Easy Orange Glazed Croissants Recipe with Crescent Rolls
Indulge in the ultimate holiday treat with Glazed Croissants! Made with ready-to-bake dough and filled with your favorite fillings, these croissant rolls are a deliciously easy way to start the day and make Christmas morning extra special!
Picture this: it’s Christmas morning, holiday cheer (and chaos) is in the air, and the last thing you need is a complicated breakfast recipe. Enter this easy glazed croissant recipe made simple with a convenient can of crescent rolls.
The buttery, flaky crescent dough is a blank canvas for your creativity. From tangy cranberries to crunchy nuts or indulgent chocolate, the filling possibilities are endless! As for the glaze, it’s sweet and citrusy and takes these croissants to the next level!
Trust me, the combination of warm, buttery layers, gooey fillings, and that sweet, homemade glaze is a symphony for your taste buds and an oh-so-merry way to kickstart a festive day!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Store-bought convenience. It simplifies your breakfast routine by using a convenient can of crescent rolls –because holiday mornings are hectic enough!
- Versatile fillings. The options, whether cranberries, nuts, chocolate, or something savory, are limitless!
- Homemade glaze. I included instructions for how to make a glaze for croissants that adds the perfect touch of sweet, citrusy deliciousness.
- Freshly baked, glazed goodness. Nothing beats sinking your teeth into a warm, flakey filled croissant right after that glorious glazing.
- Family-friendly. Croissants appeal to everyone’s taste buds, making them the perfect holiday breakfast tradition!
Ingredients you’ll need
- Crescent rolls (can). Immaculate brand organic crescent roll dough is my favorite. It has no bleached flour, artificial flavors, preservatives, or hydrogenated oils –and bakes up perfectly every time (*not sponsored -I just love it!). Annie’s Organic and Trader Joe’s also make a great ready-to-bake can of croissant dough without hydrogenated oils.
- Your favorite fillings. Cranberries, chocolate, chopped nuts –you name it! Just know that you’ll need about a tablespoon of filling per roll. See below for more ideas.
- Powdered sugar. No substitutions here! The fine powder dissolves easily in liquid, creating a smooth, glossy, perfectly sweetened glaze.
- Orange juice. Gives the glaze a touch of citrusy, sweet, slightly tangy flavor.
- Orange zest. It enhances the citrusy, sweet aroma and adds excellent flavor. Don’t skip it!
- Light cream. Or half-and-half. It’s responsible for the glaze’s velvety, creamy texture and luxurious mouthfeel.
How to make glazed croissants
Step 1: Prepare for baking. Preheat the oven to 350℉, and line a shallow baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: Fill and roll croissant dough. Separate the crescent rolls into triangles, and sprinkle your favorite filling on the wide end of the triangle. Roll the triangles into crescent shapes and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 3: Bake croissant rolls. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Let the rolls cool slightly while you make the glaze.
Step 4: Glaze croissants. Stir the powdered sugar, orange juice, zest, and cream in a small bowl, drizzle the glaze over the warm (but not hot) rolls, and enjoy!
Recipe tips
- Modify package directions. The instructions on most crescent rolls call for baking at 375℉, but I found baking at 350℉ is the sweet spot for tender, fluffy croissants with golden, flakey layers.
- Adjust baking time. My croissants were perfect after 12 minutes, but baking times may vary depending on the type of pan you use and your oven’s performance, so just keep an eye on them.
- Adjust glaze consistency. If it’s too thick to drizzle, add more cream; if it’s too thin to cling to the croissants, add more powdered sugar.
- Don’t skip the zest! Adding fresh orange zest to the glaze really makes the flavor POP, so I highly recommend using it. This is the microplane I use to zest orange.
- Glaze warm, NOT HOT, croissants. As tempting as it may be to dig in, you must let the croissants cool down a bit before glazing. It can cause the glaze to become excessively runny if the croissants are too hot.
