Overnight Crescent Dinner Rolls
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I know what you are thinking, “this girl is posting another roll recipe?” My response – Absolutely! You really can’t have too many roll recipes. I know I have several and they are all pretty fabulous. Well, this one is also pretty darn fabulous. It’s for overnight crescent dinner rolls. A good rule of thumb is that any roll recipe that uses eggs and milk in the dough should be a winner. All the recipes I LOVE are made with those two ingredients.
The beauty of this one is you made the dough ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. However, once you pull the dough out and shape the rolls you need to allow them to sit for 3-4 hours. Now one important rule I learned with these rolls are, DO NOT try to speed up the process by putting them in a warm oven or you will get flat rolls and the texture will not be as good. You can see the difference in this picture. Flat roll – not good, puffy roll – perfection.

The rolls I tried to help along by placing them in a warm oven did not look as pretty or taste as yummy. So please follow my advice. These rolls are worth the wait, don’t try to speed up the process.
These rolls also do not end up being double in size when it’s time to toss them in the oven. Do not be concerned. this is how they work. The best way to describe them is puffy like a marshmallow. That is how they should look and also how they should feel if you press on the dough. They will get bigger when they cook.
The virtual Easter dinner continues today with Tiffany from Eat at Home who is sharing Goat Cheese Biscuits.
Here are all my other favorite yummy roll recipes that would also be perfect for Easter dinner.
- Make Ahead Parker House Rolls
- Lion House Rolls
- Molly’s Rolls
- 30 Minute Rolls
- Orange Rolls
- Here is my post too for different ways to shape your dinner rolls.

Overnight Crescent Dinner Rolls
Real Mom Kitchen
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp yeast
- ¼ cup warm water
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup milk
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- ¾ tsp salt
- 4 ½ -5 cups flour
- ½ cup butter
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the yeast and warm water. Allow the yeast sometime to proof.
- Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan melt the butter. When the butter is melted and starts to bubble, mix in the milk and remove it from the heat. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the eggs, sugar, and salt until well blended. Then add a small amount of the warm butter, milk mixture to the egg/sugar mixture to temper the eggs. You don't want to end up with scambled eggs here. Turn on the mixer and drizzle in the rest of the butter/milk mixture until well blended.
- Add the yeast to the mixture.
- Now mix in the flour 1 cup at a time up to the 4th cup. Now let the mixer run for about 3-5 minutes.
- At this point decide if you need any more flour. You want a very sticky dough. Do not add any more than 1 cup, you don't want to go over 5 cups total.
- Scape down the sides of the bowl getting all the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough overnight.
- The next day get the dough out about 4 hours before you want the rolls. The dough will have risen some overnight but it will not double.
- Melt the remaining 1/2 cup butter. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 14 inch circle. The dough will be cold from being in the refridge and feels like you are rolling out sugar cookie dough.
- Pour half of the melted butter on top of each circle and spread over the dough with in 1 inch of the edge. Since the dough is cold the butter will stiffen back up as you spread it around.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up each wedge starting with the wide end rolling toward the point.
- Place the rolls on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Be sure to place them with the point facing down.
- Cover and let raise 3-4 hours. Then bake in a 350 degree over for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Makes 2 dozen.
Recipe adapted from Simply So Good.