Got some Thanksgiving leftovers that you don’t know what to do with?
Enter the Thanksgiving crescent ring.
I’ve made this beauty three times now, tweaking and tasting as I go. And it’s become my go-to solution for those post-holiday blues when everyone’s sick of eating the same reheated meal.
Let me walk you through everything I’ve learned about this viral sensation.
At a Glance
Before we get deep into the flaky layers and savory filling, here’s what you need to know upfront about the Thanksgiving leftover crescent ring:
What it is: A circular arrangement of crescent roll dough filled with Thanksgiving leftovers, baked into a wreath-like presentation.
Prep time: Roughly 15-20 minutes of hands-on work.
Cook time: About 20-25 minutes in the oven at 375°F.
Skill level required: Beginner-friendly. If you can open a can of crescent rolls and arrange things in a circle, you’re golden.
Main ingredients: Store-bought crescent roll dough, leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, and any other sides you’ve got hanging around.
Best for: Using up multiple types of leftovers in one visually impressive dish that actually tastes amazing.
Serves: Typically 4-6 people, depending on how hungry everyone is and what else you’re serving alongside it.
Cost factor: Minimal-you’re using leftovers plus a $3-4 tube of crescent rolls. That’s about as budget-friendly as it gets.
Visual appeal: Honestly, it’s Instagram-worthy. The ring shape is striking, and when you slice into it, all those colorful layers peek through.
Classic Turkey and Stuffing Crescent Ring
If we’re talking about Thanksgiving leftover royalty, this is the crowned king. There’s a reason turkey and stuffing go together like peanut butter and jelly-they’re the dynamic duo that started it all. I make this version when I want something that tastes unmistakably like Thanksgiving but doesn’t feel like I’m just reheating Thursday’s dinner.
Start with two cans of crescent roll dough arranged in a sunburst pattern on a round baking sheet or pizza stone. The trick here is overlapping those triangles so the points face outward, creating a ring shape with a hollow center-think of it like a starburst made of dough. Now comes the fun part: layer your shredded turkey generously around that inner circle. I’m talking about a solid cup and a half of meat here, maybe two if you’re feeling particularly carnivorous.
Next, pile on the stuffing. And please, don’t be shy about this. The stuffing acts as both flavor and binder, holding everything together while adding that herby, savory goodness we all crave. I usually add about a cup, pressing it gently into the turkey so they become one cohesive layer. If your stuffing’s a bit dry (it happens), drizzle a tablespoon of chicken broth over it to bring it back to life.
Here’s where I get a little fancy: add a few spoonfuls of gravy directly onto the filling. Not so much that it turns into a soupy mess, but enough to keep everything moist and add that rich, comforting flavor. Fold those crescent points over the filling, tucking them under the base on the inside to seal everything in. Some overlap is totally fine-it actually helps create those gorgeous flaky layers.
Bake at 375°F for about 20-25 minutes until the dough turns that beautiful golden brown that makes your mouth water just looking at it. The smell alone will have people wandering into your kitchen asking when dinner’s ready. Serve this bad boy with extra gravy on the side for dipping, and watch it disappear faster than you can say “second helpings.”
Cranberry Turkey Brie Crescent Ring
Now we’re elevating things. This version takes your standard leftovers and gives them a sophisticated twist that feels almost fancy-restaurant-worthy. The combination of tart cranberry sauce, savory turkey, and creamy Brie creates this flavor explosion that’ll make you wonder why you don’t eat like this every day.
Arrange your crescent dough the same way as before-that trusty sunburst pattern is your foundation for all these rings. Start your filling with shredded turkey, but this time we’re going a bit lighter, maybe a cup or so. You want room for the other stars of this show. Slice up about 6-8 ounces of Brie, and here’s my hot tip: leave the rind on. I know some people get weird about it, but it adds texture and honestly, it’s perfectly edible. Plus, when it melts, it creates this gorgeous, gooey situation that’ll have everyone scraping their plates.
Spoon your cranberry sauce-whether it’s the homemade kind or that jellied stuff that still has can lines (no judgment here)-over the turkey and cheese. I use about half a cup, distributing it evenly so every bite gets that sweet-tart punch. If you’re feeling adventurous, throw in a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch. It’s not traditional, but life’s too short to skip the good stuff.
Some fresh thyme or rosemary sprinkled over everything adds an aromatic quality that makes this ring smell absolutely incredible while baking. Fold those dough points over, seal it up, and if you’re feeling extra, brush the top with an egg wash and sprinkle some flaky sea salt on there. Bake it at the same 375°F for 20-25 minutes.
