Butterhorns are crescent-shaped pastries made from a yeast-leavened dough enriched with butter, milk, and eggs. They are usually sweet but savory variants are also found. Common in mid-20th century American home baking and associated with Amish and Mennonite culinary traditions, they are typically formed by rolling dough into a circle, cutting it into wedges, and rolling each wedge into a horn shape. After baking, butterhorns are often glazed with a sugar icing or brushed with butter, and may include fillings such as cinnamon sugar, nuts, or fruit preserves.
Though resembling European crescent pastries in form, butterhorns are characterized by a softer, bread-like texture and are primarily a North American development.