Easy Garlic Butter Focaccia

There’s truly something special about the smell of fresh bread baking. It fills every corner of the house and somehow makes everyone rally in the kitchen, all asking the same question: “Is it ready yet?” But I get it—making bread from scratch can feel overwhelming, especially after a long day when you’re already managing dinners, homework, and a million other things.

That’s exactly why I love focaccia. It’s super adaptable, doesn’t demand any fancy kneading moves, and tastes like you spent all afternoon making it when in reality, it’s fairly hands-off. This garlic butter version is my favorite go-to whenever I want homemade bread without the fuss. The dough practically takes care of itself, and the garlic butter topping? That’s what makes this bread an instant family favorite.

Looking for crusty bread to serve with dinner? This is your answer. Want to wow weekend guests? Yep, this too. I make it so often these days that my kids even ask for it in their lunch boxes!

Why You’ll Love This Garlic Butter Focaccia

• Simple ingredients – Most of these you already have in your kitchen, so you can pull this bread together anytime without extra shopping trips.
• Perfect for beginners – Focaccia is forgiving bread. Even if you’re new to working with yeast, you’ll get beautiful results that feel impressive.
• Ready in less than 90 minutes – This bread bakes up faster than many yeast breads, making it a great choice for busy nights.
• Delicious garlic butter topping – Melted butter, fresh garlic, and parmesan make a crust that’s golden, crispy, and totally addictive.
• Versatile for any meal – Whether with soup, sandwiches, or just with extra butter, this focaccia fits the bill every time.

What Kind of Flour Should I Use?

All-purpose flour is your best friend here and it delivers that classic chewy bite you want in focaccia. Don’t stress about needing bread flour or anything fancy – plain all-purpose flour will do the trick just fine from any grocery store. If you have bread flour, that’s great too and can give you a slightly chewier texture, but it’s totally optional. Just make sure your flour is fresh — old flour sitting around loses its power and can make your dough rise less.

Options for Substitutions

This focaccia recipe is pretty flexible, so if you’re missing something, here are some easy swaps to keep in mind:

• All-purpose flour: Bread flour works too for a chewier loaf, but avoid whole wheat here — it makes bread dense. Stick with all-purpose or bread flour for the best soft texture.
• Active dry yeast: Instant yeast is fine here—just use the same amount and mix it straight into the dry ingredients without proofing first.
• Honey: Granulated sugar does the job perfectly. Maple syrup also works, or you can leave it out if you want, though the sweetener helps activate your yeast.
• Salted butter: Unsalted butter works just as well, just add a pinch more salt to the dough. For dairy-free, swap butter out completely for olive oil.
• Fresh parsley: If you don’t have fresh on hand, dried parsley works—use about 2–3 tablespoons. Or swap with fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano for a tasty twist.
• Parmesan cheese: Romano, asiago, or even sharp cheddar can be great substitutes. For dairy-free, leave out the cheese entirely and add a bit more herbs instead.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest oops I see is rushing the dough’s rise time. Your focaccia dough really needs at least 1 to 2 hours to double—it can’t be skipped. If you do, the bread ends up dense and heavy instead of light and fluffy.

Next, watch the water temperature for your yeast. Too hot and you’ll kill the yeast; stick with water that feels warm, around 100–110°F (that’s hand-warm), and always let your yeast foam up for 5 to 10 minutes before mixing so you know it’s alive and kicking.

Don’t skip on the olive oil either. This bread should be drizzled generously both in the pan and on top for that tender crust. And for the dough, be gentle—don’t over-knead since focaccia needs a soft, rustic texture with a little stickiness.

Finally, make sure your oven is fully preheated. For an extra crusty golden outside, try putting a small pan of water on the bottom rack to create steam, which locks in moisture and helps the crust crisp up beautifully.

What to Serve With Garlic Butter Focaccia?

