Almond Croissant Inspired Focaccia Bread
If focaccia bread, plus an almond croissant had a baby, this would be it! A homemade fluffy focaccia bread base is topped with canned sweet almond pastry filling, sliced almonds, and finished with powdered sugar and an almond infused icing. The result is a sweet almond focaccia bread perfect for breakfast, snacks, holidays, or just with your morning coffee.
Almond Croissant Meets Focaccia
The base for this recipe is LaughingSpatula’s Easy Focaccia Bread (our other blog). It’s SUPER simple to make. Next, top it with almond pastry filling (comes in a can, you can find it in the baking aisle of most grocery stores, but you can also buy it on Amazon here), sliced almonds, and top it with powdered sugar and icing. My son and husband loved this recipe so much, I know I’ll make it again! I specifically have my eye on this one for holiday mornings. Not only did it taste delicious, but it made my entire house smell like a French bakery. I normally don’t enjoy baking, but when it is so easy, and comes out this good, these are the baking recipes I covet and make over and over again.
Easy Sweet Focaccia Bread Recipe
The base of this recipe was handed down to me from my mom. I grew up coming home after school to fresh baked focaccia bread ready for my after school snack. The house would smell so good, and it honestly just felt like a warm hug coming home! When we had leftover focaccia we’d make croutons with it. They would rarely last long enough to make it on a salad. Homemade croutons are probably my second favorite carb, next to bread, that is.
Making Almond Focaccia Bread
The dough is pretty simple to make. A mixture of yeast, water, sugar or honey, flour, almond extract, and olive oil. Mix it together well in a stand mixer with a dough hook. Rub the dough with olive oil so it really absorbs it (this helps get that nice golden texture as it bakes). Let it rise, and once risen, place it on a parchment lined half sheet pan (13×18), spread it out, and let it rise again.
Once the dough is on the parchment lined sheet pan and has had its second rise, drop globs of almond pastry filling and using clean hands, press it into the dough. This helps infuse that almond-y flavor into the dough! Top it with sliced almonds, and bake for about 20-25 minutes (depending on the oven) until golden brown and cooked throughout.
Tips to make the Best Almond Focaccia Bread
- Let your yeast bloom. Bad yeast, equals flat focaccia. You don’t want flat focaccia. Blooming the yeast ensures it’s active and will give you the best focaccia!
- Let the dough rise! Don’t skip it. It’s important.
- Add the almond filling in generous dollops. This helps the dough rise without influence and allows it to rise and brown properly, with big scoops of almond flavor.
Christmas Morning Bread Recipe
This recipe is perfect for Christmas morning! I love it with a fresh cup of hot coffee. You can actually make the dough a day ahead, and let it rise the second time on the sheet pan right before baking it.
Storing Leftover Focaccia Bread
If you have leftovers of this, I recommend an airtight container with a lid. This will last an additional day or two, but I will say, it’s much better fresh. If you like it warmed up, airfry it on reheat for a couple minutes. I find that microwaving this bread gives it a tough, chewy texture.
If you like this recipe, you’ll also love our blueberry biscuits, breakfast cookies, and our easy fruit danish rolls.
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Tag us @GigglingFork on Instagram or use #GigglingFork. We love to see your recipes!
Enjoy!- Rachel
Almond Croissant Focaccia Bread
Equipment
- 1 18×13 inch sheet pan
- Parchment Paper
- stand mixer with dough hook
Ingredients
Focaccia Bread Base
- 1 1/3 cup warm water
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 .25 ounce package active dry yeast
- 3.5 cups flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1/4 cup olive oil (+ 2 tbsp)
Toppings
- 1 12.5 oz can almond filling
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- powdered sugar to garnish
Icing
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- Add warm water, yeast and honey to stand mixer with dough hook attachment. Stir water mixture and let sit 5-10 minutes until foamy. *Note- if the yeast is bad, it will not foam. If it doesn't foam, get some fresh active yeast and start over.
- Set mixer to low and gradually add in flour, almond extract, 1/4 cup olive oil and salt. Continue to mix, and increase speed of mixer to medium. Mix until dough pulls away from side of bowl. *If dough is still sticky after fully , add 1/4 cup flour gradually.
- Spray hands with nonstick spray (or olive oil) and remove the dough from the mixer, shaping dough into a ball. Place in a greased (with nonstick spray or olive oil) bowl and cover with damp towel. Let rise in a warm environment (a laundry room with the dryer on works great, or a sun facing window) for 45-60 minutes.
- Once the dough has risen, place dough on greased surface. Roll it out to be about 1/2 inch thick, and roughly the size of a 18×13 inch baking pan. Cover again with damp towel, and let rise for additional 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- After dough has risen, add about 12 globs (about 2 tbsp each, this will use almost the entire can) on top of the focaccia dough. Using clean hands, push the filling into the dough. Spread sliced almonds on top of bread.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked throughout.While bread bakes, mix together icing (powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, almond extract). Whisk until no lumps remain and set aside.
- Once fully cooked, sprinkle powdered sugar over the top. Drizzle with icing. Serve & enjoy.
Nutrition
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