If you are a Panera Bread fanatic, then you have probably tried their black pepper focaccia. This Panera copycat black pepper focaccia recipe comes close to the bakery version, from the comfort of your own home with minimal effort. The result is a perfectly fluffy focaccia with an oily, crispy crust exterior, with the perfect addition of black pepper for a kick- great for sandwiches but also dipping, too!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Foolproof recipe: Many focaccia recipes can be finicky with their methods - not this one! This recipe is untraditional because the dough is a lot easier to work with than a usual focaccia dough, but the result is very similar! If you're not a baker, you can still master this focaccia recipe.
- Similar to Panera Bread: Panera's bread selection is amazing, but it can get expensive sometimes. This recipe uses pantry staple simple ingredients, making it an inexpensive restaurant copycat.
- Completely customizable: One of the best things about Focaccia is that the toppings and variations are endless. You can make this recipe your own by adding your favorite toppings and flavors to the bread.
Ingredient Notes
- Active dry yeast: I recommend using active dry yeast as opposed to instant yeast. The key difference is that active dry yeast needs to be bloomed or activated in water before adding to dry ingredients. Active dry yeast rises slightly slower than instant yeast, which is ideal for a focaccia dough that will need to rise a couple of times.
- All purpose flour: I use all purpose flour for this recipe simply because it is the most commonly used/found in pantries. The main difference between bread flour and all purpose flour is that bread flour has a higher gluten content. The difference was not significant enough to need a special flour for this recipe.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Focaccia dough is special because of the large amount of extra virgin olive oil that goes into it. Use your favorite good olive oil here, ideally one that has good flavor.
- Parmesan cheese: The Panera recipe does not have cheese in the recipe, so if you want a real bakery-style version, leave the parmesan cheese off. If you are using cheese, I recommend grated parmesan from the refrigerated deli section.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
Substitutions
- All purpose flour: If you have it on hand, bread flour can be used instead of all purpose flour at a 1:1 ratio.
- Active dry yeast: Instant yeast can be used instead of active dry yeast. Be mindful that instant yeast does not take as long to rise, so you will want to adjust the time accordingly.
- Parmesan cheese: You can leave the cheese off for a classic Panera version. You can also use pecorino romano cheese or asiago cheese in place of parmesan.
- Granulated sugar: The sugar is needed to feed the dry yeast when blooming. You can use honey instead of granulated sugar.
Variations
- Different shape: This recipe uses a sheet pan, but you can make this focaccia in a springform pan. This will make the focaccia a little bit thicker, which is great for using as a sandwich bread.
- Toppings: Top this focaccia with your favorite toppings, like sundried tomatoes, onions, olives, or roasted red peppers. You can also top with your favorite fresh herbs or even a hint of truffle oil.
- Extra cheesy: Top with shredded mozzarella cheese for an extra cheesy twist on this focaccia recipe.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
Collecting all ingredients: This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Add the water, dry yeast, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast has started to bubble and foam at the surface of the water. [photo 1]
While the yeast is blooming, mix the all purpose flour, salt, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Set aside. [photo 2]
Add the olive oil to the bloomed yeast mixture, and top with the dry ingredients. [photos 3 & 4]
Using the dough hook attachment, mix the dough on level 2 speed until the dough is roughly combined. Increase the mixer speed to level 3 and continue to knead the dough until the dough has formed into a smooth ball and comes off of the side of the bowl. This should take 3-5 minutes. [photo 5]
Add a drizzle of olive oil to the bread dough ball in the mixing bowl, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Place the bowl in a warm draft-free area to let the dough rise, for 1-2 hours.
Once the dough has risen, punch it down with your fist. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and stretch the dough out on an oiled quarter (12.25" x 8.87") sheet pan. Loosely cover with plastic wrap, and place back in a warm place. Let the dough rise for 1-2 hours again. [photo 6]
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Remove the plastic wrap from the risen dough, and pour the rest of the olive oil on the top of dough. Using the tips of your fingers, lightly indent the dough and press dimples into the top. Top with cracked pepper, flakey coarse sea salt, and parmesan cheese. Bake the focaccia for 25-30 minutes with the rack in the center of the oven, until the focaccia is a deep golden brown color all around. [photos 7 & 8]
Remove the baked focaccia from the baking pan, and transfer to a wire rack. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting to serve. Optionally, brush the top of the focaccia with olive oil before serving.
Expert Tips
Use lukewarm water: Yeast blooms best in a lukewarm environment. Avoid using very cold, or very hot water, as it can kill the yeast and prevent the dough from rising.
Extra moisture is good: If you find that the dough has extra moisture that is completely fine. Focaccia dough typically has a higher hydration content (a wet dough), which gives you those beautiful air pockets.
Do not go light on oil: One of the unique things about focaccia is the oily, crispy exterior. You need to oil both the bottom of the pan and the top of the dough for the best results.
