Garlic Butter Focaccia
Nov 15, 2023, Updated Jul 10, 2024
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Originating in Rome, focaccia is one of the most popular breads around the world, and also one of my most popular recipes. Why? Because, it’s absolutely delicious and also a cinch to make. Focaccia is this magical bread that is good by itself, with sandwiches or dipped into the traditional oil and vinegar.
This time I’ve paired it with my garlic butter for an indulgent snack that’s summer picnic ready (or perfect for the Thanksgiving table). Garlic butter focaccia is a real crowd pleaser.
Garlic butter focaccia
Why garlic butter? Well, as the internet’s go-to garlic girl, I couldn’t possibly have all my variations without one that was dedicated to garlic!
It’s almost a twist on garlic bread but can also be used as the base of other ingredients, like a roasted eggplant sandwich or for your leftover Thanksgiving meat – this would really suit some roasted turkey or cranberry sauce to add some sweetness to the decadent bread.
Bready or not!
I know that during many global lockdowns, people got their bake on! From experimenting with sourdough starters through to creating decadent and decorative focaccias and turkish breads, the sky became the limit for creative kitchen hands.
And, do you know why? Because – baking bread can be so easy! Especially when it’s my no knead focaccia!
It’s miraculously easy and also masquerades as being tough – everyone wins! It’s such a great way to show off. The only thing you need is a bit of time.
Baking bread is not a last minute decision. If you’re heading out the door to a festive dinner party or potluck and you’ve forgotten to make something, sorry – focaccia is off the table. But, if you have time on your side – then this will knock the roast off the centerpiece!
FAQ about garlic butter focaccia
What can I have it with?
This is such a great recipe because literally anything! If you’re having a pasta dish it will be a great accompaniment. Pair it with a roast at the centre of the table. Or go vegetarian and replace the crackers with some bread to pair with my spicy feta dip.
what size baking dish do you use?
34cm x 23cm x 5cm.
How do I tell when the bread is done?
This garlic butter focaccia will tell you when it’s done by forming a crispy crunchy top and a fluffy inside. Tap your knife on the top of the bread to hear the satisfying sound when it’s ready to pull out of the oven.
If you make this garlic butter focaccia, please tag me on Instagram, Tik Tok or Pinterest so I can see your wonderful creations!
If you have any questions or would like to leave a review, please do so here! I always love answering your food and recipe related questions and hearing your feedback on my recipes.
Images by Alanna Penna Photography.
Garlic butter focaccia
Ingredients
Garlic Butter
- 2 bulbs garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 100 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 30 g chives , finely sliced
- 50 g parmesan, grated
- salt and pepper
Focaccia
- 700 g bread flour
- 680 g lukewarm water, (100 degrees F / 34 degrees C) 95% hydration
- 7 g dry yeast
- 12 g fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp honey, optional
- 60 g extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsp garlic butter
Instructions
Garlic Butter
- Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius / 320 degrees Farenheit.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the top off the garlic bulbs, about 2 – 3 cm down from the top to expose the raw cloves. Place the bulbs of garlic into the centre of an oven proof dish, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 1 hour.
- Take the dish out of the oven and remove the garlic from the dish and set to the side. Allow to slightly cool until you are able to handle it. Using your fingers, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skin.
- Place the garlic cloves, butter, chives, parmesan and pinch of salt and pepper into a food processor and blend. Alternatively, everything can be mashed together with a fork in a large bowl.
Focaccia
- In a medium bowl, mix together the lukewarm water, yeast and honey with a whisk and leave to sit for 5 minutes or until the yeast has foamed. This will indicate that your yeast is active.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt and whisk together. Add the yeast water to the bowl with the flour and bring together with a wooden spoon or your hands until the flour and water is combined and there are no dry parts. The dough should be wet and sticky. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and leave to sit for 10 minutes.
- Uncover the dough and begin to stretch and fold. To do this, wet your hands, then take a section of the dough and stretch it up and fold it onto itself on the opposite side. Rotate the bowl and repeat this step three more times until you have gone all the way around the bowl. Cover and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
- Repeat the stretch and fold method until a neat ball has formed.
