Cherry Focaccia combines the rich, airy texture of classic Italian focaccia with bursts of sweet-tart cherries, flaky sea salt, and fragrant thyme. The dough is soft and chewy with a crisp golden crust, thanks to plenty of olive oil and a long, slow rise that develops deep flavor and structure.
As the focaccia bakes, the cherries soften and collapse slightly into the dough, releasing their juices into the crisp dimples across the surface. A final drizzle of honey adds gentle sweetness that balances beautifully with the savory olive oil, flaky salt, and fresh thyme.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Sweet, Savory, and Perfectly Golden
- Soft focaccia with a crisp olive oil crust
- Sweet cherries balance beautifully with flaky salt
- Honey and thyme add layered flavor
- Long fermentation creates airy texture
- Great for entertaining or sharing
- Delicious served warm or at room temperature
Cherry Focaccia with Honey & Thyme
Erin McNaught
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Bread
Cuisine
Italian
Servings
8
Prep Time
25 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
This Cherry Focaccia combines airy focaccia bread with sweet cherries, honey, thyme, and flaky sea salt for a beautifully balanced bake.
Ingredients
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6 1/4 cups bread flour
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2 1/2 cups room-temperature water
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3 teaspoons sugar
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1/2 cup warm water
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1 packet active dry yeast
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1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
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7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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1/2 pound fresh or thawed frozen cherries, pitted
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Flaky sea salt
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Honey
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Fresh thyme sprigs and leaves
Focaccia Dough
Toppings
Directions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the bread flour, room-temperature water, and half of the sugar. Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms.
- Whisk together the warm water, yeast, and remaining sugar in a small bowl. Let stand until foamy.
- Add the yeast mixture to the dough and mix until absorbed. Add the kosher salt and knead until the dough becomes very elastic and sticky.
- Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover loosely, and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 1/2 hours.
- Transfer the dough to an oiled rimmed baking sheet and gently stretch it toward the corners. If the dough springs back, let it rest before stretching again.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- One hour before baking, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it warm slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Drizzle the dough with olive oil and use oiled fingertips to press deep dimples across the surface.
- Arrange the cherries evenly across the dough and sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until deeply golden brown and the cherries have softened.
- Cool slightly before drizzling with honey and finishing with fresh thyme.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Can I use frozen cherries?
Yes. Thawed frozen cherries work well here. Pat them dry before placing them on the dough — excess moisture can make the surface wet and slow down browning. Fresh cherries are ideal when in season, but frozen is a reliable year-round substitute.
Why refrigerate the dough overnight?
Cold fermentation slows the yeast activity and gives the dough more time to develop flavor and structure. The result is a focaccia with better depth of taste and a more open, airy crumb than a same-day bake. At minimum, refrigerate for 2 hours — overnight is better.
What does honey add to the focaccia?
Honey is added after baking, not before, so it stays fresh and fragrant. It provides a gentle sweetness that ties together the savory olive oil, flaky salt, and herby thyme without overpowering any of them. A light drizzle is all it takes — this isn't a sweet bread.
Why dimple the dough?
Dimpling is what gives focaccia its signature look and texture. The indentations trap pools of olive oil as the bread bakes, creating crispy pockets on the surface while keeping the interior soft and chewy. Press firmly with oiled fingertips all the way to the bottom of the pan.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes — this recipe is designed for it. After the first rise, you can refrigerate the dough in the pan for up to 24 hours. Pull it out about an hour before baking to let it relax and warm slightly before dimpling and topping.
Can I cook this Indoors?
We rate this a 5 out of 5 for cooking indoors. Perfect for indoor or outdoor cooking. This recipe was developed for a standard oven at 450°F and works beautifully in any home kitchen. No grill required.
Recipe Highlights & Insights
The long cold fermentation — at least 2 hours in the fridge, ideally overnight — is the single biggest factor in the final flavor and texture. It develops the dough slowly, creating the open, airy crumb and slightly tangy depth that makes this focaccia feel like something from a serious bakery, not a quick bread recipe.
Olive oil does two things here: it creates the crispy, golden crust on the bottom and sides as it fries in the hot pan, and it collects in the dimples to create those signature crunchy pockets across the top. Don't be shy with it — this is not the place to hold back.
The sweet-savory balance is what makes this recipe stand out from standard focaccia. The cherries collapse into the dough during baking and release their juices into the dimples; the flaky salt amplifies that sweetness; and the honey drizzled on after baking pulls everything together without making it feel like dessert.
This is a strong seasonal recipe for summer cherry season, but it works year-round with thawed frozen cherries. It also photographs exceptionally well — the deep golden crust, glistening cherries, and honey drizzle make it one of the more visually compelling recipes in the ATBBQ bread category.
