Published by Melissa on | Updated | 43 Comments
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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. 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.
Therefrigerator roll recipe from Red Star Yeastmakes having hot homemade rolls for Thanksgiving a breeze. You can make the dough up to three days ahead of time.
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.
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.
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.
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5 from 3 votes
Refrigerator Crescent Rolls
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Course: Rolls
Keyword: baking, yeast bread
Servings: 3 dozen rolls
Author: Barbara Schieving
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 fromRed Star Yeast.
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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...
Reader Interactions
Comments
Linda Bennett
How to you make these rolls to put dough in refrigerator to use later or freeze dough at some point?
Reply
Melissa Griffiths
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
Karen
For the refrigerator crescent rolls– it says bread flour— can I use regular flour?
Reply
Barbara Schieving
Yes – bread flour has more gluten, but you should still get great rolls with regular flour.
Reply
Karen
Does the dough rise in the refrigerator or on the counter? Making these tonite!
Reply
Barbara Schieving
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
Yolanda
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
Yolanda
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
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
Karen Petersen
These look fabulous, Barbara!!! I want to come to your Thanksgiving 🙂
Reply
Jamie
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
Jenni
These look awesome! I was just looking for a good roll to make for Thanksgiving! These shall be it! 🙂
Reply
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
Mum they look so delicious and soft! What a perfect addition to a Thanksgiving feast 😀 xxx
Reply
Traci
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
Foodiewife
My goodness! Aren’t these the purtiest rolls I’ve ever seen? And, they don’t come out of can. Pinning! (Happy Thanksgiving)
Reply
Kitchen Belleicious
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
Red Star Yeast
Beautiful rolls, Barbara! Thanks for baking our recipe.
Reply
Renee - Kudos Kitchen
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
Kathy - Panini Happy
These look amazing, Barbara! Homemade rolls are a Thanksgiving must for me this year. 🙂
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