Gluten Free Focaccia Bread {Dairy-Free Too!}

This gluten free focaccia bread recipe is going to knock your socks off! It is not only perfect for dipping into seasoned oil, but it also makes delicious gluten free Italian bread to serve with any meal.

I have been thinking about this gluten free focaccia recipe quite a bit lately! Maybe obsessing is more accurate. I have been missing something about that slightly chewy bread topped with cheese and herbs.

You can add any toppings, veggies, fresh herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, cheese...anything you like! This homemade gluten free focaccia recipe is made to be customized! It is dairy-free, too, so that anyone can enjoy it!

Focaccia is a bread that is popular in Italy. It is most often served with flavored oils to dip the bread into. This gluten free Italian bread is easy to make!

If you want a delicious homemade gluten free focaccia recipe to try, this recipe will not disappoint!

Why This Recipe Is Great:

1. Not only is this fluffy gluten free focaccia easy to make, but it is also very versatile! Many of my readers say this gluten free Italian focaccia recipe makes the best deep-dish pizza crust, too.
2. You can make this gf focaccia bread in a skillet, as I show in the video instructions, or make it a more traditional style baked on a sheet pan. Both baking methods are so easy!
3. You can include any herbs and toppings!

If you use this as a pizza crust, top it with my homemade gluten free pizza sauce!

Allergen Information:

This recipe is gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free. See the Substitutions Section below for dairy-free and gum-free alternatives.

Ingredient Notes:

• Gluten Free Flour Blend - I tested this recipe using Cup4Cup. That doesn't mean others will not work; I just have not tested other flours. Cup4Cup performed the best in rising. Using a gluten-free flour blend that works with yeast is important. Check the back of the bag and the website to verify.
• Xanthan Gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
• Active Dry Yeast - you could also use ½ cup gluten free sourdough, but the rise time will need to be much longer. Red Star Platinum is NOT gluten free!
• Baking Powder - Use aluminum-free.
• Salt
• Eggs - Use size large eggs.
• Milk or Non-Dairy Milk - I used almond milk, but any plant-based or regular milk will work.
• Honey - you can also use sugar to feed the yeast if you don't have honey on hand.
• Olive Oil - I like to use extra virgin olive oil.
• Toppings like fresh herbs, caramelized onion, garlic, sun-dried tomato, and cheeses like parmesan asiago.

Substitutions:

• Make this recipe dairy-free by using plant-based milk. If you use cheese, use plant-based cheese 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.

Topping Ideas:

• Add garlic for a gluten free garlic bread focaccia
• 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.
• Try sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
• Top with some caramelized onions.
• 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!

How To Make Gluten Free Focaccia:

🔑 Sandi says: First and most important, check the expiration date of your yeast! Next, check that the gluten free flour blend you have works with yeast.

Prep the yeast in a glass bowl. Heat the almond milk so that it is lukewarm. Make sure the temperature is no warmer than 110º F. Add yeast, oil, and honey to the almond milk and let it sit for 5 minutes until frothy with bubbles.

Yeast Tip: Be sure you do not heat the milk too hot, or it will kill your yeast!

Step 1: Add the gluten free flour, baking powder, and salt to a bowl and whisk to blend. Add eggs to the yeast liquid mixture and mix well. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

To measure your gluten free flour, I recommend using the spoon method or leveling method. In a perfect world, people weigh their flour, but most do not own a kitchen scale. To make a scale even trickier, every gluten free flour blend has a different weight.

Put the measuring scoop into the flour and fill. Do not pack the flour. Use a knife to scrape along the top to remove the extra flour.

You can also use a spoon to fill the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour.

🔑 Sandi says: You only get one good rise, so shape the dough before rising! Cover the dough with plastic wrap while it rises to prevent it from drying out.

Step 2: Place your dough onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Press into a circle shape. Dust the dough with gluten free flour blend. The dough may be a little sticky, but that is okay for the rise.

If you are using a cast-iron skillet, as I did in the video, press the dough into a greased skillet and allow it to rise in the skillet.

