Air Fryer Focaccia Bread
Air Fryer Focaccia Bread is my go-to when I want a homemade bread that impresses at the table without all the work. The dough bakes up soft, airy, and chewy inside with a beautiful golden crust. Every dimple holds a little pool of olive oil, finished with flaky sea salt and fresh rosemary that makes every bite smell and taste incredible. I make it for dinner parties, Sunday dinners, and holiday gatherings and it always gets people going back for seconds.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons dry yeast
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 6 tablespoons olive oil plus more for your hands
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
- Chopped fresh rosemary for sprinkling
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, combine the water and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes, or until foamy. If it doesn’t foam, start over with fresh yeast.1 ¾ cups warm water, 2 teaspoons sugar, 2 ¼ teaspoons dry yeast
- Add the flour and salt, and mix on low until a shaggy dough forms. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 5 minutes, until the dough is elastic and sticky, pulling away from the sides of the bowl. This dough is SUPER STICKY, one trick is to add olive oil to the sides of the dough and with your hands start separating it from the mold once you finish kneading.4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons salt
- Grease a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Transfer the dough using a spatula—it’s too sticky to handle by hand. Coat the dough with any oil on the sides. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size.
- Grease a baking dish that fits the air fryer basket or 2-4 smaller molds. Uncover the dough and rub your hands with olive oil. Gently fold the dough in on itself, working around the edges to form a rough ball.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, turning to coat in the oil. Press the dough to the edges of the pan. Let it relax and pull away from the edges, then press it back to the edges. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Remove the cover, and drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough. Rub your hands with olive oil, then use your fingers to make indentations in the dough, pressing through to the pan. Sprinkle it with sea salt, garlic, and rosemary, if desired.Flaky sea salt, Chopped fresh rosemary, 6 tablespoons olive oil
- Bake in the air fryer at 400ºF (200°C) for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Here are a few tips I've picked up from making this focaccia more times than I can count:
- Check your yeast first: If the yeast doesn't foam after 5 minutes, it's dead, and the dough won't rise. Always start with fresh yeast and warm (not hot) water to get that foam going.
- Embrace the sticky dough: Don't be tempted to add more flour to make the dough easier to handle. The stickiness is what gives focaccia its open, airy crumb. Olive oil on your hands and a spatula is your best friend here.
- Don't rush the rises: Both rise times matter. The first 1 to 1 ½ hours and the second 45-minute rise give the dough its light, pillowy structure. Skipping or cutting them short will result in denser bread.
- Press the dimples all the way down: When you make the finger indentations before baking, press all the way to the bottom of the pan firmly. Shallow dimples disappear during baking, and deep ones are what hold those olive oil pools that flavor every bite.
- Use good olive oil: Since olive oil is a main ingredient and a topping, its quality really comes through in the final bread. A good extra virgin olive oil makes a noticeable difference in flavor.
- Flash freeze for longer storage: If you want to freeze multiple slices without them sticking together, lay them on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour before transferring to freezer bags. They'll stay separate and be easy to grab one at a time.
Nutrition
Calories: 327kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 7gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 586mgPotassium: 75mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin C: 0.003mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!