Delicious Breakfast Focaccia: Your New Favorite Easy Brunch Recipe with Eggs & Bacon

There’s something uniquely satisfying about homemade bread, especially when it becomes a cherished part of family traditions. This Breakfast Focaccia holds a special place in my heart, a recipe I began developing shortly after graduating from culinary school. At the time, I was brimming with enthusiasm for home baking and eager to experiment with different bread styles. Little did I know, this particular focaccia would quickly become a beloved staple, gracing our holiday mornings and leisurely weekends with its irresistible aroma and flavor. It’s a dish that evokes warmth, comfort, and togetherness, making any meal feel like a special occasion.

While the art of bread making can sometimes seem daunting, requiring both practice and patience, this Breakfast Focaccia recipe simplifies the process beautifully. It utilizes the “straight dough method,” a beginner-friendly approach that makes it one of the easiest bread recipes to master. Forget complex techniques or multiple mixing stages; with this method, you can achieve a wonderfully airy and flavorful focaccia without the fuss. It’s the perfect entry point for aspiring bakers or anyone looking for a foolproof bread recipe that delivers impressive results every time.

This recipe focuses on precision to ensure perfect results, which is why ingredients are measured in grams. For the best outcome and ease of use, an electric scale is highly recommended for measuring your ingredients.

Mastering the Focaccia Dough: A Straightforward Approach

The secret to this focaccia’s success lies in its simplicity. The “Straight Dough” method is remarkably forgiving: you literally combine all the dough ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer, attach the dough hook, and let the machine do the hard work of kneading for you. This eliminates much of the guesswork and physical effort typically associated with bread making, making it accessible to even the most novice bakers.

Ensuring your yeast is fresh is paramount for a successful rise. Active dry yeast, when properly stored and alive, will awaken beautifully with warm water (around 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit), ready to work its magic. Once combined and kneaded, your patience will be rewarded as the dough undergoes its first rise. Allow it to proof for approximately an hour and a half, or until it has noticeably doubled in size. This crucial step develops the dough’s flavor and texture, leading to that characteristic airy crumb of a perfect focaccia.

After the initial rise, gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a large rectangle, roughly matching the dimensions of your chosen baking sheet. The beauty of focaccia is its rustic charm, so don’t stress about perfect symmetry. The next step is where the magic truly happens: generously oil your baking sheet with a good quality olive oil, then place the dough on top, ensuring both sides are coated in the luscious oil. This not only prevents sticking but infuses the focaccia with rich flavor. Allow it to proof again in the pan until it has doubled in thickness. This second rise contributes to the focaccia’s tender interior and crispy bottom crust.

One of the ultimate joys of focaccia is its inherent connection to olive oil. The dough itself is enriched with it, and the baking process sees it basically soaked in this golden elixir. Because olive oil is such a central component, defining much of the focaccia’s flavor profile, it’s highly recommended to use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can reasonably afford. A premium olive oil will impart a depth of fruity, peppery, and rich notes that elevate the finished product from good to absolutely extraordinary. This simple choice makes a remarkable difference in the overall experience.

Transforming Focaccia into a Hearty Breakfast Delight

While plain focaccia is wonderful on its own, this recipe elevates it to “Breakfast Focaccia” with a few delightful additions. The stars of the show are crispy bacon and perfectly baked eggs, turning a simple bread into a complete and satisfying meal. To prepare the bacon, par-cook a package until it has released most of its fat and is no longer raw, but hasn’t yet reached full crispiness. This ensures it cooks perfectly alongside the focaccia in the oven, without becoming burnt or overly greasy.

Just before the focaccia goes into the oven, create several larger indents on the dough’s surface. These indentations will serve as cozy nests for fresh-cracked eggs, added during the final minutes of baking. These little pockets prevent the eggs from spreading too much and ensure they cook evenly. A generous seasoning of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper sprinkled over the entire surface of the focaccia before baking adds a crucial layer of flavor, enhancing both the bread and its toppings.

This Breakfast Focaccia truly shines as a centerpiece for brunch, a dish that my family requests constantly throughout the year! To keep it feeling special and anticipated, I usually reserve it for a few select occasions, making those mornings even more memorable. However, its straightforward preparation means it’s something you could whip up anytime a craving for something warm, savory, and utterly delicious strikes. Imagine the delight of serving this on Christmas morning, or any morning, for that matter! The aroma filling your kitchen alone is enough to wake up even the sleepiest of guests.

