Sourdough Crescent Rolls
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Layers upon layers of buttery, rich pastry and the tangy complexity of sourdough. These Sourdough Crescent Rolls boast a tender, flaky texture, thanks to layers of dough brushed with butter and rolled into their signature crescent shape. Use up sourdough discard with this sourdough inspired take on a classic recipe!
If you’re looking for more bread recipes, be sure to check out some of my other favorites like Honey Butter Dinner Rolls, Lemon Rosemary Sourdough, or Organic French Baguettes.
Table of Contents
This recipe is another collab with my friend Hannah at Make It Dough! Every month we collaborate on a fun sourdough recipe using active starter or sourdough discard. And this month, we knew that we needed to make homemade crescent rolls for Thanksgiving!
These homemade crescent rolls are soft, pillowy, and layered with butter for a rich and decadent roll for your Thanksgiving dinner party. Some of my other holiday favorite collabs include Lemon Rosemary Sourdough, Eggless Sourdough Molasses Cookies, and Sourdough Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Homemade: While you can go buy crescent rolls in a tube, there’s nothing like fresh homemade crescent rolls, especially because you can choose organic ingredients!
Easy: This recipe is fairly easy to make. While there’s some rise time, you can easily prep other dishes in between steps so too can make these part of your holiday meal with ease.
Uses Sourdough Discard: I love recipes that use up sourdough discard because they turn waste into delicious food! These Sourdough Crescent Rolls use sourdough discard for a delicious sourdough element to this nostalgic recipe!
Ingredients
- Honey: I use organic raw honey.
- Yeast: We use organic active dry yeast in this recipe, but you can also use instant yeast if you’re in a hurry or if that’s all you have.
- Milk: I use organic whole milk.
- Sourdough Discard: You can use your sourdough discard straight from the fridge for this recipe.
- Butter: I use Organic Valley Salted Butter.
- All Purpose Flour: My favorite is Cairnspring Mills.
- Salt: Make sure to use a fine sea salt.
Tools Needed
- Scale: Always use a digital food scale for the best results, especially when baking bread!
- Mixing Bowl: You’ll need a mixing bowl for the yeast mixture.
- Whisk: I use a whisk to mix up the yeast.
- Stand Mixer: I use my stand mixer with the dough hook for ease, but you can also just use your hands and a large mixing bowl if you prefer. But, the stand mixer makes this easier and faster!
- Baking Sheet: You’ll need one half sheet pan for chilling and also baking the rolls.
- Parchment Paper: I always use parchment paper for ease. My favorite nontoxic parchment paper is from Kana.
- Rolling Pin: You’ll need a rolling pin to roll out the dough.
- Pastry Brush: You’ll need a pastry brush to brush the egg wash on top.
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Activate the yeast: Whisk the honey, milk, and yeast in a large bowl. Cover and let the yeast bloom until foamy, at least 15 minutes.
Step 2
Make the dough: Whisk the sourdough discard into the yeast mixture until fully incorporated.
Add the all purpose flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (alternatively, you can use a large mixing bowl with your hands). Add in the softened cubed butter and mix with the dough hook to combine into the flour and butter mixture looks like coarse crumbs. If not using a mixer, just rub the butter and flour together with your fingers.
Create a well in the center and pour the yeast mixture in. Knead on speed 2 to 4 until no traces of dry flour remain. Then continue to knead until it looks cohesive and smooth (about 5 to 10 minutes). (If doing with your hands, it may become sticky. If this happens, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 15 minutes and come back to it.)
Step 3
Bulk ferment: Transfer to a lightly greased mixing bowl and round the dough into a tight ball and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes to 1 hour (depending on the temperature of your kitchen).
Step 4
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Laminate the dough: Divide the dough into 5 even portions (you can just eyeball this). Roll each portion of dough into a ball. If it seems sticky, you can cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes, this will make it easier to roll out. I had no issues rolling out right away though.
Lightly flour the dough balls and working with 1 portion of dough at a time, roll the dough into an 8-inch circle using a rolling pin. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet.
Spread 1 tablespoon of butter on top of the circle of dough. Repeat with the remaining portions of dough, stacking each circle of dough on top of the previous one and spreading 1 tablespoon of butter on top, but do not spread butter on the top layer! Pinch the edges of the dough together so the layers do not separate.
