Made with just one cup of flour (120 grams) this small batch focaccia recipe makes a single mini focaccia that bakes up golden brown and fluffy on top with a crispy bottom in a standard loaf pan.
It's become a favorite in The Practical Kitchen community for good reason! Many readers have shared their favorite creative mini focaccia toppings and many have had success making this with certain brands of gluten free flours, too. See comments below!
This small batch focaccia recipe is perfect for when you want focaccia but don't want to use up 4-6 cups of flour satisfy that craving. It's so good as a side with soup or pasta but also great for making sandwiches or slicing into breadsticks for dipping.
This mini loaf pan focaccia is part of my "small batch recipes" series. I love these little breads because they're the perfect size bread recipe if you're single or live alone and are cooking only for yourself, or if you're cooking for you and just one other person. It's also great if there are any ingredient shortages or if you just want to avoid using up all your best baking ingredients.
For a full size version of this recipe, check out my thick and fluffy overnight focaccia.
5 STAR READER REVIEW
“This was my first try at any type of bread. The recipe was so easy to follow. It turned out perfect! It was light and fluffy. No bread left. I will make it again soon. This recipe will be used often. Thank you.”
—Judy M.
Get Ready to Be Obsessed With Mini Focaccia
This small batch focaccia recipe uses just one cup of all-purpose flour. That's 120 grams of flour, which you should definitely measure by weight using a kitchen scale. I have provided volume (cups) measurements at the end of this blog post, but you'll have the best and most consistent results if you measure by weight.
The recipe uses about 3 grams (1 teaspoon) instant yeast, which means one packet of yeast (7 grams / 2¼ tsp) can make two mini loaves of focaccia.
To develop gluten and give the focaccia strength and structure, this recipe uses a technique called folding to "knead" the dough.
To build strength and trap air bubbles in the dough, you'll do folds every 15 minutes for 30 minutes (two sets of folds), letting the dough rest in between, which is great because it's very hands-off for you!
One of my favorite things about this mini focaccia is that it's a gateway bread for so many beginner bakers. So many readers have told me it cured their fear of bread making — it wasn't long before they felt confident enough to try making more complex or recipes like my overnight bagels or basic brioche bread!
Ingredient Notes
Here's what you'll need to make this mini loaf pan focaccia. No fancy or hard to find ingredients, and you can definitely get creative with your toppings! See recipe card (at the end of the post) for ingredient quantities!
Focaccia is a very olive oil-forward bread, so I do like using a bold-flavored olive oil for this mini focaccia because iI want to enjoy that delicious EVOO flavor. I also really like using focaccia as a canvas for infused and flavored olive oils! Think chili oil, garlic oil, rosemary oil, etc.
One reader told me they used this recipe to make a scallion pancake-inspired mini focaccia with sesame oil, topped with scallions and sesame seeds. Genius!
Instructions
Mixing this small batch mini focaccia dough is very simple and doesn't require any fancy equipment. If you have a bowl, a spatula, and at least one hand, you can mix this focaccia dough. Also, I believe in you. And you are capable of making great bread.
Start by mixing the dry ingredients together.
Once the water is absorbed, fold the dough over itself a few times to get the flour to hydrate a bit more. It will be quite messy and sticky. That's normal; don't panic. Just get the dough in a loose ball in the bottom of the bowl. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.
A Modified "Slap-n-Fold"
The "slap and fold" is a technique used to add structure and strength to bread doughs in place of kneading. It's particularly useful for very sticky, high-hydration doughs.
Usually it's done on a countertop, but because this mini focaccia recipe is so small, I like to do a modified version of the slap and fold right in the bowl.
![[gif] slapping and folding focaccia dough](https://thepracticalkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Loaf-pan-focaccia-1.gif)
![[gif] slap and folding focaccia dough](https://thepracticalkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Loaf-pan-focaccia-2.gif)
The dough will get easier to fold each time as it builds strength and structure. Make sure you're rotating the bowl 90 degrees (a quarter turn) between folds so that the gluten is being stretched in all directions.
