Can you stand a little product placement? The truth is, Pillsbury isn’t paying me a dime or mailing me a single free biscuit (not that I’d mind a shipment if the doughboy happens to be reading!), but I’m still going to brag on their crescent rolls. If you’ve only been making little bread rollups with these, you’re missing out!
Pillsbury has plenty of creative ideas on their website for how to make better use of the crescent, but I’ve never tried a single one of them. That’s because every time I get a can of crescents (and to be honest, I sometimes buy the generic brand — are you rescinding my biscuit shipment, Pillsbury?), I have to make Taco Stuffed Crescent Rolls.
It’s funny (and a little depressing) that after all the hours I’ve spent in the kitchen making things from scratch — fresh puff pastry? a full traditional lasagna? homemade yeast bread? — these little Tex-Mex treats are some of Mike’s absolute favorites. He loves these things! And for good reason: the flaky, buttery crescents are stuffed with a creamy, gooey, cheesy, spicy, meaty mixture and topped with toasted cheddar. They’re so simple to make, too! Perfect for a busy weeknight or a last-minute supper.
Not a fan of cans? No problem; any leftover yeast roll dough will serve just fine to bake up a batch of these crescents. Serve them with salsa, sour cream, guacamole or fresh avocado slices, and a sprinkle of cilantro. Or just burn the tarnation out of your tongue eating them straight off the baking sheet! By the way, this is just the beginning — think of all the possible sweet and savory crescent stuffings! Pizza crescents, apple pie crescents, Mediterranean crescents, ham and cheese crescents, spinach and feta crescents . . . what would you stuff in your crescent?
Taco Stuffed Crescent Rolls
Recipe By: Willow Bird Baking
Yields: 16 large crescent rolls
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef (or a little less)
1 packet McCormick’s cheesy taco seasoning (or taco seasoning of your choice)
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
2-3 heaping tbsp. salsa
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cans giant crescent rolls (I usually use “big and buttery” or “big and flaky” crescents)
Directions:Preheat oven to 375 degrees (or whatever is listed on crescent roll package). Brown ground beef, drain, and return to pan. Add packet of taco seasoning with a bit of water and cook until combined. In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese, salsa, and cheddar cheese. Add ground beef mixture to the bowl (which will melt the mixture a bit) and stir to combine.
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of ground beef mixture onto each crescent roll (I pressed them out a bit to make them bigger) and roll up like normal, carefully sealing the openings. Sprinkle a bit of cheddar cheese on top of each roll. Bake 11-13 minutes (or whatever is listed on crescent roll package), watching carefully. Rolls should be a golden brown to make sure they’re done inside.
Notes: This recipe actually makes more filling than needed, but it would be delicious in tacos or burritos, on a taco salad, or eaten with a spoon. Seriously!
Gathering all of my ingredients and mixing the taco filling.
Stuffing, rolling, and baking.
Big pile o’ stuffed crescents and one ridiculous serving suggestion: yes, Mike and I actually ate a dinner that consisted of stuffed crescents and oven-baked macaroni and cheese. Carbs, anyone?
Taco Stuffed Crescent Roll love!
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Lauren
December 29, 2009 at 2:33 pm (15 years ago)How lovely =D. This sounds wonderful – crescent rolls used to be a favourite!
Julie
December 29, 2009 at 4:39 pm (15 years ago)Thanks Lauren! I would say that I was sorry you can’t eat them anymore — but I know you make so many other delicious things to eat that you don’t miss ’em!!
Megan
December 29, 2009 at 5:32 pm (15 years ago)Ha ha. I make dinners like that too… and for all the time I spend in the kitchen making things from scratch, my boyfriend tends to like the simplest things. These would definitely be a hit!
I like to make crescent roll garlic bread sometimes… just spread the triangles with olive oil and minced garlic, sprinkle on some mozz, and roll them up and bake them! Yum!
Julie
January 8, 2010 at 10:51 pm (15 years ago)Sounds delicious, Megan!
Lorraine @NotQuiteNigella
December 29, 2009 at 9:11 pm (15 years ago)Ooh so clever Julie! I like your way of thinking 😀 We don’t get that brand here but it does look very, very easy to use 😀
Julie
January 8, 2010 at 10:51 pm (15 years ago)They really are! Thanks, Lorraine!
Karly
December 30, 2009 at 12:49 pm (15 years ago)Ooh, I looooove crescent rolls! And I love any kind of recipe that calls for taco meat and cream cheese! I’m making these for dinner tomorrow night. Yum!
Oh, and pizza stuffed crescents? I do that all time, but use the sheet of crescent roll dough that isn’t cut into triangles and make my own little hot pockets. So yummy!
Julie
January 8, 2010 at 10:50 pm (15 years ago)Hope you love these, Karly! Mmm, crescent hot pockets 🙂
Nikkie
January 8, 2010 at 10:16 pm (15 years ago)I made these tonight and they’re very good. Something a little too simple for my taste, but I knew its exactly the kind of thing my sister would love. Next time I’ll use the big and flaky, using the smaller ones made it hard to close since I didn’t want to put such a little amount inside the crescent. I didn’t have taco seasoning so I made my own with chili powder, cumin, garlic & garlic powder, onions, paprika, salt, pepper, diced tomatoes and homemade salsa. I added everything into the pan to let the cream cheese soften and blend along with the cheese since I used chunks. Mmm… Thanks!
