This gluten-free focaccia recipe has been a favorite in my kitchen for years. It turns out golden on the outside, soft on the inside, and you can top it with herbs, onions, cheese, or even make a focaccia art if you’re feeling creative. I first perfected this recipe back in 2018, and it’s one I still make often. It’s flexible, reliable, and works whether you bake it on a sheet pan or in a cast-iron skillet.
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Focaccia is fun to bake because you can add any toppings, veggies, fresh herbs, cheese, or anything you like! My homemade gluten-free focaccia recipe was made to be customized! It’s also dairy-free, so anyone can enjoy it!
If you have an active sourdough starter, you may want to try a sourdough version I made with this recipe. My Gluten-Free Sourdough Focaccia has a delicious tang from the sourdough discard.
While you are here, I have many easy gluten-free bread recipes for you to see and try. If you use this as a pizza crust, top it with my homemade Gluten-Free Pizza Sauce!
A Note From My Kitchen
I have tested this focaccia recipe with multiple gluten-free flours, including Cup4Cup and my DIY blend. It works beautifully in both a sheet pan and a cast-iron skillet. If you are using my DIY blend, be sure to add 2 extra tablespoons of milk to keep the dough hydrated. The dough will feel a little sticky, and that is a good thing! It helps the bread rise taller and stay soft inside.
This recipe was also tested with various toppings, from fresh rosemary and onions to caramelized onions. Try brushing the dough with olive oil before and after baking for the best flavor and texture.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe using Cup4Cup and my DIY Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend, listed below. Note: Cup4Cup recently changed its flour blend formulation. I haven’t tested the new blend in this recipe. If you use my DIY blend, add an extra 2 tablespoons of milk.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 3/4 teaspoon. Read more about why binders are important in gluten-free baking.Read more about why binders are important in gluten-free baking.
- Active Dry Yeast – Be sure to use gluten-free yeast. Note: Red Star Platinum is not gluten-free! I have not tested this recipe with rapid yeast.
- Baking Powder – Use aluminum-free baking powder.
- Eggs – Use large eggs.
- Milk or Non-Dairy Milk – I used almond milk, but any plant-based or regular milk will work.
- Olive Oil – I prefer to use extra-virgin olive oil.
Substitutions:
- Make this recipe dairy-free using unflavored plant-based milk. If you use cheese, use plant-based alternatives like Daiya or VioLife.
- To make this recipe gum-free, use my DIY Gluten-Free Flour Blend. It uses psyllium husk instead of xanthan or guar gum.
How To Make Gluten-Free Focaccia (Step-by-Step):
Prep the yeast in a glass bowl. Heat the milk to a lukewarm temperature, no hotter than 110°F. Add yeast, oil, and honey to the milk or non-dairy milk and let it sit for 5 minutes, until it becomes frothy with bubbles.
Step 1: Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk to blend. Add eggs to the yeast mixture and mix well. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix well into a soft but workable dough.
Step 2: Place your dough onto a parchment paper-lined
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Dough Rising Tips:
Getting gluten-free dough to rise can be tricky, especially in the colder months. When the kitchen is cold, I like to preheat my oven to 175°F, then turn it off. Rise it in the oven with the door cracked open.
Step 3: After letting your dough rise for an hour, remove it from the oven and remove the plastic wrap covering it. This is what your dough should look like. Your dough should have a consistency similar to this one.
Step 4: Press your finger into the dough to make little dimples. These dimples are important because they create delicious pockets for the olive oil and toppings, adding flavor to infuse into the focaccia bread.
Step 5: Brush olive oil combined with your favorite seasonings over the top of the focaccia dough.
Step 6: Bake the focaccia on the baking pan at 375º F for 20-25 minutes, depending on how thick you pressed the dough. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing. You should see a beautiful, golden-brown color. Slice the focaccia with a serrated knife or pizza cutter.
We love dipping slices into herbed olive oil, Nut-Free Pesto, or this easy Marinara Sauce.
Tips for Fluffy Gluten-Free Focaccia:
- Select a gluten-free flour blend that is suitable for use in yeast-based recipes. Many 1:1 blends don’t. See which gluten-free flour blends work in yeast recipes.
- You only get one good rise with gluten-free dough, so shape the focaccia before rising it.
- Don’t punch down the dough after the rise.
Top it with:
- You can add your favorite fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme. Herbed focaccia bread is great with a bowl of hot soup! We love baking and cooking recipes with fresh herbs.
- Top with some caramelized onions and or garlic.
- Top with cheese. Here are my favorites: Asiago, Parmesan, or another hard cheese you like
If you love this recipe with toppings, wait until you try my Gluten-Free Flatbread Recipe!
Storage and Freezing Tips:
- Store this simple gluten free focaccia bread in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I store it in the refrigerator to prevent it from spoiling.
- You can also freeze this recipe. Freeze the bread after it has cooled. You can slice it or freeze it whole in a freezer-safe zip-style baggie.
For more tips, read my Guide to Storing Gluten-Free Bread.
Frequently Asked Questions:
It should be golden brown and feel firm when touched. A toothpick should come out clean.
Yes! You can bake it in an 8×8 pan, sheet pan, or cast iron skillet. Thicker dough may need a longer bake time.
More Gluten-Free Bread Recipes:
I love baking bread and have shared many tips and recipes in my Gluten-Free Bread Guide. Here are some more favorites:
Love This Recipe?
