Cheese Stuffed Sourdough Crescent Rolls (with garlic sage butter)

5 from 4 votes

Indulge in these soft sourdough crescent rolls stuffed with gooey cheese and aromatic garlic sage butter—a perfect savory treat!

Prep Time30

Cook Time32

Resting time1

Total Time1 1 2

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheese stuffed sourdough crescent rolls, sourdough crescent rolls

Servings: rolls

Place the butter in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour. sugar, and salt.
Using a cheese grater, grate the butter into the dry mixture and cut it into the flour until it resembles coarse sand. You can use a fork or I use a silicone scraper to achieve this.

In a separate bowl mix the sourdough discard and milk together.
Next, add the sourdough starter and milk to the flour mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.
Once a dough has formed, cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes.
Return to the dough and knead it into a smooth ball by folding it into itself repetitively for 3-5 minutes (it does not need to be perfect). Use flour to assist with stickiness.
Cover the dough again and let it rest for 1 hour. The dough will not rise, this is just to allow everything to solidify together.

After the dough has rested for 1 hour place it in the refrigerator overnight, keeping it covered.
Why do we refrigerate the dough? Refrigerating the sourdough crescent roll dough allows for it to ferment giving it a deeper flavor. It also hardens the butter which will burst when baked creating beautiful, flaky layers to the crescent roll.

Garlic sage butter can be made the day before and refrigerated or made on the same day.
Prepare the Butter: Start with 8 tablespoons of softened unsalted butter in a small bowl.
Mix in Garlic: Add 2–3 finely minced garlic cloves to the softened butter and mix until evenly combined.
Add Sage: Finely chop 2-3 teaspoons of fresh sage leaves and fold them into the butter mixture.
Use Immediately or store: Spread the garlic sage butter onto your dough as part of the stuffing or refrigerate for later use.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and remove the dough from the refrigerator (the dough can be worked with cold).
Place the dough on a clean work surface and divide it into two equal dough balls. A food scale is helpful for accuracy.
Before shaping the crescent rolls ensure your garlic sage butter is brought to room temperature and your cheese is grated.
On a floured surface, roll each dough ball out into a 9-inch circle and cut it into 6 wedges. I like to use my silicone scraper to draw my lines before making the cuts.
Take each triangle dough piece and roll it out a bit thinner and longer aiming for about a 1/8-inch thickness.
Spread a thin layer of the garlic sage butter on each crescent roll and top with a layer of grated cheese (be sure not to add too much butter as it will melt out of the dough). Save any leftover garlic sage butter for later.
Starting from the wide end of each triangle, gently roll the dough toward the pointed end. The pointed end should be tucked under the roll to ensure it doesn’t pop up while baking.
Place the rolled crescent rolls onto the baking sheet. If you want a classic crescent shape, gently curve the rolls into a crescent or half-moon shape.
Lastly, cover the crescent rolls with a damp towel or oiled plastic wrap for 30 minutes

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F when the sourdough crescent rolls are ready to be baked.
Melt the remaining garlic sage butter and brush it generously over the tops of the crescent rolls before baking. Save any remaining butter.
Bake for 25-32 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Some butter will leak out and be on the baking tray (this is normal).
Allow the crescent rolls to cool for 10-15 minutes before brushing with any remaining garlic sage butter and enjoying! Regular unsalted butter can be used for brushing as well.
Sourdough crescent rolls are best enjoyed on the same day but can last for 1-2 days on the counter in an airtight container or plastic wrap.

Baker's schedule: Mix the dough and allow it to rest for 1 hour, place into the refrigerator overnight to bake for the following day.

Sourdough discard: I recommend the discard be no more than a few days old for a less sour flavor and a more puffy crescent roll.

Cheese: while any preferred cheese can be used, the flavor of a sharp cheese really shines through.