Buttery Cornmeal Crescent Rolls
Light, flaky and absolutely soft and tender, these buttery cornmeal crescent rolls are decadent, delicious and perfect for any occasion.
A few weeks back, my Aunt Marilyn sent me a new roll recipe that uses cornmeal and milk as the base.
Enter: major skepticism. But I trust my Aunt implicitly, so I gave them a go. Before I offer my verdict, let me explain that I don’t need a new roll recipe. I have several that I love and use all the time.
I’d much rather spend my time looking for new double-chocolate-anything recipes than roll recipes.
But let me tell you, these cornmeal crescent rolls have skyrocketed to my new favorites. I feel slightly disloyal to my other faves, but the truth cannot be withheld. They are deliciously unreal.
If making them six times (yes, six!) in the last three weeks, including making 100 of them for a church function, is any indication, then yes, they are my new favorites.
Light, flaky and absolutely soft and tender, these rolls are decadent in their butteryness and while you can’t taste the cornmeal as a main, strong flavor, the subtle texture and lightness it provides is essential to the success of these beauties.
I can’t stop making them. I really can’t. Please, oh please, someone join me in my happy carb-induced nirvana.
FAQs for Buttery Cornmeal Crescent Rolls
I’d suggest making the dough, letting it rise, shaping the rolls, and then letting the rolls refrigerate overnight. But if you don’t have the fridge space to do that, pop the dough in the fridge right after you make it (no rising) and let it rise the next day out of the fridge (it will probably puff and rise a bit overnight in the fridge, too).
I’ve used 50% wheat and 50% white flour with good results!
Yes, I bake and cool the rolls then freeze in ziploc bags. You then gently rewarm them, and the texture is still great.
One Year Ago: Schoolyard Cupcakes
Two Years Ago: The Best Blueberry Muffins
Three Years Ago: Solid Peanut Butter Cups
Buttery Cornmeal Crescent Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk
- ⅔ cup (113 g) yellow corn meal
- 1 ½ tablespoons instant yeast
- ½ cup (113 g) 1 stick butter
- ⅓ cup (71 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 5 ½ – 6 cups (781-852 g) cups flour (see note)
Instructions
- Heat the milk to just below a boil so bubbles are just appearing around the edges (this is called scalding milk). Add the cornmeal and cook and stir until thickened, lowering the temperature if needed so the mixture doesn’t boil (see picture below the recipe for an idea of what the consistency should be).
- Pour the cornmeal/milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl and let cool until lukewarm. Add the yeast, butter and sugar (if you dissolved active dry yeast with a bit of water and sugar until it foamed, add it now). Mix.
- Add the salt and eggs. Mix well. Add the flour gradually until a soft dough forms. Knead for 5-8 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl covered with lightly greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled.
- Divide the dough into three portions and roll each into about an 8-10 inch circle. Brush the top lightly with butter. Cut into 8 wedges and roll each wedge up starting from the wide end so it forms a crescent roll shape.
- Place each roll on a lightly greased or silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 1-2 inches apart to allow for rising. Cover lightly with greased plastic wrap. Let the rolls rise until doubled.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned. Brush with butter while still warm.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from my Aunt Marilyn who got the recipe from her friend, Anne K.
Here is a picture of what the consistency of the cornmeal/milk mixture should look like when it is done cooking and thickening.
I’m no baking expert but I have made these multiple times. I think for those who are having the problem of a clumpy cornmeal mixture, it’s because the cornmeal/milk mixture is too hot. I’ve had it happen to me before. Today when I made them I made sure that the milk/cornmeal never boiled and I did not have any clumps in the mixture at all. Just my 2 cents!
I love these rolls! I make them a lot. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I’ll give that a try
Hi Mel,
I love all your recipes, and I have had huge success with the lion house rolls. I came here looking for a roll that would be good to eat with chicken salad, tuna salad or egg salad on it. Is this the roll you would recommend, or is a different one better? I am hoping to avoid the super high fat crescent rolls you buy at the store, but still want something light in texture like a crescent roll.
Hi Brandy – this is probably the roll with the texture closest to what you are looking for. They aren’t flaky like a croissant but the are very tender and buttery.
