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Sweet, tangy, and with a perfectly crisp edge, this Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Focaccia is a springtime bake inspired by my classic Sourdough Focaccia Bread recipe – the one my kids ask for on repeat! Is it blueberry season yet?!
This focaccia combines the sweetness of ripe, juicy blueberries with the zesty flavor of lemon and tops the whole thing with a muffin-style crumb topping. Similar to my mixed berry sourdough focaccia, it’s delightful on its own for breakfast or a sweet treat, but add on that light lemon glaze – it’s heavenly! Your whole family will love this one.
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Why You’ll Love Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Focaccia
- Perfect Breakfast Focaccia – These flavors work so well together, especially as a sweet breakfast bake – or try my Sourdough Lemon Rolls if you’re a true lemon lover. If you are a fan of blueberries, then you’ll also love my Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Scones, Sourdough Blueberry Muffins and, Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Bread.
- Sweet & Tart – The flavor combinations in this focaccia are fruity and sweet in all the right ways. If you are looking for another citrusy focaccia flavor then try this Cranberry Orange Sourdough Focaccia.
- Lemon Glaze – Just like my Lemon Sourdough Focaccia, this bake is topped with a sweet lemon glaze that makes for an extra special focaccia!
Important Ingredients
- Sourdough Starter: Use an active/ripe sourdough starter (doubled in size/bubbly/mild sour aroma) to mix the levain.
- Lemons: Both fresh lemon juice and lemon zest are used in this recipe for lots of lemon flavor. Don’t substitute with bottled lemon juice.
- Blueberries – Fresh blueberries are delicious pops of flavor in this focaccia.
- Cumb Topping: This simple crumb topping adds sweetness and texture from a mix of brown sugar, flour and butter. Leave it off if desired.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Substitutions
- Bread Flour: I love using bread flour to make this focaccia. You can substitute all-purpose flour, but you will want to decrease the amount of water in the dough to 375 grams so it is easier to handle.
- Levain: Ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter can be substituted for the levain in this recipe if desired.
- Lemon Glaze: If you want a true shortcut, check out this flavored powdered sugar to make a simple lemon glaze.
- Olive Oil: I use a light-tasting olive oil in this recipe, but if you don’t want any olive flavor, use butter instead of the olive oil.
Sourdough Baker’s Timeline
A sample baking schedule helps me when baking with sourdough. I’ve been baking sourdough for over a decade and this schedule helps me plan my bake. Please Note: This schedule assumes the dough temperature is 78-80ºF throughout the process.
| Day 1 | Mix Levain |
| 8:00 PM- 8:00 AM | Mix Levain. Let sit at 78º F for about 10-12 hours until doubled/bubbly and ripe. |
| Day 2 | Mixing/Bulk Fermentation/Shaping/Baking |
| 9:00 AM | Mix dough Begin Bulk Fermentation |
| 9:30 AM | Coil Fold #1 |
| 10:00 AM | Coil Fold #2 |
| 10:30 AM | Coil Fold #3 Add Blueberries |
| 11:00 AM | Coil Fold #4 |
| 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Finish Bulk Fermentation |
| 1:00 PM | Place dough in pan and cover Optional Overnight Refrigeration |
| 1:00 PM -5:00 PM | Let dough rise in a warm 78-80º F place until the dough is doubled, airy, light and jiggly. Do not bake unless the dough is puffed up and aerated. |
| 5:00 PM | Bake Add Lemon Glaze |
If you are new to sourdough, learn how to make a sourdough starter from scratch and how a sourdough starter works in my Free Sourdough Beginner Guide. Using naturally fermented sourdough will take much longer, but you will love the fermentation benefits and the flavor!
How to Make Lemon Blueberry Focaccia
Mix The Levain
Step 1: Mix Levain. Combine ripe sourdough starter with water and flour to prepare your levain (Image 1). Let rise until bubbly and active (Image 2).
Do you have to use a levain in this recipe? No. I prefer it, but if you have a well-maintained and frequently refreshed sourdough starter, you can substitute it in place of the levain in the recipe.
