Soft & Pillowy Gluten-Free Focaccia

I started a baking quest for gluten-free focaccia bread almost a year ago. Now here we are with this golden beauty, over a dozen batches of focaccia later. 

This recipe is easier to make than I ever expected! Just mix and let rise. Press into a pan and rise again, then bake. The olive oil infused bread bakes up so flavorful with a chewy, fluffy texture that makes you go back for another bite. And another. And another. 

Main Ingredients for Gluten-Free focaccia

To make gluten-free focaccia I'm use flours and starches that work to mimic all-purpose flour with gluten. I based it off the flours used in my chewy gluten-free bagels: brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch.

I recommend measuring each of the ingredients (including the water) by weight. Not only does a scale save time, but it ensures you're starting with exactly the right amounts making it so hard to mess up this simple recipe.

Here's what you need: 

• Active dry yeast, honey or sugar, and warm water: The honey or sugar and warm water (105-110°F) activate the yeast, which is the leavener that allows the dough to rise, creating those fluffy air pockets.
• Brown Rice Flour: Brown rice flour is a great neutral whole grain flour for bread because it bakes up neither gummy nor gritty and it soaks up the moisture nicely. 
• Sorghum Flour: Sorghum flour adds more flavor. Sorghum is wholesome and whole grain that has slightly sweet notes that add flavor depth.
• Tapioca Flour and Potato Starch:  For starches, use a combination of tapioca flour and potato starch. Tapioca starch, one of my go-to flours for gluten-free baking, is a fluffy starch that adds chewiness to baked goods. Just like when baking sourdough, I found that combining the tapioca flour with potato starch produced more flavorful focaccia. If you can't find or don't have potato starch, you can sub in additional tapioca flour by weight.
• Psyllium Seed Husk Flakes: Similar to my gluten-free bagels, this dough uses psyllium seed husks as the binder to hold the dough together. The psyllium seed husks soak up moisture and, in doing so, bind the flours together, adding chewiness that mimics gluten. I tested versions with xanthan gum and with a combo of xanthan gum and psyllium seed husks and found the xanthan gum negatively affected that fluffy texture of focaccia.
• Salt: Salt is essential. Mix kosher salt into the dough and sprinkle some flaky salt on top before it bakes. This dough is heavily salted, which gives it that classic focaccia flavor, allowing it to be a delightful snack all on its own. 
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil:  Olive oil is key! Do not sub a different oil. Just like with the salt, olive oil gives the bread rich flavor, not to mention the crisp golden brown outside. Here you'll mix some into the dough and drizzle it over the dough before it goes into the oven.

Make-ahead overnight rise

To save time the day you want to bake your gluten-free focaccia, you can make the dough in advance and do an overnight rise in the fridge.

Prep the dough the day before, place it in the bowl with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap, and store it for 8-36 hours in the fridge. 

The next day, pull the dough out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before transferring it to the prepared pan to start its second rise. Rise for 1-2 hours in the pan and bake, as usual. 

How to make gluten-free focaccia

1. Activate the yeast. Place the honey or sugar in warm water (105-110°F) and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it starts bubbling on top. 
2. Whisk dry ingredients. Either in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer if you have one.
3. Mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients. Add the activated yeast with water and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the dry ingredients and mix well either with a silicone spatula or the paddle attachment of the stand mixer. The dough will be very wet, but will slightly thicken as the psyllium sits and soaks up the moisture.
4. Rise in a glass bowl with olive oil. Put ¼ cup olive oil in a glass bowl and dump the dough into the bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1.5-2 hours, until doubled in size.
5. Second rise in greased baking pan. Transfer the dough and oil into a baking pan greased well with either olive oil or butter and smooth out the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.
6. Dimple dough and top with olive oil and salt. Use your fingertips to add dimples to the dough. Drizzle with olive oil and top with flaky salt (and rosemary or other toppings, if using!).
7. Bake! Bake for 20 minutes at 425°F, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the dough is nicely golden brown and springs back when gently poked in the center. 
8. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving. Letting it cool slightly will allow the fluffy air pockets to set and not become gummy.

Toppings for gluten-free focaccia

In its most simple form as a crisp golden bread dimpled and topped with flaky salt, this gluten-free focaccia is a dinner showstopper. You can customize it a number of ways:

• Fresh or Dried Herbs: Top with your favorite fresh or dried herbs (either before or after baking)!
• Garlic: Top with either minced garlic or whole cloves of garlic
• Cherry tomatoes: Whole cherry tomatoes add bursting pockets of flavor without leaching too much liquid into the dough 
• Olives: Stud it with your favorite olives, such as kalamata or even black olives
• Onions or shallots: Add sliced onions or shallots - raw or caramelized
• Parmesan: Sprinkle it with fresh parmesan before putting it in the oven