What you get is this beautiful contrast of textures and flavors-flaky pastry giving way to creamy, melted Brie, tender turkey, and pockets of sweet cranberry that burst in your mouth. It’s the kind of thing you could serve at a holiday brunch and people would assume you spent way more time on it than you actually did. And honestly? I’m here for that kind of efficiency.
Mashed Potato and Gravy Crescent Ring
Listen, I get it. Mashed potatoes might not seem like the most exciting crescent ring filling at first glance. But stick with me here, because this one’s a sleeper hit that’ll convert even the skeptics. It’s basically a fancy version of those mashed potato cakes your grandmother used to make, except wrapped in buttery pastry and way easier to pull off.
The key to this ring is making sure your mashed potatoes aren’t too loose. If they’re super creamy and fluid, they’ll leak everywhere and create a mess. What I do is take my cold mashed potatoes straight from the fridge-they firm up overnight, which is perfect-and mix in some shredded cheddar cheese. About a cup of cheese to two cups of potatoes works beautifully. The cheese adds flavor and helps bind everything together even more.
Chop up some bacon-leftover bacon if you made it for Thanksgiving breakfast, or cook up a few strips fresh. Crumble about 4-5 pieces and mix them into your potato mixture along with some chopped green onions or chives. This is where the magic happens, transforming plain potatoes into something that tastes loaded and indulgent.
Arrange your dough, spoon that potato mixture around the ring (you’ll use about 2-3 cups total), and here’s the genius move: create little wells in the potato filling and add small dollops of gravy. Not too much, just enough to create these pockets of rich, savory goodness throughout. Fold it up, seal it, and brush the top with melted butter mixed with a little garlic powder.
Bake until golden and gorgeous, about 22-25 minutes. When you slice into this ring, you get creamy mashed potatoes studded with bacon and cheese, all encased in that crispy, flaky dough. Serve it with more gravy for dipping-because there’s no such thing as too much gravy-and maybe a simple green salad to pretend you’re being healthy. This one’s pure comfort food, the kind that makes you glad you made way too many mashed potatoes in the first place.
Sweet Potato Casserole Breakfast Ring
Who says crescent rings have to be savory? Not me, that’s for sure. This sweet version takes that marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole and transforms it into a breakfast treat that’ll make Black Friday shopping (or avoiding it) so much better. It’s dessert masquerading as breakfast, and I’m completely okay with that.
Your sweet potato casserole is already perfectly sweetened and spiced, which makes it ideal for this application. If you’ve got the kind with pecans and that crunchy brown sugar topping, even better-just mix it all together. Take about two cups of casserole and if it seems too loose, mash it up a bit more or add a handful of crushed graham crackers to absorb excess moisture.
Arrange your crescent dough (you know the drill by now), and spread that sweet potato mixture around the ring. Now here’s where it gets fun: sprinkle some mini chocolate chips over the sweet potatoes. I know, I know-it sounds wild. But the combination of sweet potato, cinnamon, and chocolate is legitimately amazing. Trust me on this one. If chocolate for breakfast isn’t your jam, skip it and add extra pecans instead, or even some dried cranberries for a tart contrast.
Before folding the dough over, I like to add a few marshmallows-not too many or they’ll melt everywhere and create a sticky situation, but just enough to get that toasted marshmallow flavor throughout. Fold, seal, and brush the top with melted butter mixed with a tiny bit of cinnamon.
Bake at 375°F for about 20 minutes, keeping an eye on it since the sugar content means it can brown faster. What emerges from your oven is this sweet, aromatic ring that fills your house with the smell of cinnamon and caramelized sugar. I like to drizzle mine with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and milk, or if I’m feeling particularly decadent, a cream cheese frosting.
Slice it up and serve it with coffee or hot chocolate for a breakfast that feels special without requiring you to do much beyond assembling leftovers. It’s the perfect way to use up that sweet potato casserole that always seems to linger in the fridge longer than anything else.
Ingredients and Preparation Overview
Let’s talk about what actually goes into making this thing. The ingredient list is refreshingly short, which is part of its charm.
Core ingredients you’ll need:
- 2 cans of refrigerated crescent roll dough (the Pillsbury kind in the tube that pops when you open it)
- 2-3 cups of chopped or shredded leftover turkey (or ham if that’s your jam)
- 1-2 cups of leftover stuffing or dressing
- 1 cup of mashed potatoes
- 1/2 cup of cranberry sauce
- Leftover gravy for drizzling (both on the filling and for serving)
- Optional additions: Green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, corn, Brussels sprouts-honestly, whatever you’ve got taking up fridge space
- 1 beaten egg for egg wash (this gives you that gorgeous golden finish)
- Salt, pepper, and dried herbs like sage or thyme if you want to amp up the flavor
The preparation process breaks down like this:
First, I preheat my oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.
