I have two go-to dinner roll recipes. One is The Best Dinner Rolls in One Hour or Less. I make them ALL.THE.TIME. because they are so fast, and I love their texture. When I have a little more time, however, I like to make these Crescent Shaped Rolls. They are a lighter, buttery roll and look a little more fancy for holidays and the like. Below I will show you How to make Crescent Shaped Rolls in the step-by-step pictures and instructions below.
These rolls are delicious fresh out of the oven, but because they are so light and fluffy, they start to dry out a little quicker than other types of rolls. Keep them in a tightly covered container and warm leftover rolls in the oven or microwave.
More Recipes for the Holidays
- Holiday Ham
- Cranberry Fluff Salad with Apples and Walnuts
- Simple “How to” Tips for Cooking a Turkey
- Mom’s Cherry Pie
- Layered Salad
- Yummy Funeral Potatoes
STEP-BY-STEP PICTURES ON how to make crescent shaped rolls
- In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Let set until yeast is dissolved (about 5 minutes).
- Next, add sugar, melted shortening, eggs, salt, and flour. Mix well by hand or with a mixer. The dough will be very sticky.
- Cover and let rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- After dough has risen, put a large amount of flour out onto a clean surface. Dump the dough out onto it. You will need to put more flour on the top.
- Split the dough into two equal pieces. Set 1 half aside (on a floured surface so it won’t stick) and roll the other half out into a circle with 12- 14-inch diameter.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut rolled out dough into 12 equal triangles just like you would cut a pizza.
- Melt the 1/2 cup of butter and butter each triangle.
- Starting on the shortest side of the triange, begin rolling dough until you make it all the way to the point.
- Place rolled up rolls 2 inches apart on a large cookie sheet.
- Let rolled up rolls rise for 40-60 minutes or until they are almost doubled in size.
- Bake in a 350-degree oven for 12-15 minutes.
- When rolls come out of the oven, brush the top of each roll with remaining melted butter.
- Just look at that soft and fluffy texture. Yummy!
Tips for making Crescent Shaped Rolls
- This is a wet and sticky dough (see pictures above). Do not add more flour to the recipe than what is called for.
- After you have rolled out the dough into the 12- 14-diameter, you can butter the whole circle before you cut it if you prefer.
- In my oven, it took the full 15 minutes to bake.
- Keep the rolls in a tightly covered container and warm leftover rolls in the oven or microwave.
- You can freeze these rolls. To do so, wait until the baked rolls have completely cooled and then place them in an airtight bag. I prefer bags with a zipper lock. They can be frozen for up to 2 months. When you are ready to serve them, take them out to thaw and warm them up right before serving.
baker’s tools:
- 1½ cups warm water
- 4 tsp yeast
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup melted shortening, cooled (I use butter flavored.)
- 3 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1½ tsp salt
- 4½ cups flour
- ½ cup butter
- Flour for rolling out rolls
- In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Let set until yeast is dissolved (about 5 minutes).
- Next, add sugar, melted shortening, eggs, salt, and flour. Mix well by hand or with a mixer. The dough will be very sticky.
- Cover and let rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- After dough has risen, put a large amount of flour out onto a clean surface. Dump the dough out onto it. You will need to put more flour on the top.
- Split the dough into two equal pieces. Set 1 half aside (on a floured surface so it won't stick) and roll the other half out into a circle with 12- 14-inch diameter.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut rolled out dough into 12 equal triangles just like you would cut a pizza.
- Melt the ½ cup of butter and butter each triangle. (You can butter the whole circle before you cut it if you prefer.)
- Starting on the shortest side of the triange, begin rolling dough until you make it all the way to the point. Place rolled up rolls 2 inches apart on a large cookie sheet.
- Repeat steps with other half of the dough.
- Let rolled up rolls rise for 40-60 minutes or until they are almost doubled in size.
- Bake in a 350-degree oven for 12-15 minutes. In my oven, it took the full 15 minutes.
- When rolls come out of the oven, brush the top of each roll with remaining melted butter.
- Enjoy!
Desserts for the Holidays
I think i’ll try these for Thanksgiving. I’m trusting you that they’re soft and fluffy 🙂 One question…do you cover the rolls when they’re raising?
Hi Kim, We already had this conversation at church, but I will answer here to in case anyone else is wondering. 🙂 They are super soft and fluffy, and very buttery, but because it is such a light roll they do taste their very best within a few hours of baking. Most people still love them even the next day, but I love them best nice and fresh before they start to dry out at all. 🙂 I have never covered them while they raise on the pans. I am sure it wouldn’t hurt though, you may just want to spray the top of them with cooking spray so the plastic wrap won’t stick.
Hello my question is there a particular reason one would let the first raise go for 2 hours?
That is just what the original recipe I got from my sister said to do. As long as it doubles in size it should be fine.
Can you form these and then freeze as in lunch lady cafeteria rolls?
I haven’t ever tried it. I usually just cook my rolls and freeze them as soon as they cool. They are still very fresh and delicious when I pull them out of the freezer to serve.