- In a clean bowl, drizzle 20g of extra virgin olive oil all around the sides and into the bottom. Transfer the dough to the oiled bowl and cover very well with plastic wrap. Leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 18 hours and maximum of 72 hours. This is proof 1.
- Prepare a baking tin (34cm x 23cm x 5cm) by greasing it with 20g of extra virgin olive oil. Transfer the proofed dough to the oiled baking tin. Using your fingers, stretch the dough out slightly into a rough rectangular shape. There is no need to stretch the dough out to the edges of the pan as the dough will rise and spread. Cover the tin with a damp tea towel and leave the dough to rise in a warm area of your house for 2 - 3 hours. If your dough is uncovered there is risk of too much air getting into the dough and creating a dry and crusty layer on top.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C / 390 degrees F
- Melt 4tbsp of garlic butter in the microwave or on a low heat on the stovetop.
- Once the dough has risen, use your fingers to dimple the dough. Drizzle the dough with the garlic butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil. This will help the crust of the dough get golden and crispy when baking. Finish off with a sprinkling of flakey sea salt. Bake for 30 minutes or until the dough has developed a golden crust on top.
- Let the bread slightly cool before removing it from the baking tray. Place onto a wire rack and leave to rest for 30 minutes before slicing into it.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
I am an absolute novice bread maker and this recipe came out to perfection! We made it on Christmas and have made it 3x since. It will be a staple in our home – thank you!!
Yay! I love to hear that!
This recipe is amazing and has worked so well! If I want to make the focaccia a bit bigger to fit in a bigger tray do you just up the flour ratio and water ratio equally? Example 800grm of bread flour and 780gr of luke warm water and maybe a little more salt?
I am so happy to hear that! The best way to work it out is to follow the bakers percentage. 100% is the flour and you want anywhere from 80 – 100% hydration for the dough so that will be the water. Salt is 2% and yeast is 1%. Google it if you need a little more explanation but I hope that helps!
can this be made with gluten Free flour? If yes, what type of adjustments should be made to the recipe?
I have never made it with GF flour! It might be best to follow a GF focaccia recipe for the best result.
Hi!! What yeast do you typically use? I’m a new baker and I want the greatest chance of success so I’d love to use exactly what you used!
I use a 7g sachet of dry yeast. If you head to my garlic confit focaccia page, I have lots of notes on how to make the focaccia and what brand of ingredients i use.
Oh, My! SO good!! SO GOOD!! I used recipe scaled to six servings and it filled my 9x13ceramic pan. I had some garlic stuffed olives so I thinly sliced those and scattered on top. Light, airy, crispy edges, chewy and flavorful. 👍
What size baking dish?
The baking dish is 34cm x 23cm x 5cm.
The ingredient list calls for 2 bulbs of garlic for the garlic butter, but in the instructions it references a single bulb?
I have updated it to reference 2 garlic bulbs!
I’m not much much of a baker as my heart lies in cooking and I absolutely adore your focaccia recipe. It’s easy and delicious and perfect for non-bakers like myself. I’ve made it many times, to go with soups, to go with charcuterie and cheese boards and to simply enjoy as is, maybe with a little fleur de sel and authentic Italian olive oil. However it was served, it has never failed to make everyone enthusiastic. Thanks!
Do you have to use bread flour or can you use regular flower?
I think bread flour yields a better result but you can absolutely use all purpose if that is all you have!
You’re cooking vessel seem to be glass and covered with crinkled parchment paper is that correct? Because when I’ve made the facacia it stuck crazy to the glass baking sheet
It’s an enamel baking tin. Use baking paper if you are worried it might stick!
Yes, a little bit more info on the pan and pan prep would be appreciated. (Size? Edges or flat? Buttered? etc). My trial batch is proofing overnight, and I am excited for this recipe!
The pan I use is 34cm x 23cm x 5cm.
I have made other foccacia recipes a bunch of times with all purpose flour and they have all failed. The bread turns out very oily inside and out, so chewy and tough that it’s almost hard to chew. Is that because of the all purpose flour? Because I want to make your recipe but I’m so scared it’s gonna be a waste of time and that it’s gonna fail. I don’t know how to get the crispy outside and fluuuuffy inside 🙁 plz help