As you repeat the folding and resting process, you're building a criss-cross network of gluten inside the dough that will trap air bubbles and enable the dough to rise. If you only fold in one direction, the dough won't have the strength it needs.
Here's what the dough looks like after mixing, and then after the two sets of slap-and-folds in the bowl with rests in between.
Gently stretch the dough into a vaguely rectangular shape in a loaf pan. It won't fill the whole bottom of the pan, that's okay. It will fill out the pan as it rises.
Drizzle the dough with a little more olive oil, and rub some olive oil on your fingers too. Now, it's time for the most fun step of all: DIMPLING.
Press your fingers down into the dough until they touch the bottom of the pan. Spread your fingers slightly when you hit the bottom of the pan to push the dough into the corners.
Cover the loaf pan and let the focaccia rise again in a warm spot. The dough will rise and bubble up in the pan. When the dough has doubled in size, it's ready to bake. Go by what it looks like, not the time on the clock.
Right before baking, drizzle one more glug of olive oil across the focaccia and add any herbs or finishing salts you want to use.
USA Pan Bakeware Aluminized Steel Loaf Pan, 1 Pound
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Practical Tips & Recipe Notes
- I usually top this mini focaccia with Maldon Sea Salt Flakes, but you can use any finishing salt you like. You can also top it with fresh herbs, veggies, or anything else you want (I've even done it as a mini version of my onion and pepper focaccia!). Just remember that the dough has to work harder to hold heavier toppings up, so if you're planning on using anything heavy (whole cherry tomatoes, etc.) less is more!
- If you ARE planning on using any heavier toppings — onions, tomatoes, etc — put them on the dough after dimpling but before the final rise. That way when the dough rises one last time, it rises around the toppings and secures them in place.
- I used a 9x4" (1 lb) loaf pan but you can use a 9x5" pan (1.5 lb) if that's all you have. Just know that the dough might not stretch out into all the corners in the larger pan.
- Yes, you can bake this mini focaccia in a toaster oven! You can actually skip the loaf pan in this case too. Drizzle olive oil on your toaster oven's sheet pan and plop the dough out there after the final set of folds. The focaccia may end up a little thinner and crispier as it will spread out into an oval shape rather than a perfect rectangle. It may also need a slightly shorter bake time, so check it after 15 minutes just in case.
💭 Have More Pizza Questions?
I've rounded up answers to common baking and pizza questions and how-to guides, including:
- Ingredient swaps and FAQs
- How to hand stretch pizza dough
- When to put fresh basil on pizza
- Ingredients I use (salt, flour, yeast, etc.)
- Step-by-step guides for pizza and baking techniques
See my baking techniques & troubleshooting guide and ingredient swaps and FAQs for more!
BONUS: Weight to Volume (Cups) Conversion + Instructions
I really resisted including volume measurements here, because measuring your ingredients with a kitchen scale is much more accurate and will give you the right ratio of dry and liquid ingredients so that the focaccia dough behaves the way you want it to.
I tested and developed this recipe using weight measurements for accuracy. I can't promise how it will turn out if you measure with cups because not all measuring cups are the same! That said, I am making a rare exception because of how popular this recipe is and providing them for you here. **Please read this carefully!!**
- To properly scoop flour in cups: Stir and fluff the flour in your container well so there's plenty of air in it. Use a spoon to gently spoon the flour into the one cup measure, then sweep any excess off the top. The cup should feel pretty light and the flour should not be tightly packed into it. Think of it more like a ⅞ths cup.
- To properly measure water: Use a liquid measuring cup. Place it on a flat surface, fill with water just until the water reaches the correct marker when you look at it at eye level.
- To properly measure with measuring spoons: Scoop dry ingredients flat, do not use heaping scoops. Olive oil should not overflow the rim of the measuring spoon.
Here are the mini focaccia volume measurements (use at your own risk):
- 1 scant cup all purpose flour, well aerated and properly scooped (see above)
- ⅓ cup warm water
- 2 ¼ teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (use ½ teaspoon of any other brand of salt)
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
Troubleshooting: If the dough seems overly dry, use wet (instead of damp) hands to mix the dough to incorporate more water or add water ¼ teaspoon at a time until the dough looks right. If the dough seems overly wet and isn't developing strength as you fold it, very lightly dust in more flour as you do the folds.
