Ham and Cheese Crescent Rolls Comfort Recipe

Try this delightful ham and cheese crescent roll recipe with a contemporary flair, a treat even hesitant eaters will adore

Reasons why your family will enjoy these ham and cheese crescent rolls

• Perfect for school lunches: My children's absolute favorite snack is these ham and cheese crescent rolls
• Keeps well in the freezer. I store these rolls in ziploc bags or Tupperware containers, allowing the boys to easily grab a few for their lunch before heading to catch the bus
• Built upon an old fashioned dinner rolls recipe adaptable in many ways: I cherish recipes deeply, and this one holds great sentimental value as it belongs to my mother-in-law. She was a dedicated baker of buns and bread almost every week while she was with us

Anyone who knew my mother-in-law would know she never followed a set recipe for buns and seldom repeated the exact same batch twice! Her daughter, however, meticulously recorded all her mother's ingredients to create this "Mom’s Old Fashioned Dinner Rolls" recipe, for which I am eternally thankful

This recipe genuinely represents an "old fashioned" dinner rolls preparation

To clarify, in earlier times—prior to the internet, Pinterest, and numerous food blogs—recipes were exchanged via handwritten cards. These cards often contained abbreviations and vague directions, assuming the reader was already skilled in culinary arts

This recipe reflects that style. If you are new to making yeast buns, I advise consulting other instructional websites for basic yeast dough guidance. Upon examining the photo, I noticed I had roughly halved the original amount, as my mother-in-law used to bake 8 dozen buns at a time

Ingredients required for these ham and cheese crescent rolls using Mom’s Old Fashioned Dinner Rolls recipe

This dinner roll recipe yields 4 dozen ham and cheese crescent rolls

• 1/8 cup white sugar
• 1/2 Tablespoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 and 1/2 cups hot tap water (The precise temperature is vital; consult the note below)
• About 7 cups flour
• Miracle whip or pizza sauce for bun "sauce" – approximately 6 tablespoons
• 16 slices deli ham
• 3 cups grated cheddar cheese

Detailed steps for the old fashioned dinner rolls recipe

1. Combine the 1/8 cup sugar and 1/2 Tablespoon salt in a sizable bowl. Have all other components ready for swift use. The water temperature is crucial; it must be 110-115 degrees fareinheit to activate the yeast. Generally, I heat tap water until it is just too hot for a hand to comfortably submerge
2. Melt the butter and incorporate it into the sugar and salt within the large bowl
3. Combine the hot tap water with one cup of flour, then whisk until a smooth consistency is achieved.
4. Incorporate the beaten egg, stirring continuously to prevent it from cooking in the warm liquid.
5. Mix the yeast into another cup of flour and incorporate this mixture into the bowl. Continue adding flour until no more can be stirred in, then add a bit more, kneading directly in the bowl until the dough is smooth and not sticky; I estimate adding around 7 cups of flour.

1. Grease the bowl and the top of the dough, allowing it to rise for roughly an hour, or until it has doubled in size. (*A note from Bildirimlerim: Due to my home's draftiness, I utilize the oven for rising. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, but crucially, turn the oven off immediately before placing the dough inside; this step is vital for proper rising.)

1. Once doubled, gently turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 portions; each portion will yield 1 dozen buns.

1. Shape each portion into a loose ball.

Ham and Cheese Crescent Rolls with Old Fashioned Dinner Rolls Recipe

1. Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough into a large circle. Apply a thin spread of mayonnaise or pizza sauce, based on your preference.

1. Slice the round into 12 triangular pieces using a pizza cutter or knife.

1. Top each triangle with sliced deli ham (I used prosciutto this time) and grated cheddar cheese.

1. Beginning at the wider edge of each triangle, roll the dough up to form a small crescent roll.

1. Arrange them on a greased baking pan, cover with a towel, and let them rise in a warm spot until doubled.

(For easier cleanup and saved time, consider using a parchment paper-lined pan instead of greasing one.)

1. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes; note that baking time varies significantly based on your baking sheet type.
2. Allow them to cool completely on wire racks.

Enjoy a satisfying lunch by pairing a warm roll with some potato salad; you certainly deserve a few minutes to relax and put your feet up!

Method for Freezing these Ham and Cheese Crescent Rolls

Ensure the rolls are entirely cool before storing them in ziploc bags or an airtight container; they maintain quality for up to 3 months.

Necessary Equipment for this Dinner Rolls Recipe:

I favor my grandmother's antique pastry cloth and rolling pin cover (affiliate link) when rolling any dough; discover other helpful rolling dough tools here.

The Origin of This Dinner Roll Recipe

This post was initially shared on March 5, 2015, within our farmhouse by the sea kitchen, with sunlight streaming through the window. This predates my food photography studio, and sadly, a computer issue resulted in the loss of all my original digital images for this recipe.

However, I have decided to retain the original photographs, as they reflect a genuine moment—baking buns using my mother-in-law’s recipe with her, and always hoping (as with any yeast roll) for a successful rise!

More Dinner Rolls Recipes:

• The bread machine dinner roll recipe yields a truly delightful result.
• Preparing these overnight dinner rolls offers wonderful ease.
• Discover the method for shaping dinner bun dough into cinnamon buns and braids.