I’ve been trying your recipes out for about a year, and you never disappoint! Thanks for all the great ideas and tips that let me know whatever recipe I try from your site will turn out well. I made these rolls (my first rolls ever, because, although I love to cook, I’m not much for baking) for a baby shower yesterday, and I think everyone ate about 5 each. They are delicious and I’ll definitely be making them again.
Mel, are you using all-purpose flour in this recipe? How long do you think it will take for the dough to double in size (the first rise)?
I’m so excited to try these!
Hi Haley – I use all-purpose flour and almost always throw in some ground white wheat flour (up to 1/2 of the flour amount). It really depends on the warmth of your kitchen on rising time but 1-2 hours is a safe guess.
These are the most awesome rolls. I’m changing my recipe for Thanksgiving, they were that good.
Hi Megan – I think you did it just right. The flour amount is simply a guideline and can vary widely based on altitude, temperature, humidity, etc. I often find myself adding different flour amounts to my tried-and-true recipes based on the weather or who knows what. Did the rolls rise? Just take care not to overflour. When I make them in my Bosch mixer, the dough does pull away from the sides of the bowl but stays slightly tacky to the touch.
Hi Mel,
After adding the flour, should the dough form a ball and pull away from the sides of the mixer when it is ready to be put aside to rise? I had to add quite a bit more flour (about 7 cups total) to get it to what I was thinking the proper consistency should be, but I don’t know if the consistency is supposed to be different because it has the cornmeal base or something. I used active dry yeast so I had extra liquid from the water used to proof the yeast, and I’m hoping that’s why I needed the extra flour. The dough is attempting to rise right now, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it turns out okay!
When I found this recipe I was immediately reminded of my Grandmother’s recipe for Andama Bread, which also starts with a warm cornmeal base. It’s a old New England bread recipe that sweeted slightly with molasses and absolutely delicious. I make it from time to time but not nearly as often as I should. The cornmeal works great in the bread so I’m definitely going to give this roll recipe a try!
I am attempting these for the first time tonight… and they do not look right. The dough was really hard to roll out into a circle. At a 10 inch circle, the dough was about an inch thick… and that doesn’t roll into a crescent shape very easily. So they aren’t holding their shape. I hope they taste better than they look!
Made these over the weekend and they were delicious…my first time ever not failing at a recipe that involved yeast!!! Granted, they didn’t look as pretty as yours, but I’ll definitely make these again and hopefully they will look prettier each time. Thanks Mel!
Hi Lindy – I have a Bosch mixer which easily lets me double the recipe so that’s how I’ve made so many for church functions. I usually make two double batches. You can knead by hand, like you mentioned, if your mixer doesn’t have room. Good luck!
Oh and by the way…I just took these out of the oven and have eaten 3! Yikes! Right before dinner!
Mel,
I want to make these for Thanksgiving, however after making one recipe of these today (they are rising again right now…so excited) I am not sure that I will have enough room in my kitchen aid to double it. How would you suggest to double it or more without having to make the entire recipe 2-3 times? I know that I can knead by hand, but when you made 100 for a church function how did you do it?
Melanie – it kind of depends on the temperature of your kitchen but I’d say anywhere from 1-2 hours.
Thanks for replying!! If I didn’t stick this in the refrigerator overnight, how long does it typically take for the rolls to rise/double?
Melanie, when I halve a recipe with one egg, I usually just use the egg yolk or the egg white and it seems to work pretty well.
Mel,
Is there any way to half this recipe? I’ve always wondered how you half an egg…
Salem – no, don’t start over! I have done the same thing before and if you watch the heat and stir carefully, it will still thicken.
So there is probably no way you will get this in time to help me, but …. I added my cornmeal to the milk before it was hot. And it’s on the stove right now, heating and thickening. Is that going to be a problem? Do I need to start over? =)
Thanks! Good to know. I made them last night using softened butter and they turned out great. I’ll have to try melting the butter in the cornmeal sometime.
Hi Tara – the recipe isn’t specific about the butter method but the last probably 10 times I’ve made these, I add the butter to the hot cornmeal mixture and let it melt and then let that mixture cool to warm room temperature before proceeding. I love the results…although I can’t tell a significant difference than adding softened butter after the cornmeal mixture has cooled. I think either way is fine.