If you measure with cups and the recipe did not turn out right, that is likely why the recipe did not turn out right. Try again!
TL;DR - Recipe Summary
- Mix together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center. Pour the water and oil into the well and mix the dough until combined.
- Cover and bulk ferment for 30 minutes, with slap-n-folds every 15 minutes for a total of two sets of folds.
- After the second set of folds, transfer dough to a greased loaf pan. Cover and rise for 1 hour.
- Drizzle with oil, then dimple the dough. Let rest for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.
- Drizzle with additional olive oil and add any toppings.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top.
Want more small-batch recipes?
My Small Batch Breads cookbook is now available for pre-order!
Featuring fifty easy-to-follow bread recipes made using 1 cup of flour.
📖 Recipe
Small Batch Mini Focaccia in a Loaf Pan (Made with 1 CUP of Flour)
Recipe Notes
- If you are measuring with cups, it is super important that you measure the ingredients properly. See my guide to measuring as accurately as possible by volume for how to do this. If you measure with cups/teaspoons and the recipe did not turn out right, that is likely why. Try again!
- For a thin and crispy version of this recipe, bake on a sheet pan instead of in a loaf pan so you can stretch it thinner while dimpling. Bake time remains the same.
- Because of how oily and salty focaccia is, it's best eaten on the same day you make it. The salt draws moisture out of the bread, which means after 24 hours it becomes quite dry.
Ingredients
- 120 grams all-purpose flour
- 5 grams diamond crystal kosher salt
- 3 grams instant yeast
- 5 grams sugar
- 10 grams extra virgin olive oil
- 90 grams warm water
- additional oil for the pan and drizzling on top
- additional salt and/or herbs for topping
Instructions
- Combine flour, salt, yeast, and sugar, in a medium-sized bowl. Make a well in the center and add warm water and oil. Use a dough whisk, fork, or small spatula to stir the liquid in the center, slowly incorporating flour from the sides of the bowl until a sticky dough forms.
- Switch to a bowl scraper or spatula and begin folding the dough over itself, rotating the bowl as you go until the dough is cohesive and no lumps or dry spots remain. The dough is very, very sticky at this point so do the best you can — just keep folding for about 30-60 seconds until the dough is somewhat in the shape of a ball.
- Cover the dough and let it rest 15 minutes.
- Then, with a damp hand, scoop the dough up, slap it down in the bowl and fold it over itself away from you. Repeat the folding process 4-6 times until the dough feels like it has tightened up slightly. Wet your hand as needed so the dough doesn't stick to you.Cover and let rest for 15 minutes. NOTE: This is a modified version of the "slap and fold" technique. When you scoop the dough up your fingertips should be curved under, pointing toward your body. When you pick the dough up, rotate your wrist so your thumb is up — almost like you're holding a cup. Then "slap" the dough on the near side of the bowl and fold it away from you. The idea is to rotate the dough 90 degrees between each fold so you're folding in both directions. This builds structure in the dough and you will feel it tightening up as you work.
- Repeat the folding process one last time (4-6 folds). The dough will still be pretty squishy and sticky, but should be smoother and have more structure to it than the earlier sets of folds.
- Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray, then drizzle in approximately 1 tablespoon olive oil. Transfer the dough from the bowl to the pan, using oiled fingers to gently stretch the dough into a loose rectangle shape. It won't reach the edges of the pan yet. Cover and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size and quite puffy, about 1 hour.
- After an hour, the dough should have increased slightly in size and will have filled out more of the pan. Oil your fingers and dimple and stretch the dough into all the corners of the pan. Press your fingers down into the dough until they hit the bottom of the pan, then spread them out. It's okay if you tear the dough in a few places.Cover, and let rise for another 30 minutes until the dough is airy and bubbly and has filled in the bottom of the pan.
- During the final 30 minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center position.
- Right before placing it in the oven, drizzle on a little more olive oil and sprinkle the surface of the dough with flaky salt, herbs, or any toppings of your choosing, and bake for 20-23 minutes until golden brown on top.
- Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen the dough and turn it out onto a cooling rack. Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Video
UPDATE 4/12/21 — A huge thanks to my volunteer recipe testers Beth, Sarah, Lisa, Cecile, Kelly, Rachel, and Christine who gave this a try after someone commented that the dough was "impossible to handle." They gave me some great feedback and sent so many gorgeous photos of their own focaccia loaves.
Amrita says
Hi !! Can I use whole wheat flour for the recipe?
Rebecca says
I haven't tried it, but a good rule of thumb for using WW flour in any recipe is that you can replace up to 25% of the flour with WW flour. That would mean replacing 30 grams of the AP flour with WW flour. So you'd use 90g AP and 30g WW flour here. I wouldn't recommend using all whole wheat flour, because it's a much tougher flour that absorbs a lot more water — it's very rare that whole wheat recipes use entirely WW flour. You may also need to add a little bit more water or use wet hands while you're doing the folding to make up for the fact that the whole wheat absorbs so much more liquid. If you give it a try, let me know! Curious to know how it works out!
Sarah says
Could the yeast be replaced with sourdough starter? If so, how much?
Rebecca Eisenberg says
This has already been answered in the recipe FAQ!
April says
Can I use traditional active yeast?
Rebecca Eisenberg says
I have a whole section in the blog post titled "Instant Yeast vs. Active Dry" that answers this question in detail!
Lynette says
If I double te recipe, do I double the amount of yeast?
Rebecca Eisenberg says
You shouldn't need to double the yeast — I would recommend increasing it slightly, maybe just one gram!
Sabrina says
I tried doubling the recipe with only 1 gr added of yeast and it did not work. Prob best to just make 2 separate loaves
Cady says
I have a bad habit of not fully reading all the details and wanted to get straight into the bread, I did it with half whole wheat and half AP, full cup flour total but added more water til it felt like the sticky dough described. Turned out amazing I am making it today again for family!
Jessie L says
Amazing! I made a loaf and added some rosemary and roasted garlic. I also used the olive oil from my roasted garlic. It tastes fantastic, the texture is perfect. I skipped past the note about upping the yeast if using active instead of instant. I just let it raise a little longer on a warm part of my stove and it still turned out great. Will definitely be making again.
Juliana says
Made this the other day and it was so easy and delicious!! It was a prefect size for my hubby, 18 month old, and myself. I'll definitely be making it again <3
Amy says
Hi I know this is going to sound crazy but is there something else I can use instead of yeast? I’m allergic to it 🙈
Rebecca Eisenberg says
Unfortunately no! It’s necessary for the rise. You’d end up with flatbread otherwise. I’m so sorry.
Kris Kerby says
Mine just came out of the oven. It is delicious! It’s airy and chewy and it was easy. I will definitely make it again!!
Toni says
Can this be made gluten free?
Rebecca Eisenberg says
Check the other comments on the blog post — some folks have shared what gluten free flours work for them! I haven’t personally tested them, but other people have had success.
Emily says
Is there a way to omit the salt? I keep a low sodium diet and keep it out of my food whenever possible.
Rebecca Eisenberg says
I mean, sure, but the bread will taste terrible. I left it out once by mistake and it was borderline inedible. Salt also helps control the yeast activity, so without it the dough is more likely to overproof and will struggle to build strength. If you're okay with the salt-less flavor you can definitely leave it out, just keep an eye on the dough — it may need an extra set of rests and folds and may rise faster than you expect!
Charline says
My dough didn’t rise as high as I would have hoped because my home was colder than I thought. I went through the whole process and it came out wonderfully.
I like that it was a small batch because it is only me. I will definitely do this more often.