Filling ideas
My kids and I love turning our kitchen into a DIY Christmas croissant bar with an array of fillings. Everyone loves picking their favorite filling before the magic happens in the oven. Here are some ideas:
- Dried cranberries – I LOVE filling these rolls with low-sugar cranberries because I find the glaze adds enough sweetness (and they’re a bit healthier). For the best texture, rehydrate the dried cranberries in warm water or fresh orange juice for 30 minutes and drain before using them as filling.
- Chocolate chips– Roll semi-sweet chocolate chips or white chocolate chips in the crescent rolls. As they bake, the chocolate melts, adding a decadent touch.
- Finely chopped nuts – Pecans are my favorite, but sliced almonds, walnuts, and pistachios also taste great in croissants.
- Cinnamon sugar – Sprinkle a mixture of cinnamon and sugar over the dough before rolling it up to create a cinnamon roll-inspired flavor.
- Fruit spreads – Fill with your favorite fruit preserve or jam, like apricot, raspberry, or strawberry!
- Nut butters – Spread a layer of peanut butter, almond butter, or hazelnut chocolate spread (Nutella) before rolling the dough up and baking.
- Savory fillings – If you prefer a savory breakfast or brunch, try filling the croissants with fresh sage and prosciutto, ham and cheese slices, or sautéed spinach and crumbled feta cheese. In this case, it’s best to omit the sweet glaze and brush with melted butter.
Storing & Freezing
Storing: Place leftover glazed croissants in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to two days. Or, if unglazed, you can keep them at room temperature.
Freezing: For longer storage, freeze the croissants individually. Thaw them in the refrigerator, and warm them gently in the oven before serving.
FAQ
If you’re in a pinch and need a substitute, you can use puff pastry and achieve similar flaky, buttery layers. Just keep in mind that the finished pastry will lack the distinct flakiness and flavor of true croissants.
King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour is my favorite when I make croissant roll dough from scratch. It always yields excellent baked goods! You can also use pastry flour for an even flakier texture.
More holiday breakfast and brunch recipes
- Sausage and Egg Overnight Breakfast Casserole
- Apple Pie Baked Oats
- Gluten-Free Ham Spinach Gruyere Quiche
- Loaded Potato Breakfast Casserole
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Easy Orange Glazed Croissants
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 8 oz can of crescent rolls
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 tsp fresh orange zest don't skip-this adds great flavor!
- 2 tsp light cream or half and half
- Optional fillings: dried cranberries *see note about rehydrating, semi-sweet chocolate chips or white chocolate chips, finely chopped nuts (pecans are my favorite, but sliced almonds, walnuts, and pistachios would all be amazing here) for the optional fillings, you'll use about a tbsp of filling of choice on each roll.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a shallow baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Separate the crescent rolls into triangles and sprinkle about a tablespoon of filling of choice on the wide end of the triangle.
- Roll up to make a crescent shape and place them onto the lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Mine were perfect at 12 minutes.
- Set the rolls aside to cool slightly while you make the glaze.
- Stir the powdered sugar, orange juice, zest, and cream together in a small bowl. Drizzle the glaze over the warm, but not hot, rolls or brush on top with a pastry brush for a light coating and enjoy.
Notes
- You can control the amount of sweetness by how much glaze is used. I usually have a small amount left over. For a light coating, brush with a pastry brush, or drizzle lightly over the top of each roll. For more sweetness, use a generous drizzle on top.
- For the best texture, rehydrate the dried cranberries in warm water or fresh orange juice for 30 minutes, drain, and use for the filling.
- The directions on most crescent roll directions call for baking at 375, but I found that the middle sets beautifully while the outside turns a lovely golden color at a lower temp of 350. Mine were perfectly done at 12 minutes, but baking pan performance and oven temps can vary slightly.
- Fillings not included in nutrition info.
Nutrition
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OMG these sound awesome! Glad that there’s actually a lower sugar dried cranberry without a bunch of artificial sweeteners in them. Definitely keeping my eyes peeled for them!