Flour Quantity For Quarter Sheet Pan Rolls

A quarter sheet pan is a common size for rectangular, single-layer cakes and is often used for small batch cookie baking. It measures 13 x 9 with about a 1 rim around the outside. This is the sheet pan to use for smaller batch cooking, and it can do everything a half sheet can, but on a smaller scale. It's perfect for one or two people and is a good option for toaster oven cooking, drying out ingredients in your refrigerator, and freezing batches of cookies.

Quarter sheet pan measurements

A quarter sheet pan is a quarter of the size of a full sheet pan and half the size of a half sheet pan. It measures 13 inches by 9 inches and has a rim of about 1 inch around the outside. This is different from a 13-inch by 9-inch pan used for cakes or blondies, which have sides that are at least 2 inches tall.

Quarter sheet pans are great for small-batch cooking, such as roasting vegetables, toasting nuts, or making small meals for one or two people. They are also useful for toaster ovens, drying out ingredients in the refrigerator, and freezing batches of cookies.

When buying a quarter sheet pan, look for rimmed, aluminum baking sheets, sometimes called jelly roll pans. These pans get their name because their high, rolled-edge rims let you bake a sponge cake in them, and they keep the pan in check by preventing warping.

• Nordic Ware Naturals Quarter-Sheet Pan: $23 for 2 at Amazon
• Nordic Ware Naturals Aluminum Quarter Sheet: $21 at Amazon, $22 at Walmart, $18 at Sur La Table

How to make rolls

A quarter sheet pan is a quarter of the size of a full sheet pan and half the size of a half sheet pan. These small pans measure 13" x 9" with about a 1-inch rim around the outside.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided, or as needed
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 (.25-ounce) envelope of Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast
• 2 tablespoons butter, plus more for brushing
• 3–4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
• Coarse sea salt (for sprinkling)
• 1/2 cup warm water (about 105 degrees F)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 6 tablespoons salted butter (melted and cooled)
• 1 cup whole milk (room temperature)
• 1 egg (room temperature, lightly beaten)
• 1/2 tablespoon sea salt

Method:

• Proof the yeast: Mix water, sugar, and yeast together and then let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
• Combine the ingredients: Once the yeast is foamy, add the butter, milk, and egg. Stir to combine. Make sure to completely cool the butter/milk mixture so you do not kill the yeast. If the ingredients are too warm (over 105 degrees F), the yeast won’t proof and the rolls won’t rise.

Next, add 3 cups of the flour and the salt and mix until the dough forms a loose ball. It’s important to begin with 3 cups of flour so you don’t add too much. Gradually knead in more as needed.

• Knead the dough: Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until a slightly tacky ball forms. It should easily form into a ball but should not feel too dry. Then, form the dough into a ball.
• Let the dough rise: This recipe has two rises. One with the dough in a large ball, and another after the dough has been divided into rolls. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and cover the bowl with a damp tea towel. Let it rise until it has doubled in size.
• Shape the dough: Once the dough has doubled, flour your hands and punch it down to remove the gas. With floured hands, form 12 equally-sized dough balls. (Use a food scale to weigh the full batch of dough, then divide that number by 12 and make sure every dough ball is the same weight). Roll them until they’re smooth balls.

Place the dough balls into the prepared quarter sheet pan, spaced evenly apart. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 30–60 minutes). Be sure not to let the damp towel touch the tops of the rolls, otherwise, the dough might stick to the towel.

• Bake the rolls: While the dough is rising a second time, preheat your oven. After the dough is risen fully, bake in the preheated oven until the tops are golden brown and the rolls sound hollow when you gently hit them with a wooden spoon. Or, until the internal temperature is 190 degrees F in an instant-read thermometer.
• Brush with butter and sprinkle with salt: As soon as the dinner rolls are removed from the oven, brush them with melted butter and add a sprinkle of coarse or flaky sea salt.

Tips:

• An important note is that all the ingredients (especially the butter, milk, and egg) need to be at room temperature.
• To help the dough rise faster, boil some water and put it in a bowl next to the bread that’s rising. Cover the bread and the vessel containing the boiling water with a damp towel. This creates a warm, moist environment that yeast loves.
• You can also make the dough by hand, but it requires a bit of arm muscle.
• If you’re new to bread-making, you can refer to guides and video tutorials on how to knead dough.
• For the softest dinner rolls, use whole milk. Non-dairy or low-fat milks work too, but whole milk produces a phenomenal flavor and texture.
• You can use active dry yeast or instant yeast. If using active dry yeast, the rise times will be a little longer.
• Sugar feeds the yeast, increases its activity, and tenderizes the dough.
• Make sure your yeast isn’t expired. The expiration date is on the package.
• Measuring flour correctly is key to avoiding a dense dough, which leads to heavy (not soft!) rolls. Spoon and level your flour, do not scoop it out of the package.
• Don’t limit these rolls to suppertime. They’re welcome anywhere, with any meal, any time of day.

How much flour for rolls

The amount of flour you'll need for your rolls depends on the number of rolls you want to make and the size of each roll. A quarter sheet pan is typically 13" x 9" in size and can be used for small-batch baking.

