Buttery Yeast Crescent Rolls

Before you start

These are the homemade answer to the crescent rolls that come in a tube: a soft, rich dough made with milk, egg and melted butter, rolled into circles, brushed with more butter and cut into wedges that you roll up into crescents. They bake up tender and golden with visible spirals, and they pull apart in soft layers rather than flaking like a croissant.

The dough is easy to handle because it is enriched but not too sticky. The key steps are rolling it to an even circle, cutting even wedges and rolling each one snugly from the wide end so the tip ends up tucked underneath. Proof them until puffy, not doubled, so they keep their shape. If you need them for a holiday meal, you can shape the rolls a day ahead and let them rise slowly in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

• Dough500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
• 7 g (2¼ tsp) instant yeast
• 1¼ tsp (8 g) fine salt
• 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk — warmed to about 38°C (100°F)
• 1 large (about 50 g) egg — room temperature
• 85 g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter — melted and cooled slightly
• Filling and finish30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter — very soft, for spreading
• 1 large egg — beaten with 1 tbsp water, for egg wash
• Pinch flaky salt — optional

Method

1. Stir the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in the mixer bowl. Add the warm milk, egg and melted butter and mix on low until a soft dough forms.
2. Knead on medium-low for 7 to 8 minutes, until smooth, elastic and just slightly tacky. If it sticks heavily to the bowl, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1¼ hours, until doubled.
4. Punch down the dough and divide it in half. On a lightly floured counter, roll one half into a 30 cm (12 in) circle about 5 mm thick. Spread with half the soft butter.
5. Cut the circle into 8 even wedges with a pizza cutter, like a pie. Starting at the wide end, roll each wedge loosely toward the point, stretching the tip slightly as you go.
6. Place the rolls tip side down on a lined sheet, 5 cm apart, and curve the ends inward into a crescent. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
7. Cover and proof for 45 to 60 minutes, until puffy and about 1½ times larger. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
8. Brush the rolls with egg wash and sprinkle with flaky salt if you like. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, swapping the sheets halfway, until deep golden on top and bottom.
9. Cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then move to a rack. Serve warm.

Tips for success

• Tuck the tip of each wedge underneath. If it sits on top, the roll can unwind as it bakes.
• For even sizes, measure the circle with a ruler. A smaller, thicker circle gives stubby rolls with few layers.
• To make ahead, shape the rolls, cover and refrigerate for up to 18 hours. Let them stand at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes before baking.

Substitutions

Whole milk

2% milk works with slightly less richness. Unsweetened oat milk and a plant-based butter make a dairy-free version that browns a little less.

All-purpose flour

Bread flour gives taller, chewier rolls; add 15 ml more milk if the dough feels stiff.

Egg in the dough

Leave it out and add 50 ml more milk. The rolls will be slightly less rich and a bit paler.

Variations

Garlic herb crescents

Mix 1 minced garlic clove and 1 tbsp chopped parsley into the spreading butter.

Cinnamon sugar crescents

Sprinkle the buttered circles with 50 g sugar mixed with 2 tsp cinnamon before cutting.

Troubleshooting

Rolls unrolled and lost their shape

They were rolled too loosely or the tip was on top. Roll snugly and set each one tip side down.

Bottoms brown too fast

Dark pans or a low rack. Use light-colored sheets, bake in the upper and lower thirds and swap halfway.

Dense, bready rolls

The dough was underproofed or had too much flour. Keep the dough soft and wait until the shaped rolls are visibly puffy.

Storage

Keep rolls in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Freeze baked rolls for up to 2 months and warm from frozen at 175°C (350°F) for 8 to 10 minutes, covered with foil.

Safety notes

Do not taste raw dough; it contains uncooked egg and flour. Contains wheat, egg and milk.