Soft and Fluffy Bread Machine Crescent Rolls
These soft and fluffy bread machine crescent rolls are easy to make and perfect for special occasions or weeknight dinners. Bake and freeze them for later or enjoy fresh from the oven!
Homemade dinner rolls are one of my favorite things – particularly when there is a special occasion like Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter dinner.
I discovered this quick & easy bread machine dough recipe that simplifies the process of bun making immensely – and tastes so similar to what my mom made for special occasion dinners when I was growing up.
My old faithful bread machine (here’s a similar one – affiliate link) has been working for me for decades now, and the dough feature is a total game changer.
You just put the ingredients in it, set it to its dough setting, and forget about it.
Then, when the buzzer sounds, you pull out the dough, form buns, let them rise, and bake! Easy peasy. I chose to turn these into crescent roll shapes, but you could form into traditional dinner bun shapes if you’d prefer.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft, fluffy texture with a golden, buttery crust.
- A perfect side for special occassions or everyday dinners.
- Time-saving dough method using a bread machine.
- Versatile shapes—make classic buns or crescent rolls!
- Freezer-friendly—bake ahead and enjoy later.
Ingredients You’ll Need
(For exact measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
- Warm water & warm milk – Helps activate the yeast and gives a rich flavor.
- Egg – Adds softness and richness to the dough.
- Butter (plus extra for spreading) – For that signature buttery taste.
- White sugar – Adds a hint of sweetness.
- Salt – Balances the flavors.
- All-purpose flour – Gives the rolls structure while keeping them soft.
- Active dry yeast – The magic behind the rise!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Bread Machine Dinner Buns
Perfect for both crescent rolls and classic round buns. (Refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom for more specific instructions.)
- Add ingredients to your bread machine pan in the listed order and set to the dough cycle. No need to stir—just layer and press start!
- Form into bun shapes. You can choose whatever shape you’d like. To make crescent roll shaped dinner buns:
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface when the cycle is done. Divide it into 2 equal halves.
- Roll each half into a 12-inch circle.
- Spread softened butter over the surface of each circle.
- Cut each circle into 12 triangle wedges (like slicing a pizza).
- Roll each wedge from the wide end toward the tip to form crescents. Tuck the tip underneath to hold the shape.
- Place rolls on a baking sheet and cover with a towel. **Note: For easy cleanup, you might want to line your pans with parchment paper. Let rise in a warm place for 45–60 minutes- or until doubled in size.
- Bake at 400°F for 9–10 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer immediately onto a wire rack and serve warm or cool completely before freezing them for later.
Tips for Rolling Dough
My mother ALWAYS used a pastry cloth and rolling pin cover when rolling dough. I inherited her set and just couldn’t live without it! One of my dear Instagram friends found that you can still buy something similar on Amazon here (affiliate link).
For more tips on rolling any kind of dough and all kinds of other options to make it easier and less messy, check out this post on rolling dough.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use whole wheat flour for a heartier roll (swap up to 1 cup).
- Add herbs or garlic powder to the butter for a savory twist.
- Shape into knots or classic dinner rolls if crescents aren’t your style.
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Swedish tea ring can also be made in the bread machine and is perfect for brunch or Christmas morning!
- Make this overnight bun recipe with yeast and be ready to bake fresh buns as soon as you get out of bed in the morning.
- These ham and cheese dinner rolls are a lunch bun recipe made with my Mother-in-Law’s famous bun recipe!
- Want to try out sourdough bread? Here’s all the details to get started with basic dutch oven sourdough bread.
- This list of side dishes for Thanksgiving are perfect for any special holiday dinner like Thanksgiving, Easter, and Christmas.
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Bread Machine Crescent Dinner Rolls
These soft & buttery bread machine dinner rolls are so easy – and pretty, too!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup warm water, 110 degrees F – (Stick your finger under the tap water and wait until it’s almost too hot to touch.)
- 1/2 cup warm milk, I heated mine in the microwave for 45 seconds. Your microwave time might be different.
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 package active dry yeast
- additional 1/4 cup butter softened, to spread on dough
Instructions
- Place all the dough ingredients above (except the last amount of butter) in your bread machine container (making sure the paddle is in the bottom), and set it to the dough setting. Press start.Layer the ingredients in as listed. You don’t need to stir them or anything. Just layer, put the pan in the bread machine, turn it on to the dough setting, and let it do its thing.
- Once the dough is finished and the machine beeps, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 2 halves and roll each half into a 12 inch diameter circle.
- Spread softened butter over the entire circle of dough.Slice dough into 12 triangle pieces.Starting at the large end of the triangle, roll gently but tightly until you get to the end. This makes a lovely crescent shaped roll.
- Place the buns on an ungreased cookie sheet. Cover the buns with a clean dish towel and place in a warm area to rise until they double in size. (It will take about an hour to rise.)
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and place risen buns in to bake for 9 minutes, or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan with a flipper and cool on a wire rack.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
I only have instant yeast, can I use it instead?
These rolls are tender, buttery, and perfect for any meal. Made effortlessly in a bread machine, they come out light and golden every time.
I made these rolls exactly as the recipe and they came out perfect. Light and fluffy. Dough in bread machine was perfect as well. It wasn’t sticky and needed no extra flour. A keeper!