Soft 100% Whole Wheat Crescent Rolls

4.67 from 6 votes

Soft 100% Whole Wheat Crescent Rolls

With a golden crust and tender center, these 100% whole wheat crescent rolls are healthier AND taste WAY better than store-bought. Make them for your next holiday celebration or family dinner.

Prep Time30

Cook Time10

Rising Time2

Total Time2 40

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings: rolls

Calories: 102kcal

Author: Jami Boys

Ingredients

2 tablespoons active dry yeast* (instant works, too)
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup butter softened
1/4 cup honey
3 eggs
1 cup lukewarm buttermilk or milk
4½ to 4¾ cups whole wheat flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
melted butter for brushing (optional)

Instructions

Dissolve the yeast in the 1/2 cup warm water in a glass measure. Set aside.
Cream the butter and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the eggs and mix, scraping the sides. Add the warmed milk along with the yeast mixture (it will be lumpy, that's okay).
Add 4½ cups of flour and the salt, mixing until combined. Change to dough hook and knead for 2-3 minutes only, just until no longer tacky (sticks to bowl some, but not to finger), adding only a tablespoon or two of flour at a time, if needed. (Do NOT add too much flour.)
Let dough sit in bowl, covered, to rise for one hour. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead a couple of times, then let rest 3 minutes.
Divide dough in half, setting one half aside. Using a rolling pin, roll one half into a thin circle, about 15 inches in diameter (okay if this isn't perfect).
Use a pizza cutter, bench scraper, or knife to cut the circle into 16 triangles. Brush the circle with melted butter and any seasonings you'd like like garlic or herbs (optional, but highly recommended).
Then roll up each triangle from the widest point to the smallest, placing each roll on a greased or lined (if needed) large baking sheet, small point down. Fill the baking sheet with the remaining crescent rolls.
Roll, brush, cut, and shape the remaining dough half, placing these 16 rolls on another large baking sheet.
Cover the pans and let the rolls rise for 1 hour (start preheating the oven to 375 at 45 minutes).
Bake for 10-12 minutes, alternating pans halfway if needed, until browned on the tops and bottoms. Brush with more melted butter while warm (optional but again, recommended).
Let cool a bit before serving warm, or cool completely to freeze for later.**

Notes

*Two scant tablespoons (not rounded, just under the top edge) - two packages of yeast works, too.

**To Make Ahead, There are Two Options:

Fully bake, let cool, and then freeze. To reheat, cover frozen rolls with foil and place in oven with other food you are cooking (about 12 minutes in a 350 degree oven, 8-10 in a 400 degree oven, and so on).
After shaping, freeze the rolls on the pan, then move them to a freezer container for up to two months. Remove as many as you need to a greased baking sheet and thaw on counter for 4-5 hours, covered with a towel. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes until browned. Brush with butter.

Nutrition