💬 Did you make this gluten-free focaccia recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out, and which pan or flour blend you used! Your feedback helps others (and helps me keep improving these recipes for you). ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Soft and Fluffy Gluten-Free Focaccia Bread
Equipment
- Cookie sheet
Ingredients
Yeast Mixture
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
- ¾ cup warm milk or non-dairy milk + 2 TBSP
Dough
- 2 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- 1 teaspoon baking powder aluminum-free
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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Instructions
For the Bread
- In a large mixing bowl, add 2 1/4 cups gluten free flour blend, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon sea salt and whisk to blend. This makes sure they are evenly distributed throughout.
- In a glass bowl, heat the milk or non-dairy milk so that it is lukewarm. (Make sure it is no hotter than 110º F, or your yeast may die.)
- Add 2 teaspoons active dry yeast, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and 1 teaspoon honey to 3/4 cup warm milk or non-dairy milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. When the yeast is frothy, add 2 large eggs to the liquid and mix well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix into a soft dough. You only get one good rise with gluten-free, so shape the focaccia before rising.
- If making in a cast iron skillet, oil a large cast iron skillet and put the dough in the skillet. Spread the dough to cover the bottom of the skillet. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
- If making the focaccia in a traditional style, place your dough on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and press it into a circle. Cover with plastic wrap.
- Let the dough rise in the pan for 1 hour. This rise time will also allow the rice flour to soften, eliminating any grit.
- If you are making this on a cookie sheet. Gently press the dough down to a thickness of 1/2 to 3/4 inch. Dust the focaccia with gluten-free flour blend if needed. Use your fingers to make dimples in the dough.
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- In a small dish, add your chosen toppings to the olive oil and mix. Use a basting brush to spread the oil mixture over the dough.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden and crusty. Baking time will vary slightly depending on how thick the dough is.
- Remove the focaccia from the oven and brush on more olive oil. Allow the bread to cool.
Video
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with Cup4Cup and my homemade all-purpose gluten-free flour. If using my blend, add 2 TBSP of additional milk. Note: Cup4Cup recently changed its flour blend formulation. I haven’t had a chance to test the new version. Other blends may work, but it is crucial to use a blend that is compatible with yeast.
- You can add any toppings you like. Some fun ideas include sun-dried tomatoes, fresh herbs, cheeses, caramelized onions, scallions, etc.
- You will know the focaccia bread is finished baking when you insert a toothpick into the center, and it will come out clean. If you see crumbs or dough, it will need to bake a little longer.
- You can bake this bread in a cast-iron skillet or on a cookie sheet as specified above.
- This bread will keep fresh for up to 3 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
*This gluten-free focaccia recipe was updated in a post from 2014. I added a lot more details and tips.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
I just used a blend of King Arthur GF flour and TJ’s GF AP flour, along with egg replacement. The texture was soft & cake like.
I am so glad to know an egg replacer worked in this recipe. Can I please ask which you used? Other readers who can’t have eggs would benefit from knowing.
I used Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer.
Thank you for coming back and letting me know Bob’s egg replacer worked well in this recipe. Eggs are getting more scarce, so I am using that egg replacer more often lately.
Great recipe! I’m experimenting with Trader Joe’s GF AP flour and BRM egg replacement.
Hi Juanita, It is good to know that TJ’s flour worked well, as well as the egg replacement. I just picked up a bag of TJ’s flour to test in a recipe.
This focaccia bread lives up to its name as being the best. I followed the directions and it came out just like you said. It has that chewy bite that is delightful. Used bread dipping oil with it.
Thank you so much!
You made my day. I am so glad you tried my recipe. Thank you!
Made this to go with homemade soup for my inlaws. Was so good!!! Nice and light and delicious. Will be making it again.
I am so glad you loved this bread. That is so sweet you made it for your inlaws. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know!
Hi,
Question, so the cup 4 cup flour actually contains milk. What dairy free gluten free flours would you recommend for this bread?
Thanks,
Hi Jess, For this recipe I would recommend my DIY flour blend (though you may need a little less flour since it doesn’t have the dried milk powder) or Pillsbury GF.
Sandy
You know I am a huge fan…
I feel a bit silly about this question but I am Irish not Italian.
Is Focaccia a side or like a pizza. How is it best served meal wise?
Hi Beth. This bread is more of a side, often dipped into pasta sauces, etc. Many also just dip into olive oil with herbs. One girl used it as a pizza crust and it seems to have taken off. I haven’t tried this yet, but it sounds really good.
Hi. The recipe doesn’t say how much baking powder nor does it tell you to put the olive oil in the mix. I saw that in the video. How much baking powder does it need?
Thank you
Cathy
Great catch Cathy, thank you so much. Add one teaspoon to the dry ingredients. The olive oil will go with the wet ingredients.
I don’t see the Caramelized onions in the recipe? Am I missing something?
Thanks
Hi Moe, LOL, that is the battle I had with my onion hating kids. You can add any toppings you like to this focaccia bread. When I remade the recipe to take new pictures, my kids begged me to exclude the onion. I will put a note in the post so people know :-).
Is there a suitable substitute for the eggs? Food allergies are a challenge, for sure!
Hi Carol, I haven’t tested this recipe without eggs. If you do try something like aquafaba or another substitute, please let me know how it works. I am sure it would help other egg free readers.
Just wanted to say thank you, not only for this great looking recipe but, for the PRINT option on your site. Too often the recipes include color ads in the middle. This takes a huge amount of ink, not to mention the paper.OOPs! Should not gripe. Just wanted to say thank you.
You are so sweet. I am sorry about the ad in the recipe. I am not sure how to remove that from the print option…I am not much of a techie. I hope you have a nice evening.
Can you use regular milk?
Hi Marie, I am not sure. I haven’t tested it with regular milk as we are trying to do mostly dairy free right now. If you try it, please come back and let us know how it turned out :-).