Crescent Rolls

These buttery, croissant-like rolls are a wonderful complement to almost any meal, or can also be adapted as a breakfast or snack dish. They are not difficult, and once mastered you will enjoy experimenting with ideas for this tender, flaky dough. Be sure to check out the additional options at the end of this recipe. Above all, this dough is very forgiving, can be worked with over long time periods without failing, and refrigerates well for later use. Feel free to share YOUR new creations by commenting or emailing me here!

Ingredients:


2 T. dry yeast
3/4 c. warm water
1/3 cup sugar
1 t. salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter, plus an extra 1/4 cup softened and spreadable
3 1/2 - 4 cups flour

Instructions:


Add yeast and sugar to warm water in a large bowl. Let sit until yeast begins to bubble and become foamy on the surface. Meanwhile...

Whip together the eggs and 1/2 cup melted butter. Add to yeast mixture and mix well.

Add  cups of the flour and whip to mix well until a smooth batter forms. Continue to add flour, kneading the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. You want this dough to be soft, so you may not actually need the full 4 cups of flour. Use only enough to make the dough not stick to your counter top.

Oil a bowl and roll the dough in it to coat. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.

Split the dough in half and knead for a minute to release any air bubbles. using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick. Spread softened butter over the surface. Using a smooth knife, slash the dough into quarters, then into eighths. Roll each triangle starting at the wide end , and lay on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Let rise for about 20 minutes.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 8 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a towel, covered by a towel.

Variations:

• After spreading softened butter over the rolled out dough, sprinkle with garlic, Parmesan cheese, grated cheddar cheese, chopped jalapeño peppers, parsley/oregano/basil, a thin layer of tomato paste, pesto, Ranch dressing, Italian dressing...the possibilities are nearly endless! 
• Substitute olive oil, seasoned olive oil, or your favorite marinade for the softened butter spread over the rolled out dough.
• Cutting the dough only into quarters rather than eights before rolling it up will result in larger rolls that could be sliced and used for small sandwiches. Simply increase baking time by about 3 minutes to compensate for the larger rolls.
• Before baking, brush the rolls with:
  ~melted butter for a crispy, flaky crust
  ~whipped egg white for a glossy finish
  ~whipped egg yolk for a soft yellow finish.