Soft and flaky dinner rolls are swirled with moist onion, poppy seeds, and a hint of sweetness. Store-bought dough means these onion crescent rolls are ready in twenty minutes!
One of my very favorite, can't-pass-them-up, kinda sorta crave them foods are onion rolls. You know the ones. Fluffy soft dough that's topped with (good) or swirled with (great!) onion.
They're my sandwich roll of choice for slow cooker pulled pork. Well, along with pretzel rolls. Another favorite.
Anyway, in my opinion onion rolls are well worth having to pop a mint afterwards and/or flossing your way to a poppy seed-free smile.
So here are some onion rolls! Or at least a super quick, impossibly simple homage to them.
What's in the filling?
Onion rolls feature a soft minced onion swirl inside. Since slicing fresh onions into tiny, tiny pieces doesn't exactly fit the whole 'quick' thing I'm going for here, I use dried minced/chopped onion to bring that onion flavor in a hurry.
First heat some oil in a small saucepan, add a pinch of each salt and sugar, and then stir in the dried onion. Let this heat for 5-8 minutes, or until the onion is turning more golden and has begun to soften. It'll soften more as the rolls bake.
Next separate out your refrigerated crescent roll dough. That's (obviously) a big reason why this roll recipe can be confidently labeled 'quick'. No rise time required! This is a semi-homemade crescent roll recipe idea at its finest.
I like to use a classic crescent roll here, not one with a flavor. They'd be fine to use if you like them, but one time I used the butter flavor and found it a little strong when combined with the other ingredients. Just a personal preference.
Evenly spread the moistened onion filling onto each of the crescent roll segments, then dot the filling with a little bit of honey. Not too much! Just enough to add a touch of sweetness.
Then it's time to sprinkle it with poppy seeds. While not technically necessary, poppy seeds are a mainstay in classic onion rolls, so I thought it fitting that these onion crescent rolls follow suit.
Carefully roll up each roll, starting with the short side of each triangle(-ish), then brush the tops with a little extra oil and garnish with more poppy seeds.
Bake for 9-10 minutes or until golden-brown and cooked through. They're great both served warm or at room temperature.
Recipe notes
- I recommend using 'classic' crescent rolls (found in the refrigerated section) and not a flavor like honey butter or butter.
Quick Onion Crescent Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 8-oz tube refrigerated crescent dough (classic flavor)
- 2 ½ tablespoon neutral-tasting cooking oil, divided
- ¼ cup dried minced or chopped onion
- Pinch of granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon honey (approximate)
- ½ teaspoon poppy seeds (approximate)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, heat 2 tablespoon of oil over low heat. Add a pinch of sugar, a pinch of salt, and minced onion stir to moisten all of the onion.
- Let onion flakes heat in the oil for 5-8 minutes, or until edges of the onion become golden brown and onion becomes just slightly soft (it will also soften while baking later on). Remove from heat.
- Unroll crescent dough and separate the eight perforated triangles. Spread onion mixture evenly over each of the eight triangles. Dot a small amount of honey over top of onion filling, then sprinkle poppy seeds.
- Roll up each dough triangle, beginning to roll with the short side of the triangle. Place rolls onto prepared baking sheet.
- Add remaining ½ tablespoon oil to a small bowl and then brush it on the top of each crescent roll. Top with a sprinkle of poppy seeds.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until outsides of rolls are golden brown and firm to the touch. Serve warm or room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
Food Safety and Nutrition Disclaimer
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
My husband is a big onion fan, so what a treat these would be to go with his birthday dinner! Can't wait to make them!
Alyssa says
Big onion fan over here, too! I bet he would enjoy them for sure. 🙂
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
I am the exact same way! All these bloggers seem like real life friends. Haha! Hopefully one day we'll get to actually meet. Until then I'll continue drooling over your food recipes.
These onion rolls sound delicious. I love onion bagels, and the flavors in these kind of remind me of those. And love that I can just use Crescent rolls. Hurray for no yeast!
Alyssa says
How fun would that be, Natalie! And onion bagels are one of my favorites. Love that the crescent rolls give you the onion roll fix in a flash. No yeast for the win! 🙂
Polly @ Tasty Food Project says
I love finding different ways to make crescent rolls! These look delicious!
Alyssa says
Thank you, Polly!
Ashley @ My Midwest Table says
Crescent rolls by themselves are addicting, so I can only imagine how much more addicting this onion version is. And I'd be just like you. Anything goes for breakfast...these rolls would be no exception!
