Paneer Crescent Rolls Recipe

These Paneer Crescent Rolls are soft, delicious, with a slight crust and a smooth bottom and a fluffy inside. They are excellent dinner rolls that can be made ahead. The best part is that you don't have to go through the hassle of laminating butter, like you do for croissants.

This morning, I discovered that 2 litres of milk in the fridge had gone bad; it had curdled. I mean, why does this have to happen yet again to me? When I first made these paneer crescents, the story was similar. I strained the mix and ended up with about 300 grams of paneer. 

Now I am torn between the decision of whether to make Kalakand, Rasgulla, Paneer paratha, or these rolls.

After a long and deadly battle with my sweet tooth and my doctor's growing concern about my blood sugar, I decided to use 200 grams to make these rolls. The other 100 grams, well, the battle is still on paratha seems lame in the face of kalakand and rasgulla. What do you think I should make?

Jump to:

• What is the difference between Crescent Rolls and Croissants?
• Ingredients for Crescent Rolls
• Method  for Crescent Rolls
• What do I serve with Paneer Crescent Rolls?
• Recipe Variations  for Paneer Crescent Rolls
• Substitute for Paneer Crescent Rolls
• Protips for Paneer Crescent Rolls
• Related Recipes
• Pairing Recipes
• Paneer Crescent Rolls Recipe

What is the difference between Crescent Rolls and Croissants?

Crescent Rolls and Croissants are not the same.  The shapes of crescent rolls and croissants are the same. However, croissants are lighter, buttery, and flakier, thanks to the butter that is laminated and the dough that is folded many times, unlike crescent rolls. 

The crescent rolls are easy to make and take less baking time. They are soft and fluffy on the inside, crisp on the outside, perfect dinner rolls.

Ingredients for Crescent Rolls

• Paneer
• Lukewarm Water
• Sugar  
• Instant Yeast
• Oil 
• Salt  
• APF or Maida
• Garlic and Coriander leaves paste
• Dried Oregano
• Butter

Method  for Crescent Rolls

Hand mixing the dough

• Mash the paneer, instant yeast, sugar, and the herbs.
• Add the Maida or APF with lukewarm water gradually to make a soft dough. Knead for 6-8 minutes, then make a smooth ball.

If using the Food Processor

• Run the mixer with paneer, instant yeast, sugar, and the herbs till well mixed. 
• Add the Maida or APF and run the mixer. Gradually add lukewarm water to make a soft dough. Collect the dough into a smooth ball.

Raising the Dough

• Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn it once to coat the surface. 
• Cover the bowl with clingfilm and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour, until it has doubled in size. (Mine doubled in 45 minutes.) Punch it down. 

Shaping the Crescent Rolls

• Divide the dough into 3 balls on a lightly floured surface. Then, roll the dough into a ⅛-inch thick circle and cut it into 8 wedges. 
• Roll up the wedges from the wide end, then give them a bend to form a crescent shape.

The Second Raising

• Grease a baking sheet pan with butter, and place the paneer crescent rolls on the pan, about ½ to 1 inch apart. 
• Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let them rise for about 30 minutes, or until they have doubled in size. 

Baking the Paneer Crescent Rolls

• Brush the tops of the paneer crescent rolls with butter and bake in a preheated oven to  180℃ until golden brown. They bake in 25 minutes.

What do I serve with Paneer Crescent Rolls?

Serve the paneer crescent rolls warm and slather them with butter. I enjoy these rolls with Tomato Soup, Potage de Crécy, or as a side for salads like Horiatiki Salad or Greek Salad.

In Goa, we enjoy our curries, such as Alsande cho Tonak and Chana Cho Ras. We love curries like Matar Ka Nimona, Chole, Sukhi Bhaji. 

What will you serve the Paneer Crescent Rolls with? Do let me know so then I can also add them to our menu.

Recipe Variations  for Paneer Crescent Rolls

• Stuffed Crescent Rolls – Stuff the rolls with herbs, sautéed mushrooms and cheddar cheese.
• Dessert Crescent Rolls – Stuff with Nutella or sprinkle with cinnamon sugar when warm. 

Substitute for Paneer Crescent Rolls

• Maida: In the past, I have used whole wheat flour, and the girls loved it.  But Maida gives you the perfect crumb on the bread. 
• Paneer: If you do not have Paneer or you want vegan bread you can skip paneer.
• Butter: Use vegan butter or oil in place of dairy butter.

Protips for Paneer Crescent Rolls

• Roll the dough to a thickness of ⅛ inch. This is the crucial part; the diameter of the circle does not matter much. The bigger the circle bigger the rolls. 
• Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into wedges. A  dull blade will tear the dough.
• Apply milk or egg wash on the rolls before baking. The rolls turn a lovely golden colour.
• You can make these Paneer Crescent Rolls, let them rise, and then freeze them for 30 minutes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Transfer the frozen crescent rolls to a ziplock freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. Bake them in a preheated oven at 180℃. 

Storage of Paneer Crescent Rolls

• Cool the paneer crescent rolls completely before wrapping with cling wrap. This way the rolls will stay good for 3 days.

I had first posted this recipe under the misnomer of Paneer Croissants on 15th March, 2011. My friend Nisa Homey had encouraged me to bake them. I am grateful to her for being on of the first to encourage me in to bread baking. Today I am redoing that post with better pictures and write-up.

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Summary: I love to make these Paneer Crescent Rolls as they are make-ahead rolls especially for parties or small get-togethers. These Crescent Rolls do not need lamination like Croissants I prefer to make these rolls. Make these Paneer Crescent Rolls and let me know how you enjoyed them in the comments below.