Focaccia Bread

Even bread beginners can pull off this homemade focaccia recipe! Topped with olive oil, rosemary, and sea salt, it's SO delicious and easy to make.

Rosemary focaccia bread

This focaccia recipe is our favorite bread to bake at home. We love it because it’s soft and pillowy in the middle, crisp and golden around the edges, and filled with rich flavor from olive oil and sea salt. And that’s just the start! The #1 reason we love this focaccia recipe is that it’s so easy to make

When Jack first started baking bread (15+ years ago now!), he made lots of rustic ciabatta loaves. The ingredients were simple, and the bread came out delicious, but it required hours of rising and precise kneading. So when we discovered how simple it is to make really good focaccia bread, we didn’t look back.

Now, this focaccia recipe is our go-to. We first published a version of it in my cookbook Love & Lemons Every Day and have since revised the recipe to yield an even lighter, crisper focaccia that we can never get enough of. It’s a wonderful recipe for bread beginners and seasoned bakers alike—simple, forgiving, and always delicious.

What is focaccia bread?

Focaccia (pronounced foh-KAH-chyuh) is an Italian style of bread. According to Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan, it’s most closely associated with the northwestern Italian region of Liguria and its capital city Genoa.

You can recognize focaccia by its flat shape and characteristic dimpled surface. Made with an olive oil-enriched, salted dough, it might be baked plain or topped with vegetables, herbs, and/or cheese. Find some of my favorite toppings in the post below!

Focaccia recipe ingredients

Focaccia Bread Ingredients

Ready to bake? Here’s what you’ll need to make this focaccia bread recipe:

  • All-purpose flour – Flour is the main ingredient in this recipe, so measuring it as accurately as you can will serve you well. If you have a kitchen scale, now’s the time to use it! Weighing the flour will give you the most precise measurement. If you don’t have a scale, your next best bet is spooning and leveling the flour to avoid packing too much into your measuring cup.
  • Warm water It hydrates the dough. Heads up: The biggest change we’ve made to this recipe over the years is increasing the ratio of water to flour. The dough is very wet, but this high level of hydration gives the bread a wonderful airy texture inside!
  • Active dry yeast or instant yeast – Proof it in the water with a little cane sugar before mixing up the dough.
  • Extra-virgin olive oil – It adds rich flavor to the focaccia and makes its edges crisp and golden.
  • Fresh rosemary For topping. Find other topping suggestions below!
  • Sea salt – Seasoned bread=flavorful bread. Mix fine sea salt into the focaccia dough. Before baking the loaf, sprinkle flaky salt on top!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to make focaccia - bread dough in stand mixer

How to Make Focaccia Bread

The first step in this focaccia recipe is making the dough. Start by proofing the yeast. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir together the water and sugar. Stir in the yeast and set aside for 5 minutes, or until foamy. If the yeast doesn’t foam, discard the mixture and start again with new yeast.

When the yeast is foamy, add the flour and salt. Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Then, increase the speed to medium and mix for 5 minutes. The dough will become very sticky and elastic. It will begin grabbing the sides of the bowl.

Covering bowl of dough with kitchen towel

It’s time for the first rise! Brush a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Use a spatula to transfer the dough from the bowl of the stand mixer to the oiled bowl. It will be too sticky to transfer by hand!

Use your fingers to brush any oil that’s pooling around the edges of the dough over its surface. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside to rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Hands folding bread dough into itself after rising in bowl

Next, shape the focaccia. Brush a 9×13-inch pan with another 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Tip

My favorite pan to use for this recipe is a nonstick aluminum 9×13-inch baking pan.

If your pan is not nonstick, I recommend greasing it with butter before adding the oil. It might seem excessive, but it’s essential for preventing the bread from sticking!

Uncover the dough and rub your hands with olive oil. Slide your hand under one edge of the dough and fold it into the center of the bowl. Continue working your way around the edge of the bowl, folding the dough into itself, until you have a rough ball that you can lift from the bowl (see above photo).

Pressing focaccia dough to edges of pan

Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and turn to coat it in the oil.

Press the dough to the pan’s edges. Let it relax, and then press it to the edges again.

Let the dough rise for a second (shorter) time. Cover the pan and set it aside for 45 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size. 30 minutes into this rise, preheat the oven to 425°F.