Rising Tips:

Getting gluten free dough to rise can be tricky, especially in the colder months. When the kitchen is colder, I like to preheat my oven to 200º F, then turn it off.

Step 3: After letting your dough rise for an hour, take it out of the oven. Remove the plastic wrap.

This is what your dough should look like. Your dough should have a similar consistency to this dough.

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 and add flavor to infuse into the focaccia bread.

Step 5: Brush olive oil combined with your favorite seasonings over the gluten free focaccia dough. See below for some tasty ideas!

*Note: I didn't brush the seasoned oil over the dough in the cast iron skillet version. In hindsight, I wish I did, and I recommend that you do this step!

Step 6: Bake the focaccia at 375º F for 20-25 minutes, depending on how thick you pressed the dough. Remove from the oven and allow cooling before slicing. Slice the focaccia with a serrated knife or pizza cutter.

Serve With:

I love dipping focaccia bread in herbed oils, but I also love dipping it into sauces and soups. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Gluten Free Marinara Sauce - This simple sauce is made for dipping!
• Creamy Alfredo Sauce - Serve this Italian sauce over pasta and dip in your focaccia!
• Nut Free Pesto - This tasty nut-free pesto is also great to spread on top of the focaccia!

Recipe FAQ:

How to Store Gluten Free Focaccia Bread:

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.

User reviews:

"It turned out amazing! I didn't add any spices, but I really didn't need to. Yum"

Autumn, Facebook user

I love playing with Sandi's focaccia recipe!!!"

Krystal, Facebook user

More gluten free bread recipes:

• Gluten Free Sourdough Bread
• Easy Gluten Free Panettone Bread
• Gluten Free English Muffins
• Gluten Free Breadsticks
• Soft Gluten Free Dinner Rolls (bake in an air fryer or the oven!)

📖 Recipe

Gluten Free Focaccia Bread

Sandi Gaertner

My homemade gluten free focaccia bread recipe is easy to make and tastes so delicious!

4.75 from 24 votes

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Prep Time 50 minutes mins

Cook Time 22 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 12 minutes mins

Course Gluten Free Bread Recipe

Cuisine American

Servings 12 slices

Calories 111 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Cookie sheet

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend * see note
• ▢ 2 teaspoons dry yeast
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
• ▢ ¾ cup non-dairy milk + 2 tablespoon
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

 

For the Bread

• In a large mixing bowl, add all of the dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
• In a glass bowl, heat the almond milk so that it is lukewarm. (Make sure it is no hotter than 110º F or your yeast may die.)
• Add yeast, oil, and honey to the almond milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
• Add eggs to the liquid and mix well.
• Pour the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix.
• If making in a cast iron skillet: oil a large cast iron skillet and put the dough in. Spread the dough to cover the bottom of the skillet. Cover with plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out.
• If making this more traditionally, place your dough on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and press into a circle. Cover with plastic wrap.
• Let the dough rest in the pan for 1 hour.
• If you are making this on a cookie sheet. Press the dough down to ¼ to ½ inch thickness. Dust the focaccia with gluten free flour blend. Use your fingers to make dimples in the dough.
• Preheat oven to 375º F.
• 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 much you press your focaccia dough flat.

Video

Notes

1. I have tested this recipe with Cup4Cup, Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Authentic Foods Multi Blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours. Cup4Cup rose the best.
2.  You can add any toppings you like. Some fun ideas are sun-dried tomatoes, fresh herbs, different cheeses, scallions, etc.
3. You will know the focaccia bread is finished baking when you insert a toothpick into the center and it comes out clean. If you see crumbs or dough, it will need to bake a little longer.
4. You can bake this bread in a cast-iron skillet, or on a cookie sheet as specified above.
5. This bread will keep up to 3 days in an air-tight 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, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 111kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 5gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 197mgPotassium: 63mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 49IUCalcium: 67mgIron: 1mg

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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 recipe was updated from an older January 2018 post with new photos and more recipe details.

*This gluten free focaccia recipe was updated from a post from 2014.