Soft, fluffy cherry almond focaccia topped with sweet tart Morello cherries, sliced almonds, turbinado sugar, and a reduced cherry syrup that pools into every dimple. A sweet Italian bread that works beautifully for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
If you love sweet Italian breads, our Honey Challah is another beautiful yeast bread for special mornings - and our Sourdough Discard Challah Buns are a great way to use up starter if you have it going.
This article contains affiliate links which support us at no extra cost to you.
Jump To
Most people think of focaccia as savory - olive oil, salt, maybe rosemary or olives. But in Italy, sweet focaccia has its own long tradition, especially in the northern regions. This version leans into that idea fully: a simple, well-made focaccia dough pressed into a sheet pan and topped with jarred Morello cherries, the reduced syrup from the jar, crunchy sliced almonds, and a scattering of turbinado sugar that caramelizes as it bakes.
I had this recipe marked in a Bon Appetit issue for two years before I finally made it. Two years. When I finally baked it, I genuinely could not understand what had taken me so long.
The focaccia rose up beautifully around the cherries, the syrup pooled into the dimples and turned glossy and jammy in the oven, and the almonds gave every bite just the right amount of crunch. My daughter stood over the cooling rack and told me she would tackle anyone who tried to share a slice with the neighbors. It did not last long.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- A sweet Italian focaccia that doubles as breakfast bread or dessert
- The reduced cherry syrup drizzled into the dimples creates a jammy, glossy topping
- Soft and fluffy crumb with a delicate crunch from sliced almonds and turbinado sugar
- Uses jarred Morello cherries so you can make this any time of year
- The dough is straightforward and forgiving for beginner bread bakers
Ingredient Notes
Focaccia Dough
- Warm water - 1⅓ cups, at about 110°F. Too hot and the yeast dies; too cold and it will not activate. It should feel comfortably warm on your wrist, not hot.
- Active dry yeast - One envelope (2½ teaspoons). Sprinkle it over the warm water and let it sit for a few minutes before adding the oil. It should look foamy and alive before you proceed.
- Extra virgin olive oil - Three tablespoons in the dough plus more for the pan and drizzling over the top before baking. A good olive oil adds flavor to the dough itself.
- All-purpose flour - 3¼ cups, unbleached. This gives the focaccia a light, open crumb. Spoon into the measuring cup and level off rather than scooping directly from the bag.
- Sea salt - Three teaspoons in the dough. This may seem like a lot for a sweet bread, but it balances the sweetness of the cherry topping and gives the focaccia its characteristic flavor. Do not reduce it.
Topping
- Jarred tart cherries in light syrup - Two cups drained cherries plus 1 cup of the syrup from the jar. Morello cherries are the classic choice - they are sour enough to balance the sugar and hold their shape well in the oven. Look for a 24 to 28-ounce jar. Do not use fresh sweet cherries as a direct substitute without adding lemon juice to balance the sweetness.
- Granulated sugar - Three tablespoons, cooked with the cherry syrup to make the glaze. It thickens and concentrates the syrup into a glossy drizzle.
- Sliced almonds - Three quarters of a cup. With or without skins, both work well. They toast lightly in the oven alongside the cherries and add a delicate crunch to every bite.
- Turbinado (raw) sugar - One third of a cup, scattered over the top before baking. It does not fully dissolve in the oven the way regular sugar does - the coarse crystals stay slightly crunchy and add texture to the finished focaccia.
How to Make Cherry Almond Focaccia
Step 1: Make the Dough
In a small bowl, combine the warm water and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Add the olive oil and whisk together. Set aside for 5 minutes - it should look slightly foamy.
In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), whisk together the flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and about half the flour and stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Attach the dough hook and add the remaining flour. Mix on low speed for about 3 minutes until a smooth, slightly tacky dough forms. If the dough feels too stiff, add warm water a teaspoon at a time.
Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat all sides in a thin film of oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 to 1½ hours.
Step 2: Make the Cherry Syrup
While the dough rises, combine the cherry syrup and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced to about ⅓ cup, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and let cool completely. The syrup will thicken further as it cools.
Step 3: Shape and Second Rise
Coat a large rimmed baking sheet (about 16 x 12 inches) with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Punch down the risen dough and press it evenly into the pan, leaving about a 1½-inch border around the edges. Loosely cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until puffed but not quite doubled, 45 to 50 minutes.
Step 4: Top and Bake
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Using your fingertips, press dimples all over the surface of the dough. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the top. Scatter the drained cherries over the dough and press them in gently - just enough to nestle them into the surface without pushing them all the way through.
Drizzle the reduced cherry syrup over everything, letting it pool into the dimples and around the cherries. Scatter the sliced almonds over the top, then the turbinado sugar. Let the focaccia rise for another 15 to 20 minutes until the dough is doubled in size.
