Homemade Crescent Rolls

It’s Sunday Funday, a new fun group of bloggers who are sharing fun themed recipes on Sundays!

This week, we’re featuring croissants since yesterday (January 30) was National Croissant Day.

I’ve made croissants in the past and the recipe is so good, that I’ve felt no need to improve upon it or seek out an alternative.  However, croissants are incredibly labor intensive.  Done right, with all the proofing, croissants take a full 3 days to make.

Which is why people love the crescent roll.  You know, those rolls that come in the can at the grocery store?  So fast and easy!

But, as always, I can’t help but wonder how a homemade version would taste.  Answer: super buttery and amazing.

Now, these crescent rolls aren’t nearly as speedy as the store bought version, but are considerably faster than a croissant.  Done right, a semblance of flaky layers is achieved and they can be made on a weeknight for dinner.  You’ll still need a couple hours, but they’re well worth it!

Enjoy these Sunday Funy Croissant Recipes

• Bean Cassoulet by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Cheesy Sausage and Croissant Casserole by Making Miracles
• Chocolate Croissants (Pain au Chocolate) by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Croissants aux Amandes (Almond Croissants) by Food Lust People Love
• Homemade Crescent Rolls by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Mardi Gras Cream Cheese King Cake Croissants by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Sourdough Croissants by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Yeasted Croissant by Sneha's Recipe

Homemade Crescent Rolls

Recipe from Baking a Moment

2 ¾ cups flour

3 tablespoons white sugar

2 teaspoons instant dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup cold butter, cut in small pieces

½ cup cold milk

¼ cup cold water

1 egg

Additional butter, for brushing

Whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Add the butter chunks.  Use your fingers or a pastry blender to incorporate the butter into the flour until only sized chunks are visible.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, water, and egg.   Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to mix.

Once the mixture becomes too thick to stir, turn it out onto a work surface and knead until the flour is fully incorporated.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour.  Roll the dough out into a long rectangle, about ½-inch thick.

Fold the dough in thirds (like a letter), rotate 90 degrees, and roll into a long rectangle again.

Fold into thirds a second time, rotate and roll out.  Repeat the process for a total of 3-5 times, or until the dough becomes too difficult to roll (I rerolled mine 4 times).

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for another 20-30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 3 equal parts.  Cover two.

Roll the first piece into a long rectangle, 6-inches wide, ⅛ inch thick and however long it needs to be.  Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into triangles (I prefer to cut wide triangles for larger crescent rolls).

Roll each triangle from the wide end to the tip and place them, with the tip tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment or silicone mats.

Loosely cover and and set aside to rise for 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Brush the rolls with butter, then bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm.