I don’t like to choose favorites, but this peach cobbler sourdough focaccia bread might be the best thing I’ve made all summer. Peach cobbler sourdough focaccia is the perfect combination of chewy bread, sweet peaches, and crispy buttery topping with a crust that is to die for. It’s everything you want from a seasonal sourdough and more! I love to have it for breakfast with a big dollop of Greek yogurt or for dessert with vanilla ice cream. 

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Serving and storing peach cobbler sourdough focaccia

This is the kind of bread that tastes amazing on its own or served with breakfast or brunch. In addition to the obvious breakfast or dessert options, I enjoyed it with clotted cream and a hot cup of tea during the afternoon rain showers we get in the summer. I’ve also made a simple glaze with powdered sugar and milk to drizzle over top of a slice which of course is absolutely delicious. 

For the first few days after baking, I keep it covered in the fridge. After that, I will slice and freeze squares in silicone bags. Whenever I need a fix, I pop a frozen square of the peach cobbler sourdough focaccia into the oven for a few minutes until soft and warm. 

Working with a high-hydration recipe

A high-hydration dough gives the best sourdough focaccia results possible: chewy, soft, with a lovely crust on the bottom. That being said, this dough is very sticky and loose, and it doesn’t get much better until after the fridge ferment. If it looks too soupy, don’t despair! Let it rise and wait, I promise everything will come together in the end. Always wet or oil your hands with handling peach cobbler sourdough focaccia dough otherwise you will have a very sticky mess. 

A note on sourdough starter: be sure you have an active, bubbly starter before you bake! You can read more about how to achieve this below

Sourdough Starter Tips

Don’t be afraid to dimple the dough

When I first tried sourdough focaccia, I was terrified of handling the dough but unlike a traditional loaf of sourdough, this dough is very forgiving when it comes to degassing and rising. Don’t be afraid to dimple the dough really well for best results!

Spread it out over the surface of the pan 

Another way to keep Focaccia from puffing up too much is by spreading it out over the surface of your pan. Don’t use a baking dish that is too small, because the dough will rise and you don’t want your focaccia to be really tall. A good test is to see if your dough is about halfway up the baking dish before you put it in the oven. 

Sample bakers schedule 

8 pm measure and mix the dough then autolyse 

8:30 Add salt to the dough and mix until well combined 

8:30 pm-8:30 am rest the dough in the fridge 

8:30 place the cold dough in the oiled baking pan and allow the dough to rise at room temperature until bubbly and active (about 2 hours) 

9:30 fold the peach filling into the dough and let it rest for another hour

10:30 preheat oven and spread the dough over the surface of the oiled pan. Dimple with your fingers as you add the crisp topping. Finally, add the melted butter and dimple one more time

10:45 bake 

11:25 Slice and enjoy hot with tea or coffee

Peach Cobbler Sourdough Focaccia

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Dough

• 400 g water
• 150 g starter
• 500 g flour
• 10 g salt

Peach filling

• 3 ripe peaches
• 2 TBSP brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg

Crisp topping

• 3 TBSP melted butter
• ½ cup oats
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Dimple the dough with

• 1-2 TBSP of melted butter

Instructions

• Weigh and mix the wet ingredients together first
• Add the flour and allow to autolyse for 20-30 minutes
• Add salt to the dough and mix well until everything is fully incorperated
• Place the dough in a well oiled bowl and cover. Place dough in the fridge for 8-12 hours or overnight
• Take the dough out of the fridge and place it in a well oiled baking pan, large cast-iron skillet, or dutch oven. Cover this pan and rest the dough.
• After about an hour, mix and add the peach mixture to the dough. Gently fold the dough over itself until the peach mixture is completely contained by the dough and the seam side is facing down.
• Allow the dough to come to room temperature for another hour (it’s okay if you need to go a little over or under this time as the dough is very forgiving)
• After the dough is at room temperature, spread it out over the surface of the pan. You can really pull at it here but try not to flatten it with your hands.
• Combine all the ingredients for the crisp topping
• Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425 F
• Drizzle with melted butter and dimple the dough as you add the crisp topping with your fingers or knuckles being sure to make large and small dents
• Add a little more butter and continue to dimple. Sprinkle with a good pinch of salt
• Bake uncovered for 30 minutes
• Tint the bread with tin foil and bake for another 10 minutes
• This bread is best enjoyed hot and fresh from the oven