Focaccia is the most forgiving way into high-hydration bread, and one of the most rewarding: a wet, olive-oil-rich dough poured into a sheet pan, dimpled all over with your fingertips, and showered with flaky salt before it bakes into a golden slab with a crisp, oil-fried bottom and a soft, open, almost airy interior. No shaping skill required — the pan does the shaping — which is why it lands at beginner despite the slack dough.
At 78% hydration the dough is wet and sticky, and that is the point: all that water becomes the steam and the big open holes that make focaccia light rather than bready. The 5% oil in the dough tenderizes the crumb, but the olive oil that really defines focaccia is the topping oil — a generous coat in the pan and over the top, well beyond what the dough carries. That finishing oil (typically a couple of tablespoons per pan, not counted in the baker's percentage) is what fries the bottom crisp and pools in the marks to confit the surface.
There is almost no kneading. You mix, then build strength with a few stretch-and-folds in the bowl during the bulk ferment, then let the dough relax into the oiled pan before the final proof. The dimpling step, done with oiled fingertips right before baking, both shapes the signature craters and degasses the dough just enough for an even rise.
Two paths are documented here: a same-day no-knead version for focaccia this afternoon, and a cold-fermented version that rests in the fridge overnight for deeper, tangier flavor and an even more open crumb. Either way, finish with flaky salt and whatever you like — rosemary, halved tomatoes, thin onion — pressed into the dimples before it goes in.
At a glance
At its default setting, this Focaccia recipe makes a 9×13-inch pan — about 819g of dough in total. In baker's percentage that breaks down to 440g Bread flour (100%), 343g Water (78%), 8.8g Salt (2%), 4.4g Instant yeast (1%), and 22g Olive oil (5%). Change the pan size or enter a target dough weight in the calculator and every amount rescales to match, in grams or ounces.
Recommended hydration
70–80%
Calorie-conscious
Switch to scale a leaner version of this recipe — the same bread with fats and sugar pulled to their lowest sensible amounts. The calculator, ingredients, and nutrition all update to the lean formula.
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Pan dimensions (in)
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Display unit
Total dough
819g
440gBread flour100% baker's
343gWater78% baker's
8.8gSalt2% baker's
4.4gInstant yeast1% baker's
22gOlive oil5% baker's
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Step-by-step method
How to bake this Focaccia
Showing variant: Same-day no-knead
The fastest path to focaccia: a no-knead high-hydration dough, four bowl folds during bulk, then press into an oiled pan and bake. The signature dimpled, airy crumb and crackly-golden crust happen the same day.
About 4 hours total. Mix in a bowl, fold a few times, press into pan, bake.
01
Mix
5 minutesroom temperature
1.Combine flour, warm water (~80°F / 27°C), salt, and yeast in a large bowl. HOLD BACK the olive oil — adding it after the flour is hydrated keeps it from coating the flour proteins and slowing gluten development. Mix with a wet hand or spatula until no dry flour remains. It will be very wet and shaggy.
2.Drizzle the olive oil over the dough and squish it in with a wet hand for 30 seconds. Some oil pooling at the edges is fine — the folds during bulk will incorporate it fully.
3.No kneading. The folds during bulk do all the gluten work.
02
Bulk fermentation
2.5 hours78°F / 25.5°C
1.Cover the bowl. Do one set of at 30, 60, and 90 minutes. Three sets total. Use a wet hand.
2.Rest the dough untouched for the last hour. It should be very bubbly, jiggly, and roughly doubled.
03
Shape
5 minutesroom temperature
1.Pour 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil into a 9×13″ sheet pan. Spread to coat the bottom and corners.
2.Carefully tip the dough into the pan. Gravity is your friend here, no aggressive shaping.
3.Lift and stretch the dough to fill the pan, but stop if it tears. It'll continue relaxing during the proof.
04
Final proof
45–60 minutes78°F / 25.5°C
1.Cover loosely and proof until the dough fills the pan and looks pillowy.
2.Preheat the oven to 450°F / 232°C during the last 25 minutes.
05
Bake
20–25 minutes450°F / 232°C
1.Drizzle 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil over the top of the proofed dough.
2.With wet fingertips, : press straight down through the dough to the pan bottom, all over the surface. The oil pools in the dimples.
3.Sprinkle generously with flaky salt and any other toppings (rosemary, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced onion).
4.Bake until deeply golden and the bottom releases easily from the pan when lifted with a spatula.
5.Slide onto a rack immediately so the bottom doesn't steam soggy.
The same focaccia dough, with an overnight in place of part of the warm bulk. Slower fermentation means more developed flavor, slightly chewier crumb, and a project you start one day and finish the next. Worth the wait if you have it.
About 26 hours total. Same dough, but rests in the fridge overnight for richer flavor and a more open crumb.
01
Mix
5 minutesroom temperature
1.Combine flour, cool water (~65°F / 18°C — cool for the long cold rest), salt, yeast (use HALF the yeast called for. The long cold rest does the rest), and oil in a large bowl.
2.Mix with a wet hand until no dry flour remains.
02
Bulk fermentation
90 minutes78°F / 25.5°C
1.Cover and do a set of at 30 and 60 minutes. After the second fold, the dough should be smooth and starting to look airy.
03
Cold retard
18–24 hours38°F / 3°C
1.Transfer the dough to a large oiled container (it will at least double. Give it room).
2.Cover tightly and refrigerate. Overnight up to 24 hours.
04
Shape
5 minutescool counter
1.Oil a 9×13″ sheet pan generously with 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil.
2.Tip the cold dough into the pan, then leave it alone. Let it warm up and relax for 30 minutes before stretching.
05
Final proof
90 minutes78°F / 25.5°C
1.Stretch the dough out to fill the pan. Cover loosely and proof.
2.Preheat the oven to 450°F / 232°C during the last 30 minutes.
Cold-ferment dough needs longer at room temperature than same-day to recover its rise. Be patient. Bubbles popping on the surface is the green light.
06
Bake
22–28 minutes450°F / 232°C
1.Drizzle the top with 1–2 tablespoons more olive oil.
2.: press fingertips straight through to the pan, all over the dough.
3.Add flaky salt and toppings. Bake until deeply golden and the bottom is crisp.
4.Slide onto a rack out of the pan immediately.
Frequently asked
Questions about this recipe.
How do I scale this Focaccia recipe to make more or fewer loaves?+
Use the calculator on this page. Adjust the output count or per-loaf weight; every ingredient amount updates automatically. You can also enter a total dough weight and the calculator works backwards. The Focaccia recipe is written in baker's percentages, so it scales proportionally without changing the bread's character.
More general questions about ratios, hydration, and the calculator on the FAQ page.