Help to rise dough: A great way to help dough rise is to keep the bowl or sheet tray in the oven, with the oven light on. This creates a warm environment for the dough to rise nicely.
Make Ahead & Storage
- This delicious focaccia bread is best served fresh but can be made 1 day in advance of serving.
- Store leftover focaccia in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature.
- To increase shelf life, store leftover focaccia in the fridge. Warm the focaccia in the oven wrapped in foil, when you are ready to eat.
Serving Suggestions
- Soups: This focaccia makes the perfect dunker for your favorite soups, like creamy feta tomato soup, chicken florentine soup, or Panera's classic broccoli cheddar soup.
- Pasta: Nothing goes better with pasta than bread. Serve this black pepper focaccia with rigatoni al forno, buffalo chicken lasagna rolls, or giant cheese stuffed shells.
- Salads: Round out your favorite salads with a side of focaccia. Some great salads to serve include salami chopped salad, Mediterranean farro salad, tortellini antipasto salad, or a classic wedge salad.
Recipe FAQs
Your focaccia may have a dense texture because the dough did not rise enough. Be sure to give the dough time to rise both the first rise and the second rise, as this makes a big difference in the dough's texture.
If your dough did not rise despite letting it rest, chances are that your yeast is dead. Yeast is good to use if stored in the fridge for approximately 4 months, or 6 months if stored in the freezer.
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Black Pepper Focaccia (Panera Bread Copycat)
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoon Active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon Granulates sugar
- 1 ¾ cups Water
- 4 cups All purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Granulated garlic
- 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon Black pepper - coarsely ground, freshly cracked
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese - grated, optional
- Flakey sea salt - to top
- ½ cup Extra virgin olive oil - to top
Instructions
- Add the water, dry yeast, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast has started to bubble and foam at the surface of the water.3 tsp Active dry yeast, 1 tsp Granulates sugar, 1 ¾ cups Water
- While the yeast is blooming, mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.4 cups All purpose flour, 1 tsp Granulated garlic, 2 tsp Kosher salt
- Add the olive oil to the bloomed yeast mixture, and top with the dry ingredients.½ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- Using the dough hook attachment, mix the dough on level 2 speed until the dough is roughly combined. Increase the mixer speed to level 3 and continue to knead the dough until the dough has formed into a smooth ball and comes off of the side of the bowl. This should take 3-5 minutes.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil to the bread dough ball in the mixing bowl, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Place the bowl in a warm draft-free area to let the dough rise, for 1-2 hours.
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down with your fist. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and stretch the dough out on a quarter sheet pan, greased with half the remaining olive oil. Loosely cover with plastic wrap, and place back in a warm place. Let the dough rise for 1-2 hours again.½ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the risen dough, and pour the rest of the olive oil on the top of dough. Using the tips of your fingers, lightly indent the dough and press dimples into the top. Top with cracked pepper, flakey coarse sea salt, and parmesan cheese.1 ½ tsp Black pepper, Flakey sea salt, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- Bake the focaccia for 25-30 minutes with the rack in the center of the oven, until the focaccia is a deep golden brown color all around.
- Remove the baked focaccia from the baking pan, and transfer to a wire rack. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting to serve.
✱Recipe Notes
- Use lukewarm water: Yeast blooms best in a lukewarm environment. Avoid using very cold, or very hot water, as it can kill the yeast and prevent the dough from rising.
- Extra moisture is good: If you find that the dough has extra moisture that is completely fine. Focaccia dough typically has a higher hydration content (a wet dough), which gives you those beautiful air pockets.
- Do not go light on oil: One of the unique things about focaccia is the oily, crispy exterior. You need to oil both the bottom of the pan and the top of the dough for the best results.
- Help to rise dough: A great way to help dough rise is to keep the bowl or sheet tray in the oven, with the oven light on. This creates a warm environment for the dough to rise nicely.
Vivian G says
You say in the instructions to add 1 cup of olive oil to the dough so yeah now the bread has a whole cup not a half cup. So yeah didn’t work thanks. Maybe change that so no one else makes the same mistake.
Sunena Anand says
Hi Vivian,
First - I am so sorry that the recipe didn't turn out because of this error! It looks like it was a limitation with my recipe card, and I have now fixed it to make the olive oil two separate ingredients. Again, so sorry that this happened!
Janna Micu says
Wanting to make this one soon! Question. In the list of ingredients you say to cut the oil in half but when I read the directions it says to add the full amount in at once. If I could get some clarification for that step in the dough process, I would be grateful.
Sunena Anand says
Hi Janna!
This was just brought to my attention and I have fixed the recipe card to show two separate olive oil amounts. You will use half in the dough, and half to top the focaccia before baking. I hope you love it! 🙂
SB says
SO good and could be versatile to suit your tastes.