I had a question about the butter. I noticed in one of the comments above, you said that you use butter either softened or straight out of the refrigerator and you put it in the hot cornmeal mixture, but the recipe states to add the butter after the cornmeal has cooled to room temperature, so I just wanted to clarify what method should be used. It seems that the two approaches would possibly produce a different dough, as one method incorporates melted butter and the other would incorporate softened butter. Wouldn’t that produce different results with the finished dough, or no? I only know that most recipes require either melted butter or softened butter for a reason and the two are not interchangeable.
Thank you — I have a Kitchen Aid, so I’m assuming that will work fine as well. Thanks again.
Mom 2 3 Boys – I use my dough hook the entire time (I have a Bosch mixer).
Another poster asked this earlier, but I don’t think I saw an answer — and I’m new to break making; so for the first part when it’s in your stand mixer, do you use the paddle blade until you add the flower, and then do you switch to the dough hook? Thanks
Cassidy – quick rise or rapid rise yeast is the same as instant yeast and I use instant yeast exclusively so the quick rise yeast will work just fine in this recipe. I can’t say for sure how long they take start to finish because so much depends on the warmth of your kitchen, but a ballpark estimate is probably around 3-4 hours.
About how long from start to finish do these take? Have you ever tried using quick rise yeast?
I made these the other day….and they are a new favorite! I’m making them again tonight to go with the sweet and sour meatballs.
I’ve been making so many of your recipes and they are all excellent! When my husband comes home to work, he smells the food cooking in the oven and asks if it’s one of Mel’s recipes….when I say yes, he knows he’s in for a good dinner 🙂
I made these rolls last night, and they were so good! I loved how light and fluffy they were, and the flavor was just right. This is now my “go-to Sunday dinner roll” recipe. The only thing I messed up on is I didn’t whisk in my cornmeal, so I got a few clumps. I pulled them out as I shaped the rolls, so it turned out just fine.
Three words – worth every minute!
I know it’s a little late but just a not for Evelyn Ross. Last night I made a double batch with half of the rolls shaped as the Lion House Rolls and the other half as traditional dinner rolls and it worked great.
Mel- HUGE fan of your site. I daresay that you are the equivalent of my mom’s Better Homes and Gardens cookbook when it comes to how I use you as my go-to “cookbook” for all recipes. Thanks for all your hard work!
I made these for Thanksgiving. My nephew ate 6 at one sitting. They are so good and surprisingly easy. I’ve made them twice, both times with perfect results. The first time I put half of the dough in the freezer. My daughter got it out one Sunday when I was out of town (can’t believe I didn’t get in on a second helping!), thawed out the dough, and they baked up just as tasty as the first go round!
The first time I tried these I was expecting flaky crescent rolls like you get in a tube. They were nothing like that but better in their own way! They were soft and tender with a little bit of texture from the cornmeal. And no weird ingredients; homemade with love in my kitchen, just the way it should be! The second time I made these I was a few tablespoons short on cornmeal so I used instant grits to make up the difference and I loved them even more! Thanks for another winning recipe!
Made these today (testing this recipe and another one for Thanksgiving). These were really great and will be the ones for Thanksgiving! One question: what brand of cornmeal do you use? My hubby and I both got “grits” of corn meal when we ate the rolls hot (but they weren’t noticeable when the rolls had cooled). I used Quaker corn meal and compared it to Kroger and it is not quite as fine. I think I’ll use the finer corn meal when I make them for Thanksgiving.
I made the rolls in crescents today, but think I might try a batch of these for Thanksgiving, because I just love them and they’re so festive: http://lindstewfoodies.blogspot.com/2009/11/thanksgiving-turkey-rolls.html
Thanks!
: : lindstewfoodies : :
Lindsey – I’m pretty sure I have the Quaker brand of yellow cornmeal in my pantry right now. You might like the finer corn meal if the texture was off-putting at first. Love the idea of the turkey rolls – so cute!
I found this recipe on Pinterest & gave it a try today. In the past, I have had trouble with yeast breads – they never seem to rise enough (or I let them rise too much & they fall). But I loved the cornmeal idea, so I went for it. I followed the directions as closely as I could & tried not to overflour the dough (I ended up using about 5 cups, because I live in a dry climate). They are in the oven now, & they smell amazing & look beautiful. We’re eating with family tonight, & I am so excited to bring these beauties. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Can’t wait to try these! Will do a test batch this week before Thanksgiving. Question, though: can these be baked in other ways other than a crescent?
