focaccia rolls $1.20 recipe / $0.10 serving

focaccia rolls

$1.20 recipe / $0.10 serving

If I haven't convinced you yet to try no-knead bread, perhaps this post will. These perfect little rolls are so good that I've had to stash them in my freezer just so that I won't eat them all up. Sure, they're just a 30 second nuke away from being warm and delicious again, but at least the freezer has slowed me down a little ;)

These rolls are really easy, but they do need to take their sweet time. You'll need to start them the day before, so plan ahead. Actual hands-on time is probably less than 30 minutes, most of which is dedicated to shaping the dough into the rolls.

I brushed each roll with olive oil and then sprinkled Italian seasoning on top. I love the texture that the olive oil gave the rolls, but you could certainly make them without if you want. Also, you could mix dry herbs right into the dough (with the other dry ingredients in the beginning) and have an herb infused roll. There are so many possibilities. Run with it!

Focaccia Rolls

Total Recipe cost: $1.20
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Cost per serving: $0.10
Prep time: 30 min. Rise time: 18 hrs. Cook Time: 25 min. Total: approx 18-19 hrs.

INGREDIENTS		COST
4 cups	all-purpose flour	$0.59
1/2 Tbsp	salt	$0.05
1/4 tsp	instant yeast	$0.02
2 cups	water	$0.00
2 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.24
2 Tbsp	Italian seasoning	$0.30
TOTAL		$1.20

STEP 1: The day before (about 18 hours ahead of time) combine the flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Stir until well mixed. Add the water, starting with 1.5 cups, and add a little more at a time until the flour forms a cohesive, wet ball. There should not be any dry flour left on the bottom of the bowl. The total amount of water you'll need will vary, but should be between 1.5 to 2 cups. See the photos below for more info.

STEP 2: Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 16-18 hours to ferment.

STEP 3: After 16-18 hours, the dough will look like a large, bubbly mass. Sprinkle with enough flour to be able to scrape it out of the bowl without it sticking to your hands. Place the dough on a well floured surface. Cut the dough into 12 pieces. Shape each piece into a small ball. The dough will be quite wet, floppy, and sticky, so sprinkle liberally with flour as you work.

STEP 4: Place the rolls on a baking sheet covered in foil and lightly sprayed with non-stick spray (I used two baking sheets). Brush the top of each lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning over top. Let rise for 30 minutes to one hour or until doubled in size.

STEP 5: While the rolls are still rising, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Once it is fully preheated, place the rolls in the oven and bake until the surface is a light golden brown (about 25 minutes). Serve warm!

Step By Step Photos

Begin a day ahead of time by stirring together the flour, salt, and yeast.


Starting with 1.5 cups of water, add just enough to form a wet, sticky ball of dough. There should be no dry flour left on the bottom of the bowl or on the surface of the dough. It is better for the dough to be slightly too wet than too dry at this point.


Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for 16-18 hours to ferment. After that time, it will have expanded into this big, frothy mass.


Sprinkle the dough liberally with flour so that you can scrape it out of the bowl without it sticking to your hands. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface. The dough will be very loose, soft, and sticky.


Cut the dough into four equal parts and then cut each quarter into three pieces to yield 12 pieces total.


Shape each piece into a ball, sprinkling with flour as you go (the dough will still be quite sticky). Place the balls on a baking sheet covered with foil and lightly coated with non-stick spray.


Lightly brush each roll with olive oil and then sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Let rise for about one hour or, if your kitchen is warm and you're impatient like me, let rise for 30 minutes.


Towards the end of the rise time, begin to preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Once it is fully preheated, place the rolls in the oven and bake until they are light golden brown on the surface (about 25 minutes). Serve hot!