Mix the Dough & Bulk Fermentation
Step 2: Mix Dough. Combine ripe, bubbly, active levain with water, granulated sugar, salt, lemon zest and bread flour (Images 3 & 4). Use a dough whisk or spoon to whisk until a sticky dough forms (Images 5 & 6). Cover with plastic wrap or a bowl cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Bulk Fermentation. After 30 minutes of resting time, begin performing your first set of 4-6 coil folds. The dough will be very sticky, but it will strengthen over the next several hours.
How to Coil Fold: To perform your first set of coil folds, wet your hands with water. Place your hands under the middle of the dough and pull up. The dough will stretch up (but should not tear) and release from the bottom of the bowl. Once the dough releases, let the dough fall back under itself. Repeat the process for both sides of dough. Then turn the container and repeat the coil fold. Watch a video of the coil fold process here. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
Repeat your coil folds 3 more times every 30 minutes. Before your third set of coil folds, add blueberries (Images 7 & 8). After another 30 minute rest, repeat the last set of coil folds (Images 9 & 10). Cover and rest the dough at 78ºF for 2.5-3 hours until the dough has risen about 50-60% in the bowl.
Shaping Dough & Proofing
Step 4: Shape Dough. After the bulk fermentation where the dough has risen about 50-60% (Image 11), coat the bottom of a metal baking pan with olive oil. Dump the focaccia dough into the prepared pan and stretch the dough to fill the edges (Image 12).
Step 5: Proof. Let the dough sit in a warm 78-80ºF place for 2-3 hours until doubled in size, puffed up and very airy.
Amy’s Tip: Sometimes I want to long-ferment this sourdough focaccia, so instead of letting it proof, I will cover it and stick it in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Then I’ll pull it out, let it proof on the counter for 4-5 hours (make sure it doubles in size) before dimpling and baking.
Bake the Focaccia
Step 6: Bake. When the dough is puffed up and jiggly (Image 13), pour melted butter on top of the dough and gently dimple the dough (Image 14). Top with a crumb topping made by combining softened butter, brown sugar, flour and salt (Image 15). Bake sourdough focaccia at 425ºF for 25-30 minutes until bubbly, crispy and light golden brown on top. Let it sit in the pan for about 5 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack. Drizzle with lemon glaze (Image 16) and enjoy!
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Focaccia can be stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours. After that, bag it in an airtight container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to a couple of months. Warm up in the microwave or toast in a toaster oven or on convection bake for a few minutes to crisp up before serving.
Amy’s Recipe Tip
I always prefer using a metal baking pan when baking sourdough focaccia. It conducts heat much better than glass and gives those crispy edges I love. If you choose a pan that is not non-stick, make sure to add parchment paper to the bottom of the pan before adding the dough on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make sure you are use a good quality non-stick metal pan. I’ve been using the same USA pans for years and love them. If your pan is not non-stick, add some parchment paper to the bottom of your pan. Top the parchment with the olive oil/butter. Then put the focaccia dough on top.
If you love lemon flavor, add about a Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to the dough. Check out my Lemon Sourdough Focaccia for more of a lemony loaf.
I recommend using fresh. Lemon juice has preservatives that keep it shelf-stable and can give off a bitter taste, so I always like to use a fresh lemon. Fresh blueberries are easier to incorporate into the dough because they hold their shape throughout the folds and typically don’t add any extra moisture until they burst when baking.
If you want to make this for breakfast, I would mix up the focaccia dough in the evening. Add the blueberries through coil folds and after your last set of coil folds, stick the dough in the prepared baking pan. Keep it in a cool place (around 72-75ºF if possible) and let rise overnight. Then dimple and bake in the morning.
If your house runs a little warmer, decrease the amount of levain/starter in your dough to 80-100 grams, mix in the evening and let rise overnight. You can adjust the amount of starter in your dough, just like you can adjust ratios when feeding a sourdough starter to manipulate your dough to work on your schedule.
Sourdough Focaccia Recipes
If you tried this Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Focaccia or any other recipe on my website leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Happy Baking!
Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Focaccia
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Equipment
- 12-inch metal round pan or 9 by 13-inch pan
- dough whisk optional
Ingredients
Levain (1:10:10 ratio, 10-12 hours peak at 78-80ºF)
- 6 grams sourdough starter ripe, bubbly and active , about 1 teaspoon
- 60 grams all-purpose or bread flour, about 1/2 cup
- 60 grams water, about 1/4 cup
Lemon Blueberry Focaccia
- 120 grams levain ripe, bubbly and active, scant ½ cup – can also substitute for active sourdough starter
- 400 grams water, about 1 ⅔ cup
- 40 grams granulated sugar , about 3 Tablespoons
- 10 grams salt , about 1.5 teaspoons
- 9 grams lemon zest, about 1.5 Tablespoons from 2 lemons
- 500 grams bread flour, about 3 ½ cups
- 175 grams blueberries, reserved for folds (125 grams) AND topping (50 grams) the focaccia, about 1 cup
- 40 grams olive oil reserved for pan, about 3 Tablespoons
- 30 grams melted butter, reserved for pan, about 2 Tablespoons
Crumb Topping
- 30 grams unsalted butter, softened about 2 Tablespoons
- 30 grams brown sugar , about 2 Tablespoons
- 50 grams all-purpose flour, about ⅓ cup
- pinch of salt , about ¼ teaspoon
- 2 gram ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
Lemon Glaze
- 100 grams powdered sugar, about ¾ cup plus 1 Tablespoon
- 20 grams lemon juice freshly squeezed, about 1.5 Tablespoons
- 5 grams vanilla extract, about 1 teaspoon
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Mix Levain: Overnight (1:10:10 about 10-12 hours)
- Mix together 6 grams ripe sourdough starter with 60 grams water and 60 grams flour. Cover and let sit overnight at 78ºF until doubled in size, bubbly and active. You can also substitute 120 grams of bubbly sourdough starter if you prefer.
Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Focaccia
- Mix: Mix together ripe, bubbly, active levain with water, granulated sugar, salt, lemon zest and bread flour. Mix together with a dough whisk or spoon until a sticky dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap or a bowl cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Coil Fold # 1: Take the cover off the dough and perform 4-6 coil folds. The dough will be very sticky for this first set of coil folds but will strengthen over time. Wet your hands with water. Place your hands under the middle of the dough and pull up. The dough will stretch up (but should not tear) and release from the bottom of the bowl. Once the dough releases, let the dough fall back under itself. Repeat the process for both sides of dough. Then turn the container and repeat the coil fold. Watch a video of the coil fold process here. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Coil Fold #2: Wet your hands. You will notice the dough is stronger than your first set of folds. Repeat the coil folds, noticing how the dough is changing and strengthening over time. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Coil Fold #3: Add 125 grams of blueberries on top of the dough. Wet your hands. Perform 3-4 coil folds, incorporating the blueberries as you fold. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Coil Fold #4: Repeat the last set of coil folds, continuing to incorporate the fresh blueberries.
- Finish Bulk Fermentation: Cover and rest the dough at 78ºF for 2.5-3 hours until the dough has risen about 50-60% in the bowl.
- Prepare the Pan: After the long bulk rest, line a 12-inch round or 9 by 13 metal baking pan with parchment paper. Pour 50 grams light-flavored olive oil in the pan. Tip the pan around to coat the entire bottom of the parchment paper.
- Shape the Dough: Dump the focaccia dough into the pan and spread out with your fingers without tearing the dough as best you can. It's okay if the dough doesn't completely spread out yet, as it rises, you will be able to stretch it a little more. At this point you can cover the dough and refrigerate it for up to 48 hours before proceeding with a second proof and baking.
- Proof the Dough: Let the dough sit in a warm 78-80ºF place for 2-3 hours until doubled in size, puffed up and very airy. If the dough doesn't look like this, warm it up a little more and let it rise longer.
- Prepare the Crumb Topping: Add softened butter, brown sugar, flour and salt to a small bowl. Use your fingers or a spoon to stir together until a thick crumb topping is formed. Set aside.
- Dimple the Dough: After the dough is puffed up, jiggly and aerated with air bubbles, gently spread the dough out to fill the edges of the pan. Pour 30 grams of melted butter on top of the dough. Sprinkle the crumb topping all over the top of the risen dough. Add the remaining 40 grams of fresh blueberries spread out over the top of the dough. Take your fingers and gently dimple the dough. Start at the top and work your way down the dough until the entire focaccia is dimpled and bubbly.