This focaccia shines next to a big bowl of rich marinara pasta or a cozy minestrone soup — the bread is perfect for soaking up all those wonderful juices. I also love pairing it with an antipasto platter piled high with olives, cured meats, and fresh mozzarella for a simple, casual Italian-style meal. It goes great with grilled chicken or fish too, but honestly, it’s so good on its own it works as a snack with a glass of wine. For breakfast or brunch, try toasting slices and drizzling with good olive oil plus a sprinkle of flaky sea salt — it’s a little slice of heaven.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Garlic butter focaccia tastes best when kept at room temperature, wrapped in a clean kitchen towel or stored in a bread box for up to 2 days. This way, the crust stays delightfully crisp. If you need to keep it longer, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to a week.

Freeze: This bread freezes beautifully for up to 3 months! Wrap slices or the whole loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then pop it into a freezer bag. I like to slice before freezing so I can easily grab just what I need for sandwiches or snacks.

Warm Up: Bring back that fresh-baked magic by wrapping your focaccia in foil and warming it in a 350°F oven for 10–15 minutes. If frozen, thaw first or extend the warming time slightly. You can also toast individual slices in a regular toaster for a quick crunchy treat.

Preparation Time30-60 minutesCooking Time20-25 minutesTotal Time50-85 minutesLevel of DifficultyMedium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3900-4200
• Protein: 55-65 g
• Fat: 200-220 g
• Carbohydrates: 420-450 g

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 tbsp honey or granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus more for greasing pan)

For the garlic-herb butter:

• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

For the topping:

• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling and pan)

Step 1: Make the Yeast Mixture

• 2 cups warm water
• 2 tbsp honey or granulated sugar
• 2 tsp active dry yeast

Start by mixing 2 cups of warm water with the honey or sugar in a big bowl, stirring until the sweetener dissolves completely.

Sprinkle the yeast over the water, give it a gentle stir, and set it aside for about 10 minutes. You want to see it turn foamy and puff up — that means your yeast is alive and ready to go.

Step 2: Prepare and Rise the Dough

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• yeast mixture from Step 1

In another large bowl, mix together your flour and salt so the salt is spread throughout evenly.

Pour the foamy yeast mixture into the flour, then toss in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Stir everything together until you have a sticky dough. Cover the bowl and place it somewhere warm to rise.

Let it rest until it doubles in size — this can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours depending on how warm your kitchen is.

Step 3: Make the Garlic Butter

• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

While your dough is rising, melt the salted butter in a small pan over low heat.

Add the minced garlic and chopped parsley, then simmer gently so the butter absorbs all those fresh herbs and garlic flavors.

I like to cook this just until you can smell the garlic — too long and it might burn, so keep it low and slow.

Step 4: Incorporate Garlic Butter and Do Second Rise

• garlic butter from Step 3

When your dough has doubled, take off the cover and with hands lightly greased in olive oil, gently scrape down the dough from the sides of the bowl.

Pour the cooled garlic butter over the dough, then use the ‘pick-up, stretch, and fold’ technique—turn the bowl as you stretch and fold the dough about 8 times to help build the gluten structure.

Cover again, and let it rest for another 15 minutes to relax the gluten for the next step.

Step 5: Prepare the Pan and Do Final Proof

• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling and pan) (use 4-6 tablespoons here, plus more for greasing pan)

Next, generously rub olive oil all over a 9×13 inch baking pan.

Pour in 4 to 6 tablespoons of olive oil to fully coat the bottom.

Carefully transfer your dough into the pan, then gently stretch it out to fill the pan but don’t force it or tear the dough.

Cover it, and let it rise one last time for about 45 minutes—that final proof is key for that perfect puffy finish.

Step 6: Top, Dimple, and Bake the Focaccia

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling and pan) (use 4-6 tablespoons for drizzling here)

After the last rise, sprinkle a generous layer of grated Parmesan over the dough, plus any herbs or seasonings you like.

Drizzle another 4 to 6 tablespoons of olive oil on top to help it bake into a golden crust.

Using clean, oiled fingers, press your fingertips into the dough to create the classic focaccia dimples all over the surface.

Pop your oven to 450°F (232°C) and bake the bread for 18 to 22 minutes, or until it’s beautifully golden and crisp on top.

For an extra pop of flavor, I sometimes drizzle a little more olive oil over it as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Step 7: Cool, Slice, and Serve

Once baked, let your focaccia cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Serve it warm or at room temperature — either way, you’re in for some deliciously fluffy bread that’s downright irresistible!