Delicious Turkey Crescent Ring with Cranberry Sauce: Your Festive Appetizer

Turkey Crescent Ring with Cranberry Sauce is a truly delicious, beautiful, and effortless appetizer that is perfect for holiday entertaining. Imagine a golden-brown, flaky pastry ring wrapped around a warm, creamy, savory filling of seasoned turkey, cheese, and herbs. This stunning centerpiece is finished with a sweet and tart cranberry sauce glaze, offering an irresistible balance of festive flavors that is guaranteed to impress your guests.

This recipe is a hostess’s dream, utilizing refrigerated crescent roll dough for a quick and simple assembly. It’s a perfect blend of savory comfort and holiday brightness, proving that a show-stopping dish can be ready in under an hour. You can visit our New York for more delicious recipes.

Why You’ll Love This Dish

Feature	Benefit
Festive Presentation	Baked into a beautiful ring, perfect as a holiday centerpiece.
Flaky & Creamy	Buttery crescent dough provides a light shell for the rich, creamy filling.
Quick Assembly	Uses refrigerated dough for assembly in just 20 minutes.
Sweet & Savory Balance	The tart cranberry sauce perfectly complements the savory turkey and cheese.
Crowd-Pleasing	A hearty, warm appetizer that is guaranteed to satisfy everyone.

An Overview of Flavors and Textures

The Turkey Crescent Ring with Cranberry Sauce is a delightful symphony of savory, creamy, and tart flavors with satisfying textures.

The crescent roll dough (or croissant dough in its European form) bakes into an incredibly golden, flaky, and buttery shell. This provides a light, crisp wrapper for the filling.

The filling is the heart of the dish, a wonderfully creamy and savory blend of shredded turkey, softened cream cheese, and shredded mozzarella or Swiss cheese. A touch of Dijon mustard adds a zesty tang, while thyme or rosemary infuses the mixture with a comforting, aromatic flavor.

The final cranberry sauce glaze offers a burst of tartness and sweetness that elevates the entire appetizer. This Turkey Crescent Ring with Cranberry Sauce is a harmonious blend of flaky, creamy, savory, and tart notes.

The Star of the Show: The Easy Crescent Ring Presentation

While the savory turkey filling is delicious, the true defining characteristic and “star” of this Turkey Crescent Ring with Cranberry Sauce is the elegant ring presentation. This striking shape is achieved effortlessly by arranging the crescent roll dough triangles in a simple circle before folding them over the filling. This technique not only creates a stunning, fluted edge that looks highly professional but also ensures that the pastry bakes evenly and seals the creamy filling inside. The final step of glazing the ring with vibrant red cranberry sauce is what transforms this easy recipe into a perfect, celebratory centerpiece for any holiday table.

How to Make Your Turkey Crescent Ring with Cranberry Sauce

This impressive appetizer is incredibly simple to assemble, relying on refrigerated dough for speed. The key is in mixing the filling thoroughly and ensuring the dough is properly sealed.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 8 slices

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

Component	Amount	Ingredient	Notes
For the Filling:	2 cups	Cooked shredded turkey
	½ cup	Cream cheese, softened
	½ cup	Shredded mozzarella or Swiss cheese
	2 tablespoons	Mayonnaise
	1 teaspoon	Dijon mustard
	1 teaspoon	Fresh thyme or rosemary, chopped
	To taste	Salt and pepper
For Assembly & Glaze:	2 cans	Refrigerated crescent roll dough
	1	Egg, beaten	For brushing (egg wash)
	½ cup	Cranberry sauce	For glazing
	As needed	Fresh rosemary sprigs	For garnish

Instructions

1. Prep Oven & Dough: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Unroll both cans of crescent dough and separate the triangles. Arrange the triangles in a large circle on a sheet of parchment paper, with the wide bases overlapping slightly in the center and the pointed ends facing outward (like a sun).
2. Make the Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked shredded turkey, cream cheese, shredded mozzarella or Swiss cheese, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, herbs, salt, and pepper until the mixture is creamy and well mixed.
3. Spoon & Fold: Spoon the filling mixture evenly around the base of the dough circle (the wide ends of the triangles). Fold the pointed tips of the crescent triangles over the filling and gently tuck them underneath the dough at the center to form a sealed ring.
4. Bake: Brush the entire pastry ring with the beaten egg wash. Sprinkle with extra fresh herbs if desired. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the pastry is beautifully golden brown and crisp.
5. Serve: Remove the ring from the oven. Spoon the cranberry sauce evenly over the top of the hot pastry ring to create a glaze. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs. Let the ring cool slightly before slicing into wedges and serving warm.

Expert Tips for Your Crescent Ring

Category	Tip
Filling Moisture	Use well-drained, shredded turkey and ensure the cream cheese is fully softened for a perfectly creamy, non-runny filling.
Sealing	Tucking the crescent tips underneath the wide base ensures the filling is completely sealed and won’t leak out during baking.
Cheese Choice	Mozzarella is great for stretchiness, while Swiss adds a nuttier flavor. Use your favorite melting cheese.
Make-Ahead	The filling can be mixed a day in advance. Assemble and bake the ring just before serving for maximum flakiness.
Cranberry Sauce	Use whole-berry cranberry sauce for better texture and visual appeal on the finished ring.

Conclusion: Your Deliciously Easy & Festive Dinner

The Turkey Crescent Ring with Cranberry Sauce is a true delight—a perfect balance of savory turkey, creamy cheese, and bright cranberry tartness, all wrapped in a flaky, golden shell. With its stunning presentation and ease of preparation, it’s a dish that promises to impress every guest. Perfect for holidays or any gathering, this Turkey Crescent Ring with Cranberry Sauce is sure to become a beloved favorite in your kitchen.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I use a different kind of meat?

Yes, you can substitute the turkey with cooked ground chicken, cooked ham (see note), or shredded rotisserie chicken.

Can I use homemade cranberry sauce?

Absolutely. Homemade cranberry sauce will add a richer flavor to the glaze.

How do I prevent the crescent dough from tearing?

Ensure the dough is cold, not warm, and handle it gently. If a tear occurs, simply pinch the dough together to seal it.

Can I freeze this appetizer?

Yes, you can assemble the ring (without the egg wash and cranberry sauce), wrap it well, and freeze it. Brush with egg wash and bake from frozen, adding about 10 minutes to the cook time.

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