Garlic Butter Sourdough Focaccia (Overnight Recipe)

Garlic bread just got an upgrade. This Garlic Butter Sourdough Focaccia brings together everything we love about sourdough bread - the chew, the tang, the beautiful bubbles - and wraps it in buttery, garlicky richness. Imagine pulling a golden brown square from the oven, the scent of garlic and parsley filling the kitchen. It's the kind of bake that instantly turns an ordinary day into a cosy one.

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Like the flavours, but want more cheese, decadence and visual appeal? Try our Cheesy Sourdough Garlic Rolls (Pull-Apart Bread)!

Ingredient Notes

• Strong Bread Flour (at least 12% protein): A high-protein flour supports a strong gluten network and gives your focaccia its airy texture.
• Water. We use 180-190 g water for the dough when using 12.5-13% protein content. If your flour is less strong, you may need to reduce the water slightly. 
• Active Sourdough Starter: Make sure your starter is bubbly and recently fed. We use a typical 100% hydration starter in this recipe. 
• Salt: Essential for both structure and flavour balance. Fine sea salt or kosher salt works best.
• Olive Oil: Adds richness, keeps the crumb soft, and creates those irresistibly crisp edges. You don't need extra virgin oil here. 
• For the Garlic Butter: Unsalted butter, olive oil, minced fresh garlic, parsley, and a pinch of salt create a fragrant base. Parmesan adds a savoury note, but you can leave it out or swap for Pecorino or even Manchego.

Find ingredient quantities, detailed instructions and nutritional information in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. 

Step-By-Step Method

This Garlic Butter Sourdough Focaccia is made over 2 days, as it benefits from the overnight cold ferment to boost the flavour, so plan ahead. 

Feed Your Starter

1. First thing in the morning, feed your sourdough starter and leave it in a warm spot to at least double in volume. An active starter is the key to light, bubbly focaccia. 

2. If your sourdough starter doesn't double within 4 hours or is generally sluggish, have a look at our Sourdough Starter Troubleshooting Guide below:

Fermentolyse and Mixing the Dough

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, water and active sourdough starter. Mix on low speed for a few minutes until the flour is hydrated (no dry flour pockets remain). Cover with a damp tea towel and rest for one hour to begin gluten development (this is called fermentolyse - a type of sourdough autolyse).

2. After the rest, scatter salt over the top and drizzle in the olive oil. 

3. Use your hands to squish the oil and salt into the dough before mixing again on medium speed for 10-12 minutes, using the dough hook attachment. The dough should feel wet and elastic, gathering around the hook and clearing the sides of the bowl.

Coil Folds, Bulk Fermentation and Cold Proof

1. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Let the dough rise for 30 minutes, then perform a set of coil folds using wet hands. Repeat every 30 minutes for about 3 hours. After the final set, let the dough rest undisturbed for another 1½-3 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

2. Cover with plastic wrap or a very damp cloth and refrigerate for 8-24 hours. This slow fermentation develops a complex flavour and gives you more control the next day.

Prepare the Garlic Butter

1. In a small pan, melt butter with olive oil over low heat. Add minced garlic and cook for about 2 minutes until softened but not browned. 

2. Remove from heat, stir in parsley and a pinch of salt, and set aside to cool.

Second Rise and Shaping

1. Line a square baking tray (about 24×24 cm or 9×9 in) with parchment paper. 

2. Take the dough out of the fridge and gently stretch it into a rectangle twice the length of your tray. Be gentle, tugging the edges of the dough - try not to tear it. 

3. Spoon half of the garlic butter over one half of the dough, fold the other half over the top, and pinch the edges to seal. 

4. Transfer to the prepared baking pan, stretching the dough gently to fill the corners.

5. Cover and leave to rise for 2-3 hours in a warm spot until puffy, with visible bubbles under the surface.

Baking

1. Preheat your oven to 220°C (428°F). Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over the top of the dough and dimple deeply with oiled fingers, pressing right to the bottom of the pan. 

2. Bake on the lower oven rack for 20-25 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown.

3. As soon as it comes out of the oven, brush over the remaining garlic butter and scatter grated parmesan on top. Slide the focaccia onto a wire rack and cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Important Tips for Best Results

First time making sourdough focaccia? Here are some thing to note! Making excellent focaccia is part science, part instinct. Here's what truly makes the difference in garlic sourdough focaccia:

Fermentolyse First. Combine your flour, water and starter before adding salt or oil. This resting phase helps develop gluten naturally and makes coiling smoother.

Oil by Hand. Work olive oil into the dough manually before turning on the mixer. Adding it too early can prevent proper gluten formation.

Smooth, Elastic Dough. A good focaccia dough will be sticky but supple. Knead on medium speed until it looks smooth and slightly shiny. It doesn't have to pass the windowpane test after mixing in the stand mixer, but it should be elastic enough after the last coil fold. 

Coil Folds Build Strength. Perform a set of coil folds every 30 minutes during bulk fermentation to encourage structure without deflating the dough.

Watch the Dough, Not the Clock. Fermentation time varies with ambient temperature. You're looking for a 50% rise, light bubbles at the edges, and a lively texture.

Cold Ferment for Flavour. Refrigerating the dough overnight enhances depth and creates those beautiful, airy pockets.

Don't Cover With Tea Towel or Plastic Wrap for the Second Rise: It will stick! If you must, make sure to generously oil the plastic wrap before you do. Use a high-rimmed baking tray or even a large cake pan. 

