thinking of making this dough for Apple turnovers. Do you think that might work? Any special instructions?
have been reluctant to try my hand at homemade crescents-the task always seemed a little daunting to me-and the total time? hours-some even overnight. Just don’t have the time for all that. Then I came across this seemingly easy recipe-have to say that the prep was pretty painless. Dough in fridge now-will be testing them shortly! Thanks!
Just pulled these out of my oven-brushed with honey butter and a sprinkling of powdered sugar-very good. The layers are very visible and has such a nice crispy crunch! will use this recipe again!
Honey butter and powdered sugar?? YUM!! So happy these turned out awesome for you, THANKS! 🙂
Oh I hope you love them, let me know! THANKS! 🙂
Yeah , I also think it’s just the flour ! I’ll try to do it again with the bread flour normal .
Thanks Tieghan !
P.S. is from a few days that I discovered your blog and I can no longer leave , wonderful recipes , compliments really ! If you need some Italian recipe please ask !
THANK YOU! 🙂 So happy you are enjoying my recipes!
Ciao Tieghan ,
Today I tried to do your Crescent rolls , I prepared the dough with whole spelled flour instead of the normal one , and then I did the whole process … but when put in the oven are not increased , remained flat !
What can be wrong , the flour ? or butter , because I saw that in making the folds butter became more ” lumpy ” … uff
Excuse my English , maybe I have not explained very well ..
Thank You!
Hey Alessandra!
I think is it probably because of the flour. My guess is that it made them dense and unable to rise. Let know if you have any other question, hope this helps!
Has anyone tried this with Vegan butter? I know that sounds ridiculous, but I eat Vegan for 1/2 of every year and I am obsessed with breads. This one looks amazing!
And egg substitute… and a non dairy milk… ha ha ha
Hmm, I would think that would work, but i have never tried it.
Let me know if you do.
Also, do you spread the butter on before the first fold and before all three folds? I really want to try this on Christmas morning!
Hey Elle,
Just before the first fold. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hey! Love this recipe. I just wanted to confirm that the tablespoon of butter goes in the dough mix – and the 8 tablespoons gets spread on top?
Thanks in advance!
Correct. Hope you love this! Thanks and happy Thanksgiving!
I knew I would find my answer after I asked!!! Disregard comment I just made above!!!
These were wonderful. Even the last ones (five days old) were great, but right out of the oven…like, unreasonably delicious.
I have to say, I make at least one meal a week from your site and it usually ends up being the best thing I make each week. I like how unique and thoughtful your dishes are.
Just wanted to say I love your site and appreciate the amount of work that must go into it.
AWE! Yes! This is the best comment, THANK YOU! I am so excited you are enjoying my recipes! 🙂
These look amazing! Do you think that they could be shaped the day before and held in the fridge to bake right before dinner??
YUP! That works perfect! Hope you love these, Sarah!
They look absolutely yummy, Tieghan. I’m sure they must be, at least, as delicious as regular croissants!
Just a question: is this dough so moist as brioche dough? I mean, do you recomend to use a stand mixer? brioche dough is soooo sticky that it’s really difficult to knead by hand.
Thank you for the recipe and congratulations: you have a wonderful blog
😉
HI! If you can I would use a stand mixer. It just makes things a little easier. But the dough can also be mixed by hand no problem too. Hope you love these and thanks for the kind words! 🙂
I’ve never made crescent rolls before but these pictures have convinced me that I need to make them!
You have to try them if you are a bread lover. So good!
Tieghan is always one of my favourite chef to me…. Love all her recipe till date 🙂
AWE!! Thank you so much!!