Breads & Doughs

Buttery Crescent Rolls From Scratch

4.74 from 68 votes
My Buttery Crescent Rolls From Scratch recipe will take you right back to eating Pillsbury crescent rolls during family gatherings — just without the "pop!" from the can!

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Hi Bold Bakers!

Crescent rolls are a must on a lot of tables over the holidays, but did you know homemade crescent rolls are super easy to make? Of course, it is convenient to pop open a tube of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, but you’d be shocked at how much of a difference homemade makes. 

My Buttery Crescent Rolls From Scratch are so fresh and buttery, flakey, and chewy. I also bet that you already have all of the (just 6) ingredients you need to make them in your kitchen!

For some reason, having a homemade roll to share with family and friends over dinner just means more. Also, am I the only one who jumps every time someone POPS open those prepackaged baked goods?! This honestly takes the stress out of the holidays for me! 

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 7/12/2024 by using half the amount of yogurt in the original recipe, to achieve a better result. 

A basket of homemade crescent rolls.

What Are Crescent Rolls? Crescent Rolls VS Croissants

In French, Croissant actually translates to crescent — and both of these baked goods are in the shape of the crescent moon! So what’s the difference? 

Unlike my croissant recipe, I don’t use yeast in my crescent rolls. There’s still a flaky, buttery texture, but it isn’t quite the same fluffiness as a croissant. Personally, I think a crescent roll is more of a bread, and a croissant is a pastry. I wouldn’t bat an eye at using a crescent roll to sop up some gravy. I’m not sure if I feel the same way about a croissant! 

What You Need To Make Homemade Crescent Rolls

How To Make Homemade Crescent Rolls

Nothing against the Pillsbury Doughboy, but… here is how you make the perfect crescent rolls at home (and don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements, on the page down below):

  1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
  2. Stir in the yogurt and then knead for about a minute until a smooth dough forms. 
  3. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into an 8×12-inch (20×30 cm) rectangle.
  4. Spread 1/3 of the butter over the dough, then fold it into thirds, like a letter, so the dough is in three layers. (See video for the technique!) Cover the dough and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
  5. Repeat the rolling, buttering, and folding 2 more times, chilling for 30 minutes in between. After, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour. 
  6. As the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  7. Once the dough is thoroughly chilled, roll it on a floured surface into a large, thin rectangle. You want it to be about 10×18 inches (25x45cm). Cut it in half, lengthwise, and then cut each half into 4 squares.
  8. Cut the squares of dough in half diagonally. 
  9. To make the crescent rolls, gently stretch and roll a triangle of dough from the wide end to the tip. Place it on the prepared baking sheet with the tip facing down.
  10. Once they are all rolled, brush the crescent rolls with egg wash and bake on the oven’s middle racks for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.

The interior of one of my crescent rolls.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Homemade Crescent Rolls

  • This dough can seem difficult to roll out. If it springs back a bit as you roll it, just let it rest for a few minutes to let the gluten relax, and then try to roll again.
  • You can make and shape the dough ahead of time. Store the unbaked rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Add some flavor! Before you roll the dough into the crescent shape, add some grated parmesan cheese and fresh herbs, crushed garlic and olive oil, pizza sauce, and shredded mozzarella. If you want a sweet treat, try some cinnamon sugar! 

How Do I Store Homemade Crescent Rolls?

These rolls are best the day you make them, but you can store any leftover crescent rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days! 

Make Bread and Dough!

And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!

Full (and printable) recipe below!

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 7/12/2024 by using half the amount of yogurt in the original recipe, to achieve a better result. 

Watch The Recipe Video!

Buttery Crescent Rolls From Scratch Recipe

4.74 from 68 votes
My Buttery Crescent Rolls From Scratch recipe will take you right back to eating Pillsbury crescent rolls during family gatherings — just without the "pop!" from the can!
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 16 rolls
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Chill for 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
My Buttery Crescent Rolls From Scratch recipe will take you right back to eating Pillsbury crescent rolls during family gatherings — just without the "pop!" from the can!
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 16 rolls

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (10 oz/284 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (8 oz/225 g) plain whole milk yogurt
  • 6 tablespoons (3 oz/85 g) butter softened
  • Egg wash to glaze

