Soft and incredibly fluffy, these vegan crescent rolls beat store bought rolls any day, and they couldn't be easier to make!
Love bread rolls? You might also enjoy these recipes for vegan dinner rolls, soft sourdough bread rolls and Mexican bolillo rolls.
I dream of soft, fluffy vegan crescent rolls fresh from the oven that I can tear open with my fingers, watch as the smoke dissipates right before my eyes, slather with a dab of vegan butter and raspberry jelly, and then take a huge bite of...now doesn't that sound like heaven?
After making these vegan crescent rolls I definitely was in heaven. Because not only are they are easy to make and impossibly elegant, they are, of course, 100 percent vegan.
As flaky as these rolls are, don't mistake them for their richer French cousins, croissants, which are made with a richer, laminated butter dough. These crescent rolls are more like everyday rolls you can serve for breakfast or lunch or dinner. You can even make the rolls whole wheat!
This recipe makes 16 crescent rolls, which is great if you have company for dinner. But leftover rolls freeze beautifully too and you can pop them in the oven to freshen them up.
Table of Contents
Why you will love these crescent rolls
- Perfect texture. These rolls have a gossamer-soft, feathery texture you are guaranteed to love.
- Easy recipe. The dough comes together quickly and the rolls are fun to shape. I've got a detailed pictorial guide for you below. This is a wonderful project to get kids involved in!
- Make-ahead friendly. You can make these rolls ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze them. Pop them in the oven for a short time to warm them through and serve.
- Soy-free, nut-free and vegan recipe.
Ingredients
- Bread flour. This will give the best, fluffy texture. You can substitute with unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Active dry yeast or instant yeast. You can use either. If using active dry yeast, mix the yeast with the water and milk and sugar and wait a few minutes to make sure it blooms.
- Sugar. You just need a teaspoon to feed the yeast. These are not sweet rolls.
- Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- Non-dairy milk. Use any dairy free milk of your choice.
How to make vegan crescent rolls
Place the warm water and non-dairy milk, oil, sugar and yeast in a bowl. If using instant yeast you can proceed directly with the next step. If using active dry yeast, wait a few minutes to make sure the yeast blooms.
Add 3 cups flour to the bowl along with salt. Knead in a stand mixer or by hand until a smooth dough forms. Add more flour as necessary if the dough is too sticky. Once the dough comes together, continue kneading on medium-low speed for eight more minutes, or by hand.
Form the kneaded dough into a smooth ball. Place in an oiled bowl, turning the dough over once to coat the top with oil. Cover the bowl and set it in a warm spot.
After 1 to 1 ½ hours the dough should have doubled. Remove it from the bowl and punch it down.
Divide the dough in half and shape each half in a ball.
Roll out one ball of dough into a disc, 10 inches in diameter. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut into eight wedges.
Take one wedge and pull the sides with your fingers to lengthen them.
Begin rolling the dough over itself...
..continuing to do so...
...until you form a crescent shape. Tuck the pointed end under the roll and curve the ends toward you to define the crescent.
Repeat for remaining dough until you have 16 rolls. Place the rolls on a lightly oiled baking sheet, cover loosely with a towel and let them rice another hour or until they have doubled in size. To make the optional "egg" wash, mix a teaspoon each of non-dairy milk, oil and maple syrup or sugar. Brush it evenly over the risen rolls. Bake the crescent rolls in a preheated 425-degree Fahrenheit/220-degree Celsius oven for 15-18 minutes. The rolls should be golden-brown on top. Cool on a rack. You can serve the rolls warm or at room temperature.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: These rolls will keep in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- Freeze: Freeze the rolls in freezer-safe bags for up to four months.
- Reheat. Reheat the rolls in the microwave or in a 350-degree oven until warmed through.
More bread roll recipes
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Recipe card
Vegan Crescent Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast or active dry yeast (1 packet)
- ¼ cup lukewarm water
- 1 ¼ cup non-dairy milk (oat milk, almond milk, soy milk and cashew milk are all good choices),
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (or avocado oil or another vegetable oil of your choice).
- 3 to 4 cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Optional "egg" wash
- 1 teaspoon non-dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup (or sugar)
Instructions
- Place the warm water and non-dairy milk, sugar, oil and yeast in a bowl. If using instant yeast you can proceed directly with the next step. If using active dry yeast, wait a few minutes to make sure the yeast blooms.
- Add 3 cups flour to the bowl along with salt. Knead in a stand mixer or by hand until a smooth dough forms. Add more flour as necessary if the dough is too sticky. Once the dough comes together, continue kneading on medium-low speed for eight more minutes, or by hand.
- Form the kneaded dough into a smooth ball. Place in an oiled bowl, turning the dough over once to coat the top with oil. Cover the bowl and set it in a warm spot.
- After 1 to 1 ½ hours the dough should have doubled. Remove it from the bowl and punch it down.
- Divide the dough in half and shape each half in a ball. Roll out one ball of dough into a disc, 10 inches in diameter. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut into eight wedges, like you'd cut a pizza.
- (See pictures above for clarity on this step) Take one wedge and pull the sides with your fingers to lengthen them. Pull the bottom point to a pointed shape. Begin rolling the edge toward the point to form a crescent shape. Tuck the pointed end under the roll and curve the sides toward you to form a crescent.
- Repeat for remaining dough until you have 16 rolls. Place the rolls on a lightly oiled baking sheet, cover loosely with a towel and let them rice another hour or until they have doubled in size.
- About 15 minutes before the rolls have finished rising, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit/220 degrees Celsius.