Rebecca Eisenberg says
Ah yep, it's likely because of the temperature in your house! Next time you can let it rise a bit longer if you like. The other possibility is that actually overproofed slightly (this will cause the loaf to collapse). So you may need to play with the timing of the final rise to figure out exactly when to put it in the oven based on the temperature in your kitchen! I'm so glad you liked it 🙂
Emily says
this is my go to focaccia recipe. I always double or triple the batch because my husband devours it. Love using this as a base for a pizza inspired bread. also experimenting with other add ins such as pesto, & a cinnamon and sugar! Maldon sea salt flakes are a must
Francesca says
Put the dough in your oven with the light on; it generates enough heat for the rise
Baker says
I’ve made this 3-4 times now and it is so easy and comes out perfect every time! I usually bake closer to 25 min for brownness and recently doubled the recipe in a 9x9”, which worked out perfectly. I like the small scale recipe since we are a 2 person household and never finish a large bread. I top mine flaky salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary and some red pepper flakes and it’s *chef’s kiss*
Rebecca Eisenberg says
That sounds like a delicious combination of toppings!
Harriet says
Sourdough starter works great!!
Barbara Miller says
Would you change anything if you wanted to add vegetables, herbs, or cheese to the top of the focaccia?
Rebecca Eisenberg says
I’ve answered this in the blog post but the only thing to be cautious of is the moisture in whatever you’re adding. Wet/heavy ingredients will make it harder for the dough to rise and get crispy. You can do some cheese but if you put a thick layer it will insulate the bottom and prevent it from getting crispy — you’ll want to bake it on a baking steel in that case. But otherwise you can get pretty creative with the toppings!
Charlie says
I am always looking for SMALL recipes - I live alone and just don't fancy a whole loaf or a dozen cakes.
marie stanley says
This baked up perfectly. It is tender and just yeasty tasting enough . Thank you a billionty times ; i have bought my last delivery pizza.
Rebecca says
Yum!!! I'm so glad to hear that. 🙂 Looks great, thank you for sharing a pic!!
Hannah says
I first tried this recipe when I was stuck at home sick. I enjoyed three mini focaccias that week. I can’t even guess at how many I’ve made since. I’d never baked any kind of bread before this and I’ve never had one come out wrong. This was one of the first recipes that made me feel capable of really delicious things and I’ve been bitten by the bread baking bug ever since.
They’re the perfect size to have with a dinner for two (or dinner for one!) or to give as gifts.
Maggie Griffin says
Love this scaled-back recipe! I don't normally attempt to bake bread, but this is one I am ready to try! Thank you.
Rebecca says
You got this!!!
Adrian says
Idk what I did wrong?! I followed the measurements and the recipe to a T and I know something was wrong when I was flipping it and it didn't turn out pretty like yours. It never rose. I'll try again. I really want this to work!
Rebecca Eisenberg says
Hi! There are a two things that may have caused this: 1) your yeast may not have been active 2) you measured with cups instead of by weight. When you try again make sure you're using a new packet of yeast and that you use a kitchen scale to measure! And make sure the water isn't too hot or it will kill the yeast. Good luck!!!
bradley says
Just made a mini loaf, sprinkled with everything bagel seasoning and it was delicious! Amazingly light and airy. I am planning on doing your overnight full loaf and noticed you use a lot less yeast (only 2 grams). Is that because it's overnight?
Rebecca Eisenberg says
Yep that’s exactly it! For a faster rise you could increase the yeast but the dough will have less structure because there’s no kneading or folding involved. Less yeast + long rise = strong gluten formation!
Good luck and enjoy the bread!
Deb says
Excellent. Crispy on the outside and tender on inside. Perfect size.
Rebecca says
Enjoy the bread!!!
McKenna says
Made this recipe probably a dozen times and figured I should probably get around to leaving a review. This is one of the best bread recipes I’ve ever used; it is so easy but it tastes like something that would take hours to make. This year for the holidays I made about half a dozen loaves and brought them to friends and family and almost every one of them asked me for the recipe. So delicious and seriously so simple and fun. Will be making many more times 🫶🏻
Rebecca Eisenberg says
I love this so much!! So glad you’re enjoying the recipe and that your friends and family are too! Happy holidays!
Jo Chapman says
My scale will not measure 3 or 5 grams. 90 or 120 grams are okay.
Rebecca Eisenberg says
Some scales struggle with the smaller quantities — see the blog post for the volume amounts so you can use teaspoon measurements for those!
