Freezer Crescent Rolls

These crescent rolls are soft and fluffy and buttery and delicious - and taste nothing like the kind you pop out of a can. I got this recipe from the Taste of Home 2008 Annual Recipe Book, which I won in a giveaway on Priscilla's Baking Adventures. It's a great book, filled with delicious recipes!

Anyway, I saw these rolls and knew that I had to try them, because they will be great as Thanksgiving rolls. Picture this - on Thanksgiving morning, you pull a pan of rolls out of the fridge, let them rise an hour, then bake them. People compliment you on the incredible rolls, and you humbly tell them that you made them from scratch, as they ooh and aah over your wonderful kitchen prowess. Sigh. I love that mental picture.

No, seriously, these are great rolls because not only do they taste great and have a wonderful fluffy light texture (thanks to the potato flakes and butter), but you make them ahead and freeze them. Then they're ready for when you need them, and you only have a tiny bit of work to get them cooked. See? Perfect for Thanksgiving.

Freezer Crescent Rolls
3 tsp. active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup mashed potato flakes
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the butter, milk powder, sugar, potato flakes, eggs, salt, and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough (for this I used my mom's heavy duty Kitchenaid mixer. I love that mixer).

Turn onto a heavily floured surface; knead 8-10 times. Divide dough in half. Roll each portion into a 12-inch circle; cut each circle into 16 wedges (pizza cutter works great for this). Roll up wedges from the wide end and place point side down 2 inches apart on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Curve ends to form crescent shape.


Cover and freeze. When firm, transfer to a large resealable plastic freezer bag. Freeze for up to 4 weeks.

To use freezer rolls: Arrange frozen rolls 2 inches apart on baking sheets coated with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and thaw in refrigerator overnight.

Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled. Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Makes 32 rolls.


I kept four rolls out of the freezer when I made these yesterday, so I could bake them up and make sure they tasted good. They did.