Gluten-Free Focaccia
Published
My gluten-free focaccia bread recipe only takes a few simple ingredients and is also naturally dairy-free and vegan. In just a little over an hour, you can enjoy this popular Italian bread with its signature fluffy texture and crispy top. I love this gluten-free focaccia recipe!
Gluten-Free Focaccia Recipe
This gluten-free focaccia bread is my definition of a simple recipe. The dough comes together easily, and I love that I don’t need any fancy bakeware to make it. I bake mine on a sheet pan slathered in olive oil and fresh herbs. It makes a great side dish, pizza crust, or sandwich bread!
Ingredients
- Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour with Xanthan Gum: I recommend Pillsbury gluten-free. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose. Not all brands of gluten-free flour are recommended for yeast baking.
- Yeast: Helps the bread rise to become light and fluffy. I like Fleischmann’s RapidRise yeast or Red Star Quick·Rise instant yeast.
- Baking Powder: Gives the yeast an extra boost so the bread rises.
- Water: Adds moisture to the dough to hydrate the flour.
- Honey: Feeds the yeast to help it become active. For a vegan option, use granulated sugar.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Helps to create a moist and tender crumb. You can substitute with lemon juice.
- Olive Oil: Helps create a light, moist, and springy texture and a crunchy brown crust.
- Salt: Enhances the natural flavor of the bread.
- Rosemary: Adds a delicious herbal flavor. Feel free to substitute for your favorite herb or spice.
Tips and Suggestions
- Measure your flour using the spoon-and-level method to avoid a dense, dry focaccia.
- Make sure your instant/rapid yeast is fresh. If your yeast expired, you will not get a good rise.
- Do not overheat the water or you could kill the yeast.
- Make sure to rise the focaccia in a warm place. I rise my bread in the oven set to 100°F.
- Don’t skip the step to dimple (poke little holes) into the dough. It helps the olive oil soak into the bread.
- Bake the focaccia on the top rack.
- Focaccia bread is easily sliced with a pizza cutter.
Why Is My Dough So Soft?
Focaccia dough is a high-hydration dough, so expect it to be soft and sticky! Couple that with gluten-free flour, and you may start to wonder if you’re making a cake or bread. My best advice is to trust the process. There’s no complicated shaping here, so let the dough do its thing. It will turn out!
Why Did My Focaccia Stick To The Pan?
If your focaccia stuck to the pan, you need to use more olive oil. Don’t be shy! Really slather both the pan and the bread in olive oil to prevent sticking.
Can I Use This Focaccia To Make Pizza?
Yes! You can top and bake the risen dough, or you can bake off the focaccia, then add your sauce and toppings and bake again to melt the cheese. The possibilities are endless!
Storage Instructions
Store leftover gluten-free focaccia bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
More Gluten-Free Bread Recipes to Try!
- Easy Gluten-Free Bread
- Gluten-Free Bread Machine Bread
- Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls
- Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread
- Gluten-Free Flatbread
- Gluten-Free Baguette
- Gluten-Free Buckwheat Bread
Gluten-Free Focaccia
Ingredients
- 3½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum
- 2¼ teaspoons rapid yeast/instant yeast, 1 packet
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 cups warm water, 110-115°F (43-46°C)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 10 tablespoons olive oil, divided (½ cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to the proofing setting or to 200°F (93°C). Once it gets to 100°F (38°C), turn off your oven.
- In a large bowl, combine the gluten-free all-purpose flour, instant yeast, gluten-free baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine the ingredients.
- Add the honey or sugar to the warm water and stir until it is dissolved.
- Pour the warm water and honey or sugar mixture into the gluten-free flour mixture and mix with your mixer on low. (I used my stand-up mixer with the paddle attachment).
- Pour ½ cup of olive oil and apple cider vinegar into the dough mixture and mix on low speed for 1-2 minutes until the dough starts to form. The dough will be sticky.
- Place the dough in a greased ovenproof bowl (I used olive oil cooking spray) and cover it with plastic wrap. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and place in the warm oven for 30 minutes to rise.
- Remove the dough from the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Pour 1 tablespoon of olive onto the middle of a baking sheet.
- Turn the bowl over on top of the greased baking sheet. Gently pat the dough into an 8×10-inch rectangle about 1-inch thick.
- Use your fingertips to press down lightly into the dough to form the dimples in the dough.
- Drizzle another tablespoon of olive oil over the dimpled dough. Sprinkle the top of the dough with salt and the chopped rosemary (or your herbs of choice).
- Bake on the top rack of the oven for 20 minutes.
- For a golden-brown crust, set your oven to broil, and broil the bread for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Please watch your oven because every broiler is different and you could over-crisp the focaccia.
Notes
- *I microwave the water in a large glass measuring cup for 30-45 seconds. I also use a thermometer to check the temperature. If your water is too hot, it will kill the yeast.
- Measure your flour using the spoon-and-level method to avoid a dense, dry focaccia.
- Make sure your instant/rapid yeast is fresh. If your yeast expired, you will not get a good rise.
- Do not overheat the water or you could kill the yeast.
- Make sure to rise the focaccia in a warm place. I rise my bread in the oven set to 100°F.