I love all the blogging connections I've made. It's so fun to have friends I've never met but feel like I know so well. 🙂
Alyssa says
Glad to hear I'm not alone, Ashley! Crescent rolls are always a welcome dinner table treat around here, but these onion ones disappeared quicker than ever!
And I agree! 🙂
Helen @ Scrummy Lane says
Hello, Alyssa! I'm afraid I am actually in the 'don't know what a rainbow cookie is' so I'm actually off to google it right now ....
OK, I'm back ...
Wow, that's so cool! I assume they're more like a cake? When I was a child, we used to have a cooked lunch at school, and everyone's favourite dessert was 'rainbow sponge' which was a bit like this but more like a steamed pudding ... served with custard!
Love the idea of the crescent rolls by the way ... I feel like they would be beautiful dipped into soup!
P.S. I LOVE the worldwide food blogging community, too! 🙂
Alyssa says
Hi Helen! Yes, the consistency of the "cookies" are definitely more cake-like than cookie-like. A more accurate name would be little rainbow cake slivers I suppose! It has been fascinating for me to learn how varied the prevalence of these little guys have been not only internationally, but regionally here in the US as well! Now it's my turn - I haven't seen a rainbow sponge, but anything served with custard sounds pretty good to me! And I agree whole-heartedly. These rolls would be a wonderful pairing for soup. 🙂
Kathi @ Deliciously Yum! says
Love simple recipes like this one! And crescent rolls are one of the best inventions ever, especially when they're dressed up like these ones.
Also, your entire post was so much fun to read - my husband has recently started to ask if we're talking about a person we actually know or about one of my blogging friends, ha!
Alyssa says
Thanks so much, Kathi! Haha and I'm glad I'm not alone! 🙂
Jess @ WhatJessicaBakedNext says
Love this recipe-super easy to put together and they look absolutely moorish! Definitely a must try recipe!
Alyssa says
Thanks Jess! 🙂
Jessica @ Jessiker Bakes says
Oh no don't even get me started on crescent rolls! I have an addiction as well! I love how quick this recipe is, I'll definately be trying this in the VERY near future great post Alyssa!
Alyssa says
Haha thanks Jessica! They are too good! 🙂
Alexandra Aimee says
Ohhhhh my. I need to find a way to de-gluten these!
-- Alex at Cashmere Kangaroo
Alyssa says
I hope you can find a way, Alex, because they're delicious! I'm not too familiar with gluten-free baking, but if a gluten-free dough is hard to find in stores, perhaps a gluten-free homemade dough recipe would do the trick (though it would take additional time and steps). Good luck! 🙂
Deb says
I adore the ease of preparation in this recipe, yet with fabulous flavor! Just irresistible!
Alyssa says
Absolutely, Deb - quick and flavorful! 🙂
Tina @ Tina's Chic Corner says
I love crescent rolls! This is an awesome recipe and I can't wait to try it. 🙂
I can definitely relate. I'm closer with some of my blogging friends (who I've never met) than I am with some of my friends that I actually see. That's definitely not something I expected when I entered the blogging world, but I love it. 🙂
Alyssa says
Thanks Tina! 🙂
Consuelo @ Honey & Figs says
I'm guilty of having talked about other bloggers as if they were real life friends too ooops haha. Never heard of your lovely rainbow cookies, but I do have seen these onion rolls around. Although the version we have here doesn't look near as fluffy and flaky as this one. Oh wow, I can see now why you'd have them for breakfast! ;--)
Alyssa says
Haha glad I'm not alone, Consuelo! I'm a sucker for fluffy, flaky breads (well...just bread in general). These babies didn't stand a chance in my kitchen! 🙂
Chris @ Shared Appetite says
1) You are so right... it's super cool how us food bloggers get connected and live all around the world. It's really is such a fun and exciting opportunity.
2) What?!?!! How sad that people across the country do not know the glorious baking victory that are rainbow cookies. Alyssa, you need to change this, one cookie and one person at a time. It's a big job, but I know you can do it.
3) I'm such a sucker for crescent rolls. I could eat like 50 of them in one sitting.
Alyssa says
1. 🙂
2. I Know! I definitely took their popularity for granted. Game ON - that is so a job I'm up for!
3. Agreed!
Lynette says
Wow great post! I love onion rolls. I can't wait to make these
Alyssa says
Thanks! They're "easy breezy". 😉
Norma | allspice and nutmeg says
These look so good, Alyssa! They're great when a quick easy roll is needed.
Alyssa says
Thanks, Norma! Exactly - they're quick, but taste like they required a lot more effort!