Cheesy Sesame Seed Focaccia
Apr 23, 2025, Updated May 11, 2025
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This Cheesy Sesame Seed Focaccia is made with my signature no-knead focaccia dough and is packed with melty cheese in every bite. It’s topped with golden baby bocconcini, plenty of parmesan, and a generous sprinkle of sesame seeds for crunch and flavour. Whether you're serving it as a side, snack, or part of a Mediterranean feast, this focaccia is fluffy, cheesy, and completely irresistible.
Love focaccia? I have so many different topping varieties that you will love including my green olive, fig & goats cheese or cinnamon scroll.
I’m always playing around with different focaccia toppings — it’s one of my favourite ways to experiment in the kitchen. From slow roasted cherry tomatoes to soft and jammy garlic confit, there’s something so fun about turning a simple dough into something completely new and exciting.
This time, I went full cheese mode. The baby bocconcini melt beautifully into the dough as it bakes, creating gooey little cheesy crevices all over the top. Paired with the nutty crunch of sesame seeds and the sharp bite of parmesan, it’s a flavour and texture explosion in the best possible way.
This cheesy sesame seed focaccia is perfect fresh out of the oven, dunked into my creamy pumpkin soup, served alongside a roasted red pepper dip, or enjoyed as an accompaniment to your Sunday Roast.
Why you'll Love This Recipe
- Cheesy, gooey goodness – with melty bocconcini and parmesan in every bite, it’s a dream for cheese lovers
- Crispy, golden crust – thanks to the no-knead dough and plenty of olive oil, the edges are perfectly crunchy
- Fun and versatile – great on its own, as a side, or sliced up for sandwiches or platters
Ingredients
This cheesy sesame seed focaccia is made with a handful of simple ingredients, but each one brings something special to the table.
- Baby bocconcini – melt into the dough, creating cheesy little pockets throughout. You could also use regular bocconcini or mozzarella. As long as it's a melty cheese!
- Parmesan cheese – adds a sharp, salty bite that balances the richness. You can also replace this with pecorino romano for a more mild taste.
- Sesame seeds – bring a toasty crunch and nutty flavour to every slice. I have used a mix of white and black sesame seeds for a more aesthetic look!
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Cheesy Sesame Seed Focaccia
Here’s how to turn my no-knead focaccia dough into this cheesy, sesame-topped masterpiece.
- Step 1: Begin by stirring lukewarm water, yeast, and honey in a medium bowl with a whisk. Wait for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy, signalling that the yeast is ready (image 1).
- Step 2: Whisk flour and salt. Then, pour in the yeast mixture (image 2).
- Step 3: Mix together the dry and wet ingredients with a spoon or your hands (image 3).
- Step 4: Continue to mix until you form a wet, sticky dough without dry spots. Cover the bowl with plastic or a damp cloth for 10 minutes. This dough has a very high hydration so it's important the dough is left to rest for 10 minutes prior to the first stretch and fold (image 4).
- Step 5: Afterward, with damp hands, stretch a piece of the dough and fold it across itself. Turn the bowl and repeat this action three more times or until a ball begins to form, covering the dough again for another 10 minutes (image 5).
- Step 6: Continue this stretching and folding process until the dough shapes into a ball (image 6).
- Step 7: Coat a new bowl with 20g of olive oil, place the dough inside (image 7 & 8) and cover it tightly with plastic. Let it rest in the fridge between 12 to 72 hours; this is the first proof.
- Step 10: Oil a baking tin with another 20g of olive oil and transfer the dough to it. (image 9). Gently stretch the dough to a rough rectangle, but not to the tin's edges—it will spread as it rises (image 10). Let the dough rise for 2 hours in a warm spot or until it doubles in size.
- Step 11: Dimple the dough and top the focaccia with the cheese, sesame seeds, salt and olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes at 400°F / 200°C or until golden and crunchy on the outside
FAQ's for Cheesy Sesame Seed Focaccia
Yes! The dough actually gets better with time. Let it rise in the fridge for up to 48 hours (72 hours maximum) for extra flavour and a lighter, airier texture.
This recipe uses baby bocconcini and parmesan for the perfect mix of gooey and sharp, but you can also try mozzarella, provolone or pecorino for different flavour profiles.
Make sure to generously coat your baking pan with olive oil. This not only prevents sticking but also helps create that signature crispy crust.
Absolutely. Slice it into portions, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven to bring back the crispiness.
How To Serve
This cheesy sesame seed focaccia is best served warm, straight from the oven when the cheese is gooey and the crust is golden and crisp. Tear it apart and enjoy on its own, or serve it alongside one pan creamy orzo with burrata, perfect for soaking up the broth from Italian Mussels with Tomato and Chilli, or served with a big bowl of creamy garlic confit dip. You can even slice it up and use it to make one of my beloved Italian Sandwiches using my no-knead focaccia dough.
How to Store
To store, let the focaccia cool completely before wrapping it tightly in foil or placing it in an airtight container. It will keep well at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5. To reheat, pop slices into the air fryer at 160°C for about 3–5 minutes until warmed through and crispy. In the oven, place the focaccia on a tray and reheat at 180°C for 8–10 minutes. For a quick option, you can also toast slices in the toaster — just be sure the cheese is set and won’t melt into the toaster slots!
More Focaccia Toppings
Have questions or want to leave a review about this Cinnamon Scroll Sweet Focaccia? Please do so below the recipe card! I always love answering your questions and hearing your feedback.
If you make this recipe, please follow me and tag me on Instagram, Tik Tok, or Pinterest so I can see your wonderful creations!
Cheesy Sesame Seed Focaccia
Ingredients
Focaccia dough
- 700 g bread flour
- 680 g lukewarm water, (100°F / 34°C) - 95% hydration
- 7 g dry yeast
- 12 g fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 60 g olive oil, extra virgin
Topping
- 4 oz baby bocconcini
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 tspb black sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon flakey sea salt
Instructions
Focaccia dough
- Activate yeast: Stir water, yeast, and honey in a medium bowl with a whisk. Wait for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy, signalling that the yeast is ready.
- Dry ingredients: In a different large bowl, whisk flour and salt. Then, pour in the yeast mixture, stirring with a spoon or your hands to form a wet, sticky dough without dry spots. Cover the bowl with plastic or a damp cloth for 10 minutes.
- Stretch and fold: Afterward, with damp hands, stretch a piece of the dough and fold it across itself. Turn the bowl and repeat this action three more times, covering the dough again for another 10 minutes. This is the stretch and fold method and it will strengthen your dough. On the final stretch and fold, continue until the dough shapes into a ball.
- 1st proof: Coat a new bowl with 20g of olive oil, place the dough inside, and cover it tightly with plastic. Let it rest in the fridge between 12 to 72 hours; this is the first proof. We only need half of the dough for this recipe so slice the dough in half and use the second half for a different recipe.
- 2nd proof: Oil a baking tin with another 20g of olive oil. Move the dough there, gently stretching it to a rough rectangle, but not to the tin's edges—it will spread as it rises. Protect it with a damp cloth and let it rise for 2 hours in a warm spot.
Cheesy Sesame Seed Focaccia
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F).
- Toppings: After the rise, dimple the dough with your fingers. Scatter the baby bocconcini, parmesan, sesame seeds and salt all over. Drizzle over the olive oil.
- Bake & rest: Bake for 30 minutes until golden on top.Allow the focaccia to cool slightly before transferring it to a wire rack to rest for 15 minutes. Slice into it and serve immediately.
Notes
- Dough: We only need half of the dough for this recipe so slice the dough in half and use the second half for a different recipe. You can use many of focaccia toppings!
- Yeast: I like to use dry yeast that needs to be activated in water however, you can use instant yeast if you prefer. There is no need to activate instant yeast so simply add it to the dry ingredients along with the water and honey.
- Flour: If you don't have bread flour, all purpose flour will also work.
- Cheese: This recipe uses baby bocconcini and parmesan for the perfect mix of gooey and sharp, but you can also try mozzarella, provolone or pecorino for different flavour profiles.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
What a beautiful recipe. I love all your different focaccia toppings and this one did not disappoint. Thank you!
Thank you for the lovely comment! So glad to hear you have been enjoying them all.