Grab the pantry staples for a family-friendly recipe for Easy Homemade Focaccia Bread that’s made without yeast.
Few foods are as satisfying to whip up as homemade bread, whether that’s soft pretzel twists, dinner rolls or buttermilk biscuits. Recently, I’ve been working on ways to swap out the yeast in favor of a different ingredient to lighten and fluff: baking powder!
I’ve gone both the savory and sweet routes, with no-yeast bread recipes suitable for breakfast, lunch, dinner and beyond, including:
- Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Without Yeast
- Easy Homemade Bread Without Yeast (four flavor combinations!)
- Quick Homemade Burger Buns Without Yeast
- Easy Homemade Pizza Dough Without Yeast
Now it’s time to add an Italian classic to the lineup: Easy Homemade Focaccia Without Yeast!
This pillowy favorite comes together in minutes and is great for dunking in olive oil or balsamic vinegar, serving alongside a big bowl of pasta or slicing into sandwich bread.
This basic dough comes together in minutes and can be flavored with endless options in the form of fresh or dried herbs, spices, cheeses and more.
It gets the classic fingerprint indentations on top, which serve as tiny pools for olive oil and extra herbs to get their swim on.
A hearty sprinkle of large-flake sea salt adds flavor and crunch atop the golden brown crust, which leads way to the pillowy, spongey focaccia below. So grab your fillings and toppings of choice, preheat your oven and steer clear of the yeast for this quick and easy homemade focaccia!
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for greasing pan
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading dough
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme or chives, plus more for topping
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease an 8- or 9-inch baking pan generously with olive oil.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, herbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Add the water, milk and 2 tablespoons olive oil and using a spatula, mix until combined.
- Flour your work surface then turn out the dough.
- Knead the dough for 1 minute, adding more flour as needed if it’s too sticky. (The dough should still be tacky and slightly sticky.)
- Grease your hands with olive oil then transfer the dough to the greased baking pan. Using your fingers, press the dough into an even layer, then use your fingertips to make indentations across the dough. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil on top and sprinkle with additional herbs.
- Bake the focaccia for 16 to 20 minutes until pale golden. Remove it from the oven then slice and serve.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
I have used this recipe countless times and it always turned out so great. I substitute with soy milk (unsweetened) because we don’t use dairy and my family loves it. I can make bread when I’m in a hurry or when I have surprise guests.
I’m thrilled you’re enjoying it, Vita!
DELICIOUS!
However, mine does not look right. It’s like a puffy biscuit cloud. What did I do wrong? I had to use dried herbs. So good. I didn’t oil my fingers to make the indents. Could I have kneaded too much? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks for the tasty idea!
Hi Jen! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Without seeing a picture, it’s hard to discern what may have affected the appearance, but I’m so glad it tasted great!
Thia was AMAZING! When I gave some to my sister she didnt beleive that I had made it. Perfects amount of seasoning and crispiness.
I’m so thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, Natalia!
This was excellent. I used a gluten free flour blend, and took the advice of another poster and used vegan yogurt instead of the milk. I also added in a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar which helped replace the yeast flavor. I have been trying to avoid yeast for health reasons, but have been craving bread and this hit the spot.
Awesome! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Robert!
I made this bread but I used 1 tbs dried italian seasoning in place of the fresh herbs. Saved me a trip to the store. I brushed it with oil left over from a jar of sundried tomatoes. Sprinkled with Romano cheese before baking. I also made some seasoned dipping oil. SOOOOOO
GOOD!
YUM! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Debbie!
Great recipe, so easy to make and everyone is always impressed. I veganised it by replacing whole milk with unsweetened soy milk and it tastes amazing!
Awesome! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Avital!
I’m excited to try this, but with a few swaps. We’re gluten free and vegan. I planned on using amaranth flour, maybe a little brown rice and oat mixed in. Any additional suggestions to set us up for (more likely) success?
Hi Flora – My guess is that you’ll likely need more liquid. Looking forward to reading your results!
Help! It’s there a reason why the bread is coming out very gummy on the inside?
Hi Rich! Did you overmix the dough? That would cause the gluten to become very stiff and lead to a gummy texture.
Thanks Kelly, added yoghurt instead of milk and topped it with home made dukkah.
YUM! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Fran!
Very easy recipe that has great taste snd texture! Thank you!
You are so welcome, Debra! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Tried it by adding chopped Olives and Pimento ~ along with the Thyme and Rosemary. It was delightful! We enjoyed dipping it in (more) olive oil and balsamic. So easy!
YUM! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Kira!
Hey there, just wondering how thick the dough should be layered in terms of height when spread on the pan? Are we talking one inch in the pan, more, less etc?
Thanks
Hi Colin! Yes, 1 inch should work :)
I’m so glad I ran out of bread! Made this today, it’s really good. I used almond milk and added lots of dill, parsley and oregano (from the garden) and crushed fennel seeds. It looked like it might be a bit stodgy but it wasn’t. It’s so tasty, I love making easy things like this that taste so good, thank you.
You are so welcome, Gabby! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Yum! Delicious and easy too! Thank
you!
You are so welcome, Jean! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Quite tasty. Easy enough that my 10 year old made it with a bit of help. He turned his into pizza. Lovely dinner!
I love reading this, Sandra! I’m so glad you and your son enjoyed the recipe!
