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Hawaiian Roll Sourdough Focaccia

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This Hawaiian Roll Sourdough Focaccia recipe is inspired by one of my favorite appetizers, Ham and Cheese Hawaiian Roll Sliders. It starts by making a sweet dough with pineapple juice, then top it with a savory sauce, diced ham, and Swiss cheese. It is a perfect mix of sweet and savory in every bite! 

hawaiian roll sourdough focaccia slices in a bowl
baked and sliced ham and cheese hawaiian roll sourdough focaccia

Swapping out water in focaccia bread

I started experimenting with swapping out water for other liquids in sourdough focaccia and I have been blown away at the delicious bread it makes! It all started with my Salsa Sourdough Focaccia bread which has been a huge hit! I have also made other flavors such as a Margherita Pizza Sourdough Focaccia and a Sourdough Carmel Apple Focaccia

This focaccia recipe is inspired by my favorite slider, the ham and cheese hawaiian sliders. My family makes these for all of our events, and we even had them at my baby shower, so when a follower recommended swapping water for pineapple juice to make a hawaiian roll I knew I had to take it one step further with these ham and swiss sliders. 

Why you will love this recipe

  • This focaccia makes a great appetizer for events or holidays.
  • There is no kneading required, you will just do a few sets of stretch and folds.  
  • You can make this bread in one day, or you can make it ahead and store it in the fridge to bake later. 
  • Instead of olive oil, this recipe uses butter and a savory sauce made of dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce, butter and onion powder. 

How to make a sourdough starter

If you are new to sourdough, you are in the right place! You can learn how to make a sourdough starter in as little as two weeks with my Easy Sourdough Starter recipe, or you can hop into my Online Sourdough Master Class!

bubbly sourdough starter with a jar of flour and dehydrated starter in the background

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What is focaccia?

Focaccia is a flatbread that is made similarly to pizza dough. The bread is made in a pan, usually something like a 9×13 dish or round cast iron pan. The bread is fluffy and chewy with a thin crispy crust. It has signature dimples in the dough and has a drizzle of olive oil, or in this case, butter, to help create the crispy, golden brown crust. You can make focaccia with sweet or savory toppings. 

Tips for making Hawaiian Roll Sourdough Focaccia

  • Make sure to let the dough get puffy and rise fully. Baking it too early will result in a denser focaccia. 
  • To speed up the process, find a warmer spot for the dough to rise. The warm ingredients in the dough will help with this as well. 
  • If you want to bake the next day, place the dough in the fridge after the first rise. Remove the dough from the fridge in the morning. Place in a buttered 9×13″ pan and let rise until puffy and doubled in size. 
ham and cheese in a sourdough focaccia

Tools for this sourdough focaccia recipe

9×13″ pan- This is what you will use to bake the focaccia in. 

Kitchen Scale- When making sourdough bread, I always recommend weighing your ingredients on a kitchen scale for more accurate measurements.  

Ingredients for Hawaiian Roll Sourdough Focaccia 

Hawaiian roll dough

  • Warm Pineapple juice- Using warm ingredients for the focaccia will help the dough rise. You can add the liquids to a bowl and microwave for a few seconds at a time until the liquid is warm, but not hot. 
  • Warm milk- Adding milk to the dough helps create a richer flavor. You can use whichever type of milk you have on hand. 
  • Warm water- You can use tap water or filtered water. 
  • Active Sourdough Starter– You will want to use a starter that is doubled in size and bubbly. 
  • Vanilla extract– The vanilla enhances the sweet flavor of the dough. 
  • Ginger – The ginger pairs so well with the flavors of the pineapple juice. 
  • Salt – You can use sea salt or whatever type of salt you have on hand. 
  • Bread flour – I recommend using unbleached bread flour for sourdough bread because it absorbs moisture. better than all-purpose and will yield a chewier and airier crust. 
  • Brown sugar – This enhances the sweetness of the pineapple juice. 

savory butter sauce

  • Worcestershire sauce – Adds savory flavor and depth.
  • Poppy seeds- The poppy seeds add texture to the top of the dough. 
  • Dijon mustard – The dijon pairs really well with the sweetness of the dough.
  • Onion powder – Adds more savory flavor. 
  • Melted butter– This recipe uses butter instead of olive oil to give the signature crispy and chewy crust of the focaccia. 