Instructions

To Make the Dough

  • In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together.
  • Stir in yogurt and mix with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough is formed. (IF your dough is a little dry add a very small amount of yogurt to bring it together)

Rolling and Folding

  • On a floured surface, roll dough into an 8 x 12 inch (20 x 30 cm) rectangle.
  • Spread ⅓ of the softened butter ( 1 oz/ 43 g) over the dough. Fold the dough in thirds, like a letter, so that the dough is in 3 layers (see video above.). Cover and place in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 30 minutes.
  • Repeat this rolling, buttering, and folding 2 more times chilling for 30 minutes in between. Then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Shaping and Baking

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment.
  • On a floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a large, thin rectangle, about 10x18 inches (25x45cm), cut in half lengthwise, and then cut each half into 4 squares.
  • Cut all 8 squares of dough in half diagonally.
  • For each crescent roll, gently stretch and roll a triangle of dough from the wide end to the tip and place on the prepared baking sheet with the tip under the roll.
  • When all the dough is rolled, brush with the egg wash and bake on middle racks in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.
  • These rolls are best the day they are made but you can store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Recipe Notes

*Yogurt varies in consistency. Add it gradually just until the dough forms a ball. 
4.74 from 68 votes (57 ratings without comment)
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Jessica Savage
3 years ago

Excellent recipe! These crescent rolls were very fun and easy to make. I watched Gemma’s video several times before attempting these and they turned out perfectly! Better yet, my family and I LOVED them. Delicious!
Thank you Gemma! ????

Daniela DI NARDO
Daniela DI NARDO
3 years ago

For whole milk yogurt, how much fat % should you use? Can you use greek yogurt? Can’t wait to try these!!!

denise
denise
1 year ago

problems from the start. when i put in the two cups of yogurt the dough was sooooo soggy. I had to add a lot of flour to get it to a good consistency. The dough is still very flimsy . we will see how it turns out. anyone else have this problem?

Sol
Sol
2 years ago

Hi Gemma, unfortunately my dough didn’t work. I used my homemade yogurt which, despite being thick, may be quite wetter than yours. I had to keep adding flour to compensate, so the rolls did not rise. I’d suggest that one should add yogurt to the dry ingredients up to the point of having a proper soft but not sticky dough – which may vary by flour and yogurt types. I’ll try this recipe again – and, as always, many thanks!

Baniaz
Baniaz
3 years ago

Gemma . I tried this one..the cresents rolls were under cooked.. can you pls tell how to cook them perfectly?
Thanks

Marie
Marie
11 months ago

I made these this weekend. I think I need to reduce the amount of yoghurt though as the dough was very soggy and I had to add more flour. I live in Colorado – so it’s extremely dry here and I usually have to add more moisture to recipes as a result, so that’s why I wasn’t cautious about putting the full amount of yoghurt in the recipe. I baked half the batch and have another batch in the fridge – will bake it tomorrow. They are a wee bit heavy – would that be because of the sogginess of… Read more »

Celeste
Celeste
3 years ago

This was such a yummy and fun recipe to make! I definitely want to make these again. My sister and I made these for Mother’s Day also using MADE TO BE A MOMMA’s recipe for Rasberry Crescent Rolls and it turned out delicious! Although I do recommend that if you’re making these into sweet croissants to add some sugar in the batter because it was missing that. But since this recipe was meant as a dinner roll, all is fine. 🙂 Definitely recommend it to anyone out there, it’s very easy to follow. My 12-year-old sister and I (16) made… Read more »

Evan Robish
Evan Robish
2 months ago

Wow thank you so much for giving me a blessipe! I’ve been practicing several bread recipes and this one has come out the best by far!

Doris Hall
Doris Hall
2 months ago

Can I use this recipe to make a cheese danish?

Mae
Mae
3 months ago

Yeah …. I should have read the comments first. 2 cups of yogurt was way too much and the dough was just a goopy mess. Had to add an insane amount of flour to get the right consistency. First fold is chilling in the fridge now after working with this for almost an hour already. Have a feeling they aren’t going to puff up in the end but we shall see. I suggest editing this recipe to include the yogurt issues or just taking it down entirely. Terribly difficult to get the dough right.

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About Us

Meet Gemma

About Us

Meet Gemma

Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.

 

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