Easy Focaccia Muffins from Scratch
These focaccia muffins are the absolute best, and they are super versatile! You can make this recipe in one day or let the dough slowly ferment in the fridge for bubblier focaccia. Use bread flour or all-purpose flour, depending on what you have. Have fun with the toppings or keep it simple with flaky salt. These muffins are perfectly crisp on the outside, bubbly and soft on the inside, and they're amazing with olive oil bread dip!
Ingredients
- 480 milliliters warm water 105-110°F (4 cups)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 480 grams bread flour see notes for all-purpose flour (4 cups)
- 15 grams Kosher salt I use Morton (1 Tablespoon)
- 60 milliliters good olive oil divided, more as needed (1/4 cup)
- Flaky salt for topping
- Roughly chopped fresh rosemary for topping
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook or dough whisk
- 1 large mixing bowl
- Cupcake pan or muffin tin
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Stir the warm water and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the active dry yeast over the top and whisk until the mixture is milky. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, until the yeast is foamy.
- Then, add the bread flour and Kosher salt. Using a bread hook or dough whisk, mix the ingredients together until there are no more streaks of flour. The dough will be very wet. Cover the dough with a damp linen and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
Stretch & Fold
- After 30 minutes, it's time to do the stretch and folds, which help develop gluten and incorporate air into the dough without kneading. Wet your hands, and then grab a section of the dough along the edge of the bowl. Pull the dough up, stretching it until it won't go any further without tearing.
- Pull the dough towards the center and fold it down. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this process 12-16 times total, until the dough goes from loose and sticky to smooth and structured. (The dough will still be wet, though.)
Ferment the Dough
- Grease a large mixing bowl with about 2 Tablespoons (30 milliliters) of olive oil. (You can eyeball this.) Transfer the focaccia dough to the bowl and turn the dough so it's very well-covered in olive oil.
- Cover the bowl with a lid. If you don't have a lid, cover the bowl with a damp linen, followed by plastic wrap or a bowl cover. Refrigerate the dough for as little as 12 hours or up to 72 hours. (The longer it ferments, the bubblier the focaccia will be.) The dough should be doubled or tripled and it will be super bubbly.
Assemble & Bake
- Once the dough is fermented, place a sheet pan or pizza stone on the center rack of the oven and preheat it to 450°F (230°C). Grease the cups of a standard muffin/cupcake pan with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil per cup, making sure to focus on the edges. Set aside.
- Use a measuring cup to divide the dough between the greased muffin cups. Each cup will hold about 1/2 cup of dough. Cover the pan with a linen and let the dough rise in a warm spot until the muffins are puffy, about 30-60 minutes. The rise time will depend on how warm your kitchen is.
- Drizzle the tops of the muffins with about 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil each. Using clean, oiled fingers, poke the muffins in various areas to create beautiful dimples and bubbles. Sprinkle flaky salt and chopped rosemary over the tops of the muffins.
- Once the oven is hot, place the pan on the hot sheet pan/pizza stone. Bake the muffins for 22-24 minutes, until they are tall and golden-brown. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, and then enjoy them right away or transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container or bread bag for 2-3 days. Or, wrap the muffins in parchment paper, pop them into a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
Weighing the ingredients with a scale is key in this recipe, so you don't use too much flour (which will make the bread dry and dense). If you do not have a scale, whisk the flour until it's fluffy. Spoon the fluffed flour into a measuring cup and level it without packing it into the cup.
All-purpose (AP) flour will also work for this recipe. Please keep in mind that it will not be as soft and bubbly since AP flour has less protein than bread flour.
If you are using Diamond Kosher salt and you are not weighing it, you will need 1 3/4-2 Tablespoons.
Sensitive to salt? Reduce it to 10 grams (2 teaspoons).
Feel free to swap the rosemary with whatever toppings you like. Herbs, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and parmesan are all good options!
To make this recipe same-day, skip the overnight rise. Cover the dough and let it rise for 1 1/2-2 hours in a warm spot, until doubled. All other steps will be the same!
The stored muffins will become softer over time. To revive the crust, bake the muffins on a sheet pan at 350°F (177°C) for 5-10 minutes.
Serving: 1muffin, Calories: 188kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 681mg, Potassium: 45mg, Fiber: 1g
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