Overnight Crescent Dinner Rolls

Name: Overnight Crescent Dinner Rolls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon yeast; 1/4 cup warm water; 3 eggs; 1/2 cup sugar; 3/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup butter; 3/4 cup milk; 4 1/2 - 5 cups flour; 6 tablespoons butter (for rolling out dough)

November 16, 2020 Updated February 25, 2024 54 Comments

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Overnight Crescent Dinner Rolls can be made ahead and chilled in the refrigerator until the day of serving. You will find the rolls to have a very delicate crumb and they are light and fluffy.

I have been baking these rolls for 40 years and they are my go-to dinner roll because they mix up so quickly. The refrigerated dough is so easy to roll out and shape without leftover scraps of dough. Perfect!

Tips for Perfect Crescent Dinner Rolls

Don’t use too much flour. The dough should be sticky before refrigeration.
Carefully measure the flour. Stir the flour to lighten it up, then gently scoop into a measuring cup and level off.
Use good quality flour. Yes, there is a difference in the flavor of the flour. King Arthur all-purpose or Central Milling Co. all-purpose flours are a good choice.
Use unsalted butter for the dough and for rolling out the dough.
Let the dough mix for a good 5-8 minutes after the last flour addition.
No need to oil the bowl. This is an enriched buttery dough. Just scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover, and refrigerate.
Use fresh yeast. Instant/rapid rise or active dry yeast works well.
Don’t overbake!
After rolls have been placed on the baking sheet. They can be put in the freezer and frozen completely. They put the rolls in a re-sealable bag and return to the freezer to bake at another time. Just thaw and let rise until light, which will take 4-5 hours.

Mixing the Dough

Stir the yeast into the lukewarm water. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the eggs and mix until frothy. With the mixer still running add sugar, and salt Set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter. When the butter has completely melted and the butter starts to bubble, add the milk all at once.
Immediately take off the heat. Don’t let the milk mixture get too hot. The temperature should not exceed 113℉.
With the mixer on low add the warm milk/butter mixture to the egg mixture. Mix well.
Stir in the dissolved yeast.

Add the flour 1 cup at a time until you have added 4 cups of flour. Mix well after each addition. Mix for 3-5 minutes.
Add additional flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough starts to pull away from the sides. I rarely add the full 5 cups of flour. Continue to mix for 5-8minutes. I like to clean up my mess and do the dishes while the dough continues to mix. You don’t want a still dough. It needs to be quite sticky.
Scrape the dough away from the sides of the bowl.
Scrape down the bowl and slightly form a ball of dough. No need to oil the bowl.
You can see how sticky the dough is.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough overnight.

How to Roll and Cut the Rolls

The following day, about 3-4 hours before you want to bake the rolls, remove the dough from the refrigerator. The dough will have risen slightly. Not quite double in size, but close.
Remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface.
Divide the dough into two equal pieces.
Shape each half into a ball of dough. Slightly flatten the dough into a disk. Dust lightly with flour.
Roll the dough into a large 14-inch circle.
Pour 1/2 of the melted butter into the middle of the circle and spread with the back of a spoon to within 1-inch of the edge.
Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife cut the circle in half.
Now cut the dough in half the other directions. The dough should be cut into fourths.
Cut each fourth into thirds. Get it? You should have 12 triangles of dough.

Shaping the Crescent Rolls

To make the crescent shape roll, start at the wide end of the triangle and begin to roll toward the tip.
II like to pull on the tip and stretch it out a bit as I roll.
Make sure the tip of the dough is tucked all the way under the roll. If the tip isn’t secure, it will start to unravel as the dough is baked.
Repeat the process with the remaining dough and place on a buttered or parchment-lined baking sheet. Only put 12 rolls on a 12 x 17-inch baking sheet. This gives the rolls room to spread during baking.
Cover lightly with a cloth or towel to rise. Because the dough is cold it should take 3-4 hours for the rolls to rise.
Lightly touch the risen rolls. They should feel like a fresh marshmallow to the touch. Preheat the oven to 375℉. Bake the rolls for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.

I bet you can’t eat just one!

4.5 from 6 votes

Overnight Crescent Dinner Rolls

Course Breads

Cuisine American

Keyword dinner rolls, overnight rolls, refrigerated dough

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings 24 rolls

Calories 277 kcal

Author Janet Barton

Ingredients

1 tablespoon yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup milk
4 1/2 - 5 cups flour
6 tablespoons butter for rolling out dough

Instructions

Mixing the dough

Stir the yeast into the lukewarm water. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the eggs and mix until frothy. With the mixer still running add sugar, and salt. Continue to mix on low speed until well blended then set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter. When the butter has completely melted and the butter starts to bubble, add the milk all at once. Immediately take off the heat. Don’t let the milk mixture get too hot. The temperature should not exceed 113℉. With the mixer on low add the warm milk/butter mixture. Mix well. Stir in the dissolved yeast.
Add the flour 1 cup at a time until you have added 4 cups of flour. Mix well after each addition. Mix for 3-5 minutes. Add additional flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough starts to pull away from the sides. I rarely add the full 5 cups of flour. Continue to mix for 5-8minutes. I like to clean up my mess and do the dishes while the dough continues to mix. You don’t want a stiff dough. It needs to be quite sticky.Scrape the dough away from the sides of the bowl.Scrape down the bowl and slightly form a ball of dough. No need to oil the bowl.You can see how sticky the dough is.Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough overnight.

Rolling out the dough

When ready to bake, remove dough from the refrigerator. Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough in half. Shape each half into a ball of dough. Roll out each ball into a 14-inch circle. Melt 1/2 cup butter. Pour half the butter into the middle of each circle. Spread butter to within one-inch of the edge. Cut each circle in half then cut in half the other direction so that the dough has been cut into fourths. Cut each fourth into thirds. Each circle should be cut into 12 triangles. Beginning at the wide edge of the triangle roll the dough towards the tip of the dough. Place the crescent-shaped rolls onto a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, point down. Place 12 rolls per baking sheet. Cover and allow to rise for 3-4 hours or until the dough feels like a marshmallow when gently pressed. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden. Makes 2 dozen rolls.