Dimple Deeply. Press your fingertips all the way to the bottom of the pan. This prevents large air pockets and gives the crumb an irregular, open texture.

Garlic Butter Timing. Add half of the butter before baking and brush the rest over when hot from the oven. The first gives flavour inside; the second adds sheen and aroma. If you brush the garlic butter on the surface of your sourdough focaccia before baking, the garlic will burn and taste bitter. 

Serving Suggestions

Garlic Butter Focaccia is perfect on its own when warm, but even better paired with other dishes. Serve it as:

• A starter or side with soups or pasta dishes like spaghetti carbonara or lasagne.
• Torn and dipped in balsamic vinegar or a drizzle of garlic confit oil.
• Stuffed sandwich bread, layered with mozzarella, roasted peppers, or thinly sliced ham.
• Soup sidekick: delicious bread with anything from summery green pea and mint soup to wintery Cauliflower and Stilton Soup. 

The buttery layers and crisp edges make it a crowd-pleaser for any occasion.

Storage

Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The best way to reheat it is to place slices on a baking tray, cover loosely with foil and warm in a preheated oven at 180°C for 4-6 minutes.

For longer storage, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month. Thaw and refresh in the oven until warmed through.

Recipe FAQS

More Sourdough Focaccia Bread Recipes

Love experimenting with savoury sourdough recipes? You'll find plenty of focaccia variations below - from French Onion Sourdough Focaccia to Hot Honey Focaccia - all created to bring a little next-level flavour to your sourdough journey.

Garlic Butter Surdough Focaccia

Garlic bread just got an upgrade. This Garlic Butter Sourdough Focaccia brings together everything we love about sourdough bread - the chew, the tang, the beautiful bubbles - and wraps it in buttery, garlicky richness. Imagine pulling a golden brown square from the oven, the scent of garlic and parsley filling the kitchen. It's the kind of bake that instantly turns an ordinary day into a cosy one.

5 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Fermenting and Proofing 18 hours hrs

Total Time 20 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Course Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American, American Italian, British, Fusion, Worldwide

Servings 9 portions

Calories 173 kcal

Equipment

• Stand Mixer Fitted with A Dough Hook Attachment
• Baking Tray (9x9in/ 23x23cm)
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

  

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Sourdough Focaccia

• 260 g strong bread flour with at least 12% protein content
• 190 ml water
• 110 g active sourdough starter 100% hydration
• 5 g salt
• 25 ml olive oil

Garlic Butter

• 15 g unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 15 g parmesan finely grated

Instructions

 

DAY 1

• First thing in the morning, feed your sourdough starter and leave it in a warm spot to at least double in volume. We typically feed our starter in a ratio of 1 part starter: 1 part water: 1 part flour, and it doubles (or even triples) within 4 hours.

Fermentolyse and Mixing The Dough

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, water and active sourdough starter. Mix the dough in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment for a few minutes on low speed, until the flour is hydrated. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and leave the dough to fermentolyse (a type of sourdough autolyse where sourdough starter is added too) for an hour.
• After an hour, scatter the salt on top of the dough. Drizzle the olive oil all over, and using your hands, squish the salt and oil into the dough, aiming to distribute it evenly.
• TIP: Don't be tempted to just mix the oil in by running the stand mixer - the dough will split, separated by oil layers.
• Once incorporated, run your mixer on medium speed for 10-12 minutes, until you have a very smooth and elastic dough. It will be wet, but should start gathering around the dough hook attachment.

Coil Folds, Bulk Fermentation, Cold Proof

• Scoop the dough into a lightly oiled bowl (we like to use a heavy shallow dish - it helps with coil folds later). Cover the dough with a damp tea towel or cling film (plastic wrap) and leave it in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
• Over the next 3 hours, at 30-minute intervals, perform a set of coil folds, using wet hands.
• After all 6 sets of coil folds are completed, cover the dough and let it finish its bulk fermentation undisturbed for 1.5-3 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
• Place the dough in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours (or simply overnight).

DAY 2

• The next day, line a baking tray (approx 24x24cm) with parchment paper.

Prepare Garlic Butter

• Place butter and olive oil in a small pan over low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes until softened, but not browned. Take it off heat and add the parsley and a pinch of salt. Set the mixture aside to cool down.

Second Rise

• Take the dough out of the fridge and very carefully transfer it to a lightly oiled kitchen surface. Stretch the dough out into a long rectangle, double the length of your baking tray.
• Spoon half of the garlic butter mixture onto the top half of the stretched-out dough.
• Fold the other half over the filling and pinch the sides to encase it.
• Lift the dough into the prepared baking tray. Stretch it out into the corners of the baking dish.
• Cover it and leave it in a warm spot to proof for another 2-3 hours. It will increase in volume, puff up and have very noticeable blisters across the surface.

Baking

• Preheat the oven to 220°C (428°F).
• Drizzle the surface of the focaccia with a little olive oil.
• Oil your fingers and dimple the focaccia deeply, touching the bottom of the tray.
• Bake the focaccia for 20-25 minutes on the bottom shelf.
• As soon as your sourdough focaccia is baked, brush the remaining garlic butter mixture across the top of the focaccia and scatter grated parmesan on top.
• Lift the focaccia out onto a wire rack and slide the parchment paper from underneath. Allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes, then serve warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 173kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 5gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 309mgPotassium: 40mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 93IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 0.4mg

Keyword Garlic Butter Sourdough Focaccia, Garlic Sourdough Focaccia, Overnight Sourdough Focaccia, Sourdough Garlic Focaccia

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