Sweet says
the dough was just too sticky to work with.. I've tried spraying oil on it and watering my hands but it's just unworkable what a shame
Rebecca says
I’m sorry it didn’t work for you! There’s a couple reasons you may have had this issue: 1) Did you measure using a scale? 2) And with the updated recipe the dough is much wetter and sticker — you’re not going to be able to pick it up and fold it in your hands the way I do in the videos (I’m working on updating the videos!). You can use a bowl scraper to fold the dough over itself in the bowl without picking it up. Also, you’re not supposed to spray oil on the dough — just rub a little bit of oil on your hands. If you sprayed oil on the dough that definitely would’ve made it harder to fold.
Marc says
I made this recipe in a 9x5 loaf pan. I topped it with rosemary and flaky sea salt. It came out perfect! I also tripled this recipe and divided it between two 9” circle pans. I topped those the same way, and baked for the same amount of time. They also came out amazing! This will be a recipe I make often.
Rebecca Eisenberg says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Kerri Anenberg says
This little focaccia was perfect for two! I added sliced red onion and orange bell pepper for decoration and it was adorable.
Samantha Eliott says
came out super delicious but a bit salty? realized i should have cut down on the salt! but nevertheless it came out pretty good for my first time.
Rebecca Eisenberg says
Ahhh yeah gotta watch the salt! Especially on top, it’s easy to overdo by mistake.
Jas says
It's taking everything I have to not head into my kitchen right now at 10:30 pm on a weeknight to make this. I really need to wait till tomorrow and start early in the day since my house is about 63 degrees this time of the year so I'll probably need a notably longer rise. *Le Sigh* no fresh bread for a midnight snack.
Rose says
I tried this recipe and got the same result: a bit saltier than what I'm used to. Might cut it down in half.
Rebecca says
Hi there! I’m so sorry this didn’t work for you. I’ve updated the entire recipe in response to your comment with clearer instructions and all new videos that should make it easier to handle the wet dough. I don’t know if you’ll ever see this, but if you do I hope you’ll give it another chance.
Christine K says
Just made the bread this morning and the smell of it baking it woke my teenager up. It lives up to the beautiful scent. crispy but not hard on the bottom crust fluffy inside. Might eat a loaf for my lunch. Putting the olive oil in the bottom and not skimping gives a delicious flavor. Made one with Herbes de Provence + salt and one with just salt. Both yummy.
K South says
This recipe is so cool if you just want enough fresh focaccia for one or two people (and looks so impressive for what's very little effort)
Cecile says
Loved this recipe! Can't wait to make pizza with it! The dough is a little sticky at first but after the folding and resting it behaves itself😉
Rebecca says
Omg I love the idea of making pizza with this! Let me know how it goes!
Jenna says
Can I mix any add ins to the dough such as cheese or will that ruin this specific recipe?
Rebecca Eisenberg says
You can add mix ins! Just try not to overwhelm the recipe. If you check out my onion + pepper focaccia recipe I have notes there for how to use this recipe to make a mini version of it. That may give you an idea of where to start!
Lauren says
Can I use a food processor to do the dough?
Rebecca Eisenberg says
I haven’t tested this. You could certainly try it. But I can’t vouch for how it will turn out.
Beth says
This bread came out absolutely delicious. As Rebecca says the dough is sticky and definitely different from other bread doughs I have made before. I found that following the slap and fold method and heavy use of a bowl scraper the first two rises helped a lot. Perfect amount of bread for a family dinner.
Elizabeth says
Hi! Weird question but where did you get the wire rack/paddle in the picture? It is so cool. Going to try the recipe soon.
Skljh says
This recipe makes a delightful focaccia with a lovely texture! It's fast and relatively easy, with a lot of down time in-between actively doing something, making fresh bread with dinner a snap.
Maartje says
10/10, made it in my toaster oven. Worked perfectly. I put tomatoes and olives on there and dipped it in tomato soup :0
Deb says
Still loving the recipe. The instructions have improved, I seemed to get a wee bit lost each time I’ve made it. I make it at least once a week.
I cut the salt back to 1/2 t. of Diamond Crystal as we both thought it was a tad salty.