Bake for 20 to 23 minutes until the focaccia is golden brown and the syrup is bubbling. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Drizzle with any reserved cherry syrup if you want extra sweetness. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Expert Tips
Serve the day it is made. Sweet focaccia is best fresh, when the crust is still slightly crisp and the crumb is soft. It is excellent still slightly warm from the oven.
Reserve some of the cherry syrup. You do not have to use all of the reduced syrup before baking. Hold some back and drizzle it over the warm focaccia as soon as it comes out of the oven for extra glossy, jammy flavor.
Press the cherries in gently. You want them visible on the surface of the focaccia, not buried in the dough. A light press is all that is needed - the dough will rise and bake up around them naturally.
Do not skip the second short rise after topping. Those 15 to 20 minutes before baking allow the dough to puff up around the cherries, which gives the focaccia its characteristic fluffy, airy texture.
The turbinado sugar adds crunch. If you only have regular granulated sugar, it will dissolve into the top during baking and you will lose that pleasant crunch. Turbinado or any coarse raw sugar is worth seeking out for this recipe.
Cherry Almond Focaccia (Sweet Focaccia Recipe)
Ingredients
Focaccia
- 1 ⅓ cups warm tap water about 110 degrees
- 2 ½ teaspoons 1 envelope active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons sea salt
TOPPING
- 2 cups drained pitted tart cherries in light syrup such as Morello plus 1 cup syrup (from a 24-28-ounce jar)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¾ cup sliced almonds with or without skins
- ⅓ cup raw sugar I used turbinado sugar
- quantities of cherries almonds, and sugar to taste
Instructions
Dough
- In a small bowl, add the water and sprinkle the yeast on top of the water.
- Add 3 tablespoons of the oil and whisk together. Set aside.
- In large mixing bowl, add the flour and 3 teaspoons of salt; whisk together or mix together on low speed in your mixer.
- Add the yeast mixture and about half of the flour mixture.
- Stir with a rubber spatula until it is combined. Attach the dough hook to your mixer and add the remaining flour. Mix on low speed for about three minutes. If the dough seems to be too dry, add warm water a teaspoon at a time until you obtain a softer dough.
- Form the dough into a ball and place into an oiled bowl (when I put the dough in the bowl I swish the dough around the bottom of the bowl and then flip it over so all of the dough is covered in a light film of oil).
- Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size (about 1-1 ½ hours).
- Punch down dough. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet (about 16x12 inches) with 1 Tbsp. oil. Press dough evenly into pan, leaving a 1 ½-inch border.
- Loosely cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel; let rise in a warm, draft-free area until puffed but not doubled in size, 45-50 minutes.
CHERRY SYRUP
- Meanwhile, bring cherry syrup and granulated sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium; simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced to ⅓ cup, 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer to a small bowl; let cool completely.
- Arrange a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 400°. Using your fingertips, press dimples all over dough surface. Drizzle dough with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil. Scatter cherries over, pressing them gently into dough.
- Drizzle reduced syrup over, allowing it to pool into nooks and crannies.
- Sprinkle almonds over, then raw sugar. Let rise until dough is doubled in size, 15-20 minutes.
- Bake until focaccia is golden brown, 20-23 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
- Reserve some cherry syrup before baking and drizzle over the hot focaccia as soon as it comes out of the oven for extra flavor.
- Press cherries in gently - just enough to nestle them into the surface. The dough will rise and bake up around them.
- Do not skip the short third rise after topping - it gives the focaccia its fluffy, airy texture under the fruit.
- Turbinado sugar gives a pleasant crunch that regular sugar cannot replicate. Worth seeking out for this recipe.
- The dough can be made a day ahead and refrigerated after the first rise. Cold overnight fermentation improves the flavor.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, with adjustments. Fresh sweet cherries lack the tartness of Morello cherries and the syrup you need for the glaze. If using fresh, pit them and toss with 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Let them macerate for 20 minutes to release some juice, then use that liquid in place of the jar syrup. The flavor will be sweeter and less intense than the jarred version.
Morello cherries are a tart, dark variety of sour cherry that are typically sold jarred in light syrup. They are common in Italian and Eastern European cooking and hold their shape well during baking without turning mushy. Look for them at Italian specialty stores, Trader Joe's, or the international aisle of a well-stocked grocery store. Jarred sour cherries labeled as 'tart cherries' are a reliable substitute.
Sweet focaccia is an Italian tradition that is less well-known outside of Italy but has a long history, especially in Liguria and the northern regions. It uses the same simple yeast dough as savory focaccia but is topped with fruit, sugar, or other sweet ingredients instead of olive oil and salt.
Yes. After the first rise, punch down the dough, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate overnight. Take it out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before pressing it into the pan to let it come to room temperature. The cold overnight fermentation actually improves the flavor of the dough, giving it more depth.
Yes. Let it cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature and warm in a 325°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes before serving. The texture is still good after freezing, though the crust will be slightly softer.
[…] Cherry-Almond Focaccia from Lora of Cake Duchess […]