Homemade Garlic Parmesan Crescent Rolls (or Plain!)

Take your pick: Plain Butter or Garlic Parmesan! Both are fluffy and delicious!

There are crescent rolls that come out of a tube in the refrigerated department at the grocery store. I use them for sure. There’s a time and place for everything!

However, if you have a little extra time, I highly recommend you give making these homemade crescent rolls a try! I make them every year for the big holidays and serve them with homemade butter! They are truly special and worth the effort! …and with this new Parmesan Garlic version, you can choose which you’d like to make: Plain Buttery Homemade Crescent Rolls or Parmesan Garlic Crescent Rolls!

The soft, slightly-sticky dough mixes together quickly and takes an overnight rest in the refrigerator, so that’s easy. The “extra time” part I mentioned is for the rising. This is a very rich dough with a whole lot of butter in it – all that richness tends to slow down the rising, so you need to be patient and make these on a day when you’ll be in the house for several hours. After that rise, the dough goes into the refrigerator overnight.

The next day you roll out the dough, cut them and let them rise for about another hour – then they’re ready for the oven! For holidays I bake them a few hours in advance and warm them up when we’re ready to eat.

A few tips…

It’s a soft dough to work with, it will stick to the bottom of the mixing bowl a little. Resist the urge to add more flour (unless it looks a whole lot wetter than this – then just add a tablespoon of flour at a time.)

When it’s time to roll them out. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Spread on the plain butter or garlic butter mixture. Cut into 12 wedges (like pizza!) and roll up from the wider end into a crescent shape. When you place them on the baking sheet, roll the little pointy tip under.

Plain Butter Version:

Which version are you going to make?

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Homemade Garlic Parmesan Crescent Rolls (or plain)

Homemade crescent rolls are rich, buttery and bake up fluffy and light! They are truly special and worth a little extra time. The soft and slightly sticky dough mixes up easily, sits for a long rise, then rests in the refrigerator overnight. The next day you roll, cut and form the crescents! You can choose the Plain Buttery Homemade Crescent Roll version or the Parmesan Garlic Crescent Rolls! Both are scrumptious!

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Course

Bread

Keyword

rolls

Servings

12 servings

Ingredients

Dough: Day 1

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour divided, plus more for rolling
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon salt I use coarse kosher

Parmesan Garlic Butter Filling/Topping: Day 2

• 4 tablespoons salted butter softened
• 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese divided
• 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes or 2 teaspoons fresh

Plain Butter Filling/Topping: Day 2

• 4 tablespoons salted butter softened
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Egg Wash: Day 2

• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons water

Course Bread Keyword rolls Servings 12 servings Ingredients Dough: Day 1 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter 1/2 cup milk 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast 3 tablespoons sugar 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour divided, plus more for rolling 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk 1 teaspoon salt I use coarse kosher Parmesan Garlic Butter Filling/Topping: Day 2 4 tablespoons salted butter softened 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese divided 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes or 2 teaspoons fresh Plain Butter Filling/Topping: Day 2 4 tablespoons salted butter softened 1/4 teaspoon salt Egg Wash: Day 2 1 large egg 2 teaspoons water

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Instructions

Dough: Day 1

1. Warm milk and butter in microwave until butter is melted. Should be between 105 - 110 degrees F.
2. I use my stand mixer for this recipe, but you could alternatively mix by hand. Add yeast, warm milk and butter mixture, sugar and 1 cup of flour to the mixing bowl. Stir together and let sit 5-10 minutes until yeast starts to activate and get foamy.
3. Add eggs, remaining flour and salt to mixture. Mix until combined (with flat beater). Switch to dough hook and knead for about 3 minutes on speed 2. The dough will be soft and a little sticky, it will stick a little to the bottom of the bowl. Don't add more flour unless it's very, very wet.
4. Place dough in gallon zip top bag and allow to rise at room temperature. (approx. 75 degrees F.) Depending how warm your room is, it can take from 1 - 4 hours. I don't recommend any quick rise methods (placing in warm oven, placing over warm water) as the butter gets too soft and they don't rise properly.
5. Once dough has doubled in size, place in refrigerator for 4-hours or overnight.

Form Rolls: Day 2

1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or grease.
2. Take dough out of refrigerator. It will be stiff as the butter will have solidified. Let it sit out for 10-15 minutes or until it's more pliable. On a lightly floured surface, fold the dough over on itself a few times (helps create layers) then form into a disc shape and roll into a 12" circle, lightly dusting with flour as needed.
3. For Parmesan Garlic Rolls: Mix together softened butter with half the Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, pepper and parsley. Spread half the mixture on the dough circle. Reserve the other half of the butter mixture in refrigerator.
4. For Plain Butter Rolls: Spread 2 tablespoons of the softened butter on dough circle, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reserve the other half of the butter in the refrigerator,
5. Use a pizza wheel or long sharp knife to cut the dough circle into 12 wedges (like a pizza.)
6. Roll each wedge starting at the wider end to form crescent roll shape. Place with tip side down on baking sheet.
7. Cover baking sheet with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature. (approx. 75 degrees F.) It will take about an hour, they should be warm, puffy and a bit larger. (they won't double.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. part-way through rising time.

Bake: Day 2

1. Make the egg wash. Whisk together the egg and water. Brush over rolls. (This gives them a beautiful golden-brown color.)
2. Bake for about 20 minutes or until puffed and golden-brown. If you feel they are getting too dark, you can lay a piece of foil loosely over-top the rolls.
3. Melt the remaining butter or garlic butter you used as the filling. Brush hot rolls with melted butter. Sprinkle Parmesan garlic rolls with remaining Parmesan cheese.
4. Serve while warm. You can also bake several hours in advance and rewarm in a 300 degree F. oven for about 5-7 minutes