We Popped Open 6 Cans: These Are the Best Crescent Rolls
Updated: Apr. 18, 2023
Whether you're making a batch to serve up with dinner or opening a can to make an easy appetizer, canned crescent rolls are a must in any fridge. Find out which options are the best crescent rolls—which ones our Test Kitchen pros recommend.
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We Want to Find the Best Crescent Rolls
Peek inside almost anyone’s fridge and you’ll find a can of crescent rolls—and for good reason. Crescent rolls are an easy addition to dinners and serve as the foundation for so many recipes (we’ve got dozens of recipes that start with crescent rolls in our archives).
We’re willing to bet, though, that you stick with one brand when stocking your fridge with these pre-made crescents. But is that what’s best? You know our Test Kitchen team had to find out! After all, with the best that the refrigerated section has to offer, you can make the best crescent roll appetizers ever.
Testing Canned Crescent Rolls
Our team loves a taste test, especially for an ingredient as ubiquitous as crescent rolls! We had to know if the biggest brand in the game was the best and if other options could stack up. In this test, our team judged six different brands according to the following categories:
- Appearance:Â Crescent rolls have a signature shape. A good canned crescent roll should retain that perfectly curved silhouette while also baking up to a gorgeous golden brown hue.
- Texture:Â A good crescent roll should be soft and tender with plenty of flaky layers.
- Flavor: Butter is the key flavor in crescent rolls. It’s what makes them so darn craveable (and it’s the reason there’s never one left in the bread basket). Canned crescent rolls should have perfect butter flavor with a hint of salt—the right combo for munching solo or using as the foundation for plenty of recipes.
Check out which brands our team loved the most: the crescent rolls we call Test Kitchen-Preferred.
Most Like Homemade
Immaculate Baking Organic Crescent Rolls
No doubt that homemade crescent rolls are a delight, however not everyone has time to make a batch from scratch on a weeknight to accompany dinner. To get that homemade flavor (or even trick guests that you made these rolls on your own), add Immaculate Baking Organic Crescent Rolls to your cart.
These crescents hit all the marks: flaky, tender and oh-so tasty. Right out of the oven, our pro cooks could tell these rolls were different. “These have such a nice flakiness on top and good golden color,” explains Sarah Tramonte in the Test Kitchen.
And when you take a bite, “you get a beautiful crunch with a really buttery, soft interior,” our Test Kitchen’s Mark Neufang says. That combination of crispy flakes and a tender center really makes these rolls unique in the lineup. It’s the sort of texture you’d expect from a homemade crescent roll—not necessarily one that popped right out of can.
Best Buttery Crescent Rolls
Annie’s Organic Crescent Rolls
What many folks love most about crescent rolls are their flaky layers and buttery flavor. If butter is key to your ideal roll, snag a can of Annie’s Organic Crescent Rolls.
But before we get into the flavor, let’s talk about first impressions. Our Test Kitchen’s Shannon Norris explains that these rolls have “a great golden brown color.” Beyond that, Shannon says that you can smell the tempting buttery flavor as they cool on the cookie sheet. With a mouthwatering aroma, odds are you won’t let these cool before diving in!
As for taste, every single tester on our panel noted the lush buttery flavor. “These are so buttery and very nicely salted,” says Sarah. These notes would perfectly complement these crescent roll appetizers, including pesto pinwheels and pepperoni roll-ups.
Best Crescent Rolls for Sweet Recipes
Pillsbury Original Crescents
We all know that crescent rolls are big players in appetizer and dinner recipes. However, if you’ve got a dessert lined up that starts with a can of crescent rolls, our Test Kitchen recommends using Pillsbury Original Crescents.
Sarah describes these rolls as being “slightly sweet, but still buttery and delicious.” With a hint of sugar, these canned rolls are the perfect place to start when making recipes like these shortcut cherry turnovers or easy apple dumplings.
However, if you don’t use these rolls as a starter for your next quick dessert, you’ll still be quite pleased. “These are soft and pillowy,” says Shannon, “with slightly crisp edges.” Bake them up for dinner and serve them with a little orange butter.
Check Out More Test Kitchen-Preferred Products
Our Test Kitchen is constantly testing food, kitchen gadgets and cleaning gear looking for brands that deserve the right to be called Test Kitchen-Preferred.
If you want to fill your pantry and fridge with the best products, check out these tests:
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