Chocolate Cranberry Focaccia

Last Updated on December 30, 2025 by becky

A cranberry focaccia recipe featuring a chocolate focaccia bread dough topped with fresh cranberries, rosemary, chopped dark chocolate, and plenty of olive oil. A fun and festive dessert twist on traditional Italian olive oil bread!!

Why Make This Chocolate Cranberry Focaccia?

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you already know how much I enjoy baking homemade bread. It’s easy to make and tastes fresher and better than store-bought. (Plus it’s far easier on the wallet than a loaf from a fancy artisan bakery!) I make everything from soda bread and dinner rolls to cheesy bread and hot cross buns, but focaccia remains my favorite.

We often think of focaccia as a savory bake reserved for sandwiches, appetizers, or dipping in olive oil, but it’s actually much more versatile than that. While you can certainly maintain a savory profile with toppings like black olives or cherry tomatoes, focaccia lends itself equally well to salty-sweet combinations, or even sweeter loaves that work best as an after-dinner treat.

This dessert focaccia recipe starts with a double chocolate bread dough base. I’ve topped it with fresh cranberries, chunks of dark chocolate, and tiny sprigs of rosemary, then finished things off with flaky sea salt and plenty of olive oil. The result? A soft, tender bread with pockets of melted chocolate; bursts of tart, juicy cranberry; fragrant rosemary; and the salty-sweet combo of chocolate and sea salt.

Cranberry Focaccia Recipe Ingredients

To make this chocolate cranberry focaccia bread, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Bread Flour – I like to use bread flour for focaccia. The higher protein count increases gluten development, promoting better texture, structure, and rise. However, you can make this recipe with all purpose flour, or a mix of bread flour and AP.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Make sure you’re using unsweetened cocoa powder, not the sweetened kind you’d use for hot chocolate. Do not use Dutch processed.
• Olive Oil – Focaccia relies on olive oil for its signature flavor and texture, so opt for a good-tasting extra virgin olive oil.

• Granulated Sugar – Granulated sugar balances out the cocoa powder, adding sweetness and moisture and giving the dough a softer, more tender crumb.
• Salt – You’ll need kosher salt to make the focaccia dough, plus flaky sea salt (or coarse sea salt, or Celtic or Himalayan sea salt) to create the salty-sweet contrast.
• Instant Yeast – I use instant yeast because it’s faster, but feel free to substitute active dry yeast. If using active dry, just remember to prove the yeast in warm water before mixing it with the other ingredients.
• Vanilla Extract – As with brownies or chocolate cookies, vanilla extract adds warmth and depth of flavor. I like the Nielsen-Massey line of vanilla products, but any good-tasting vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract will work.
• Chocolate – You’ll need chocolate for the dough, plus more for the topping. I tested versions of the dough with chopped chocolate, as well as chocolate chips. Both will work, but if using chopped chocolate for the dough I recommend cutting it into small pieces—I found very large, jagged chunks difficult to knead. Either kind will work for topping the loaf.

• Cranberries – While recipes like cranberry curd and compote work equally well with frozen or fresh berries, the latter are a must for focaccia. (Frozen, thawed cranberries contain too much moisture and will make the bread soggy.) If you have extra fresh cranberries, turn them into sugared cranberries, or float them on top of a bowl of cranberry ginger punch.
• Rosemary – Fresh rosemary works best for this recipe. If you don’t have fresh rosemary, you can substitute fresh thyme. Or, omit the fresh herbs altogether. Do not use dried herbs.

Focaccia Tips and Tricks

I’ve made countless loaves of focaccia, and along the way, I’ve jotted down a few useful tips and tricks for making the best possible loaf. For starters, since focaccia relies on olive oil for its flavor and texture, it’s best to choose a high-quality oil that you genuinely enjoy.

For the flour, use bread flour than all-purpose, and don’t rush the rising process—a slow rise develops deeper flavor and improves the final crumb, so it’s well worth the wait. I generally allow two hours for the first rise and another hour for the second. Before baking, dimple the dough thoroughly with your fingers to create the characteristic pockets that hold the olive oil. And once the focaccia comes out of the oven, generously brush the surface in even more oil. All of that oil adds flavor and, gives the loaf a glossy sheen; and helps keep it moist over a couple of days.

Recommended Tools and Equipment

Below are a few of my must-haves for making focaccia and other types of bread. (For even more recommendations, check out my list of breadmaking tools I love!)

For proving the dough, I use one of these bowl covers for the first rise (a shower cap will also work—years ago I took a baking class at Bread Ahead Bakery in London, and the instructor told us that he always used clean shower caps for proving!) and clingfilm to cover the tray for the second rise.

When making the dough, a kitchen scale is 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.) I also suggest a plastic bench scraper, an inexpensive tool that makes it easy to combine the ingredients and is also handy for scraping bits of sticky dough from the countertop.

You’ll also need a half sheet rimmed baking tray (a flat tray does not work for focaccia; the oil will leak, creating a smoky disaster in your oven and kitchen!) and a wire rack for cooling the freshly baked loaf. For slicing, a serrated knife works best, cutting through the loaf with precision and creating smooth, even slices that are perfect for serving and sharing.

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

Cranberry focaccia is best enjoyed on the day it is made. Wrap leftovers in foil or plastic wrap, or place in an airtight container, and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Other focaccia recipes you might enjoy:

Grape Focaccia with Chili and Capers
Fig and Rosemary Focaccia
Apple Cheddar Focaccia
Rosemary and Black Olive Focaccia

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!

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