Pumpkin Focaccia

Name: Pumpkin Focaccia
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 155 min
Ingredients: 1½ cups (360ml) apple cider or water, tepid; 1 cup (240g) pumpkin purée (see note 1); 5 cups (625g) bread flour ((strong white bread flour)); 4 tsp (11g) instant yeast ((rapid-rise or fast-action)); 2 tbsp brown sugar; 1½ tsp salt; ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice; 1½ tsp Maldon sea salt flakes (, divided (I used garlic sea salt)); ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil (, divided, plus more as needed)

By Lucy Parissi

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, Published Nov 07, 2026

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This Pumpkin Focaccia is soft and pillowy inside with a crisp, golden, salty crust. A whole cup of pumpkin purée gives it a gorgeous warm color and a tender crumb, and it’s an easy same-day bread – ready in under 3 hours with no kneading skills required.

Pumpkin focaccia on a wooden board with long slices showing the golden crumb, a bowl of olive oil with balsamic vinegar, a dish of sea salt, a green checked towel and mini pumpkins.

My secret ingredient? Apple cider instead of water. It adds a subtle fruity tang that works beautifully with the pumpkin and a pinch of pumpkin spice, while a little brown sugar helps the top caramelize to a deep mahogany. A sprinkle of flaky garlic sea salt keeps it firmly on the savory side – this is a bread for dunking, not a pumpkin bread for dessert.

If you love my Sourdough Focaccia but want something quicker for the holidays, this is the one to bake. It looks stunning on the Thanksgiving table, it feeds a crowd, and it happens to be dairy-free and egg-free, so it works for almost every guest. It’s also the perfect way to use up that half-open can of pumpkin.

Just be warned… It is incredibly addictive and one slice will never be enough! I have baked this recipe twice this week already.

Why You’ll Love It

Pillowy and golden: Pumpkin purée keeps the crumb soft and moist and gives the bread its beautiful autumn color.
Apple cider instead of water: For gentle fruity tang and flavor in every bite.
Easy, low-effort dough: A 10-minute rest does a lot of the work for you – then mix with a stand mixer or do a few simple stretch and folds.
Same-day bread: From bowl to table in under 3 hours, with two short rises.
Feeds a crowd: One 9×13-inch pan makes 12 generous squares – perfect for Thanksgiving or a fall get-together.

Pumpkin focaccia and thick slices on a dark wooden board with a dish of sea salt, a bowl of olive oil with balsamic vinegar and a green checked towel.

Here’s What You’ll Need

You only need a handful of pantry staples. Full quantities are in the recipe card below – and if you need scale the recipe my baking conversion calculator has you covered.

Apple cider – You can use non-alcoholic apple cider (unfiltered apple juice), or hard cider warmed until just tepid. Water works too if you prefer a more classic focaccia.
Pumpkin purée – canned or homemade. Make sure it’s 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
Bread flour (strong white bread flour) – the higher protein gives focaccia its chewy, open crumb. All-purpose flour (plain flour) will work, but the bread will be softer and a little less chewy.
Instant yeast – also sold as rapid-rise or fast-action yeast. It goes straight into the flour with no need to activate it first.
Brown sugar – light or dark. It feeds the yeast and helps the crust brown.
Salt and pumpkin spice – just ½ teaspoon of spice adds warmth without making the bread taste like dessert.
Olive oil – use a good extra virgin olive oil, as you’ll taste it in the crust.
Flaky sea salt – Maldon is my go-to. I used garlic sea salt flakes, which are fantastic here.

Labeled ingredients for pumpkin focaccia: Apple cider, brown sugar, bread flour, pumpkin purée, salt and pumpkin spice, instant yeast and olive oil.

Baker’s tip

Weigh your flour

Focaccia is all about the balance of flour to liquid, and a cup of flour can vary by 20% or more depending on how you scoop it. A digital kitchen scale is the easiest way to get the same pillowy result every time.

How to Make Pumpkin Focaccia

↓ For the full ingredients and detailed method, jump to the recipe card.

Mix the Dough

Warm the apple cider until tepid – about 100°F (38°C), or just warm to the touch. Stir in the pumpkin purée until smooth.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour, instant yeast, brown sugar, salt and pumpkin spice.

Two-panel collage: Pumpkin purée being stirred into warm apple cider in a glass measuring jug, and a white bowl of bread flour, yeast, brown sugar, salt and pumpkin spice.

Pour in the pumpkin mixture and stir with a dough whisk or spatula until you have a shaggy dough. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes – this gives the flour time to absorb the liquid, so the dough comes together faster.

Two-panel collage: The pumpkin and cider mixture being poured into the flour, then stirred with a spatula into a shaggy dough.

Mix the dough with a hand or stand mixer fitted with dough hooks on low speed for a few minutes, until it starts to form a ball around the hooks.

A hand mixer fitted with dough hooks mixing orange pumpkin focaccia dough in a white bowl until it gathers around the hooks.

No mixer? Do a series of stretch and folds with oiled hands instead: Grab one side of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over, then turn the bowl and repeat 4 times.

A hand stretching and folding sticky pumpkin focaccia dough in a white bowl.