- Bake Focaccia: Pre-heat the oven to 425ºF. Once the oven is pre-heated, bake the focaccia for 25-30 minutes until bubbly, crispy and light golden brown on top and the baked focaccia registers 200ºF. Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
- Sweet Glaze: While the focaccia is baking, mix together the lemon glaze. Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract and salt together. Drizzle over the warm focaccia. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was the third type of focaccia I made using your recipes. This by far is my favorite. I was nervous about a fruit bread but it was so yummy. I followed your instructions, which are very helpful.
Thanks, Kay
Thanks for the review! I’m glad you love the recipe.
Is there a gluten-free flour I could use in this recipe?
We haven’t tried sourdough gluten free variations. You would need a gluten free starter in addition to gluten free flour. Sorry I don’t know which would be the best to use for this recipe!
I followed the recipe exactly. I did not do the cold fermentation, instead after the initial 3 hour bulk rise i transferred it to the pan for the 2nd rise – 3 hours and it still did not rise properly. when I baked it, it stayed doughy inside.
I’ve been making sourdough focaccia for a very long time and something was off with the measurements. Way too much hydration..it was a very loose dough and could not do proper coils/pulls.
I’m sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you.
The most flavorful Foccaccia I have made as of yet.
Amazing!
Followed the recipe to the T.
I always do the cold ferment overnite. I did use lemon oil in the large cast iron skillet at the bottom.
Don’t want share it, it is sooo good!
Will be making the Cranberry Orange next, two at a time would be smarter…I knew that I wouldn’t be disappointed following you. I share your enthusiasm for Sourdough!❤️
Thanks for the review! It’s one of my favorite focaccia variations too!
This was ridiculously good! I have made several sweet focaccia recipes from other bakers but they are always on the heavy side. This was super fluffy and the flavors were spot on! I immediately ran to your site to print out more recipes! Will definitely be making again.
I’m glad it turned out great. Enjoy!
did ypu reduce the wayer amount? mine was ridiculously loose
I made this recipe yesterday and it turned out great! I do have a question, I would like to make it as a gift for someone and get it to the point where it could go in the fridge so that they can take it home and bake it. Any thoughts on it?
You’re right that timing is the tricky part. I would shape it in the pan, let it start its final proof at room temp for about 30–60 minutes, then cover and refrigerate. Gift it during that cold proof stage along with the topping and simple instructions for dimpling and adding the blueberries and lemon sugar right before baking. The biggest thing is communication—let them know roughly how long it’s been proofing and that it may need to sit at room temp for 1–2 hours before baking, depending on how puffy it looks. That way they can bake it at its peak and get the best texture.
Could I use thawed blueberries and add them after cold proofing ? Eg just poked them into the dough ?
I haven’t tried that, but it’s definitely worth experimenting with!
Epic fail! I gave your cookbook and have made several recipes from your website. This foccacia was a disaster. I realize it is high hydration but it stayed super wet after 3 sets of coil folds and several 4.5 hours resting. Never added the blueberries as I figured I already wasted too much h money in flour, lemons, etc to get up that point, o was throwing away at least 1/8 cup of dough on my hands after each set of cool folds, I finally just threw the dough in the trash. I don’t normally have issues with your recipes and was so disappointed.
I’m sorry this didn’t work out! It is definitely a higher hydration recipe, which can make it tricky to work with.
best thing EVER! I made it for church and people are STILL asking for it 🙂
I’m glad it turned out great! Enjoy!
if using all purpose flour, is the measurements the same?
If you substitute all-purpose flour you will want to decrease the amount of water in the dough to 375 grams so it is easier to handle.
I made this as my first try at focaccia bread. the flavor is great. I have a question, the bottom seemed “tough” and was hard to cut through. is that normal? If not, what can I do to correct that. Also, 50 grams of oil in the pan bottom sure looks like a lot. still swimming in it after baking
It shouldn’t be too tough on the bottom. A tough bottom usually comes from too much bottom heat or overbaking. Try a lighter pan, a higher rack, or slightly less oil in the pan. You can try reducing the oven temperature by 25 degrees or so and baking a little longer instead.