Dimpling focaccia bread dough with fingers

Dimple the dough. Uncover the focaccia and drizzle 2 more tablespoons of oil on top of the dough. Rub your hands with olive oil and use your fingers to make indentations across the surface of the dough. You don’t have to be gentle here! Press all the way through the dough to the pan. Some air bubbles should pop up in the process. That’s good! They brown beautifully in the oven.

Finally, top and bake. Add your desired toppings (flaky sea salt and rosemary are my go-tos!) and bake until the focaccia is golden brown, 20 minutes to 30 minutes.

Let cool slightly, and then slice and enjoy! You can’t beat warm focaccia bread.

Focaccia Recipe Tips

  • Oil your hands. This recipe asks you to oil your hands often. It might seems unnecessary or repetitive, but it makes a HUGE difference. Focaccia dough is wet and sticky, and it will stick to your hands if they’re not oiled, making it really difficult to work with. So, please! Oil your hands liberally. Just think of it as a little extra moisturizer!
  • Temperature affects rising time. I’ve given estimated times for each rise in this recipe, but the primary indicator of when to move on to the next step should be the size of the dough. It might take more or less time to double depending on the temperature of the place it’s rising. Generally, the warmer dough is, the faster it rises. If it’s cold, it rises more slowly.
  • Freeze the extras. Homemade focaccia is best on the day it’s made, but it will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you’d like to have it on hand for longer, I recommend freezing it. It thaws and reheats nicely!

Focaccia bread in baking dish

Recipe Variations

Most often, I make this recipe as written, topped with flaky sea salt and fresh rosemary. But if you’d like to experiment with other toppings, by all means, do! Any of these would be delicious:

Let me know what variations you try!

How to Make Focaccia Sandwiches

This homemade focaccia bread is delicious as a snack and as a side for salads and soups…but it makes great sandwiches too!

Just slice the loaf in half horizontally and fill it with your favorite sandwich fixings.

I love to use it to make these easy Caprese Sandwiches!

Focaccia recipe

More Favorite Bread Recipes

If you love this rosemary focaccia bread, try one of these easy recipes next:

Get This Recipe In Your Inbox
Share your email, and we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus, enjoy daily doses of recipe inspiration as a bonus!

Focaccia Bread Recipe

rate this recipe:
4.80 from 160 votes
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Rising Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours
Serves 8 to 12
Learn how to make focaccia bread! This easy recipe is great for beginners and seasoned bakers alike. The focaccia is soft and airy inside with crisp, golden edges. I love to top it with sea salt and rosemary, but other toppings are delicious here too. Find suggestions in the blog post above.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir together the water and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and stir again. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy. If the yeast doesn’t foam, discard the mixture and start again with new yeast.
  • Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 5 minutes. A very elastic, sticky dough should form and begin grabbing the sides of the bowl.
  • Brush a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, using a spatula to scrape it out of the bowl of the stand mixer. It will be too sticky to transfer by hand. Use your fingers to lightly brush any oil that’s pooling at the edges of the dough over its surface. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside until the dough has doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.
  • Brush a 9x13-inch baking dish* with another 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Uncover the dough and rub your hands with olive oil. As best you can, slide your hand under one edge of the dough and fold it into itself. Continue working your way around the edge of the bowl, folding the dough into itself, until you have a rough ball that you can lift from the bowl.
  • Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and turn to coat in the oil. Press the dough to the pan’s edges. Let it relax and pull away from the edges, then press it to the edges again. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside to rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes. 30 minutes into this rise, preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Remove the plastic wrap and drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over the dough. Rub your hands with olive oil, then use your fingers to make indentations across the surface of the dough, pressing through the dough to the pan. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and rosemary, if desired. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Notes

*If your pan is not nonstick, grease it with butter before adding the olive oil. This will prevent the bread from sticking to the pan!

 

278 comments

4.80 from 160 votes (63 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Jane
    03.30.2025

    1 star
    Way too much flour unfortunately, it kneaded into a hard ball and after 2.5 hours I gave up on hoping the rise would help. Tossed in the bin before even baking.

  2. Rosi
    03.29.2025

    5 stars
    Hi,

    I have a couple of questions…

    1. Can I use regular sugar instead of cane sugar?

    2. Which 9×13″ pan is better to use; aluminum or glass

    Look forward to your reply 😊

  3. Fiona
    03.27.2025

    4 stars
    So easy and delicious! I’ve already made it a few times.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      03.28.2025

      So glad you love the recipe, Fiona!