Julie
January 8, 2010 at 10:50 pm (15 years ago)Glad you enjoyed them, Nikkie! I do recommend the bigger crescents for just that reason. Also, try it sometime with a ready-made taco seasoning (especially that cheesy taco by McCormick) if you get a chance — there’s something about that particular spice blend that really makes the flavor for us.
yolanda rome
June 12, 2016 at 11:54 am (9 years ago)i would like try this for my 27th wedding anniversary this mth on the 24th.
Courtney
April 16, 2010 at 1:42 am (15 years ago)Oooh, that looks delicious. This is very similar to a recipe my mother used to make that she learned from a Pampered Chef demonstration: All American Cheeseburger ring. The pastries were filled with a mixture of ground beef, american cheese, mustard, onion, pickled relish, and ketchup. Certainly delectable! I’m a vegetarian now, though, so I’ll have to try it with a soy substitute!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
May 22, 2012 at 1:57 am (13 years ago)That sounds amazing, Courtney! I must try it!
Sarah
January 19, 2012 at 9:07 pm (13 years ago)Thanks for the awesome recipe – they’re simply delicious!
In Christ,
Sarah 🙂
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
May 22, 2012 at 1:58 am (13 years ago)Thanks, Sarah!
Tristan
May 20, 2012 at 9:58 pm (13 years ago)I just made these for my huge family tonight and everybody is in love with me all over again. With a side of mexican rice and roasted asparagus, I’m back on top. Thank you for this easy meal.
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
May 22, 2012 at 1:58 am (13 years ago)Hooray! I’m so glad they were a hit, Tristan!
Dawn
October 30, 2012 at 2:27 pm (12 years ago)Hi, I was just wondering if anyone knows if cresent rolls can be used past the best before date?
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
October 30, 2012 at 2:30 pm (12 years ago)Especially if it’s a “best before” date, I think they should be fine! How far past are they? I probably wouldn’t use them a year past it, but a month or so, I would go ahead. Just my uneducated guess after some googling!
Dawn
October 30, 2012 at 2:38 pm (12 years ago)Thank you Julie, they are about a month, so I will try these tonight. They sound Delish!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
October 30, 2012 at 2:44 pm (12 years ago)Hooray! Give the dough a glance over and a sniff — if it looks and smells fine, I’d go for it! Hope you love them!
Michelle M
January 24, 2013 at 12:32 am (12 years ago)These are simply amazing. I just made them for the second time, in as many weeks, tonight. I served them with Mexican rice and it was a hit with my husband AND extremely picky 6 year old. Since it is just the 3 of us, I do cut this recipe in half. I will be keeping the ingredients for this on hand at all times!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
January 24, 2013 at 12:35 am (12 years ago)I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Michelle! Yay!!
Quinn
February 8, 2013 at 1:44 am (12 years ago)Hey, I think your site might be having browser compatibility issues.
When I look at your blog site in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in
Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a
quick heads up! Other then that, fantastic blog!
Sherrie
February 8, 2013 at 8:55 am (12 years ago)Hmm it appears like your site ate my first comment (it was super long) so I guess
I’ll just sum it up what I wrote and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog.
I as well am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to everything. Do you have any suggestions for newbie blog writers? I’d genuinely appreciate
it.
Meghan Wedemeyer
April 23, 2013 at 9:59 pm (12 years ago)Making tonight along with the baked Mac N Cheese you have on your site. Can’t wait!! Looks so good and easy! Kid friendly for sure too which is a huge plus!
Julie Ruble
April 23, 2013 at 11:02 pm (12 years ago)I hope you love them, Meghan! These are one of my FAVORITE dinners — and that mac and cheese too!!
Cindy
May 2, 2014 at 5:48 pm (11 years ago)I have made these for my boyfriend once a week for the past month! He cannot get enough!
Julie Ruble
May 3, 2014 at 12:16 am (11 years ago)I love that!! So glad he enjoyed them 🙂 Thanks, Cindy!
Lauryn
October 8, 2014 at 11:44 am (10 years ago)I’ll definitely have to try these this week, sounds yummy! Always looking for different ways to switch up taco night! I think I might “healthify” mine with ground turkey instead of ground beef 🙂
Jumu
February 5, 2019 at 12:15 pm (6 years ago)Can’t Pin the recipe.
Julie Ruble
February 5, 2019 at 4:44 pm (6 years ago)Here’s a pin of it to repin, Jumu! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/276338127111098186/
Hema
November 7, 2020 at 6:00 am (4 years ago)Thanks Guys, Your Recipe Was Too Fantastic. Me and My Family Loved it. I Will Share your Rrecipe with my friends. Hope they will love it too.
Karine
November 13, 2020 at 1:31 pm (4 years ago)Very good information. Lucky me I recently found your
site by chance (stumbleupon). I’ve saved as a favorite for later!
Sherman
March 23, 2021 at 4:36 am (4 years ago)Does anyone have an idea for a substitute for the crescent rolls? I live in a country where we don’t have them sadly
Julie Ruble
March 23, 2021 at 10:22 am (4 years ago)Most prepared doughs would work (pizza dough, biscuit dough, puff pastry) but just might change the baking time. You can also make your own pizza dough or crescent roll dough like this one: https://lilluna.com/crescent-rolls/#wprm-recipe-container-143103 hope that helps!
Sherman
March 24, 2021 at 12:35 am (4 years ago)Oh that’s great to know, thank you! 🙂