For roll-making, you can use a variety of flour types, such as all-purpose, bread, or cake flour. The type of flour you choose will depend on the type of roll you want to make.

For small dinner rolls:

You will likely need about 2-3 cups of flour to make a batch of 12-15 small dinner rolls. This amount may vary depending on the recipe you are using and the size of the rolls you want to make.

For larger sandwich rolls:

You will likely need about 3-4 cups of flour to make a batch of 8-10 larger sandwich rolls. Again, this amount may vary depending on the recipe and the desired size of your rolls.

It's important to note that these are just estimates, and the best way to determine the right amount of flour for your rolls is to follow a specific recipe. Different recipes may call for varying amounts of flour and other ingredients, depending on the desired texture, flavour, and size of the rolls.

Additionally, the amount of flour you use may also depend on your personal preferences and baking style. Some bakers may prefer to add more flour to create a stiffer dough that is easier to handle, while others may prefer a softer dough that results in more delicate rolls.

In general, it's always a good idea to have a little extra flour on hand when making rolls or any baked goods, as you may need to adjust the recipe depending on the humidity, altitude, or other factors that can affect the consistency of your dough.

Quarter sheet pan uses

Quarter sheet pans are great for a variety of uses, especially for those cooking for one or two people. Here are some ways to use a quarter sheet pan:

Roasting Vegetables

Quarter sheet pans are perfect for roasting vegetables for one or two people. The smaller surface area means you don't need to crowd your skillet, allowing everything to brown and cook evenly.

Small Batch Baking

You can use a quarter sheet pan for small-batch cookie baking. They're also useful for portioning cookie dough for freezing—you can fit lots of cookies on the pan without taking up too much space in your freezer.

Toaster Oven Cooking

A quarter sheet pan is a good size for toaster ovens. You can use it to cook smaller batches of food, like roasting chiles for pozole, or toasting nuts.

Reheating Leftovers

When reheating leftovers, you don't want too much extra space around the food, as this can cause juices and sauces to run and burn. A quarter sheet pan is a good size for reheating food for a family of three.

Mise en Place

A quarter sheet pan is a useful tool for mise en place as it easily fits in most refrigerators. Sheet pans with lids are especially handy as you can cover food to keep it fresh while prepping.

Freezing

Quarter sheet pans are also a good size for most freezers. They're useful when you want to flash-freeze things on a flat surface, like fragile raspberries or balls of cookie dough, before transferring them to freezer bags for long-term storage.

Flour alternatives

A quarter sheet pan is 13" x 9" in size and is perfect for small-batch baking. If you're looking for flour alternatives to use in your baking, here are some options to consider:

Wheat Flours

Although not ideal, wheat flours are more interchangeable than you might think. For example, you can use plain or self-raising flour to make bread, although it may take longer to knead due to their lower gluten content. Self-raising flour can also be used in place of plain flour, but you may see extra bubbling from the raising agents, and the results may be airier. Bread flour can be used in recipes that call for plain or self-raising flour, but the results will be a bit heavier. To lighten the texture, replace 1-2 tablespoons of bread flour with cornflour.

Grain and Seed Flours

Some alternative flours to consider are:

• Cornflour/Cornstarch: Great for thickening sauces and making gluten-free brownies or light sponges. Use around one-third to half the amount of wheat flour in the recipe.
• Potato Flour: Has a similar texture to cornflour and can be used interchangeably.
• Spelt, Kamut (Khorasan Flour), Einkorn, and Emmer Flours: These ancient grains are becoming more available and can be used like regular white flour, but adjust the liquid content accordingly. They will also give a slightly different texture and flavour.
• Buckwheat Flour: Not a type of wheat, but a seed, buckwheat flour is suitable for gluten-free cooking. Use it in recipes that don't require rising, replacing up to half the wheat flour in a recipe, and making up the rest with another flour such as rice flour.
• Rice Flour: Gives a pleasing crunchy texture in biscuits and can be used with cornflour to make a wheat-free loaf or chocolate cake.
• Chickpea Flour: Made from finely ground dried garbanzo beans, chickpea flour is high in protein and fibre. It has a nutty, earthy taste and is great for adding texture and holding things together. Use it for savoury and sweet goods like crepes, pancakes, breads, or dumplings.
• Quinoa and Teff Flours: Both small seeds and gluten-free, teff and quinoa flours can be used for baking cakes, pancakes, and biscuits.

Non-Starchy Alternatives

If you can't get your hands on any starchy flour, you can try some non-starchy alternatives. However, you'll need to adjust the amount of liquid in your recipe and add binders and thickeners like eggs, xanthan gum, grated mozzarella cheese, or psyllium husk to mimic the gluten. Some options include:

• Almond Flour: With a neutral flavour and slightly granular texture, almond flour is a good stand-in for wheat flour. It may require extra almonds or less liquid in the recipe, and you might need to add baking powder to help it rise and xanthan gum to make it less crumbly.
• Coconut Flour: A thirsty ingredient that often requires less flour or more liquid/eggs. It has a fluffy texture when done right, so it's great for pancakes, waffles, and cakes. Expect a slight coconut flavour.
• Cauliflower: When combined with mozzarella (which has a similar binding quality to gluten), cauliflower can be used to make a pizza base.

Frequently asked questions