Crescent roll dough is buttery, flaky, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. They are perfect to serve with dinner as a side, or to soak up soup broth or pasta sauce. But these little doughy gems are super versatile and can be used in a variety of recipes. Including desserts.
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Thanks to their flaky goodness, crescent rolls are perfect for creating dessert recipes. What kind of dessert recipes? ALL kinds of dessert recipes! Sweet rolls, twists, pies, popovers, pockets, strudels, and tarts are all perfect made with classic crescent rolls.
Crescent roll dough does not have to be used strictly in their crescent form. The dough can be rolled out and cut into a variety of shapes and sizes to form pie crusts and shells, rolls, pinwheels, rings, braids, twists, and more.
Pillsbury added this great article to show you how to make different shapes including rosettes, stalks, and swirls.
Crescent Roll Dough For Desserts
Crescent dough is easy to work with and can be purchased pre-made from the refrigerated case. The most popular brand is Pillsbury, but other brands have made it to market including Immaculate Baking Organic Crescent Rolls and Annie’s Organic. Most major grocers have their own line of crescent rolls as well such as Kroger and Aldi.
There are also many varieties of crescent dough. Pillsbury sells crescent roll dough in original, reduced fat, butter flake, honey butter, crescent rounds, big & buttery, and sweet hawaiian. They also sell crescent roll dough sheets. What your store carries will vary. Generally for dessert recipes you can use the original or butter, but any will work. The sweet hawaiian will change the flavor of the recipe since it is not the normal buttery flavored dough.
There may be a time that you prefer to make your own crescent dough. If that’s the case, this video shows you the easy way to make homemade crescent rolls, and you only have to roll out the dough once. If you don’t mind the extra steps, try this recipe for Extra Flaky Homemade Crescent Rolls.
Gluten Free Crescent Roll Dough
Do you have dietary restrictions? Pillsbury does not currently have a gluten-free crescent roll dough. If you would like to try another brand that does have a gluten free alternative, Mom’s Place Gluten-Free Crescent Rolls are made with white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, organic evaporated cane sugar, salt, xanthan gum, and yeast. All you need to do is add milk, butter, and an egg white.
If you would like to make gluten-free crescent roll dough from scratch, try this Best Ever Gluten Free Crescent Rolls recipe from This Vivacious Life. These are as close to the real thing as you can get. Working from a mix will take more time than the traditional canned crescent dough, but the end result will be worth it.
Paleo & Vegan Crescent Roll Dough
If you’re looking for a Paleo alternative so that you can enjoy crescent roll dough without (as much) guilt, try these Paleo yeast free crescent rolls. They are gluten free, dairy free, refined-sugar free, yeast free, and clean eating, made with all-natural ingredients.
Are Pillsbury Crescent Rolls vegan? Yes! You can use Pillsbury’s Original Crescent Roll dough if you are cooking vegan as they do not contain any animal derived ingredients such as milk, eggs, or honey.
Using pre-made crescent roll dough makes many desserts fast and easy, and while they are usually baked in the oven, crescent rolls can also be made in the air fryer.
Ready to get started with crescent roll desserts? Here’s a collection of recipes for you to try.
Try these other crescent roll recipes!
- Crescent Roll Dinner Recipes
- Crescent Roll Appetizers
- Crescent Roll Rings
- Crescent Roll Breakfast Recipes
26 Crescent Roll Dessert Recipes
Dessert is where crescent dough truly shines. The flaky, buttery crust pairs so well with any number of ingredients and flavors. You'll be proud to serve any one of these crescent roll dessert recipes on your table!
S'mores Crescent Rolls
S’mores Crescent Rolls stuffed with chocolate chips, marshmallows, graham crackers, and Nutella and topped with Nutella drizzle. Our favorite new way to enjoy s’mores!
Strawberry Cheesecake Crescent Rolls
These strawberry cheesecake crescent rolls take just 25 minutes to make. They're creamy and delicious with the pairing of fresh strawberries and strawberry jam.
Raspberry Crescent Twists
These sweet little twists are so pretty! We think they'd be perfect for a luncheon or a special brunch.
Magic Crescent Bars
Magic crescent bars are made with semi-sweet and white chocolate, or any combination of chocolate chips you desire. They're super tasty and easy to customize to whatever you're craving.
Cheesecake Nutella Twists
The sweet filling in these Cheesecake Nutella Twists is so good that you'll be wanting two!
Lemon Curd Crescent Danish Recipe
These are so pretty to look at so they are perfect for serving at your next gathering...but you probably won't want to wait for that because they're absolutely delicious and worth making just because.
Raspberry Almond Crescents with Chocolate Recipe
The inside of these crescent rolls are stuffed with fresh raspberries and bittersweet chocolate. The outside is topped with toasty sliced almonds and a big drizzle of chocolate.
Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
Sopapilla Cheesecake has wonderful flavor and texture. A creamy cheesecake filling pairs with a slightly crunchy top from butter and cinnamon.
Red Velvet Cream Cheese Danish
If you love red velvet, you'll love this crescent roll danish with a red velvet cream cheese filling and a sweet glaze.
Crescent Roll Coffee Cake
Crescent Roll Coffee Cake with raspberry preserves, pecans, and a sugary glaze makes an easy breakfast or dessert.
Blueberry Cream Cheese Danish with Crescent Rolls
Need a dessert that will feed a crowd? This blueberry cream cheese danish with crescent rolls is perfect!
Air Fryer Cherry Crescent Rolls
If you love those cherry pie pocket pastries from when you were a kid, you'll love these. All you need is your air fryer, 5 minutes, and four ingredients!
Easy White Chocolate Graham Croissants
These Easy White Chocolate Graham Croissants are a fun alternative to a standard chocolate croissant. And the best part…they are so easy!
Delectable Raspberry Lemon Pastry Strudels
These golden-buttery, flaky strudel lovelies are filled with raspberry pastry filling, frosted with a delectable lemon glaze!
Air Fryer Donut Sticks Recipe
There's something homey about treats with cinnamon sugar, so these air fryer donut sticks should hit the spot when you're craving a comforting treat.
Easy Apple Cream Cheese Tart
This stunning Apple Cream Cheese Tart touts a crescent roll crust, cream cheese filling, cinnamon-sugar apples baked to a golden brown.
Blueberry Pastry Delights
This Blueberry Pastry is guaranteed to make your mornings more delicious & it’s easy to make with a can of crescent roll dough!
Iced Apple Crescent Roll Danish
Iced Apple Crescent Roll Danish is a delicious dessert that can be easily made at home with crescent roll dough and fresh apples.
Mini Pumpkin Pie Crescent Rolls
Mini Pumpkin Pie Crescent Rolls are a quick and easy recipe and the perfect way to use leftover pumpkin.
5-Ingredient Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls
5-Ingredient Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls are a cinnamon-roll lover’s dream – and they take MINUTES to prepare.
Stuffed Crescent Rolls With Berries & Cream Cheese
With just four main ingredients, these Stuffed Crescent Rolls with cheese and berries are just as easy as they are delicious.
Mini Caramel Rolls
These Mini Caramel Rolls are made with crescent rolls for a quick and easy dessert hack!
Orange Cinnamon Crescent Rolls (Mini Sized)
The easiest trick to making delicious miniature orange cinnamon rolls!
Bacon Maple Breakfast Rolls
Quick Maple Bacon Cinnamon Buns? No, don’t run for your reading glasses, these rolls are the shorthand version.
Baked "Deep Fried" Oreos
No need to wait for the county fair when you can whip these in a flash!
Easy Mint Chip Sweet Rolls
You need these in your life. Breakfast or dessert? You choose.
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