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These are homemade crescent rolls that are so much better than the original. They’re soft dinner rolls made with potato flakes for a delicious from-scratch version!
Dinner rolls are my favorite part of any meal, especially when they’re made from scratch! That’s why I decided to make buttery homemade crescent rolls this year. While I love the canned version, I prefer a homemade yeasty dinner roll and this is my new favorite recipe. They’re my most requested dinner roll ever since I made them the first time
Why These Crescent Rolls are So Good
- Making homemade rolls is EASY, I promise.
- These are quick crescent rolls too – only one rise and some resting time because I’m using instant yeast.
- These are POTATO Crescent rolls – a variation on my favorite potato roll recipe.
- Buttery, homemade and delicious – everyone loves them as a side dish or just because!
Crescent Roll Ingredients
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour for best results, and be sure to measure it correctly.
- Instant Yeast: This helps cut down the rise time! You find this wherever yeast is sold. Yeast comes in a few different forms (active dry, bread machine, and instant, so be sure to buy instant yeast).
- Sugar: We add some granulated sugar for sweetness and to help activate the yeast.
- Salt: Needed for flavor!
- Milk & Water: Milk adds great flavor to the dough. Use regular or nonfat.
- Butter: I used unsalted butter, but you can use salted, just reduce the salt to 3/4 teaspoon. You’ll need butter for both in the rolls and brushing on top.
- Potato Flakes: I love making potato flakes with instant potatoes. My favorite instant potatoes are Idahoan Mashed Potatoes that come in the pouch.
- Egg: Egg adds structure and adds a richness to the bread dough.
Dorothy’s Testing Note
These are not a traditional flakey croissant, but they’re more bready and yeasty, like a dinner roll. They’re soft and fluffier than a classic roll because of the potato flakes, and they will be a huge hit whenever they’re served.
Homemade Crescent Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups (372g) all-purpose flour (up to 3 ½ cups)
- 1 packet Instant Yeast, (2 ¼ teaspoons or 7g)
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (177ml) milk
- ½ cup (118ml) water
- 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup (33g) Idahoan Potato Flakes
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted (for brushing)
Instructions
- Combine 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Whisk to combine.
- Combine water, milk and butter in a microwave safe measuring cup. Heat to between 120°-130°F (about 1 minute in my microwave). It’s best if you can use an instant read thermometer, but if you don’t have one, heat your water to very hot bathwater temperature. Stir in potato flakes.
- Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with the dough hook for 1 minute on medium speed. Add egg and 1 cup flour and mix another 1 minute. Add a third cup of flour and mix until your dough comes together to a soft dough. It will be slightly sticky to the touch. If needed, add up to ¼ cup more flour.
- Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and dust it with flour. Knead until the dough comes together in a ball and the dough bounces back when pressed with two fingers. This will take about 4-6 minutes (longer if you’ve done this process by hand). Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, divide the dough into two pieces. Roll each into a 10-inch circle and cut into 12 wedges (like a pizza).
- To form the crescent rolls, roll each triangle from the wide end to the point. Place rolls on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, 1-inch apart. Cover with a kitchen towel and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush with melted butter. Bake for 15-25 minutes, or until light golden brown and cooked through. Brush with additional melted butter after baking.
- Store rolls in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Baked rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Make ahead instructions: Once you place the rolls on the cookie sheet you can cover them tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator up to 24 hours. Let come to room temperature and double in size before baking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Make Ahead Instructions
In step 4, before leaving them to rest, cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill for up to 24 hours. Let come to room temperature and rise before baking.
How to store Homemade Crescent Rolls
- Store these in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Homemade bread doesn’t have preservatives and won’t last as long as store bought.
- You can freeze the baked rolls for up to 3 months.
How to Make Homemade Crescent Rolls
- The best part about using instant yeast is that you can whisk the dry ingredients first.
- Then add the liquids. The dough should be smooth at this point.
- Once kneaded, the dough will come together in a ball and bounce back when touched with 2 fingers.
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- Triangles are needed to form the crescents, so the dough needs to be in a large circle and sliced with a pizza cutter or knife.
- To get the triangle shape, roll up from the large end.
- Once risen, they’ll be puffy.
Dinner Roll FAQ
No, croissant dough is more flakey and is more like frozen puff pastry.
You can make this recipe up to 24 hours ahead.
Start rolling at the base of the triangle and roll to the point. To form, twist in the ends a bit.
Instant Yeast is my favorite to use because it’s fastest – just a 10 minute rest and then one rise. Most brand names have instant yeast under different names so check the package.
Make sure your yeast is fresh and not expired. Be sure to use an instant read thermometer to check the water/milk temperature (too cold and your yeast won’t activate, too hot and it’ll kill the yeast).
It will come together in a uniform ball, no longer be sticky, and bounce back when touched with 2 fingers.
Can you use heavy whipping cream instead of milk?
I believe so, but I haven’t tried it.
What do you set the oven to? You did not state that in the recipe.
Oh no – sorry about that – 375
can you use gluten free flour
I have not tried GF flour for yeasted recipes, it will act differently.
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