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Christmas Tree Focaccia

Christmas tree focaccia is a golden, olive-oil-rich bread decorated with rosemary, cherry tomatoes, and bell pepper. Shape the dough into a festive tree, let it rise, then bake until cooked through in the center.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
rising and cooling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 295
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the dough
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2.25 tsp instant yeast
  • 1.5 tsp fine salt
  • 1.5 cups water warm, 105–110°F
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
For the topping
  • 3 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 4 rosemary small fresh sprigs
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 yellow bell pepper small, seeded
  • 0.5 tsp flaky salt

Equipment

  • 1 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheet

Method
 

Make the dough
  1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, and fine salt.
  2. Add the warm water and 1 tablespoon olive oil and mix until no dry flour remains.
  3. With damp hands, fold and press the sticky dough in the bowl for 6–8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
  4. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 60–90 minutes, until doubled.
Shape and top
  1. Heat the oven to 425°F.
  2. Line an 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and brush the parchment with 1 tablespoon of the topping olive oil.
  3. Turn the dough onto the parchment and press it into a tree shape about 12 inches tall, with gently scalloped branches and a short trunk.
  4. Cover and let rise for 30–40 minutes.
  5. Dimple the dough with your fingertips and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
  6. Arrange the rosemary and tomatoes over the dough.
  7. Cut a star from the yellow bell pepper and slice the remaining pepper into decorations.
  8. Finish with the flaky salt.
Bake and serve
  1. Bake for 22–27 minutes, until the focaccia is golden brown and cooked through in the center.
  2. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For gently scalloped branches, press the dough outward without making the edges too thin. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free version, use a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend.