Easy Homemade Focaccia with Rosemary

Crispy on the outside, soft and airy inside, this homemade focaccia is packed with flavor from olive oil, flaky salt, and fresh rosemary. Perfect as a side, for sandwiches, or just on its own!

Hands down, one of the easiest, softest and most delicious breads I've made!

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Recipe

Servings: 8

Calories per serving: ~220

Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Easy Homemade Focaccia with Rosemary

Ingredients

• 3 ¾ cups (470g) all-purpose flour

• 1 ½ teaspoons salt

• 1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) instant yeast

• 1 ½ cups warm water (~110°F)

• 2 tablespoons honey or sugar

• ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

• Flaky salt, for topping

Instructions

1. Activate yeast: In a large bowl, combine warm water, honey (or sugar), and yeast. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.

2. Make the dough: Add flour, salt, and olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then knead for 5–7 minutes until smooth and slightly sticky.

3. First rise: Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 to 2 hours until doubled in size.

4. Shape the focaccia: Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan. Press the dough into the pan, stretching it to fit. Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes.

5. Dimple & top: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Use your fingers to press deep dimples into the dough. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary and flaky salt.

6. Bake: Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown and crisp on the edges.

7. Cool & serve: Let cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy warm or at room temperature!

Nutrition (Per Serving)

• Calories: 220

• Carbs: 35g

• Protein: 5g

• Fat: 7g

Ingredients

Activate yeast

Make the dough

Make the dough

Activate yeast

Activate yeast

Make the dough

Make the dough

First rise

First rise

Grease pan

Shape the focaccia

Shape the focaccia

Shape the focaccia

Dimple & top

Dimple & top

Dimple & top

Bake

Cool & serve

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Prompt

I attempted to make a focaccia before, but I didn't engineer the prompt very well (I started with a ciabatta recipe). So this time I was determined to succeed.

I asked ChatGPT:

Focaccia recipe

It then provided me with a recipe:

Here's a simple and flavorful focaccia recipe that’s soft inside with a crispy crust. Since you prefer avoiding seed oils, this one uses olive oil.

Easy Homemade Focaccia

Ingredients

• 3 ¾ cups (470g) all-purpose flour

• 1 ½ teaspoons salt

• 1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) instant yeast

• 1 ½ cups warm water (~110°F)

• 2 tablespoons honey or sugar

• ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• Flaky salt for topping

Optional toppings: Fresh rosemary, cherry tomatoes, olives, garlic, or parmesan (if your picky eaters allow).

Instructions

1. Activate yeast: In a large bowl, mix warm water, honey (or sugar), and yeast. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.

2. Make dough: Add flour, salt, and olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then knead for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.

3. First rise: Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 to 2 hours until doubled in size.

4. Shape the focaccia: Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish (or use parchment paper). Press the dough into the pan, stretching it to fit. Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes.

5. Dimple & top: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Use your fingers to press deep dimples into the dough. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt. Add toppings if using.

6. Bake: Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the edges.

7. Cool & serve: Let cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy warm or at room temperature!

Would your picky eaters go for this, or should I suggest a variation?

As I was making it, I noticed the dough was so sticky I couldn't even work with it, so I asked:

How sticky is it supposed to be?

It responded:

The dough should be slightly sticky but manageable. It should feel soft and tacky to the touch, but it shouldn’t be so wet that it sticks excessively to your hands or the bowl. If it feels too dry and stiff, add a tablespoon of warm water at a time. If it’s too sticky, dust in a little flour, but avoid adding too much, or the focaccia will turn dense instead of airy.

When kneading, it should come together into a smooth, elastic dough that pulls away from the bowl but still feels a little sticky. Since focaccia dough has a higher hydration level than, say, pizza dough, it’s normal for it to be a bit sticky before the first rise. Let me know if yours seems too wet or too dry!

I wanted to know more about toppings, so I asked:

What toppings? I have fresh rosemary will that work?

And it responded:

Yes! Fresh rosemary is a classic focaccia topping—it adds great aroma and flavor. Here’s how to use it:

• Chop finely or use whole sprigs: Whole sprigs look nice but can be a bit strong; chopping the leaves makes the flavor more even.

• Press it in gently: After dimpling the dough, press the rosemary lightly so it sticks.

• Combine with olive oil and flaky salt: Drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt before baking.

If you want more variety, here are a few other toppings you might like:

• Garlic – Thinly sliced or minced, added before baking.

• Cherry tomatoes – Halved and gently pressed into the dough.

• Olives – Whole or sliced, for a briny contrast.

• Caramelized onions – Adds sweetness and depth.

Would your picky eaters be okay with rosemary, or do they prefer plain?

Check out recipe at the top of the page or click the link below.

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