Description
These homemade crescent rolls are soft, buttery, and slightly sweet, perfect for serving warm alongside any meal or with a smear of homemade honey butter. Made from scratch with active dry yeast, warm half-and-half, honey, and melted butter, these rolls have a tender, elastic dough that rises beautifully and bakes into golden, flaky crescents. Ideal for holiday dinners, brunches, or any occasion that calls for fresh, irresistible bread rolls.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast (9 grams)
- 1¼ cups half-and-half, warm at 110°F (284 grams)
- 2 tablespoons honey (44 grams)
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (141 grams; 1 stick + 2 tablespoons)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- 1 large egg, beaten (50 grams)
- 4 to 4½ cups all-purpose flour (480-540 grams), divided
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (5 grams)
For Serving
- Homemade Honey Butter (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare the bowl and baking sheets: Grease or butter a large bowl for the dough to rise in and set it aside. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray the foil with nonstick spray to prevent the rolls from sticking.
- Activate the yeast: In the stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the active dry yeast, warm half-and-half, honey, melted butter, and sugar. Let this mixture sit undisturbed for 5 minutes, until it becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active and ready.
- Mix the dough: Swap to the dough hook attachment. Add the beaten egg, 2 cups of flour, and the kosher salt to the yeast mixture. Beat at low speed, gradually adding the remaining flour in half-cup increments. Continue beating until a smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky dough ball forms, about 1 minute.
- Knead the dough: Increase the mixer speed to medium and knead the dough for about 6 minutes until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is smooth and elastic, signaling proper gluten development.
- First rise: Place the dough ball in the greased bowl, turning it to coat all sides. Cover with a clean, lightweight dish towel and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, roughly 1 hour.
- Shape the rolls: Gently punch down the risen dough and transfer it to a lightly floured countertop. Divide the dough in half. Roll one half into a 12-inch circle and cut it into 12 equal wedges using a pizza cutter. Repeat with the second half. Starting from the wide end, roll each wedge towards the point to form crescent shapes. Arrange them point-side down and slightly curve the ends on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Second rise: Cover the shaped rolls with a clean dish towel and let them rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes. At this stage, the rolls can also be refrigerated for up to 24 hours if you want to bake them later.
- Bake the rolls: If baking immediately, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake the rolls for 14 to 18 minutes until they turn lightly golden brown on top.
- Cool and serve: Allow the rolls to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy them warm or at room temperature with a spread of homemade honey butter if desired.
Notes
- You can refrigerate the shaped rolls after the second rise for up to 24 hours before baking to prepare ahead of time.
- If you do refrigerate the rolls, allow them to come back to room temperature before baking to ensure even cooking and proper rise.
- Use room temperature ingredients where possible for best dough consistency and yeast activation.
- Half-and-half can be substituted with whole milk, but the rolls may be slightly less rich.
- The dough will be slightly tacky; avoid adding too much extra flour during kneading to keep the rolls soft and tender.
- Makes 24 rolls, perfect for large gatherings or meals.