These Mini Focaccia topped with honey caramelized onions and rosemary are the perfect appetizer! If you love to start a meal hearing “ooooh” and “ahhh” from your guests, this is the recipe for you! Gorgeous to serve and incredibly fluffy and soft, you only need 10 minutes to whip up the dough, and it can all be made in advance.
I am a sucker for focaccia! Every year, I make these Crispy Focaccia Sticks to serve at the holiday table, and people go crazy for them. So artisan, so delicious, yet so easy to make!!
This year, for Rosh Hashanah(the Jewish New Year), we are adding to each place setting a mini focaccia- a small soft fluffy round of bread that none has to share-cause they won’t want to!!
With a sprig of rosemary on top, a sprinkle of flaky salt, and a drizzle of honey, these appetizers are sure to get everyone excited about the meal, and my do they look gorgeous!
10 Minute Recipe for Mini Focaccia
If you have 10 minutes, you can make a batch of mini focaccia dough!! I like to use a stand mixer but you can also mix the dough by hand in a large bowl.
The Steps:
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix for one minute to combine.
- Let rest for 5 minutes (to hydrate the flour).
- Mix again for 3 minutes.
- Pour the dough out onto an oiled surface and perform a stretch and fold from each direction.
- Cover and let rest for 3-5 hours at room temperature, or place in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Bake!
Prepare mini focaccia in advance
You can make this focaccia dough up to 3 days in advance, or bake it on the same day and freeze it fresh.
TIP: Freezing the finished focaccia rounds while still warm ensures they taste as fresh as the second they came out of the oven!
TIP: Add a paper towel to the ziplock bag you freeze the focaccia in to collect moisture and prevent freezer burn.
Overnight Fermentation
For the absolute best tasting dough, make a day or two or three in advance. When the dough sits in the fridge the yeast is forced to work slowly and creates a complex flavor. We use this same method for our Best Pizza Dough Recipe.
I know sometimes you want to bake and eat RIGHT NOW, and these little focaccia do taste incredible even if you make them on the same day. But keep in mind- the flavor is better if you prepare ahead.
Honey Caramelized Onion Topping
The best part- a savory topping of honey caramelized onions, golden and rich in flavour, and rosemary! Focaccia is best infused with rosemary, if you ask me!
These onions are so incredibly easy to make-
- Slice two white onions
- Heat oil in a saute pan and let onions cook for 20 minutes, until golden. Dont let them get brown because they will further bake in the oven!
- Add in 2 Tablespoons of honey and cook another 3-5 minutes.
- Use to top focaccia!
Super Fluffy Focaccia
"Just a big thanks..for the fantastic focaccia recipe! Perfect instructions, it came out fabulous" -D.Harroch
Hey don’t just trust me- people all over the world have tried this focaccia recipe with incredible results. It was even featured in the international food magazine @whiskbyami.
Is the dough too wet and sticky? Should I add flour?
Yes, the dough will be very wet and sticky. No, do not add flour! Stick to the recipe- it’s going to be great!
To get that fluffy bread you want, we have to have a dough that is well hydrated. My tip for working with it? Once the dough is mixed, drizzle olive oil on your work surface and rub a spatula in it. Use the coated spatula to scrape out the dough, and then oil your hands as well before performing the stretch and fold(instructions for this in the recipe card).
Stretch and Fold
The method of stretch and fold is important to develop the gluten in the dough. This simple 4-step method(one stretch from each direction), will make the dough stronger and less sticky without adding any additional flour. It’s like magic!
I hope you guys love this recipe!!! If you try it please leave a star rating/review below to let others know how your baking went! And of course…I love to see your own photos on Instagram! Happy baking!
Mini Focaccia Appetizer with Honey Caramelized Onion and Rosemary
Equipment
- baking stone, baking steel or, or baking sheet turned upside down
Ingredients
Focaccia Dough
- 2 ¾ cup plus 1 Tb flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ tsp yeast
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, plus more to top
- 1 bunch rosemary, to top cut 6 sprigs in half for the main topping and chop some for baking with
- flaky salt or finishing salt, to top
Honey Onions
- 2 TBS oil or olive oil
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 2 TBS honey, plus more to drizzle
Instructions
- Prep
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, or in a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix on the lowest speed for one minute, or by hand until well combined. The dough will be sticky. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
- With the mixer on medium speed, mix for 3 minutes, or continue mixing by hand. The dough will still be sticky.
- Spread a drizzle of olive oil on your work surface, and rub a spatula with oil(to keep the dough from sticking). With the oiled spatula, scrape the dough out onto your work space and rub your hands in the oil. Stretch and fold the dough once from each direction.
- STRETCH AND FOLD: reach your hands under front end of the dough, stretching it out towards you, and folding it back onto the top of the dough. Repeat from the back of the dough, pulling it outwards, and folding back onto the top. Repeat from each side, oiling your hands as needed to prevent sticking.
- Flip the dough over and tuck it into a ball.
- Place the dough into a ziplock bag bag misted with spray oil(or rubbed with regular oil)/or a covered bowl. Seal the bag and leave it on the counter to rise(for same day baking), place in the fridge for overnight fermentation(recommended), or freeze, depending on when you want to bake.
- FREEZE: freeze the dough immediately after forming it into a ball(for up to a month) and transfer the dough to the fridge the day before you want to bake, then continue on with instructions for NEXT DAY BAKING.
- SAME DAY: If you want to bake the focaccia the same day, leave it on the counter, covered, for a minimum of 2-3 hours before baking (up to 4 hours).
- NEXT DAY or up to 3 DAYS LATER(recommended): 90 minutes before you plan to bake, remove the dough from the fridge. Cut the dough into desired amount of pieces(2 for regular round focaccias or see following recipe requirements). Round each piece into a ball and place on a baking tray fitted with a parchment sheet, cover it, and let the dough rest until baking time.
- Preheat the oven and baking stone(or a baking sheet turned upside down) to the hottest setting.
Honey Onions
- Add oil to a saute pan and cook onions over low heat until golden, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.Add 2 Tablespoon honey and cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.Set aside.
Bake
- When oven is preheated, flour your work surface. Scrape out the dough and cut it into desired amount of balls- 10-12, depending on how big you want them.Sprinkle a ball of dough with flour and tap it to form a disc. Gently stretch the dough until it is the desired size. Keep in mind the dough will rise.
- Carefully Place the rounds onto your preheated baking steel/baking stone/upside down baking sheet. Top with a heap of onions in the centre and sprinkle over some crushed rosemary.
- Drizzle with a coat of olive oil(be generous- it’s delicious!). Bake for 3-5 minutes, until golden and puffed. Watch carefully because they can go from perfect to burnt very fast. I usually just sit in front of the oven!!
Serve
- Remove mini focaccia and top each with a half sprig of rosemary. Sprinkle with flaky salt and drizzle with honey right before serving. Enjoy!
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