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    Home » Recipes » Breads » Rolls

    Refrigerator Crescent Rolls

    Published by Melissa on November 18, 2013 | Updated June 10, 2022 | 43 Comments

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    Overnight-Refrigerator-Rolls-2-Barbara-Bakes

    Tender, fluffy rolls hot from the oven are a must have for Thanksgiving dinner. Be sure and make plenty because these light as air rolls will be gone in a flash. 

    Homemade rolls are my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner. You just can’t buy rolls that taste as good as homemade. So I’ve teamed up with Red Star Yeast to show you just how easy they are to make at home. I know some people are afraid of using yeast, but this two step roll recipe is so easy, there’s nothing to be afraid of.

    Refrigerator Crescent Rolls

    The refrigerator roll recipe from Red Star Yeast makes having hot homemade rolls for Thanksgiving a breeze. You can make the dough up to three days ahead of time. On their website, Red Star has step by step instructions for making dough, as well as videos to show you how to make dough by hand, in a bread machine, and in a stand mixer. (I almost always use my stand mixer because it’s so easy.)

    Collage of how to Shape Crescent Rolls

    Crescent rolls are easy to shape. Roll the dough in to a circle. Cut the circle in to twelve pieces like you’d cut a pizza. I even use my pizza cutter to cut the dough. Take one section of the dough and gently stretch each piece to widen the top and lengthen in it. It sort of reminds me of a thong shape. Once you’ve stretched it, just start a the widest part and roll it up, tucking the point underneath the roll and curving the ends in. Then just repeat with the remaining pieces.

    Refrigerator Crescent Rolls Barbara Bakes

    This recipe uses shortening instead of butter. Using shortening makes a lighter fluffy roll, but if you’d rather use half or all butter, feel free to substitute it. I think I’ll use half and half this year for Thanksgiving.

    Overnight Refrigerator Crescent Rolls Barbara Bakes

    I made three dozen rolls from this recipe. If you want smaller rolls, you could divide the dough in fourths and make four dozen rolls.

    I’m having 10 people for Thanksgiving dinner and Ill make three dozen rolls. Hopefully, there’ll be a couple rolls left the next day, because I love leftover turkey sandwiches on homemade rolls.

    Featured Image for post Refrigerator Crescent Rolls
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    5 from 2 votes

    Refrigerator Crescent Rolls

    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Rolls
    Keyword: baking, yeast bread
    Servings: 3 dozen rolls
    Author: Barbara Schieving
    Prevent your screen from going to sleep

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups water
    • 2 eggs
    • ⅓ cup shortening*
    • 6 ½ cups bread flour
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • ½ cup sugar
    • 2 packages 4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast**

    Instructions

    • Measure 2 ½ cups of the flour into a large mixer bowl. Add yeast; blend.
    • Combine water, shortening, sugar, and salt in a pan or microwave safe bowl. Heat until warm (120°-130°F), stirring constantly.
    • Add liquids to flour-yeast mixture. Add eggs. Beat 1 minute at low speed. Scrape down dough from sides of bowl. Beat 3 more minutes at high speed.
    • Switch to the dough hook, on low speed gradually add the remaining flour, add more or less as necessary flour to form a soft dough. Scrape down dough from sides of bowl.
    • Cover bowl first with wax paper, then with aluminum foil. Refrigerate no more than 3 days for best results. Punch down dough every 30 minutes for the first few hours until it is chilled, then once a day.
    • When ready to make rolls, divide the dough in to thirds. Refrigerator remaining dough until ready to shape.
    • To shape crescent rolls: Roll ⅓ of the dough into a 10-inch circle. Cut into 12 pie-shaped pieces. Roll each piece of dough from the wide side toward the point, stretching the dough slightly as it is rolled. Place on baking sheet a little apart; curve ends.
    • Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.
    • Bake dinner rolls on baking sheet 10 to 20 minutes, depending on size, in preheated 400°F oven.
    • Remove from pan and set on rack; brush with butter.

    Notes

    *Can substitute half or all butter
    **Use active dry yeast for this recipe. Instant yeast is not recommended for refrigerated dough.
    Recipe slightly adapted from Red Star Yeast.

    Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Red Star Yeast, but all opinions expressed are always my own.  You can also find Red Star Yeast on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

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    About Melissa & Barbara

    As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Linda Bennett

      November 22, 2022 at 11:21 am

      How to you make these rolls to put dough in refrigerator to use later or freeze dough at some point?

      Reply
      • Melissa Griffiths

        November 23, 2022 at 11:44 am

        You can do that after they are shaped, no first rise. Then into the freezer or fridge and then let them rise at room temperature before baking, it can take 3-5 hours for frozen and and hour or so for cold rolls.

        Reply
    2. Karen

      March 17, 2015 at 10:16 am

      For the refrigerator crescent rolls– it says bread flour— can I use regular flour?

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        March 17, 2015 at 10:17 am

        Yes – bread flour has more gluten, but you should still get great rolls with regular flour.

        Reply
        • Karen

          March 20, 2015 at 2:08 pm

          Does the dough rise in the refrigerator or on the counter? Making these tonite!

          Reply
          • Barbara Schieving

            March 20, 2015 at 2:49 pm

            If you’re making them to serve tonight, then just make them the way you normally would make a roll – Cover, let rise until double (45 to 60 Min.). Punch down, let rest 10 min and shape. If you’re making the dough tonight to serve tomorrow, then the dough will rise some in the fridge and you’ll want to punch it down until it stops rising. Then you’ll let the shaped rolls rise on the counter as described. Enjoy!

            Reply
    3. Yolanda

      November 14, 2014 at 5:33 pm

      Thanks, Barbara! I am baking them right now and my husband and children keep circling the kitchen asking when they will be done. They smell fantastic!

      Reply
    4. Yolanda

      November 14, 2014 at 5:42 am

      Can I let the dough rise on the counter instead of using the refrigerator? Your pictures are making me hungry and I feel so impatient!

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        November 14, 2014 at 7:00 am

        Hi Yolanda! Yes, just let the dough rise covered on the counter until it’s doubled in size, punch it down and let it rest for a few minutes, then shape. Enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Karen Petersen

      November 22, 2013 at 10:11 pm

      These look fabulous, Barbara!!! I want to come to your Thanksgiving 🙂

      Reply
    6. Jamie

      November 21, 2013 at 9:54 am

      Only Thanksgiving?? I would eat these every night for dinner! They are gorgeous and I am so making these! Thanks for sharing the recipe… now if I can get mine to look as beautiful as yours!

      Reply
    7. Jenni

      November 21, 2013 at 8:45 am

      These look awesome! I was just looking for a good roll to make for Thanksgiving! These shall be it! 🙂

      Reply
    8. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

      November 20, 2013 at 4:04 pm

      Mum they look so delicious and soft! What a perfect addition to a Thanksgiving feast 😀 xxx

      Reply
    9. Traci

      November 20, 2013 at 9:35 am

      Mmm…You can’t enjoy Thanksgiving without rolls. We love ours on Thanksgiving and then as sandwiches the next day. Hope you and your family have a Happy Thanksgiving!

      Reply
    10. Foodiewife

      November 19, 2013 at 8:51 pm

      My goodness! Aren’t these the purtiest rolls I’ve ever seen? And, they don’t come out of can. Pinning! (Happy Thanksgiving)

      Reply
    11. Kitchen Belleicious

      November 19, 2013 at 8:09 pm

      Wait! Barbara! How is it that simple? I mean that is nothing compared to other bread recipes. I am simply giddy over this. How do you find these simple and amazing recipes

      Reply
    12. Red Star Yeast

      November 19, 2013 at 11:25 am

      Beautiful rolls, Barbara! Thanks for baking our recipe.

      Reply
    13. Renee - Kudos Kitchen

      November 19, 2013 at 11:13 am

      Thanks for the recipe, Barbara! I think I’m going to make them this year for Thanksgiving. I really like that this recipe makes so many! *print*

      Reply
    14. Kathy - Panini Happy

      November 19, 2013 at 9:07 am

      These look amazing, Barbara! Homemade rolls are a Thanksgiving must for me this year. 🙂

      Reply
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