Kathi says
This is a great recipe but I almost skipped over it because I didn’t have any mini loaf pans. It is really a mini Focaccia made in a loaf pan…or Loaf pan mini focaccia. Word order matters😄. Thanks for your hard work!,
Rebecca Eisenberg says
In this case "mini" and "loaf pan" are both being used as adjectives to modify the noun "focaccia." It is a mini focaccia and it is also a loaf pan focaccia. Glad you enjoyed it.
Jules says
SO good, and just enough for a couple of sandwiches!
Wayne McAuliffe says
I used a 6” cast iron pan and made one with herbes de provence and kosher salt on top. It was amazing!
Cynthia says
Hiii, I wanted to ask if i could use sourdough discard instead of yeast? If so, how much do i use?
Rebecca says
I haven't tested this, so can't say for sure. Using discard alone won't work, however. It doesn't have enough rising power. You'd need to use active sourdough starter and it would likely change all the timing of the stretching and folds and stuff. If you do want to use sourdough discard and your sourdough is 100% hydration, you can try reducing the amount of flour and water the recipe calls for by 10 grams each and adding 20 grams sourdough discard to the dough. Then proceed as usual. You'll still need the yeast to give it rising power, but the sourdough discard will add flavor!
Carrie Wylde says
Hey! Great idea to bake a small batch! Last time I made focaccia my husband and I ate it for 3 straight days 😂 question: I only have a silicone loaf pan. Is that ok or should it be a metal one?
Rebecca says
Metal would be best to get that really crispy bottom! It conducts heat differently from silicone pans. The silicone pans are meant more for mousses and gelatin and ice cream based desserts that need to set up in the fridge. They’re not really ideal for baking.
But if you like the way the focaccia turned out in the silicone pan, that’s okay too.
Mary says
This was so easy and absolutely delicious!!
Luca says
I was a bit sceptical at first, but once it got out of the oven, I immediately tried it and I was absolutely amazed by how light and fluffy, yet still crunchy it was! Definitely gonna do this more often!
Luca says
Forgot to add stars - 5 Stars!!
Rebecca says
Added them for you!! Thank you!
Nis says
First time bread maker here, thank you so much for this recipe and detailed notes! I bought a kitchen scale just for this and followed it almost exactly - it came out so well, despite my dough not looking as smooth as yours.
My only change was to mix some leftover whey with the warm water as the liquid for the dough. My husband and I still thoroughly enjoyed this small batch recipe and I will be trying others on your website!
Rebecca Eisenberg says
Using whey with the water is such a good idea! I always do that with the whey from making my homemade goat cheese. You can use it to replace all of the water if you want, it works great!
Rebecca says
So glad you loved it!! Enjoy!
Tiffany says
Had anyone tried making it gluten free?
Rebecca says
Yes, actually! I haven't personally tried it, but a few people have told me they've had it work out well using King Arthur Baking Company or Bob's Red Mill GF cup-for-cup flour. If you give it a try, let me know how it works for you!
Joey says
I made it gluten free using Trader Joe’s gluten free flour. The dough didn’t spread or rise enough to fill a whole 9x5 loaf pan, it made it about 3/4 way full, so I used a foil ball to fill the remaining empty quarter of the pan. Baked it in a toaster oven for 15 min at 375° and it came out perfectly! Just as good as the traditional recipe. Next time I’ll double the recipe to make a full loaf!
Hugh Goggins says
This was a perfect recipe for getting out of my phase of being too depressed to use the kitchen. The result was delicious. My loaf could have risen a bit more, but I'm certain it was because I should have used a newer packet of instant yeast.
Rebecca says
So glad you liked the recipe!
nicole says
I loved it--I like recipes that are scaled for one person as opposed to a family of 6. It's a great size for a sandwich, too. I will definitely make it again and slice it long ways, toast it, and add grilled/roasted veggies for a sandwich.
Rebecca says
MMmmmm roasted veggie and focaccia sandwich.
Bridget says
Delicious … yeast breads have always scared me away but this is simple enough for a novice like me to be successful. Question: while my 1st attempt tasted delicious, it did not rise enough to create a light airy interior as expected based on your description. It was pretty dense. Any suggestions for what I might do differently next time?
