Peach Focaccia
Who says peaches are only for pies and cobblers? This peach focaccia with a cinnamon-sugar outer crust will have you wishing peach season lasted year-round.
It’s amazing where inspiration will strike for my next recipe. Last week while at the farmer’s market, I sampled some peach focaccia from a local artisan bakery and fell in love. I couldn’t get home fast enough to bake my own loaf.
And if possible, my homemade version was even better than the bakery’s. It was soft and chewy, and the cinnamon and peach were such a great combination that I couldn’t stop myself. About 5 minutes after pulling them out of the oven, one of these little focaccias had already disappeared.
And 10 minutes later another one met the same fate.
This peach focaccia is just sweet enough that it tastes like a treat, but not so sweet that you’ll need to wait till dessert to serve it.
I am more in love with the peaches this summer than ever before, and I’m so happy to have one more way to incorporate them into my baking. If only peach season lasted year-round!
baking tip:Focaccia's dimply texture
Traditional focaccia is poked and prodded before baking, either with your fingers or the end of a wooden dowel. Poking holes not only gives focaccia its characteristic dimpled appearance, but it provides little places for the olive oil and other toppings to pool and gather.
Peach Focaccia
Ingredients
- 1 cup water (237 ml)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2-3 cups bread flour (240-360 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar , divided
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast (1 package, 7 grams)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon , divided
- 2-3 medium peaches , sliced
- Additional olive oil , for brushing
Instructions
- Heat the water and olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes, or until temperature is 120-130°F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine 1 cup of the bread flour with the salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, yeast, and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Add the water mixture and mix until it forms a wet dough, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
- Add the remaining bread flour ¼ cup at a time while mixing until dough clears the bowl and is tacky but doesn't stick to your fingers when touched. Knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place bowl in a greased bowl and turn to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Punch down dough and knead a few times to remove air bubbles. Shape dough into a rough 14 inch circle on a sheet pan (alternately, shape into 3-4 smaller loaves as pictured in this post), cover, and let rise for an additional 15 minutes. Use your fingers to dimple the dough, pressing your fingers all the way down.
- Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Brush the bread with olive oil and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Top with peach slices.
- Bake at 375°F until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Serve warm or cool.
- Focaccia is best consumed the day it is made, but will keep well wrapped at room temperature for a few days.
Oh my…this is the perfect recipe! When I was younger I used to be more of a savory kind of girl, then I became a sweet lover and now I’m in between so this is exactly the kind of treat I’d love since it has the right balance between savory and sweet! Plus, it looks like your focaccias haven’t too much oil, which is an important criterion to judge focaccias to me – here in Italy bakerys’ make way too oily focaccias – but yours look perfect!
xo, Elisa
Oh I a so pleased to come about a sweet peach bread recipe! you know me I am complete bread addict. I am jealous that you can pick up peaches at the market, I can hardly get them in Australia any more.
So wonderful, served with good cheese; I am drooling.
This is a dream! What an awesome bread recipe!
What a fantastic picnic breakfast! Not sure why, but that’s exactly what I would do with these – peach foccacias in the park!
Peach focaccia in the park sounds lovely!
Perfect use for our peaches!
If I wasn’t already in love peaches enough, now I’m really smitten. Focaccia and peaches sounds like the perfect match.
This sounds wonderful!! I had some absolutely wonderful focaccia while in Comogli, Italy and have been dying to make some ever since..maybe I’ll do a few traditional and a few of these!
Annalise, your focaccia with fresh summer peaches sounds divine! Glad you were inspired by the focaccia you tasted at the farmer’s market that day. And, yes…those focaccia dimples serve an important purpose! Thanks for sharing!
I’ve been dying to make this bread! When I went to go pick up all of the ingredients, I bought white peaches instead of yellow…Do you think it would turn out okay if I used the white peaches, or should I just run and grab some yellow ones? Can’t wait to try this recipe!(:
I think white peaches will work just fine! I hope you enjoy it!