- If using the optional "egg" wash, mix the milk, sugar and oil. Brush it on the risen rolls.
- Bake the crescent rolls for 15-18 minutes. The rolls should be golden-brown on top when done. Cool on a rack. You can serve the rolls warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Information
To print recipe card without images, uncheck "instruction images" after clicking the "print recipe" button.
Vaishali says
Anonymous, here's my first thought: did you brush them with oil or with the oil-soymilk mixture? That makes all the difference.
Also, sometimes the baking sheet you use can make a huge difference in the color of your finished product and the time it takes to bake. A darker cookie sheet, for instance, would result in a darker roll.
If you find you still don't get the desired color, try also brushing the rolls with oil once halfway through baking.
Anonymous says
Hi, I tried these rolls and they were good...except they didn't brown like your picture...my rolls were dark on the bottom and a pale brown on the top...They did taste great...Can you suggest what went wrong ?? Do I have to turn them half-way during baking ??
Vaishali says
Gita, a very happy new year to you!
In, Welcome and thanks for your kind words. So glad you liked the cinnamon rolls-- I love those too! 🙂 A very happy new year to you.
TBC, A very happy new year!
Dips, it's been great knowing you too over this past year-- happy new year!
Kahliyalogue, Shri: Thanks, and a very happy new year to you!
Shri says
Absolutely delicious!Wish you and your family a very happy new year.
kahliyalogue says
Once again you amaze me Vaishali with your innovative ideas!What lovely rolls!HAppy new year !Blessings of joy! mUch love,Mia 🙂
Dips says
Hey Vaishali , its been great knowing you , your family of pets and your candid thoughts on so many subjects this last year..Hope you continue to do so in the new year . All my best wishes to you and yours.
TBC says
Vaishali,
Here's wishing you and your family the very best in 2010. Hope you have a wonderful year!
In says
Happy New Year to you and your family Vaishali! These rolls look yummy. Will have to give a try some day. Your blog is the first I check if I am in need of a recipe. Recently I baked cinnamon rolls and used your recipe. I am not very good with baking yet it turned out good. Though not a healthy snack it tasted less unhealthy than the mall ones :). Thanks!
Indhu
Gita says
Wow, your crescent rolls look so good, much better than the store-brought ones 🙂 healthy too! Wish You a Very Happy New Year dear!!!
Vaishali says
Anon., a very happy new year to you!
Priya, glad to hear that! 🙂
Pavani, Priya, Cham, Indhu, Mihl, Evolvingtastes: Thanks, dears, and a very happy new year to you all!
evolvingtastes says
SO PERFECT, and vegan to boot! Vaishali, your veganized versions of baked goods are always so admirable.
Happy New Year to you and yours!!!
Mihl says
I could eat food like this all day long. I love the soft texture of things like crescent rolls. Thank you for the recipe and Happy New Year!
Indhu says
you are killing me with this picture... these rolls with some butter and jam (blueberry in my case)... am in heaven 🙂
Cham says
The first pic looks fantastic and imagine how soft it is... Quiet fat free version crescent!
Wish u a Wonderful New Year 🙂
Priya says
Vegan crescent rolls looks fantastic..
Pavani says
Lovely looking vegan crescents.. Will definitely give these a try soon.
Priya Narasimhan says
for the past few weeks i have been baking mostly your recipes and here is one more..just awesome.
Vaishali says
Jaya, A very happy new year to you. And yes, you could certainly use milk (although you'd make me so much happier if you used soymilk!) 🙂
Mints, Thanks-- hope you like them!
Ms. Chitchat, thanks!
Shreya, a very happy new year to you, my dear. And I'd love some mango jam now!
Voracious-- you're really kind! Thanks!
Bangalorebaker, Laavanya, Thanks!
Maya, yes, you can substitute half the all-purpose with whole-wheat pastry flour or a third with regular whole wheat. More whole-wheat flour would make the rolls too dense and pastry flour is low on gluten so the dough would be difficult to work with if you used too much of it. Does that help?
Preeti, Parita, Thanks!
Parita says
Rolls look so soft and delicious!
Preeti Kashyap says
lovely pics Vaishali! They look super moist!
Maya Varadan says
Looks Inviting.Any idea How would it be if wheat pastry flour or whole wheat flour is substituted?
Laavanya says
Wowie! you made these at home? Stunning.
Anonymous says
Dear Vaishali
Thank you so much for this simple and wonderful recipe. Will try it soon.
Wish you all a Very Happy New Year.
BangaloreBaker says
Nice pictures.
The Voracious Vegan says
WOW. That first picture is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, they are like soft fluffy pillows of YUM! You are such a genius, I can't wait to give this recipe a try.
Shreya says
Hi Vaishali, lovely rolls..fresh, fluffy and golden brown..love them any time with butter and home made mango jam:D
Wishing you and your family a happy and prosperous New Year..
Ms.Chitchat says
Wow,Wow super crescent rolls. They look so fresh and soft. Easy recipe too. Thanx for sharing such a wonderful recipe.
Chitchat
Ms.Chitchat says
Wow,Wow super crescent rolls. They look so fresh and soft. Easy recipe too. Thanx for sharing such a wonderful recipe.
Chitchat
Mints! says
oh! I can smell the freshness of these rolls! I will be making these for saturday breakfast.
Jaya Wagle says
Vaishali, these rolls do look heavenly, especially as you said with some butter and jelly. Can I substitute regular milk instead of soy for this one?
Also, wish you and Desi and all your lovely pets a very happy and prosperous New Year. 🙂