Next comes the fun part-arranging the dough. I unroll both cans of crescent rolls and separate them into triangles. Then I arrange them in a circle on the baking sheet with the wide ends overlapping in the center and the pointed ends facing outward, like a sunburst. The center should be about 5 inches in diameter-that’s where your filling goes.
Now for the filling assembly. I start with a layer of mashed potatoes as the base (they help everything stick together), followed by the turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. I drizzle some gravy over everything to keep it moist and add extra flavor. The key is not overstuffing-you want enough filling to be generous, but if you pile it too high, the dough won’t fold over properly.
Once the filling is situated, I fold each dough triangle over the filling toward the center, tucking the tip under the wide base to secure it. This creates that signature braided or woven appearance. Don’t stress if it looks messy at first-it’ll puff up and look amazing once baked.
Finally, I brush the entire ring with beaten egg, which gives it that bakery-quality golden sheen. Sometimes I’ll sprinkle a little dried thyme or sage on top for extra points.
Into the oven it goes for 20-25 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and cooked through. The hardest part? Waiting for it to cool slightly before slicing in. But trust me, give it at least 5 minutes or you’ll have a molten lava situation on your hands.
Versatility and Customization Options
This is where the crescent ring really shines. It’s basically a blank canvas for whatever leftovers you’ve got lying around. While the classic Thanksgiving version is fantastic, I’ve experimented with all sorts of variations, and they’ve all turned out great.
Classic Thanksgiving variations:
- Add cheese: A layer of shredded cheddar, Gruyère, or Swiss takes it to the next level. The cheese melts into everything and adds richness.
- Swap proteins: Turkey not your thing? Use leftover ham, or do a combo of both.
- Include different sides: Sweet potato casserole, roasted Brussels sprouts, corn casserole, green beans-literally anything works.
- Make it breakfast: Layer in some scrambled eggs or a fried egg in each serving for a breakfast-for-dinner vibe.
Beyond Thanksgiving:
The technique works for so many other meals. I’ve made versions with:
- Pizza ingredients: Pepperoni, mozzarella, marinara, and Italian seasoning
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, and cheese
- Taco night: Seasoned ground beef, refried beans, cheese, salsa, and sour cream
- Chicken dinner: Grilled chicken, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and mozzarella
- Dessert: Apple pie filling with cinnamon sugar, or Nutella with sliced bananas
You could honestly make a different version every week and never get bored.
Dietary modifications:
While the traditional recipe isn’t particularly health-conscious (it’s leftovers wrapped in buttery dough, after all), you can make some swaps:
- Use a lower-fat crescent roll dough or even puff pastry sheets if you want something lighter
- Load up on vegetables instead of heavy starches
- Use turkey breast only for a leaner protein option
- Go easy on the gravy and focus on the natural moisture from the vegetables and cranberry sauce
For vegetarians, you could easily make a veggie-focused version with roasted vegetables, plant-based gravy, and vegetarian stuffing. I haven’t tried a vegan version yet (those crescent rolls have dairy), but I’d imagine you could use vegan puff pastry or homemade dough.
The point is, this recipe is adaptable in ways that most leftover recipes aren’t. It’s a formula rather than a rigid set of rules, which means you can make it work with whatever’s in your fridge.
What Is a Thanksgiving Leftover Crescent Ring?
If you haven’t stumbled across this recipe yet, let me paint the picture for you. The Thanksgiving leftover crescent ring is basically the lovechild of convenience and creativity. It’s a circular, wreath-shaped dish where crescent roll triangles are arranged around a central point-think of it like the petals of a flower or the rays of the sun.
You place your leftover filling in the middle of this dough arrangement, then fold each triangle over the filling and tuck it under the base to create that signature ring appearance. Once baked, it puffs up into this gorgeous golden crown that looks way more complicated than it actually is.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its adaptability. While it’s particularly popular during the post-Thanksgiving weekend (hence the name), the technique itself is versatile. I’ve seen people make breakfast versions with eggs and bacon, pizza versions with pepperoni and cheese, even dessert versions stuffed with apple pie filling. But let’s be real-the Thanksgiving iteration is where this baby truly shines.
It’s essentially a deconstructed Thanksgiving dinner that’s been reimagined as handheld comfort food. Each slice gives you a little bit of everything: tender turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, savory stuffing, and that sweet-tart punch of cranberry sauce. It’s like getting the perfect forkful, but in pastry form.
The recipe went viral a few years back-I first saw it on Pinterest, then Instagram, and eventually every food blog under the sun was featuring their own take on it. And you know what? The hype is justified. This isn’t one of those trendy recipes that looks pretty but tastes like cardboard. It actually delivers on both fronts.