Spice Free Crescent Rolls
Few things beat pulling a tray of golden, buttery crescent rolls from the oven — the kind that shatter slightly at the first pull and stay pillowy soft inside. This dough comes together with pantry staples like flour, butter, milk, egg, and a touch of sugar, making it a naturally clean recipe with zero hidden seasonings or spice blends to worry about. The enriched dough gets its tenderness from softened butter worked in gradually during kneading, which gives each roll that irresistible layered, flaky quality without any complicated techniques. Rolling the wedges from the wide edge down to the point and curving the ends inward is genuinely satisfying, and the results look far more impressive than the effort involved. A simple egg wash brushed on just before baking is what delivers that deep, glossy, golden-brown finish you'd expect from a bakery window. If you like, a pinch of flaky sea salt on top adds a subtle contrast to the buttery richness — and it's the only optional flourish the recipe calls for. Serve them warm straight from the rack and watch them disappear.
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Learn more →Ingredients
16 servings
For the dough
- ¼ cup warm water (105–110°f / 40–43°c)
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 tsp granulated sugar, for proofing
- ¾ cup whole milk, warmed to about 100°f (38°c)
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
For shaping and finishing
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp whole milk
- flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the warm water, yeast, and 1 tsp sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir briefly and let stand until foamy and fragrant, about 5–10 minutes. If the mixture does not foam, the yeast is inactive — start over with fresh yeast.
- 2
Add the warmed milk, remaining 3 tbsp sugar, salt, and egg to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until combined, about 1 minute.
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