Equipment Needed
- Large skillet
- Medium mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Measuring spoons
- Rolling pin (helpful, but your hands work too!)
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
- Fork (for whisking the egg wash)
- Pastry brush or clean finger (for applying the egg wash)
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, we tackle the filling. In your skillet over medium heat, cook the breakfast sausage. This is where patience pays off—I break it into the smallest crumbles I can with my wooden spoon. You want it finely crumbled, not chunky, so it rolls up beautifully later. Once it’s fully cooked and no longer pink, drain off any excess grease. I transfer the warm sausage right into my mixing bowl with the softened cream cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. The warmth from the sausage helps melt everything together into this gloriously creamy, savory paste. Stir it until it’s completely combined, then set it aside to cool slightly. You don’t want it piping hot when you handle the dough.
Now, for the dough. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Unroll the crescent dough sheet—if your brand has perforated triangles, that’s perfect. If it’s one solid sheet, use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut it into 8 equal triangles. I sprinkle a tiny bit of flour on my counter and gently roll or stretch each triangle just a bit. It makes them easier to work with and gives you a bit more surface area for filling. I learned the hard way that overly thick dough doesn’t cook through as flakily.
Here comes the fun, slightly messy part: assembling. I take a heaping tablespoon of the sausage mixture and place it along the wider end of a dough triangle. Resist the urge to overfill! I made that mistake the first time, and the filling oozed out everywhere during baking. Gently roll the dough up from the wide end to the pointed tip, tucking the point underneath to seal it. Place each crescent seam-side down on your prepared baking sheet, giving them about 2 inches of space to puff up. They should look like perfect little crescent moons.
Finally, the finishing touches that make them shine. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a teaspoon of water to make an egg wash. Using a pastry brush (or just my clean finger in a pinch), I lightly brush the top of each crescent. This is the step that gives them that gorgeous, professional-looking golden-brown sheen. I then sprinkle a pinch of everything bagel seasoning or sesame seeds on top—it adds wonderful texture and flavor. Bake for 11-14 minutes, or until they are deeply golden brown. The smell will be your best indicator!(See the next page below to continue…)