Delicious and quick. I couldn’t find my baking pans, so made it in a 9″ glass pie dish, just reduced the temperature to 400F. I may try it with fresh garlic next time!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Becky! Fresh garlic would be delicious!
Suuuuper Dence I figured it would be since no yeast but the flavor is good with butter.
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I must have put too much baking powder, cause this tasted sooooo bad. Much better just to take your time and use yeast + let it rise.
Hi there! Did you follow the recipe as written?
i think i used way too little flour because i use the metric system and some calculations got mixed up. i also added some more spices and herbs and it is absolutely delicious!!!!!! i loved it :)
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
This was super easy and delicious. I left out the garlic and herbs and added bacon crumbles and cheddar cheese instead. I had to increase the milk a little to get the right consistency and the bake time to adjust for the added ingredients. It was a hit with everyone who tried it.
Love your additions, Samantha! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Fantastic, great for lockdown lunch when no yeast. Was delicious
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Glyn!
I forgot to give it a five star rating!
Thank you!
I made it with 2 cups of a homemade mix of gluten free flours and 1/3 cup of cornstarch. I also substituted the milk with dairy free milk. Everything else was as per your recipe. I do not have a round pan, but used two rectangular bread pans.
It came out perfect.
I have severe food sensitivities to gluten, yeast, eggs and dairy.
When I find a bread recipe that works, I’m thrilled.
I ate mine over a few days and drizzled more olive oil when I ate it.
I loved it!
Thank you so much!❤️❤️
You are so welcome, Alnoor! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Wow, I can’t believe I made focaccia! Thank you for the recipe. Used fresh rosemary from my yard and it was terrific for dinner and lunch the next day.
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Julie!
This bread turned out amazing!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Meredith!
Have just tried this recipe and my bread turned out very well! I was worried about the measurements as I have no idea how many grams or even ounces one cup is and looking online there are various ideas. It would be very helpful if you could add the equivalent metric measurements for anyone outside of america.
Hi there! I don’t provide metric conversions for my recipes, as I cannot guarantee they would be 100% accurate without being tested. However, you are welcome to use an online converter. :)
I wanted to make a quick bread to serve with dinner but was all out of butter. Came across this recipe and was very happy with the results. The result was more like a focaccia biscuit. Which I loved! Thanks!
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Nicole!
Can I use whole whear flour
Hi there! It’s not a 1:1 swap, so the bread will be super dense. If you try it, I recommend starting with a small amount of whole wheat flour by replacing 25% of the AP flour with the whole wheat flour. Let me know if you give it a shot!
This was great..I halved the recipe and it came it perfectly – a soft, herby bread. Not the same texture as a focaccia but delicious all the same.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Rachel!
My first focaccia and it turned out perfectly! Grazie mille. Tomorrow I’m warming it trough, topped with sliced persimmons and burrata.
Awesome! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Maggie!
This recipe is AMAZING! Thank you so much for posting this recipe. The focaccia bakes up well, is unbelievably soft on the inside – just PERFECT! I have made it twice already :)
Woohoo! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Roshni!
I have much experience with baking breads and pastries both with and without yeast. Sometimes one just wants a simple rustic flat bread without involving the time and attention a yeast bread demands. This recipe fills the bill. I tried this recipe and loved the result. It produced a lovely crust, an interesting crumb and nice flavour. Perfect for toasting and dipping in basil olive oil to accompany a meal of pasta+salad+wine. Once one understands how crust, texture, and crumb, are influenced by leavening, hydration and kneading, you can greatly influence how closely this recipe comes to yeast focaccia. The main difference being the yeast notes and degree of chewiness associated with yeast focaccia.
Thanks so much for your comment, Chef M! I’m thrilled you enjoyed this recipe!
Nothing even similar to the real focaccia. Tried this recipe and left me disappointed. Very heavy, terrible texture. Didn’t like it at all.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, Ro.
What kind/size pan did you use?
I used an 8-inch round cake pan :)
Looks great, easier without yeast. If I want to add cheese, when do I put it in and how much?
Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or other cheese to the dry ingredients!
Hi again Kelley,
Since I didn’t have whole milk, I substituted it by diluting some whipping cream with water. Also used the multigrain flour (yes, I did have to add more water) and it worked wonderfully! Thank you :)
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Hi Kelly,
Great recipe!
Would yogurt work in place of the milk? Also, would it be possible to get the same result with whole wheat of multigrain flour?
Thanks, Maitreyee! I haven’t tried the yogurt sub, but it’ll be much thicker so the dough won’t be as easy to work with. I also haven’t tried whole wheat flour, but again, you’ll probably need more liquid.
Excellent recipe… For Dana that doesn’t have whole milk, (I don’t either) and I subbed evaporated milk and it turned out great!
So glad you enjoyed it, Kim!
I made this last night. It was delicious. Everyone loved it.
I’m so thrilled to read this, Sherry!
Will this ratio of baking powder to flour work with self-rising flour? Thanks!
Hi Deb – I haven’t tried self-rising flour so I can’t say with certainty what the results would be.
dont’ have whole milk, is there a good substitute?
Sure thing but because other milk is thinner than whole milk, you may need to use a bit more flour!
This sounds so good! I’ve said it before, I’m enjoying these no yeast recipes. I never have fresh herbs. Will this turn out well with dried herbs? Thank you.
It’ll work with dried herbs for sure! They’re more potent than fresh herbs so you should use roughly half the amount :)