Beyond the classic bacon and egg combination, this focaccia offers incredible versatility. Consider sprinkling some grated Parmesan or crumbled feta cheese over the top along with the bacon, or adding finely chopped chives for a fresh oniony kick. For those who prefer a meat-free option, roasted cherry tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, or fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme can be wonderful substitutes or additions. The beauty of focaccia is its adaptability, allowing you to customize it to your family’s preferences or whatever ingredients you have on hand. It’s not just a recipe; it’s a canvas for culinary creativity.

The crispy crust, the soft, airy interior, and the savory toppings create a symphony of textures and flavors in every bite. Whether served with a simple cup of coffee or as part of a larger brunch spread, this Breakfast Focaccia is guaranteed to impress. It’s an easy way to elevate your morning meal into something truly extraordinary, proving that homemade bread doesn’t have to be intimidating.

Explore More Delicious Breakfast & Brunch Ideas!

If you’ve fallen in love with the idea of a hearty, homemade breakfast, here are some other fantastic recipes to inspire your morning meals and brunch gatherings:

• Savory Breakfast Pie
• Indulgent Caramelized Custard French Toast
• Homemade Crunchy Peanut Butter Granola
• Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
• Hearty Breakfast Hash with Sweet Potatoes and Eggs

Have you tried this incredible Breakfast Focaccia recipe? We’d love to hear your thoughts! Please leave a review or comment below to share your experience. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter to get the latest recipes and tips delivered straight to your inbox. You can also follow along on our culinary adventures on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for daily inspiration!

📖 Recipe

Breakfast Focaccia

This ultimate easy Breakfast Focaccia recipe with eggs and bacon is a family favorite, perfect for holiday mornings or a special brunch. Using the straightforward ‘straight dough’ method, it’s a remarkably easy bread to master. Precision in measurements ensures perfect results.

Ingredients

• 450 grams warm water, 105-110 degrees F (40-43 C)
• 10 grams Active Dry Yeast
• 750 grams Bread Flour
• 8 grams Kosher Salt
• 25 grams Olive Oil (for dough)
• ½ cup Olive Oil (for the pan)
• 6 large eggs
• 12 slices of bacon, par-cooked
• Kosher Salt (for seasoning)
• Fresh Cracked Black Pepper (for seasoning)

Instructions

1. Combine Dough Ingredients: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, layer all dough ingredients in the following order: warm water, active dry yeast, bread flour, kosher salt, and 25 grams of olive oil.
2. Knead the Dough: Using the dough hook attachment, mix on the second speed for about 12 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky to the touch.
3. First Rise (Bulk Fermentation): Lightly grease a large bowl with cooking spray or a small amount of olive oil. Transfer the dough to the greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and allow the dough to proof in a warm place for 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
4. Shape and Second Rise (Proofing): Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Gently roll it into a large rectangle, roughly the size of your baking sheet. Pour about half a cup of olive oil onto your baking sheet, spreading it evenly. Place the dough onto the oiled sheet, turning to coat both sides generously with the oil. Cover again and allow the dough to rise (proof) in the pan until it has doubled in thickness.
5. Par-cook the Bacon: While the dough is undergoing its second rise, par-cook the bacon slices. Cook them until most or all of their fat has rendered, but they are not yet crispy. This ensures they will finish cooking perfectly in the oven without burning.
6. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
7. Prepare Focaccia for Baking: Once the dough has risen, brush the top generously with more olive oil. Using your fingers, dock the dough by poking deep indentations at regular intervals. Season the top of the dough with a generous sprinkle of kosher salt. Using the back of a ladle or your fingers, create 6 larger, deeper holes or depressions in the dough to hold the eggs later.
8. Bake Focaccia with Eggs and Bacon: Bake the focaccia in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven, then carefully crack one egg into each of the designated large holes, pressing them down gently with the ladle if needed. Arrange the par-cooked bacon strips around the bread and specifically around the egg spots. Sprinkle the entire focaccia with fresh black pepper and a little extra salt on the eggs. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the eggs have reached your desired level of doneness (from runny to firm yolks).
9. Slice and Serve: Once baked, remove the focaccia from the oven. Allow it to cool slightly before slicing into 6 equal pieces. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

You can leave the eggs and bacon off and add some fresh herbs to the top with the salt and pepper and have perfect herbed focaccia to use as a side. Consider rosemary, thyme, or oregano for a classic Italian flavor.

For an extra boost of flavor, I sometimes add a little crumble of Boursin cheese on the eggs, particularly the Garlic and Herb flavor. Feel free to use your favorite soft, spreadable cheese.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

Approximately 1/6th of focaccia

Amount Per Serving:
Unsaturated Fat: 0g

(Please note: Nutritional values are estimates and can vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods. 0g unsaturated fat is a placeholder for detailed custom calculations.)

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