If you happen to have grown up in the US like me, you’ve probably had your fair share of Pillsbury crescent rolls. Slightly sweet, soft, fluffy, and easy to make, those blue-tubed “Pillsbury Crescents” found their way onto my dinner table so many times as a kid. For Thanksgiving this year, I wanted to recreate these mass-produced rolls, but with some more wholesome ingredients. You won’t find any fast-rising yeast or chemical baking powder in this recipe. These rolls are risen using just an active sourdough starter. So, without further ado, here’s how to make sourdough crescent rolls!
What’s the difference between crescent rolls and croissants?
As a general rule, crescent rolls are made from a lightly-enriched dough that is formed into a crescent shape before baking. Crescent rolls are bready, like a dinner roll, and they’re usually risen with yeast or baking powder. Croissants, on the other hand, are a traditional French pastry made from a yeasted dough, laminated with multiple flaky layers of butter, and rolled into a crescent shape. Croissants are flakier and lighter than crescent rolls.
As the history goes, croissants originated in Vienna. Then, they eventually made their way into French viennoiserie (which essentially makes them half-way between pastry and bread). Croissants are now as iconic in France as the Eiffel Tower or the baguette. Unfortunately, they’re also incredibly challenging to make at home.
Crescent rolls are made with a basic dinner roll dough, and are much easier to make than croissants. You don’t need to laminate multiple layers of butter into the dough! Crescent rolls are also heartier than croissants, so they are the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of soup or even a rich Thanksgiving dinner.
Some of My Favorite Baking Tools (Affiliate Links):
Baker of Seville Bread Lame
Oval Banneton Basket
Non-Stick Bread Pan
Non-Stick Focaccia Pan
Today, I’ll show you how to make crescent rolls – and not just any crescent rolls, sourdough crescent rolls. Here are a few things to remember when making this recipe.
Considerations for This Recipe
- The dough in this recipe is on the drier side. If you prefer a silkier dough, add 20 more grams of water than the recipe calls for (about 1 1/2 tablespoons). This will make the dough softer but still manageable.
- I usually make this dough in the evening and let it bulk ferment (rise) all night long. Then, the next morning, I shape the rolls and let them proof until they’re doubled in size. To accommodate your schedule, you can put the dough into the fridge after the first rise. Then, take the dough out when you’re ready, shape the rolls, and let them proof.
- To make your dough in the evening, you’ll need to make sure you feed your sourdough starter about 4-6 hours beforehand. This way it will be bubbly and active by the time you mix the dough. If you want to make your own sourdough starter, check out my guide to making a sourdough starter from scratch on YouTube here.
- I prefer to use a digital scale to weigh my ingredients. You’ll get more accurate measurements this way. If you need a digital scale, you can get the same one that I use from Amazon here (affiliate link).
Now, here’s the recipe. Enjoy!
Yield: 12 rolls
Sourdough Crescent Rolls (No Yeast, No Baking Powder)
These lightly sweet, sourdough crescent rolls are the perfect option for a weeknight or holiday dinner roll. The idea for this recipe came to me when I decided wanted to make an imitation version of those commercial, blue-packaged dinner rolls, but without the baking powder and all the preservatives. These dinner rolls are raised with 100% sourdough starter. No yeast, no baking powder, no baking soda. I hope you enjoy!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Additional Time18 hours
Total Time18 hours 35 minutes
Ingredients
- Bread Flour - 400 grams (2 1/2 cups)
- Sourdough Starter - 200 grams (1 cup)
- Salt - 7 grams (1 1/4 tsp)
- Water - 53 grams (1/4 cup)
- Butter - 57 grams (1/4 cup or 1/2 stick)
- Sugar - 48 grams (1/4 cup)
Instructions
- Mix water, butter, and sugar together in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds to one minute until the butter has melted.
- Pour the liquid mixture into a mixing bowl and add the active sourdough starter. Stir thoroughly until the starter mixes with the liquid.
- Add the flour and salt to the bowl. Mix with a spoon until a shaggy dough is formed.
- Knead the dough on the counter for 5-8 minutes until all the dry flour is incorporated into the dough.
- Move the dough to an oiled bowl, cover it, and let it rise for 8-10 hours (I usually let it rise overnight).
- When the dough has doubled in size, flatten the dough on the counter until it forms a circle about a 1/4 inch thick. You can use your hands and/or a rolling pin to flatten the dough.
- Cut the dough into 12 equally sized triangles and roll them into crescent roll shapes. (See video for details). Make sure to flatten the tail of the dough into the rest of the dough so that it sticks.
- Cover the rolls and let them proof on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 8-10 hours, or until doubled in size.
- When the rolls are almost ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) for at least 30 minutes.
- Brush each roll with egg wash (optional) and bake them for 25-30 minutes.
- When the rolls come out of the oven, brush the tops with melted butter and let them cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Video
Other Holiday Bread Recipes
If you’re interested in other bread recipes to make around the holidays, try a few of these favorites:
- Sourdough Dinner Rolls
- Pumpkin Sourdough Bread
- Focaccia With Leftover Mashed Potatoes (Video)
About the Author
Grant Yoder
Grant loves to share straightforward, no-nonsense recipes and videos that help people make better sourdough bread at home.
