This no-knead lemon blueberry focaccia has fresh lemon zest in the cooked blueberry filling as well as in the bread dough & streusel topping, so every bite is bright and never lacking in flavor. It's the perfect sweet bread to serve at brunch!
Fluffy Lemon Blueberry Focaccia with a Coffee Cake Streusel
I didn't think focaccia could be a breakfast food, but then I made this lemon blueberry focaccia and I quickly proved myself wrong! This is a same-day focaccia, so there's no overnight wait required. I use four sets of stretch and folds to build enough structure that the bulk fermentation only takes about one hour. So if you're home for a couple of hours and want something warm and beautiful on the table by mid-afternoon, this is the one. That said, if you'd rather do the hands-off overnight version, you can swap in my method for classic overnight focaccia.
While many recipes for sweet focaccia have the blueberries go straight into the dough, that just never worked quite right for me. Fresh berries release so much moisture that they keep the inside gummy and raw. And frozen berries slow the rise before the dough ever gets going. If you cook the berries down but don't thicken them, all that liquid still seeps into the dough, meaning the top burns before the center is done.
So I took a different approach by cooking the blueberries (fresh or frozen both work here) on the stove with plenty of lemon juice & zest, then I thicken it all with a little cornstarch. Once cooled, I dollop it on top, like a proper coffee cake. And to really lean into those coffee cake vibes, I add a crumbly lemon streusel topping, which is a nod to my German blueberry kuchen.
Let's Bake Berry Focaccia Together!
For the full step-by-step directions, scroll down to the recipe card.
Secret Flavor Tip
Please don't reach for bottled lemon juice. It has preservatives that leave a faint chemical aftertaste (blech!) Fresh lemon zest goes into the dough, the filling, and the streusel, so that bright, citrusy flavor is woven through every layer.
My Tips on Working with Focaccia Dough
Focaccia dough is genuinely different from other bread doughs, and that's what makes it so special. The inside is pillowy and open, while the crust is golden, a little oily, and crisp at the edges, not crunchy, and never dry. I designed this dough with about 87% hydration, which means it's too wet to knead in any traditional sense.
Instead of fighting the dough, we're going to do a series of gentle stretch-and-folds. Then the dough gets spread in a baking dish & set aside to proof for an hour. I usually make my blueberry filling and streusel during that time, so they're ready to pile on just before dimpling the top & popping it in the oven. I think this lemon blueberry focaccia tastes great on its own, but you can elevate further with a simple glaze or scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Blueberry Lemon Focaccia with Streusel
developed & tested by:
Equipment
Ingredients
Focaccia Dough
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1¾ cups warm water (between 105-115°F or 40-46°C)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest (from one medium lemon)
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons salt (use fine sea salt or table salt)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter, melted, divided
Lemon Blueberry Filling
- 1½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from one medium lemon)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed (from about half a medium lemon)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons cornstarch
Lemon Streusel Topping
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from one medium lemon)
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
Instructions
Mix and Rise the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Set aside for 10 minutes, until it's foamy on top. If it's not foamy, your yeast might be expired.
- Add the olive oil and stir it into the foamy yeast mixture.
- Add the flour, salt, and cinnamon, and mix for a minute with a large wooden spoon or silicone spatula until it forms a soft, wet dough.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold 1: Use one hand to scoop a large handful of dough from underneath, up one side, and up out of the bowl as far as you can stretch it without tearing. Then fold it over the remaining dough in the mixing bowl. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat another stretching of the dough up and folding over itself. Repeat rotating the bowl and stretching & folding the dough twice more, until you've completed four stretch-and-folds.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold 2: Repeat the process for four stretch-and-folds. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold 3: Repeat the process for four stretch-and-folds. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold 4: Repeat the process for four stretch-and-folds. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 1 hour until it doubles in size and looks bubbly on top.
Make the Blueberry Lemon Filling
- In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Simmer for 10 minutes on medium heat, until the berries soften.
- Add the cornstarch and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Set aside to cool.
Shape, Fill, and Proof the Dough
- Pour three tablespoons of the melted butter in a 9x13 inch baking dish to generously grease it.
- Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for 1 hour, or until it's puffed up and jiggles on top when you shake the baking dish.
Make the Streusel Topping
- In a small bowl, mix the flour, sugar, lemon zest, and melted butter with a spoon or fork until it's crumbly. Set aside.
Bake the Focaccia
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Drizzle three tablespoons of melted butter evenly over the dough. Spoon the blueberry filling evenly on top, then sprinkle the streusel all over.
- Generously coat your fingers in olive oil (or any remaining butter in the bowl you melted it in). Use your fingers to press dimples into the dough, pressing all the way to the bottom of the baking dish. Try to also press the blueberries into the dough, so they aren't just sitting on top.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the focaccia and streusel are golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Storing: Store fully cooled focaccia at room temp or in the fridge if your kitchen is really warm.
Nutrition
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