Evelyn – I’ve only ever made them as crescent rolls or rolled similar to the Lion House rolls, pictured here. The dough is very soft and tender so they may do ok being rolled into a round dinner roll shape, too, but I’ve never made them that way.
You are officially my “go-to” for roll recipes. Everything I’ve made from your site turns out great and is favorite with my kids (and me). I’ll definitely be trying this one soon.
Ok, I am now addicted!!! We made them and they were so amazing delicious! It made so many it was nice to be able to have leftovers. We made hot ham and cheese sandwiches on them for lunch the rest of the week and they were outstanding! Thank you so much!!
Love-love-love this recipe! Thanks for posting!
These are SO incredible! I’ve made them twice already, and am making them a third time today (plan to freeze them and get them out Sunday morning to serve at my son’s mission “farewell”). Oh, and a friend needed a good crescent recipe to serve chicken salad on (for her daughter’s wedding), and I suggested these. Thanks for sharing such divine recipes!
Oh, my gosh…were these ever good! This is my daughter’s fb post for t0day: “the blog that my mom and I got a recipe from for rolls said they created a “carb-induced nirvana”. she was definitely right :)” Another melskitchencafe hit! Thanks!
Hi Mel
Thanks for so many great recipes. It is always fun to see what is coming up next. I have to try this recipe and was wondering if you thought I could switch the yellow cornmeal to white cornmeal which I have on hand. I am head of a large group of local women who raise money to help send severely handicapped children to camp each summer. Each December, we have our big event and serve a large array of fabulous appetizers which we need to change up each year. I am going to try and use this recipe in some way making small “chicken bites” with the sauce as a dipping sauce. Thanks.
Cookies4kids – I’ve never tried it with white cornmeal, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Yes, give it a go! What a worthy event you are working toward in December. I hope it is a great success and I bet your little chicken bites will go quickly!
Mel, forgive my roll baking newness….but does it matter what % fat milk you use? I typically have skim in my house.
Erin – I always use 1% and they turn out fine. Definitely try them with the skim – I think they should work just fine.
Awesome rolls! These are so tender and delicious. I have made them twice now, once with half whole wheat flour, half bread flour, and once with mostly whole wheat flour and just about a cup of bread flour. I just kneaded the dough for a little bit longer when I used more wheat flour to develop the gluten.
Mel, I trust you completely so I tried this recipe for the first time for a bake sale. I made a double batch. Lovely! Someone who bought the rolls even called me to tell me how wonderful they were while her mouth was still full of the buttery goodness 🙂 These were so easy to put together other than a double batch of dough will not fit in my kitchen aid for kneading very well so I ended up doing that by hand for 10 min. I used regular yeast desolved in the water & sugar as you instruct. I made them the night before the sale and placed the shaped rolls in the fridge covered with greased plastic wrap. I was surprised at how quickly they rose once I took them out. Took maybe 40min max to warm up and double and I wouldn’t say my kitchen was overly warm. I did find that when I rolled the dough out into a larger circle, about 10″to 11″, that the shape of the resulting roll looked better. I like a previous commenter’s tip to freeze the shaped rolls. Anything I can take out of the freezer that gives me a head start on dinner makes me happy.
These look awesome. I have a question about the cornmeal, is that plain yellow cornmeal or self-raising yellow cornmeal? Does it matter?
Hi, Kathie, I use plain yellow cornmeal.
Loved these for Easter and Mother’s day and my boys enjoyed helping roll them. The second time I made them, I took the last circle of wedges and smeared butter, sprinkled sugar and cinnamon on them, and baked them for breakfast. My new favorite “mock” cinnamon roll.
Amy – not a weird question at all, actually. I’ve wondered the same thing but have yet to try it, although I believe another commenter mentioned they had made some chicken pillow-type things using this recipe. I plan to try it, with the assumption they won’t taste exactly like the crescent rolls from the can (although that may not be a bad thing). I think the trick will be to roll the dough as thin as possible.
Perhaps this is a wierd question, but do you think I could sub these crescents whenever a recipe calls for the crescent rolls you can buy in a can? I don’t hate the flavor of the cresecents in a can but I do try not to eat processed foods. What do you think?
Heavenly!!! I made these tonight for dinner and they are now a favorite!!! The only thing I would do differently is separate it into 4 sections instead of 3. Mine turned out pretty large. They would be really, really good with different Italian seasoning. Thank you for sharing!!!