Focaccia is usually thought of as a savory Italian flatbread, often topped with herbs, onions, or olives. But one weekend, while baking for my grandkids (all of whom have a sweet tooth), I decided to experiment with a sweeter twist. The idea had been tucked away in the back of my mind for months: a flatbread infused with cinnamon and sugar, crowned with tender sautéed apples, and finished with a drizzle of vanilla glaze.
The first batch came out flavorful but a touch overbaked, so I tried again—this time tweaking the dough with chopped walnuts for texture and richness. That simple addition made all the difference, pairing beautifully with the apples. Judging by how quickly the focaccia disappeared, the family agreed it was a winner.
For the apples, I used Pink Lady, which hold their shape well when baked, but Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Braeburn would work just as nicely. The focaccia base is a slightly sweetened version of my standard dough, with cinnamon worked right in. I rely on SAS Instant Yeast for bread baking, as it mixes directly with the flour and has never failed me.
When making the dough, I find that about ½ cup of sugar is enough to balance the apple topping without making it overly sweet, though you can adjust to taste. As with most yeast breads, the exact amount of water depends on the flour, so I start with half the suggested quantity and gradually add more until the dough just comes together.
The finished focaccia is tender and golden, topped with spiced apples, walnuts, and a drizzle of glaze—a comforting, non-traditional take on Italian flatbread that works as well for breakfast as it does for dessert.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Ingredients
- 5 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil + Extra For Bowl
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Cup Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Instant Yeast
- 1 1/2 – 2 Cups Warm Water
- 1 1/2 Cups Chopped Walnuts
Topping:
- 6 Medium Sized Apples, Peeled, Cored & Cut Into 1-inch Dice
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/3 Cup Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
Icing:
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 – 2 Tablespoons Milk
Instructions
- Measure and assemble your flour, oil, salt, sugar, yeast, and walnuts.
- Add everything but the water into a large bowl and stir.
- Add half the water and stir.
- Continue to add water until the dough begins to come together into a shaggy ball.
- Dump the dough mixture onto a lightly floured surface and begin to knead with the heels of your hand.
- Knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and pliant.
- Add a little oil (2 tablespoons) to the bottom of a large bowl and place your ball of dough inside.
- Roll the ball of dough around in the oil ensuring the sides of the bowl and ball of dough are both lightly oiled.
- Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise. (I cover mine with a kitchen towel on top of the plastic wrap and sit it on a large sunny windowsill.)
- Let the dough rise until it is doubled in size, about an hour or an hour and a half depending on ambient temperature.
- While the dough is rising, prepare the apples.
- For the apples, in a heavy frying pan, heat the butter until melted.
- Add the sugar, cinnamon, and apples, and cook over medium low heat, stirring often, until the apples are very soft and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes.
- Cover, and set aside.
- Lightly oil a 13 x 9 inch baking sheet with sides.
- Dump your risen dough into the pan punching it down to deflate it.
- Use your fingers to push and press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for another 20 minutes or until the dough dimples when pushed with your fingertip.
- Use the tips of your fingers to dimple the entire top of the focaccia.
- Drizzle the 1/4 cup of olive oil over the top turning the pan carefully to allow the oil to roll into the indentations.
- Scatter the apples evenly across the top of the focaccia.
- Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown, then cool to room temperature.
- Place the powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a small bowl, then slowly drizzle the milk into the bowl while whisking continuously until you have a thick glaze.
- Drizzle the glaze over the flatbread, and allow to dry for 30 minutes.
- Cut the flatbread into 3 inch squares and enjoy!