  4. Dee
    03.26.2025

    Could I swap out half the regular flour for whole wheat? I’m trying to figure out the conversion or change in water if I did that but I’m finding too many contractors answers.

    (The only reason I ask is because I only have 2 cups of APP and a ton of WW, and I just don’t want to go back out today lol)

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      03.28.2025

      Hi Dee, I haven’t tried it, but I think you could! I would add an extra 2 tablespoons-1/4 cup water to the dough in that case.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      03.28.2025

      So glad you loved it, Kathleen!

  5. Harry
    03.26.2025

    Can you double the recipe

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      03.28.2025

      Hi Harry, I’ve never tried doubling this recipe, but I think it would work!

  6. Abby from Bitesizedbaggage.wordpress.com
    03.24.2025

    5 stars
    Made this late last night and it is amazing! I had never made focaccia before so I was a little nervous with how my dough was looking. I’m far from a Betty Crocker and don’t make bread from scratch but I haven’t found any good focaccia around me. I put red onion, roasted red pepper, rosemary, and thyme on mine and it is some of the best I’ve ever had! My son walked through the door and asked “what smells so GOOD?!” He’s 7 so that’s a pretty big compliment! The loaf is almost gone now and it’s been about 12 hours. 🙂

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      03.28.2025

      Hi Abby, amazing! I’m so glad you loved the recipe!

  7. Scott
    03.22.2025

    5 stars
    Sorry, i intended to leave a 5 star review but it defaulted to 1 star.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.24.2025

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  8. Peter westre
    03.17.2025

    4 stars
    Made it with cheese curds, Italian seasoning and sun dried tomatoes.

    Very nice texture and flavor.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.21.2025

      I’m glad you enjoyed it!

  9. Rosi
    03.16.2025

    5 stars
    Fabulous recipe!

    You have gone the extra mile with being so detailed in the instructions and notes.. This was my first Focaccia I made that actually turned out PERFECT, thanks to you!

    Can’t wait to try more of your recipes 😊.

    Thank you …

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.21.2025

      Hi Rosi, I’m so glad your focaccia turned out perfect!

  10. Sue
    03.10.2025

    What is the reason for cane sugar vs regular granulated sugar?

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      03.14.2025

      Hi Sue, cane sugar is our go-to, but you could use granulated sugar if that’s what you keep on hand!

  11. Sophie
    03.10.2025

    3 stars
    I made this recipe once and it was too dry. I made it again and used bread flour instead of all purpose and I also used 2 cups of water and it turned out much better.

  12. Maya
    03.10.2025

    How would you attempt this without a stand mixer and dough hook?! Would a handheld mixer work?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.10.2025

      Hi Maya, this one is really best in a stand mixer with a dough hook. I wouldn’t use a handheld mixer, the beaters are too small. You could try just mixing it for a longer amount of time with a bowl and spatula or wooden spoon.

    • Sophie
      03.10.2025

      3 stars
      I just used my hands and it worked out well. A little messier and more labor, but you can do it!

  13. Bhumi
    03.05.2025

    Can the cane sugar be substituted with anything? I don’t know if I missed that in the recipe!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      03.05.2025

      Hi Bhumi, you could use maple syrup or honey instead!

  14. Amanda
    02.22.2025

    5 stars
    I have made this bread 3 times in 4 days. I am not a baker, and I am not great at making dinners but I was able to make bread, and it’s good. All my students ask me to bring bread to class now and I love that it’s customizable. I make it into loaves, so I cook it longer and when the outside is browned I throw tinfoil on top to help finish the inside. This is an amazing base recipe and I will be using it for years to come!!

  15. Tammy
    02.21.2025

    4 stars
    I like how easy this recipe is! However, my dough never turns out as bubbly as shown in the pictures. It’s still fluffy, but I wish I could get the big bubbles that pop. I wonder if I’m doing something wrong?

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.21.2025

      Hi Tammy, glad you like the recipe! It sounds like you could let the dough rise a little longer. My other thought is that you could try weighing your flour on a scale if you haven’t already. You could be using slightly more flour than we do if you’re measuring in cups, which could account for a less bubbly dough.

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.