Small Batch Focaccia (Muffin Pan Recipe)

Small batch focaccia muffins cooling on a rack.

5 from 1 vote

Small Batch Focaccia (Muffin Pan Recipe)

A small-batch version of my very popular overnight no-knead focaccia recipe. This recipe does take some time to prepare (mostly hands-off) but the final baked focaccia in a jumbo muffin tin will be worth the wait. The base recipe needs just 5 ingredients that you probably have in your pantry right now!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Rise time18

Total Time18 30

Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Brunch, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: Servings

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $5

Equipment

Jumbo Muffin Pan - Affiliate Link
Kitchen Scale - Affiliate Link

Ingredients

For the Dough

2 cups All-purpose flour - 260 grams - Bread flour can also be used
1 tsp Kosher salt - 5 grams
1 tsp Instant yeast - 4 grams
1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil - 14 grams (Plus extra for drizzling)
1 cup Lukewarm water - 235 grams
Extra olive oil for drizzling

For Baking and Garnish

1 tsp Butter - For greasing the muffin pan
2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil, divided - for greasing the muffin pan and for oiling the dough
1-2 tbsp Fresh rosemary
Flaky salt

Instructions

Mix. To a medium bowl, add 2 cups All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Kosher salt, 1 tsp Instant yeast, 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil and 1 cup Lukewarm water. Mix with a wooden spoon or fork until all the flour is hydrated. The mix should be shaggy but not sloppy.
Rise. Drizzle some olive oil over the top of the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting cover and refrigerate overnight at least 18 hours.
Deflate and portion. At least 1 hour before you want to bake the focaccia, take the bowl out of the fridge and uncover it. Using your hands or a dough scraper deflate the dough slightly and transfer the dough to a floured work surface. You may need to fold it over itself like a letter so that you get a neat rectangular piece of dough. Divide the dough into 6 pieces (if using a 6-hole muffin tin).
Tuck, roll, and place in the tin. Butter and then add 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil to each hole in your muffin tin. Lightly oil your hands. Take a piece of dough, carefully roll it, and tuck the edges in to form a loose ball. It doesn't have to be perfect. Place the formed dough balls in the muffin tin. Cover the tray with a towel and set aside for 1 hour.
Dimple and dress. Preheat your oven to 425F/220C. The dough should now have filled the muffin tin and inflated slightly. Drizzle more olive oil over the dough and start dimpling with your fingers. Add a pinch or two of flaky salt and the rosemary to each compartment. Press in. Optional: At this point you can also add any other toppings you like.
Bake. Bake in the preheated oven for 16-20 minutes, until golden brown. Every oven is different, so your focaccia may need more time. Let the focaccia cool for 30 minutes before enjoying it.

Video

Notes

See the blog post above for a detailed step-by-step with photos.

Some important tips:

Don’t rush the process. Allow the dough to rise in the fridge for at least 18 hours and you’ll need 1-2 hours for the second rise. The timing will depend on the temperature in your kitchen and how active the dough is. That being said, plan ahead!
This recipe uses Instant yeast. But if you only have active dry yeast, you can bloom it in lukewarm water for 5 minutes before adding it to the dry ingredients.
This recipe is tested with a jumbo-sized muffin tin. If you use a standard-size muffin tin, the bake time may be reduced by a few minutes. Keep an eye on the oven. You can also use a loaf pan, quarter sheet pan or other smaller baking dish.

Short on time? Make the dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook and knead on medium speed for 6-8 minutes. Let the dough rise for 1 hour and then proceed with the preparation and baking steps (starting at step 3).

Check out my other Focaccia recipes:

Nutrition