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An apple focaccia recipe with cheddar cheese, rosemary, sea salt, and cinnamon. This apple cheddar bread recipe showcases the best flavors of autumn, but is delicious all year long.
Why Make This Apple Focaccia Recipe?
Anybody who knows me (or follows me on Instagram) knows that I love baking bread. I especially love baking bread when I can pack it full of lots of additional stuff: nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables, olives, raisins, and especially, cheese. (See also: My soda bread with cheddar and herbs, olive cheese bread, and blue cheese bread with cheddar and walnuts!)
Focaccia (a.k.a. Italian olive oil bread) makes one of the best and most versatile bread bases for adding lots of inclusions. Recipes often include olives, sea salt, and fresh herbs, but I’ve also made it with everything from grapes and capers to caramelized onions and roasted peppers.
This apple focaccia combines all of the best flavors of early autumn: crisp Granny Smith apples, sharp cheddar cheese, ground cinnamon, and fresh rosemary. (Plus a healthy amount of extra virgin olive oil, of course!) This apple cheddar bread makes a lovely accompaniment for soup; cut into slices for breakfast or brunch; or piled with more cheese for a vegetarian sandwich.
Ingredients for Making Apple Cheddar Focaccia
To make the focaccia dough, you’ll need a few breadmaking staples: bread flour, kosher salt, and yeast. I prefer instant yeast because it’s faster, but feel free to substitute active dry. Just remember to prove the yeast in warm water before mixing it with the other ingredients.
Other ingredients for making this apple cheese focaccia bread include:
- Sea Salt – I sprinkled my loaf with flaky sea salt, but pink Celtic sea salt is also a good choice for this recipe.
- Apple – You’ll need about half of a 200-gram apple, washed and thinly sliced. I don’t bother to peel. Granny Smith is a good choice, but feel free to experiment with other varieties.
- Olive Oil – Focaccia relies on olive oil for flavor and texture (it’s called “olive oil bread” for a reason!), so use the best you can find. Plain extra virgin olive oil works nicely, but I’ve also tried this recipe with infused oils (like La Tourangelle Herbs de Provence Oil) for an additional flavor element.
- Cheese – You’ll need 100 grams (about 3 1/2 ounces) of cubed cheese. I’ve tested this recipe with sharp cheddar, but any cheddar or other semi-hard cheese will work.
- Rosemary – Fresh rosemary is an absolute must for this recipe—do not use dried! If you don’t have fresh rosemary on hand, you can use another fresh, woody herb such as thyme.
- Applesauce – For the dough, I’ve replaced a portion of the olive oil with applesauce for additional moisture and apple flavor. Use unsweetened applesauce, not the kind with added sugar.
- Ground Cinnamon – Any good-tasting ground cinnamon will work. You can also replace the cinnamon with ground nutmeg or cardamom, or any combination of the three.
Apple Focaccia Tips and Tricks
Allow plenty of proving time. A slow rise helps the focaccia to develop flavor and texture. It will depend on the temperature and humidity levels in your kitchen, but as a general rule of thumb I usually allow two hours for the first rise, and another hour for the second.
Create dimples in the dough. Before baking, press your fingers into the round foccacia dough to create deep dimples. This step gives the focaccia its signature look and creates pockets, into which the olive oil can settle.
Keep it rustic. I usually make round focaccia, but you can also shape your dough into a square or rectangle. Focaccia is meant to be rustic, so don’t worry about precision for this one!
Don’t skimp on the olive oil. After baking, brush the top of the loaf with even more oil. This finishing touch adds flavor, gives the bread a bit of a shine, and keeps the loaf nice and moist.
Use bread flour. The higher protein content in bread flour gives the focaccia more structure and a chewier texture. Or, use a blend of bread flour and all-purpose, in any combination you’d like.
Suggested Tools and Equipment
Serrated Knife – A serrated knife is best kind of knife for serving focaccia. The jagged, saw-like edge cuts through the loaf with precision, creating smooth, even slices.
Half Sheet Rimmed Baking Tray -You must use a rimmed (not flat!) tray for this recipe, or the oil will leak, creating a smoky disaster in your oven and kitchen.
Bench Scraper – A plastic bench scraper allows you to combine the dough ingredients with ease. It’s also handy for cleanup, especially when you need to scrape bits of sticky dough from the bowl or countertop.
Kitchen Scale – An absolute must for weighing the flour. Precision is key when measuring dry ingredients for focaccia, or your dough might be too dry or too wet.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
This apple cheddar focaccia is best enjoyed on the day it is made. Wrap leftovers in foil and store at room temperature for up to two days. I do not suggest freezing homemade focaccia.
Other focaccia recipes you might enjoy:
Grape Focaccia Recipe with Chili and Capers
Rosemary Focaccia Recipe
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Apple, Cheddar and Rosemary Focaccia
- Total Time: About 4 hours
- Yield: 1 9-inch round loaf 1x
Description
An apple focaccia recipe with cheddar cheese, rosemary, sea salt, and cinnamon.
Ingredients
Focaccia dough:
290 grams bread flour (2 1/4 cups)
150 milliliters lukewarm water (2/3 cup)
30 milliliters olive oil (3 tablespoons), plus more for drizzling
20 grams unsweetened applesauce (1 tablespoon)
7 grams kosher salt (2 teaspoons)
6 grams instant yeast (2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Topping:
1/2 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced (about half of a 200-gram apple)
100 grams cheddar cheese, cubed (3 1/2 ounces)
130 milliliters olive oil (2/3 cup)
2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary, broken into small pieces
Flaky sea salt or pink Celtic sea salt, for sprinkling
Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling
Instructions
Line a half-sheet rimmed baking tray with parchment. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine bread flour, water, olive oil, applesauce, kosher salt, instant yeast, and chopped rosemary.
Use a bench scraper to bring the ingredients together until a soft dough forms. If dough feels too dry, add an additional splash of lukewarm water.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured countertop. Knead by hand until soft and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.
Place ball in a well-oiled bowl. Drizzle with more oil.
Cover bowl with clingfilm/plastic wrap or a clean tea towel. Allow to stand in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Punch dough down. Place on prepared tray and shape into an 8- to- 9-inch round.
Cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap and prove until puffy, about 1 hour more.
Preheat oven to 205° C / 400° F.
With a pastry brush, brush the top of the loaf with olive oil.
Add the sliced apples and cheese cubes.
Use your fingers to push the toppings down, creating deep dimples in the dough.
Drizzle more oil on top of the bread, reserving about half of the remaining oil for after baking.
Dot the top of the loaf with the rosemary sprigs.
Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and ground cinnamon.
Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until bubbly and deeply golden brown, with crispy bits of cheese around the edges.
Drizzle with remaining olive oil.
Slice with a serrated knife. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Store leftover focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Rising Time: 2 1/2 - 3 hours
- Cook Time: 30 - 40 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Bread