Mini Loaf Pan Focaccia

Name: Small Batch Mini Focaccia in a Loaf Pan (Made with 1 CUP of Flour)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 140 min
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

4.93 from 214 votes

Published by Rebecca Eisenberg ⁠— June 11, 2020 (updated May 29, 2026) — 345 Comments

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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!

an overhead shot of a mini focaccia on a small cooling rack

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.

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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.

an overhead shot of a mini focaccia loaf sitting on a wire cooling rack

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.

mix the dough, slowly incorporating flour into the water in the center — Add the water and olive oil and mix.

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 hand folding the dough over itself in the bowl

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 — Use damp or lightly oiled hands to keep the dough from sticking to you.

[gif] slap and folding focaccia dough — Use damp or lightly oiled hands to keep the dough from sticking to you.

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.

after the first set of the folds the dough will be a messy ball in the bowl — The dough will get smoother and easier to handle with each set of folds.

The dough will get smoother and easier to handle with each set of folds.

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.

the focaccia dough in a loaf pan before rising — Before rising.

focaccia dough after rising for an hour has almost filled the bottom of the pan — Before rising.

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.

dimpled focaccia dough in a loaf pan — Dimpled focaccia

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.

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mini focaccia on a small cooling rack with two strips cut out of it, one facing up

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.

A cookbook titled Small-Batch Breads by Rebecca Eisenberg, featuring various loaves, buns, flatbreads, and rolls on the cover. The book promises 50 recipes made with one cup of flour.

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📖 Recipe

Small Batch Mini Focaccia in a Loaf Pan (Made with 1 CUP of Flour)

Servings loaf

Author Rebecca Eisenberg

This scaled down recipe uses just one cup of flour to make a mini focaccia that bakes up golden brown and fluffy on top with a crispy bottom in a standard loaf pan. Volume measurements are included in the blog post.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Resting Time 1 30

Total Time 2 20

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

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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.

The non-stick spray prevents sticking, while the drizzle of olive oil gives the mini focaccia a gorgeously crispy bottom.

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.

If the focaccia is rising slowly, place the loaf pan on top of the preheating oven so the yeast benefits from the residual heat.

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.