- Don’t skip the step to dimple (poke little holes) into the dough. It helps the olive oil soak into the bread.
- Bake the focaccia on the top rack.
- Focaccia bread is easily sliced with a pizza cutter.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container.
- Reheat in the oven at 375°F (190°C) on a baking sheet or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How To Make Gluten-Free Focaccia Step-by-Step
Preheat your oven to the proofing setting or to 200°F. Once it gets to 100°F, turn off your oven. In a large bowl, combine 3½ cups of gluten-free all-purpose flour, 2¼ teaspoons (1 packet) of instant yeast, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine the ingredients.
Add 1 tablespoon of honey or sugar to 2 cups of warm water and stir until it is dissolved.
Pour the warm water and honey or sugar mixture into the gluten-free flour mixture and mix with your mixer on low. (I used my stand-up mixer with the paddle attachment).
Pour ½ cup of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar into the dough mixture and mix on low speed for 1-2 minutes until the dough starts to form. The dough will be sticky.
Place the dough in a greased ovenproof bowl (I used olive oil cooking spray) and cover it with plastic wrap. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and place in the warm oven for 30 minutes to rise.
Remove the dough from the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.
Pour 1 tablespoon of olive onto the middle of a baking sheet.
Turn the bowl over on top of the greased baking sheet. Gently pat the dough into an 8×10-inch rectangle about 1-inch thick.
Use your fingertips to press down lightly into the dough to form the dimples in the dough.
Drizzle another tablespoon of olive oil over the dimpled dough. Sprinkle the top of the dough with salt and 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary (or your herbs of choice).
Bake on the top rack of the oven for 20 minutes. For a golden-brown crust, set your oven to broil, and broil the bread for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Please watch your oven because every broiler is different and you could over-crisp the focaccia.
I made this by measurements twice. Both times the dough is like a cake batter, not at all formable, it’s liquid. But it makes a very nice bread with great flavour just the same, you just can’t dimple it. Pop it in a roasting dish and then sprinkle generously with salt and herbs. 4 stars because of the liquidy recipe….I’m guessing it only works with the recommended flour, but honestly, it is yummy and worth a try.
Really good! I baked it in a 9×13 pan and put roasted garlic, rosemary, and maldon salt on top. Turned out great. I have no idea what the bad review people that had it turn into a liquid did wrong. Very easy recipe to follow.
I made this and followed all the steps and the ‘dough’ was liquid. Pure total liquid. Not a dough whatsoever and not focaccia – lots of other comments mention this and there’s been no response from the recipe maker about why the ratio is so off? If it’s because it only works with a certain type of GF flour that definitely needs to be mentioned.
Hi Jojo, we recommend Pillsbury gluten-free. What kind of flour did you use?
We made this for Focaccia Friday at my daughter’s school – they have it every week but she’s never been able to eat it (gluten intolerant). Until now! Made this, and although our dough looked really wet – it turned out brilliantly. The kids have already inhaled half the tray within 10 minutes of it coming out of the oven. This will be a new staple bake ❤️
This recipe is perfect. Followed it exactly and it came out crusty, airy, chewy. Everything you expect a foccacia to be. Easy and quick too. My kids didn’t notice it was any different to the usual focaccias (glutenful) I make. it’s a keeper!
Once a month we get together with friends for “Soup Night”. We take turns at each of our homes. One of our friends is GF so I am always looking for recipes. On my turn, I made a Chick pea noodle soup and made the focaccia bread to go with it. It was a Big hit! They couldn’t stop talking about it. The bread is so tasty and easy to make. I have to say I was a little nervous because the texture of the dough was loose and floppy, but the results were perfect. My friends left with the recipe. ❤️
I just made it and noticed that all those who complain were wrong. I added for toppings fresh organo leaves, fresh basil and fresh Rosemery (all chopped), coarse salt, onions, peppers and tomatoes, and some parmesan cheese it turned out delicious. this is a base recipe so you can be creative
Very bland. I added generous amounts of garlic, salt and rosemary to the top. Consistency is biscuit like with minimal flavour throughout the body of the bread. Even dipped in olive oil and balsamic it was hard to finish a small portion.
Hi Nicole, sorry it didn’t turn out for you.
Tried this twice, following the cookbook recipe, which is slightly different measurements – less flour, less water, etc. Am in north Europe and the flour had guar gum so I didn’t add xantham gum. Dough resembled a thick batter and kind of slopped into the pan. No chance to fit it into the corners or dimple it. Taste was still good but it didn’t really resemble a focaccia bread.
It was very sticky, almost runny, but I proceeded to the proofing stage. Almost doubled in size after 30-minutes in the 100oF oven. Too runny to add holes with fingers before it went in the oven. Topped with fresh rosemary and olive oil anyway. After 30 minutes, it was golden, so I took it out. Let it rest for 20 minutes, and as I was cutting it, realized it wasn’t really done (bit raw inside). The flavor was incredible though. Searched the comments and discovered that the water and flour metric measurements might be inverted. Chose metric with a scale for accuracy, so that’s a shame (especially since I used high quality, expensive ingredients). Will try again though because truly, this tasted incredible.