4 Easy Ways To Use Pillsbury Crescent Rolls That Your Family Will Love

A can of crescent rolls by itself is an easy kid-pleaser. It starts with the anticipation of whacking the can on the counter (or poking it gingerly with a spoon) until it springs open with a loud "pop!" Then, you get to unroll the dough, separate the triangles, and roll them up, large end to small. Some creative kids may want to make other shapes rather than the traditional crescent; we've seen crescent roll snakes, giant crescent blobs, etc., in our kitchen. And of course, those custom creations are the ones the kids want to eat first.

But however enjoyable, crescent rolls are more of a side item. To make them the star of your next meal, they'll need some added ingredients. We created some fun ways to use crescent rolls that bring a little more to the table and are sure to please everyone in the family. Just remember when baking with crescent roll dough, it's best to leave the dough in the fridge until you're ready to use it — otherwise it tends to get sticky.

We're fans of the crescent roll cinnamon roll — it's an extremely easy way to make a semi-homemade classic using just four ingredients: canned crescent dough, melted butter, cinnamon, and sugar. (However, our favorite canned cinnamon rolls are so good, you might want to just opt for some of those.) But for a more show-stopping breakfast, you can make a filled crescent roll braid.

To make the braid, take two sheets of crescent roll dough; rather than separating out the triangles, press the seams and edges together to form one large rectangle. Spread your filling in a band down the center and cut the dough into perpendicular strips on either side of the filling. Then, braid these strips together on top of the filling. Filling options can be sweet or savory. For example, cream cheese and ground sausage or cream cheese and your kid's favorite fruit filling, whether that is pre-made jam or fresh fruit. Add herbs or spices to give it some extra complexity, if you like.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a lunchbox staple (or perhaps Sunbutter and jelly if your kid is in a nut-free cafeteria). Give the basic PB&J an upgrade by making a crescent roll version. Simply spread each unbaked crescent triangle with your nut butter of choice and top that with a dollop of jelly. Roll them up, bake them, and send them to school.

If your child prefers a meat-and-cheese sandwich, the same idea works. Top the unbaked rolls with their favorite deli combo, whether ham and cheddar, turkey and Swiss, or roast beef and provolone. Send them to school with a packet of mayo or mustard, and instructions to reheat the rolled sandwiches in the microwave, if possible. Pizza toppings can be used for an extra-special twist: pepperoni, mozzarella, a spread of tomato sauce, chopped olives, or whatever sounds best. And of course, you don't have to make them for school: Cook them and serve immediately if you're enjoying lunch at home.

If you follow Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond, you may already know that crescent rolls are her secret for simply delicious breakfast pizza. But you can use crescent roll dough as a crust for any homemade pizza, breakfast or otherwise. Pizza pie isn't, however, the only savory pie where crescent rolls have a chance to shine. Pillsbury has a Fritos Chili Pie Bake recipe on its website, which shows a layer of crescent roll dough pressed into a casserole dish and topped with a browned beef mixture, cheese, Fritos, and other toppings of choice. It's a protein-packed meal that's a little out of the ordinary — which can be a win if you've been feeling stuck in a dinner rut lately.

You can also use crescent rolls to top a chicken pot pie. Just make your favorite chicken pot pie filling and top it with a layer of crescent roll dough. No need to make your own pie crust, and it gives that top layer a nice, soft, buttery flakiness.

Of course, braided breakfast rolls could double as a dessert. But how about baking with a little science, like crescent marshmallow puffs. (Invite your kids to help you with the prep work for these!) Start by mixing up a cinnamon-sugar blend and melting some butter. Dip each crescent roll triangle in the melted butter, then cover it with the cinnamon-sugar mix. Place a large marshmallow on the triangle and roll it up so the marshmallow is fully encased in the dough. When the puffs are finished baking and have cooled enough to eat, your kids will be shocked to discover the marshmallows have entirely disappeared, leaving an empty, but delicious, cavern behind.

These are fun to make around Halloween or Easter, but we think they'd also be appreciated any time of year. If you are doing them around Easter, however, you could give this trick a colorful element by using marshmallow Peeps instead of a generic marshmallow — just be prepared to answer questions about what exactly happened to that bunny or chick in the oven.