Rebecca says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! It's hard to say what would've caused the denseness without knowing exactly what you did. There's a chance your yeast wasn't as active as it could've been (either you used old yeast, or your water was too hot), or it's possible your kitchen runs cold and the yeast activity was a bit slower (if so, you could always let it rise longer until it fills out more of the pan). On the other hand it's possible you let it sit too long and it overproofed, which would mean when you went to dimple it, the dough kind of collapsed and deflated quickly. I would say next time make sure you *know* you have new yeast, pay attention to those temperatures, and instead of following all of the specific rise times, consider them to be more of a guide and simply assess the dough to see if it looks the way it should (e.g. has filled out most of the pan, has almost doubled in size, etc) before moving on to the next step. Good luck!
Bridget says
Attempt #2 … i still did not get the proper rise. I double checked everything: brand new rapid rise yeast (exp 8/2023), weighed all ingredients with a scale, water temp was 104 deg Fahrenheit, kitchen temp was a steady 77 degrees, etc. A couple of thoughts - the dough is simply too wet and sticky to do the slap and fold technique. So I’m guessing I am not developing the gluten enough. I do live in Florida where, even with good a/c, a home can be a bit humid. Would adding a bit more flour help? If so, any advice on how much? I will also get a bowl scraper to see if that helps … as indicated in previous comments. The bread just tastes so darn good and is so simple to make I really want to try and master it.
Rebecca says
Aha! Florida humidity would probably be the culprit here. Rather than increasing the flour I would say hold back a tablespoon (15g) water when you first mix the dough. You could hold back as much as 30g and then just add water as needed when you dip your hands in water for the folding to prevent sticking. My guess is that the humidity + additional water on your hands for folding is what’s causing the issue! Let me know how it turns out this time!
Emily O says
Made this once already and trying it again. Tastes great, but I think I’m doing something wrong. There doesn’t seem to be enough water to even incorporate all the water, much less be a sloppy/sticky dough. Any thoughts?
Rebecca says
When you're working with such small quantities precision is super important — it's hard to know what went wrong without knowing *exactly* what you did. This should be a very wet dough so I would guess you're measuring something incorrectly. Are you using a kitchen scale?
Barbara says
Made this today (first time making focaccia of any type). Well-written, easy to follow recipe. Turned out delish if I do say so myself.! I'm often cooking for 1 so this recipe will be on repeat!
Laura says
Love this recipe! So simple! I hated waiting but it was worth it! I added sun dried tomatoes, parsley, and parm on top so good!!!
Sam says
Made this for the first time. Was so easy. Thank you so much- I never make bread. I incidentally, I made this in my airfryer. Its a small 4.2L, and I li preheated the tray, then turned it off, lined it with baking paper (be careful), allowed the dough to rise in the warmed up air fryer, came back after 30min, spread it in to reach corners and baked in airfryer at 160C for 15minutes. After 15 I checked on it and cooked further if required. Not as fluffy as I would like, but that's because I should knead it properly! Still came out 90% like a foccacia should!
Rebecca Eisenberg says
I'm so glad you liked this and THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing how you baked it in your air fryer! So many people ask me for air fryer instructions and I just don't have an air fryer so can't say how to do it. Now I can tell them to check the comments and follow your instructions. Happy baking!
Sam says
You're welcome. Thank you for this recipe. Given its small batch size, its perfect for experimenting in the air fryer. I suspect it'll be better if people have one of those airfryer baking tins as the metal should help it crisp up more. Either way, everyone's airfryer would be slightly different so they should check it as they go to determine what's best for them. I love my air fryer, but some things are best in an oven nevertheless! 🙂
Anna says
I am really excited to try this recipe! Normally this would be plenty for my spouse and me. But we sometimes have friends or family over for dinner, which got me wondering- Has anyone tried making a double batch, and if so, did you bake in two loaf pans, or one larger pan?
(Rating recipe a 5 based on how well-written, detailed, and updated it is, although I haven’t tried it yet)
Rebecca Eisenberg says
Hi! You can definitely double it and bake it in an 8x8 square baking dish or in two loaf pans. Both will work!