Honey Butter Focaccia

Fluffy and sweet honey butter focaccia is such a fun side dish to make when you don’t want to fuss with making honey butter rolls. This is naturally fermented, gut healthy sourdough focaccia topped with melted honey and butter, then topped with flaky sea salt.

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❤️ Why You’ll Love Honey Butter Focaccia

This is one of the easiest breads you can make, which is in complete contract to an actual honey butter roll. This focaccia is all things light, fluffy, sweet and sticky. But also, for sharing purposes, it’s simple to travel with, simple to serve and such a good alternative to the classic rolls.

🍲 Ingredients

Sourdough Starter – bubbly, active sourdough starter that has been previously fed and is at its peak.

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Flour – I use Kirkland’s organic, unbleached all-purpose flour for all of my recipes because it’s affordable and good quality! Use what you have on hand, as long as it is unbleached.

Water – Filtered water is always best for sourdough.

Olive oil – Good quality olive oil will give your bread better flavor.

Salt – Use salt for the dough, and flaky sea salt for the topping.

Honey – I like the raw honey from Costco!

Butter – Melted butter for the honey topping.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Honey Butter Focaccia

In the morning, feed your sourdough starter.
In the afternoon, when your starter is active and bubbly assemble your dough.

Dough assembly

In a mixing bowl, whisk together your starter, water, honey, and olive oil until the sourdough starter and honey dissolve and a milky liquid forms.
Add your flour and salt and mix together until a shaggy dough forms.
Cover and let rest for 45 minutes.
After resting, stretch and fold your dough by lifting one side of the dough up and towards the middle, rotating the bowl each time until a semi smooth ball forms. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes – 1 hour.
Perform 2 – 4 more stretch and folds to devlop stretch in your dough, every 30 minutes. After your last stretch and fold, cover your bowl with a damp bowl cover or tea towel and let rest on your counter overnight for 12 hours.

The next morning

The next morning your dough should be bubbly and has doubled in size.
Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil into your baking dish and dump your dough directly on top. Take one end of the dough and fold it over and towards the middle, take the other end and do the same so your dough resembles an envelope, and everything is coated in the olive oil.
Flip your dough over so it is seam side down, cover with a towel and let rest for 1 – 2 hours until the dough is puffy and has doubled in size.
Melt your butter and honey together and preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
When your dough is ready to bake, evenly pour the honey butter mixture all over the surface of the dough.
Dimple the surface with your fingertips to create little holes.
Bake at 450 degrees for 25 – 28 minutes until the top is golden brown and crispy.
Remove your bread and finish with a generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Let cool and serve as a side to your favorite dinner or with some extra butter!

🪄 Tips and Tricks

If you don’t have a 9×13 baking dish to use, a rimmed baking sheet or a cast-iron skillet works well. Consider the thickness you want because a deep pan yields thicker focaccia, while a shallow one will produce a thinner, crustier bread.
If you want a more pronounced sweetness, increase the honey. If you prefer it less sweet, reduce the amount of honey or balance it with a bit of salt.
use good quality flour (bread flour often works best for a chewier texture)

🗒 Variations

This is not an exaggeration, the possibilities of sourdough focaccia are endless. It is such a good way to use seasonal flavors and toppings. I have a ton of focaccia recipes to try out! Here are some of your favorites –

🗒 Substitutions

All-purpose flour: You can use bread flour for a chewier texture.
Whole wheat flour: This can be used for a denser, nuttier flavor; you’ll need to adjust hydration
Instant yeast: approximately 1 cup of starter will replace about 2 teaspoons of yeast, and you’ll adjust the flour and water accordingly.
And then of course, adding any flavor inclusions or toppings that you like.

🗒 Best served with

Holiday side dishes.
Breakfast/ brunch spread.
Alongside a cheese platter, a fresh salad, or hearty soups.

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Cool Completely: Make sure your focaccia is completely cooled before storing it.

Wrap It Up: Wrap the focaccia in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Alternatively, you can place it in an airtight container.

Room Temperature: Store it at room temperature in a cool, dry place. Avoid direct sunlight or heat sources..

🤔 Common Questions

What if my dough isn’t bubbling?

Make sure that when you put together your dough that your sourdough starter is at its peak! If it is, let your dough ferment a little longer so it can get nice and puffy.

My dough seems so sticky, what do I do?

IF you are first putting together your dough and it seems sticky, that is totally normal. But you can do more stretch and folds to strengthen your dough and ensure that the gluten is strong which will help with the stickiness. But if it is still too tacky, add a little bit of flour until it is easier to handle.

5 from 1 vote

Print recipe

Fluffy and sweet honey butter focaccia is such a fun side dish to make when you don't want to fuss with making honey butter rolls. This is naturally fermented, gut healthy sourdough focaccia topped with melted honey and butter, then topped with flaky sea salt.

Prep Time:2

Cook Time:27

Fermenting time:13

Total Time:15 27

Equipment

food scale
mixing bowl
dough whisk
9×13 baking dish
Basting brush
bread knife

Ingredients

150 grams bubbly, active sourdough starter
600 grams all purpose flour
380 grams filtered water
25 grams honey
35 grams olive oil
10 grams salt

Topping

4 tbs melted butter
2 tbs honey
sprinkle of flaky sea salt