This homemade Focaccia Pizza Dough Recipe is just as simple as making regular pizza dough. Once prepared, spread into a well oiled pan, top with sauce and scatter with desired cheese and toppings and bake. The results are a delicious crispy outer crust that’s also tender and airy on the inside. Yields 1 (9×13) pizza or about 8 large slices.
I started making focaccia as the base of my pizzas a few years ago. Although not an original concept, I still wanted that classic crisp, buttery crust with signature soft and chewy texture. So I started playing around with it and decided that is was a new favorite way to make homemade pizzas.
You can top it with any desired toppings you wish! From classic pepperoni to supreme, this Focaccia Pizza Dough can handle it all. However, if you’re looking for my focaccia bread recipe, click here.
To Make Homemade Focaccia You Will Need:
- honey – Helps to feed the yeast. Can substitute with sugar.
- warm water – Dissolves and activates the yeast. Water should be between 110-115°.
- active dry yeast – Lends flavor and helps baked goods rise.
- bread flour – Has higher protein than regular flour which will produce more gluten to achieve a better rise in bread.
- kosher salt – Enhances the flavor of this recipe.
- olive oil – Gives the focaccia flavor, moisture and helps give the bread a crisp outer texture.
Add 1 teaspoon honey to a medium mixing bowl, pour 1 cup warm/hot water (roughly 115°) and whisk until the honey dissolves. Whisk in 2-1/4 teaspoons (or 1 envelope) active dry yeast and set off to the side for about 5 minutes.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook attachment, measure and add 2-2/3 cup bread flour and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Turn the mixer on low and stir until combined.
Once the yeast is frothy…
Add it into the mixer with the flour.
Mix until incorporated, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go.
When the dough is just about combined, add in 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Continue to mix until for 4 minutes or the dough is smooth and no longer sticking to the bowl.
Remove the dough off of the hook and shape into a ball. Add a tablespoon of oil to a clean bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl and use it to coat the inside of the bowl with oil. This keeps the dough from sticking to the bowl as it rises. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
Once the focaccia dough has risen, remove the plastic wrap.
With your impeccably clean hands, press or punch down the dough to deflate it.
Transfer the dough to a well oiled 9×13 pan. Prior to the dough, I add a generous amount of olive oil and use a pastry brush to coat the entire inside of the pan. Stretch the dough to fit. For some reason I can never get the dough to fit the corners.
Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise one last time for 30 minutes.
After the dough has risen, use your knuckle to make divots into the dough.
Top with sauce, cheese and other desired toppings. Bake on the middle to lower-third of your preheated (425°) for 9 minutes, then reduce the oven temp to 375° and continue baking for 9 to 12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown in spots.
What Pizzas To Make Using Focaccia Pizza Dough?
- Classic pepperoni with mozzarella
- Focaccia Supreme Pizza
- Jalapeño Hot Honey Pizza (recipe coming soon)
Enjoy! And if you give this Focaccia Pizza Dough Recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Focaccia Pizza Dough Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Aid 7-Quart Pro-Line Stand Mixer
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 cup warm water
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast or 1 (.25 ounce) envelope
- 2⅔ cup unbleached bread flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for bowl and baking pan
Instructions
MAKE THE DOUGH:
- Add honey to a medium mixing bowl and pour in the warm/hot water (roughly 115°) and whisk until the honey dissolves. Whisk in the active dry yeast and set off to the side for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook attachment, measure and add bread flour and kosher salt. Turn the mixer on low and stir until combined.
- Once the yeast mixture is foamy, add it to the mixer. Mix until incorporated, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go.
- When the dough is just about combined, add in olive oil. Continue to mix until for 4 minutes or the dough is throughly combined.
ALLOW THE DOUGH TO RISE:
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large clean bowl. Remove the dough off of the hook and shape into a ball. Transfer the dough to the greased bowl and toss the dough around to coat in the oil. Then use the coated dough to grease the inside of the bowl. This keeps the dough from sticking to the bowl as it rises.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
- Once the dough has risen, use your impeccably clean hands to press or punch down the dough to deflate it.
- Transfer the dough to a well oiled 9×13 pan. I add a generous amount of oil beforehand and use a pastry brush to coat the entire inside of the pan.
- Stretch the dough to fit. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise a second time for 30 minutes.
MAKE THE PIZZA:
- While the dough rises, move your oven rack to the lower third of your oven and preheat it to 425°
- After the dough has risen, use your knuckle to make divots into the dough and spread 1/2 cup (more or less to your preference) pizza sauce over top of the focaccia.
- Top with cheese and any desired toppings.
- Bake the pizza on the middle to lower-third rack in your preheated oven for 9 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 375° and bake for 9 more minutes or until the cheese has melted and is golden brown in spots.
- Once baked, allow the pizza to cool in the pan for a few minutes before using a spatula to carefully lift and slide it out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Use a pizza cutter and cut into 8 large pieces before serving.
