Homemade Focaccia Recipe Two Ways with Dipping Oils
- Kate Carr
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
This focaccia started as a lunch experiment and turned into the recipe I'll make on repeat. I spotted it in Cook's Illustrated, loved the flavor on the first try, but the texture wasn't quite what I wanted. The dough felt overly wet, it deflated during dimpling, and the result was crispier and less chewy than I prefer.
A few days later I made it again at my dad's for a holiday weekend with family, adjusted the technique, and it was exactly right. Instead of relying on stretch-and-folds, I let the flour hydrate first, then gave the dough a short knead in the KitchenAid before the first rise. I slightly reduced the water, baked at a lower temperature, and handled the dough much more gently during the final proof and dimpling stage. Crispy golden edges, an airy interior, and that soft olive-oil-rich crumb that makes focaccia so good. None of it lasted long.
We made two varieties with this homemade focaccia recipe and two homemade dipping oils. One focaccia we kept simple with flaky thyme salt, olive oil, and a little extra fresh thyme. The other was topped with cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced shallots, Italian seasoning, and flaky sea salt. All four recipes are below.
Light and Airy Homemade Focaccia Recipe
Makes 1 focaccia, 13x9-inch pan
Ingredients
390 grams bread flour (2½ cups)
2 teaspoons sugar
1½ teaspoons instant yeast
312 grams room temperature water (1⅓ cups)
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¾ teaspoon flaky sea salt, for topping
Optional toppings:
20 Cherry tomatoes, halved
Thinly sliced shallots
Roasted garlic
Fresh thyme
Italian seasoning
Cracked black pepper
Instructions
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, yeast, water, and 2 tablespoons olive oil until no dry flour remains. The dough will look shaggy and very sticky.
Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle in the salt, then mix using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for about 5 minutes on low to medium-low speed. The dough should feel soft and sticky but smoother and more elastic than before.
Cover and let rest for another 20 minutes.
Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil.
Transfer the dough into the prepared pan and gently turn to coat in the oil. Lightly press the dough outward toward the corners of the pan, but don't worry if it doesn't fully reach the edges yet. As it rests and rises it will naturally spread out on its own.
Cover and let rise for about 2½ to 3 hours, or until very puffy and bubbly.
About 30 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 400°F. The original recipe baked at 475°F, but 400°F gave me a softer, chewier texture with plenty of golden color without getting too dark or crisp.
Drizzle remaining olive oil over the dough. Using well-oiled fingertips, gently dimple the dough all over without pressing out the air bubbles.
If using toppings, add them now. Place tomatoes cut side up to prevent excess moisture from seeping into the dough.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating halfway through, until deeply golden brown with crisp edges and a light airy interior.
Let cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm.
Warm Herb Dipping Oil
¾ cup olive oil
¾ teaspoon flaky salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon crushed rosemary
½ teaspoon chives
Small pinch paprika
Optional: one grated garlic clove
Combine all ingredients and warm slightly before serving.
Balsamic Parmesan Dipping Oil
½ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan
Black pepper
Small pinch Italian seasoning
Tiny pinch garlic powder
1-2 drizzles of honey
Combine all ingredients and serve at room temperature.
Notes from the Kitchen
BREAD FLOUR MATTERS
Bread flour gives you a chewier, more structured crumb than all-purpose. It's worth using here if you want that bakery-style texture.
WEIGH YOUR INGREDIENTS
We always recommend weighing your flour and water for bread recipes. It’s more precise than measuring by volume and makes a real difference in the final texture. If you don’t have a scale, fluff your flour with a fork before loosely scooping into your measuring cup and leveling off. → Link to our favorite kitchen scale
DIMPLE GENTLY
Don't aggressively pop the bubbles when dimpling the dough. The trapped air is what gives focaccia that beautiful airy interior. Light fingers, not pressure.
GO EASY ON THE TOPPINGS
If you're using tomatoes or shallots, keep the toppings relatively light so the dough can still rise well in the oven.
TOMATOES GO CUT SIDE UP
If you're topping your focaccia with cherry tomatoes, place them cut side up. It keeps the moisture inside the tomato as it roasts rather than releasing it into the dough, which can make the surface soggy and weigh down the rise. A small detail that makes a real difference.
FLAKY THYME SALT
We used a flaky thyme salt on the simple variety and it made all the difference. A good finishing salt takes focaccia from good to really great. → Link to our favorite flaky salt set
MAKE TWO PANS
If you're feeding a crowd, double the recipe and make two pans. People hover around warm focaccia. You will not have leftovers.
THE KITCHENAID MAKES THIS EASY
A stand mixer with a dough hook does all the work here. If you're mixing by hand, just knead gently for about 5 minutes until the dough comes together and feels more elastic.
About Kevin & Kate
We're Kevin and Kate — a husband-and-wife duo who turned a weekly cooking ritual into something we wanted to share.
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