Overnight Crescent Dinner Rolls
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I know what you are thinking, “This girl is posting another roll recipe?” My response – Absolutely! You really can’t have too many roll recipes. I know I have several, and they are all pretty fabulous. Well, this one is also pretty darn fabulous. It’s for overnight crescent dinner rolls. A good rule of thumb is that any roll recipe that uses eggs and milk in the dough should be a winner. All the recipes I LOVE are made with those two ingredients.
The beauty of this one is that you make the dough ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. However, once you pull the dough out and shape the rolls, you need to allow them to sit for 3-4 hours. Now, one important rule I learned with these rolls is DO NOT try to speed up the process by putting them in a warm oven, or you will get flat rolls and the texture will not be as good. You can see the difference in the picture below. Flat roll – not good, puffy roll – perfection.
The rolls I tried to help along by placing them in a warm oven did not look as pretty or taste as yummy. So please follow my advice. These rolls are worth the wait; don’t try to speed up the process.
These rolls also do not end up being doubled in size when it’s time to toss them in the oven. Do not be concerned. This is how they work. The best way to describe them is puffy, pillowy texture like a marshmallow. That is how they should look and also how they should feel if you press on the dough. They will get bigger when they cook.
Ingredients for Overnight Crescent Dinner Rolls
- YEAST
- WARM WATER
- BUTTER
- MILK
- EGGS
- SUGAR
- SALT
- FLOUR
Instructions for Overnight Homemade Crescent Rolls
Day 1: Making the Dough
Proof the Yeast: In a small bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture becomes foamy. This shows the yeast is active and ready to go.
Melt the Butter: While the yeast proofs, melt ½ cup of butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Once the butter is melted and begins to bubble, stir in the milk and remove the pan from the heat. Set this mixture aside.
Combine Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, and salt until they are well blended. With the mixer on low, slowly drizzle a small amount of the warm butter-milk mixture into the egg mixture to temper the eggs. This prevents the eggs from scrambling. Once tempered, you can increase the mixer speed to medium and slowly add the rest of the butter-milk mixture until it’s fully incorporated.
Mix in the Yeast and Flour: Add the activated yeast mixture to the egg mixture. With the mixer still running on low with the dough hook, add 4 cups of the flour, one cup at a time, until it is fully mixed in. Increase the mixer speed to medium and let the dough mix for 3-5 minutes. The dough should be very sticky but should pull away from the sides of the bowl. If it seems too wet, add up to 1 more cup of flour, but do not exceed 5 cups total.
Refrigerate Overnight: Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl, forming the dough into a ball. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator overnight. The dough will rise, but it won’t double in size.
Day 2: Shaping and Baking
Get Ready: Take the dough out of the refrigerator about 4 hours before you plan to bake the rolls. The dough will be cold and feel firm, similar to sugar cookie dough. Melt the remaining ½ cup of butter in a separate bowl.
Shape the Rolls: Divide the cold soft dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half into a 14-inch circle. Pour half of the melted butter over each dough circle, spread or brush it evenly and leaving a one-inch border around the edge. Since the roll dough is cold, the butter will firm up as you spread it.
Cut and Roll: Using a pizza cutter, cut each circle into 12 wedges. Starting from the wide end, roll each wedge tightly toward the pointed tip to get that crescent shape.
Rise and Bake: Place the rolls on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet with the pointed tip facing down. Cover them with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 3-4 hours in a warm place. They should double in size. Finally, bake them in a preheated 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until they are a beautiful golden brown. This recipe yields 2 dozen rolls that are perfect for any occasion!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need to let the dough refrigerate overnight? Can I skip this step?
Refrigerating the dough overnight is crucial for both flavor and texture. The cold fermentation process allows the yeast to work slowly, developing a deeper, more complex flavor in the dough. It also makes the dough much easier to handle and roll out, resulting in a tender, flaky roll. I don’t recommend skipping this step if you want the best results.
My rolls didn’t rise. What went wrong?
There are a few possible reasons for this. The most common issue is inactive yeast. The water you use to activate the yeast should be lukewarm, around 105-115°F. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast; if it’s too cold, the yeast won’t activate. Be sure your yeast is fresh and hasn’t expired. Also, ensure your rising environment is warm enough during the 3-4 hour proofing period on Day 2.
Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?
Yes, you can. You can generally substitute instant yeast for active dry yeast without any changes to the recipe. However, you do not need to “proof” instant yeast. You can simply mix it in with the dry ingredients.
Can I make the rolls a few days in advance?
The dough is best when refrigerated overnight, but you can keep it in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. You can also freeze the shaped, unbaked rolls. Place them on a baking sheet to freeze, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen rolls on a baking sheet and let them thaw and rise for about 4-5 hours before baking as directed.
The virtual Easter dinner continues today with Tiffany from Eat at Home, who is sharing Goat Cheese Biscuits. Here are all my other favorite yummy roll recipes that would also be perfect for Easter dinner.
- Make Ahead Parker House Rolls
- Lion House Rolls
- Molly’s Rolls
- 30 Minute Rolls
- Orange Rolls
- Here is my post too, for different ways to shape your dinner rolls.
Overnight Crescent Dinner Rolls
Real Mom Kitchen
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp yeast
- ¼ cup warm water
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup milk
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- ¾ tsp salt
- 4 ½ -5 cups flour
- ½ cup butter
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the yeast and warm water. Allow the yeast sometime to proof.
- Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan melt the butter. When the butter is melted and starts to bubble, mix in the milk and remove it from the heat. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the eggs, sugar, and salt until well blended. Then add a small amount of the warm butter, milk mixture to the egg/sugar mixture to temper the eggs. You don’t want to end up with scambled eggs here. Turn on the mixer and drizzle in the rest of the butter/milk mixture until well blended.
- Add the yeast to the mixture.
- Now mix in the flour 1 cup at a time up to the 4th cup. Now let the mixer run for about 3-5 minutes.
- At this point decide if you need any more flour. You want a very sticky dough. Do not add any more than 1 cup, you don’t want to go over 5 cups total.
- Scape down the sides of the bowl getting all the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough overnight.
- The next day get the dough out about 4 hours before you want the rolls. The dough will have risen some overnight but it will not double.
- Melt the remaining 1/2 cup butter. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 14 inch circle. The dough will be cold from being in the refridge and feels like you are rolling out sugar cookie dough.
- Pour half of the melted butter on top of each circle and spread over the dough with in 1 inch of the edge. Since the dough is cold the butter will stiffen back up as you spread it around.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up each wedge starting with the wide end rolling toward the point.
- Place the rolls on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Be sure to place them with the point facing down.
- Cover and let raise 3-4 hours. Then bake in a 350 degree over for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Makes 2 dozen.
