Easy Pretzel Focaccia

Who’s up for a terrifically tasty weekend baking project??

If you raised your hand, it’s time to break out the yeast and get your bake on!

Delicious Easy Pretzel Focaccia

Focaccia bread is one of the easiest breads to make, in my opinion. It’s the perfect recipe for a beginner.

The one important rule to follow when making focaccia is to let your dough rise in the fridge for 8-24 hours. Letting it rise overnight helps the bread develop flavor, so don’t skip this step. You know the old saying, you can’t rush perfection.

What gives this focaccia it’s tasty pretzel flavor?

The unmistakable pretzel taste comes from the baking soda-water mixture that you’ll brush the dough with before baking. It alkalizes the exterior of the bread and gives it that gorgeous deep brown color and fabulous pretzel flavor.

Pretzel Focaccia Ingredients

• all-purpose flour

• kosher salt

• instant yeast

• warm water

• unsalted butter

• olive oil

• baking soda

A Few Cook’s Notes for Pretzel Focaccia Recipe:

Definitely make your dough the night before and refrigerate overnight. This will help your focaccia develop flavor.

You can also use bread flour to make your focaccia. Bread flour will yield a chewier focaccia.

You will not use all the baking soda/water mixture for the focaccia. Just brush it evenly over the top of the focaccia. Just a heads up, the mixture will bubble up when you add the boiling water to the baking soda, so pour it in slowly.

You can freeze your leftover slices. Wrap the pieces tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. They will keep in the freezer for one month. When ready to enjoy, defrost at room temperature and bake in a 325 degree oven until warmed through, about 5-7 minutes.

More Appetizer Recipes to Enjoy

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Everything Hummus

Cheddar Pub Cheese with Everything Pita Chips

Pretzel Focaccia

Author: MaryAnn Dwyer

Servings: 14 servings

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This Easy Pretzel Focaccia is a pretzel lover's dream! This focaccia recipe has that signature pretzel flavor and can be enjoyed on its own or with some mustard or warm cheese sauce for dipping!

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Rising Time 8 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Ingredients  

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast (one packet)
• 2 cups warm water
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. baking soda
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• pretzel salt or flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions 

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and yeast. Whisk together until well combined. Gradually add the warm water and stir with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Butter your pan (or pans) with one tablespoon of the unsalted butter. Make sure the entire pan is totally buttered. Pour the olive oil into the pan and spread over entire pan.
• Remove dough from refrigerator and turn out into prepared pan, spreading in an even layer to the edges of the pan. Dip your fingers in some olive oil and using both hands, press straight down to create deep dimples in the dough while stretching the dough out to the sides of the pan.
• Add your baking soda to a bowl. Slowly pour in the boiling water. Stir well. Generously brush the top of the dough with the baking soda mixture. Set aside what you don't use for later. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes to one hour.
• Place rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap and brush the dough with some of the remaining baking soda mixture just until evenly coated. (you won't use all of it) Turn oven temperature down to 425 degrees and bake the focaccia for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan from front to back and brush the focaccia with two tablespoons of melted butter and sprinkle generously with pretzel salt. Continue to bake for 15 minutes until deep brown on top and the underside is crisp.
• Let pan cool slightly on a wire rack. Remove the focaccia from the pan to the wire rack to cool. Slice into wedges and serve warm

Notes

Definitely make your dough the night before and refrigerate overnight. This will help your focaccia develop flavor.

You can also use bread flour to make your focaccia. Bread flour will yield a chewier focaccia.

You will not use all the baking soda/water mixture for the focaccia. Just brush it evenly over the top of the focaccia. Just a heads up, the mixture will bubble up when you add the boiling water to the baking soda, so pour it in slowly.

You can freeze your leftover slices. Wrap the pieces tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. They will keep in the freezer for one month. When ready to enjoy, defrost at room temperature and bake in a 325 degree oven until warmed through, about 5-7 minutes.

Keyword: Bread, focaccia, pretzel

Cuisine: Italian

Course: Appetizer, Side, Snack

Adapted slightly from BonAppetit