First Rise

Mist the bowl with olive oil and turn the dough over so it’s greased on all sides. Cover and leave somewhere warm for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Shape in the Pan

Line a 9×13-inch (23x33cm) pan with parchment paper, drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with half of the flaky sea salt.
Punch down the dough and tip it into the pan, then flip it over so it’s coated in oil on both sides.
Using oiled fingertips, gently press the dough out to fill the pan. If it keeps springing back, leave it for 10 minutes to relax and try again.
Cover and let it rise for 45 minutes, until puffy.

Pumpkin focaccia dough pressed out to fill a parchment-lined 9x13-inch pan, flecked with garlic sea salt.

Dimple and Bake

While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the lower third.
Drizzle the focaccia with more olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining sea salt. Dimple the dough all over with your fingertips, pressing all the way down to the bottom of the pan.
Bake for 28–30 minutes until deep golden brown. If the top is browning too quickly, tent the pan loosely with foil.
Check it’s baked through: The center should read 200–205°F (93–96°C) on an instant-read thermometer (see the tip below).
Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out onto a wire rack so the base stays crisp. Let it cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Risen and dimpled pumpkin focaccia dough in a parchment-lined 9x13-inch pan, ready to go into the oven.

Baker’s tip

Bake it to temperature, not just color

Pumpkin adds extra moisture, and the sugars in the pumpkin and cider brown the crust quickly – so the top can look done before the middle is. For a perfectly baked focaccia, an instant-read thermometer pushed into the center should read 200–205°F (93–96°C). If it’s not there yet, tent with foil and bake for a few more minutes.

What Does Pumpkin Focaccia Taste Like?

Don’t expect pumpkin pie! This is a savory focaccia with just a hint of sweetness from the pumpkin and cider and a gentle warmth from the spice. The crumb is soft, moist and a little denser than a classic focaccia (pumpkin purée does that), while the oiled base and edges turn crisp and golden.

Close-up of two stacked pieces of pumpkin focaccia showing a soft, airy, golden-orange crumb under a crisp, salted, deeply browned crust.

Topping Ideas and Variations

Herbs: Press fresh sage leaves or rosemary sprigs into the dimples before baking, or fry the sage in olive oil until crisp and scatter over the top.
Seeds: Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) for crunch.
Cheese: Add crumbled feta or grated Parmesan for the last 10 minutes of baking.
Onions: Spread a layer of caramelized onions over the dough before dimpling.
Sweet: Love sweet focaccia? Try my Cinnamon Roll Focaccia.
Sourdough: For a naturally leavened bake, see my Sourdough Focaccia or the quicker Sourdough Discard Focaccia.

Pumpkin focaccia with crisp, deeply browned dimples on a dark wooden board, with three long slices cut beside it and a bowl of olive oil.

Serving Suggestions

Serve it warm with a little dish of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping, or put it on the table with any of these fall favorites:

A bowl of soup, like my Air Fryer Butternut Squash Soup or Chicken Lentil Soup.
Next to the turkey and all the sides – browse my Thanksgiving Recipes Collection for ideas.
With a big Roasted Butternut Squash Salad for a cozy lunch.
Split and filled with leftover turkey, or alongside my Leftover Turkey Stew.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is pumpkin focaccia sweet?

Not really. It is a savory bread with a subtle sweetness from the pumpkin, apple cider and a little brown sugar, balanced by olive oil and flaky sea salt. It goes with soups and savory dishes rather than tasting like pumpkin pie.

Can I use homemade pumpkin purée?

Yes. Homemade purée is often looser than canned, so if yours is watery, drain it in a sieve lined with cheesecloth for 20–30 minutes until it is as thick as canned pumpkin.

Can I use butternut squash instead of pumpkin?

Yes. Roasted and puréed butternut squash works in the same quantity and gives a similar color and flavor.

Can I use active dry yeast?

Yes. Use the same amount, stir it into the warm cider with the brown sugar and leave for 5–10 minutes until foamy before adding the pumpkin and flour. The rises may take a little longer.

Do I need a stand mixer?

No. After the 10-minute rest, a few rounds of stretch and folds with wet hands develop the dough just as well.

Is this focaccia vegan?

Yes. The recipe contains no eggs, butter or dairy, so it is naturally vegan as long as your sugar is vegan-friendly.

Can I make a smaller focaccia?

Yes. Halve all the ingredients and bake in an 8-inch (20cm) square pan, checking a few minutes early.

Can I make pumpkin focaccia ahead?

Focaccia is at its best on the day it is baked, so bake it the morning of your gathering. You can also freeze it, then reheat in a hot oven for a few minutes to crisp the crust.

A golden pumpkin focaccia with deep dimples and flaky sea salt on torn parchment paper, surrounded by small striped decorative squash and a little dish of garlic sea salt.

You’ll Also Love

No Knead Pumpkin Bread: Another pumpkin yeast bread, baked as a crusty round loaf in a Dutch oven. It’s ideal if you love the flavor here but want a loaf for slicing and toasting.
Pumpkin Dinner Rolls: Soft, fluffy rolls shaped like little pumpkins with kitchen string. They’re a real showstopper in a bread basket at Thanksgiving.
Pumpkin Sourdough Bread: A naturally leavened loaf shaped like a pumpkin. Try this one when you have a lively starter and a lazy weekend.
Focaccia Bread Loaf: All the crisp, olive oily goodness of focaccia, baked in a loaf pan. It’s brilliant for sandwiches and toast.

Please leave a comment and rating if you try this Pumpkin Focaccia, follow me on Pinterest for more easy recipes and don’t forget to tag me on @Instagram or TikTok so I can see your creations!

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