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A muffin tin with baked bread rolls topped with herbs and cheese. One roll is broken open to show its soft, airy interior. Fresh parsley is in the background.

Sourdough Focaccia Muffins

I love how these Sourdough Focaccia Muffins turn a simple focaccia dough into something special. The sourdough flavor pairs perfectly with the buttery, garlicky topping. They’re easy to make and even easier to enjoy.
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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Dough:
  • 500 grams bread flour
  • 375 grams warm filtered water
  • 100 grams leavened sourdough starter
  • 10 grams salt
  • 15 grams olive oil
For the Toppings:
  • 1/5 stick butter melted
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup parsley chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves pressed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method
 

  1. Feed your sourdough starter and let it become leavened and ready to use.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the bread flour, warm filtered water, sourdough starter, salt, and olive oil until no dry flour remains. The dough will look wet and shaggy.
  3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
  4. Complete 3 sets of coil folds, resting the dough for 30 minutes between each set.
  5. Leave the dough on the counter to bulk ferment for 6 to 8 hours.
  6. Before the final rise, divide the dough into pieces weighing about 85 grams each.
  7. Oil each muffin tin, then place one piece of dough into each cup. The dough should only fill each muffin cup about halfway.
  8. Let the dough rise until it looks puffy and fills the muffin tin.
  9. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  10. In a glass cup, melt the butter, then stir in the Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, chopped parsley, pressed garlic, and salt.
  11. Spoon some of the butter mixture over the top of each muffin.
  12. Dimple each muffin the same way you would regular focaccia.
  13. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes.
  14. After baking, brush the muffins with any extra butter mixture.
  15. Remove the muffins from the tin and serve.

Notes

  • Use an active, bubbly starter for the best rise and flavor. A sluggish starter will make the muffins dense.
  • Mix the dough until no dry flour remains, but don’t overwork it. The dough should feel soft and slightly sticky.
  • Keep your hands lightly oiled when doing coil folds to prevent sticking and make shaping easier.
  • Let the dough fully bulk ferment until it looks airy and doubled in size. This step builds flavor and texture.
  • Only fill each muffin cup halfway before the final rise. The dough will expand and fill the tin as it proofs.
  • Dimple the tops gently after adding the butter mixture so the flavor seeps into the dough.
  • Watch the bake time closely. The muffins should be golden on top and pull away slightly from the edges of the tin.
  • Brush with any leftover butter mixture right after baking for extra flavor and shine.
  • Cool the muffins on a wire rack to keep the bottoms from getting soggy.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container and reheat in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes to bring back their crisp edges.
 
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