Step 5
Cover with plastic wrap and chill the dough for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 6
Shape the dough: Place the dough on a clean work lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into a large circle, about 15 to 18 inches, it should be quite thin (⅛-inch thick). Using a pizza cutter or chef’s knife, cut the dough into 12 even segments (like a pizza).
Working with 1 triangle at a time, make a small slit in the middle of the base of the triangle. This will allow the dough to be curved into its iconic shape, so it’s important to make this cut.
Pull the two bottom corners outward and roll the dough towards the tip. Place the shaped dough back on the parchment paper lined baking sheet and curve the ends so that the dough resembles a crescent shape (give the dough room to rise and spread a little bit). Repeat with the remaining portions of dough.
Step 7
Final proof: Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until puffy and has noticeably increased in volume, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Step 8
Whisk the egg. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the dough with egg wash.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the crescent rolls are golden brown. These rolls are best served fresh out of the oven.
Baker’s Tips
- You can use instant yeast if you’re in a hurry or if you’re out of active dry yeast.
- Make sure your butter is soft, especially for spreading it onto each layer of dough as the dough is very thin.
- I use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into triangles, but a sharp knife will also work!
- These are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven!
FAQ’s
Yes, I tested this with instant yeast and it also works great!
I recommend making these the day you plan to enjoy them as they are best when fresh out of the oven.
If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container and you can reheat in the toaster oven or air fryer for the best results. But they aren’t the same as when they’re fresh out of the oven!
Craving More?
Sourdough Crescent Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
Dough
- 28 grams honey
- 7 grams active dry yeast
- 170 grams milk
- 113 grams sourdough discard
- 42 grams salted butter (softened and cubed)
- 300 grams all purpose flour
- 6 grams salt
Filling
- 113 grams salted butter (softened)
Topping
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Activate the yeast: Whisk the honey, milk, and yeast in a large bowl. Cover and let the yeast bloom until foamy, at least 15 minutes.
- Make the dough: Whisk the sourdough discard into the yeast mixture until fully incorporated.
- Add the all purpose flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (alternatively, you can use a large mixing bowl with your hands). Add in the softened cubed butter and mix with the dough hook to combine into the flour and butter mixture looks like coarse crumbs. If not using a mixer, just rub the butter and flour together with your fingers.
- Create a well in the center and pour the yeast mixture in. Knead on speed 2 to 4 until no traces of dry flour remain. Then continue to knead until it looks cohesive and smooth (about 5 to 10 minutes). (If doing with your hands, it may become sticky. If this happens, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 15 minutes and come back to it.)
- Bulk ferment: Transfer to a lightly greased mixing bowl and round the dough into a tight ball and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes to 1 hour (depending on the temperature of your kitchen).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Laminate the dough: Divide the dough into 5 even portions (you can just eyeball this). Roll each portion of dough into a ball. If it seems sticky, you can cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes, this will make it easier to roll out. I had no issues rolling out right away though.
- Lightly flour the dough balls and working with 1 portion of dough at a time, roll the dough into an 8-inch circle using a rolling pin. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of butter on top of the circle of dough. Repeat with the remaining portions of dough, stacking each circle of dough on top of the previous one and spreading 1 tablespoon of butter on top, but do not spread butter on the top layer! Pinch the edges of the dough together so the layers do not separate.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill the dough for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Shape the dough: Place the dough on a clean work lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into a large circle, about 15 to 18 inches, it should be quite thin (⅛-inch thick). Using a pizza cutter or chef’s knife, cut the dough into 12 even segments (like a pizza).
- Working with 1 triangle at a time, make a small slit in the middle of the base of the triangle. This will allow the dough to be curved into its iconic shape, so it’s important to make this cut.
- Pull the two bottom corners outward and roll the dough towards the tip. Place the shaped dough back on the parchment paper lined baking sheet and curve the ends so that the dough resembles a crescent shape (give the dough room to rise and spread a little bit). Repeat with the remaining portions of dough.
- Final proof: Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until puffy and has noticeably increased in volume, about 30 to 45 minutes.
- Whisk the egg. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the dough with egg wash.
- Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the crescent rolls are golden brown. These rolls are best served fresh out of the oven.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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