Toppings for the focaccia

  • Diced ham- You can dice your own ham or by the pre-diced package of ham. 
  • Swiss cheese – I recommend using shredded but you could dice it if your prefer.

Instructions to make Hawaiian Roll Sourdough Focaccia 

First, warm the pineapple juice, water and milk. It should be warm, but not too hot to the touch. Mix all the ingredients for the dough together in a large mixing bowl till a shaggy dough is formed. Let sit in a warm spot covered for about an hour. I like to cover with a lid or dinner plate instead of a tea towel so that the dough doesn’t dry out. 

Perform 2-3 sets of stretch and folds to develop the dough with at least a 30 minute rest in between each set. To stretch and fold the dough, grab one side with a damp hand and gently shimmy the dough up, and then fold it on itself. Repeat this 3 more times rotating the bowl 90 degrees each time.

Continue to let the dough rise for bulk fermentation until it is risen 50% and is jiggly with bubbles forming around the sides of the bowl. At 78F this took 5 hours. But this could take less or more time depending on the temperature of your house.

sourdough focaccia dough in a 9x13 pan

Melt 4 Tablespoons of butter in a 9×13 baking dish or cast iron skillet and then place the dough in the pan. Flip once to coat both sides. Cover and let sit on the countertop or warm spot until doubles in size and is puffy for the second proof. This took another 2 hours at 78F.

sourdough focaccia dough in a 9x13 pan

Right before it is ready make the sauce. Add all of the ingredients for the sauce and whisk to combine in a small bowl. 

diced ham and shredded swiss cheese on top of focaccia dough ready to bake

When the dough has doubled in size, pour the sauce mixture over the dough and spread it out so it covers the dough. Then sprinkle the top with diced ham and swiss cheese. Dimple the dough with your fingers and bake at 425F for 25-30 mins. Let cool on a cooling rack and enjoy!

dimpled focaccia dough topped with diced ham and shredded swiss cheese

Sample Schedule

This schedule assumes the dough stays at 78F and is a rough estimate. Go off the look and feel of the dough, not the time. If your dough is cooler or warmer it will impact the rise times.

When feeding your sourdough starter you can either make a levain, an offshoot of your main starter with the exact amount you need for the recipe, or you can just feed your main sourdough starter, ensuring you feed it a little more than what you need to keep it going.

Steps (assuming 78F temperature) Time
Make a levain (1:3:3 ratio- 20 grams active starter: 65 grams flour: 65 grams water) 10 PM
Mix up dough7 AM
Stretch & folds8-9 AM
Place dough in 9×13″ pan12 PM
Add toppings & dimple dough2 PM
Bake2:30 pm

How to store focaccia bread

Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. To reheat, you can warm it in the microwave, or to get a crispy crust again add it back to a 400-degree oven or airfryer for a few minutes until warmed through.

Hawaiian Roll Sourdough Focaccia sliced into bite-sized pieces in a bowl lined with linen.

Hawaiian Roll Sourdough Focaccia

Emily Christensen
Inspired by one of my favorite appetizers, ham and cheese hawaiian sliders, this hawaiian roll sourdough focaccia is a delicious blend of sweet and savory.
4.57 from 16 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Proofing Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 45 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 336 kcal

Ingredients
  

Hawaiian Roll Sourdough Focaccia

  • 177 grams pineapple juice, warm ¾ cup
  • 120 grams milk, warm ½ cup
  • 120 grams water, warm ½ cup
  • 150 grams active sourdough starter ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons
  • 5 grams vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
  • 1 gram ginger powder ½ teaspoon
  • 10 grams salt 1 ½ teaspoon
  • 500 grams bread flour 3 ⅔ cups
  • 50 grams brown sugar ¼ cup

Savory Sauce

  • 5 grams worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon
  • 9 grams poppy seeds 1 Tablespoon
  • 15 grams dijon mustard 1 Tablespoon
  • 2 grams onion powder 1 teaspoon
  • 57 grams butter, melted 4 Tablespoons butter, melted

Toppings

  • 57 grams butter, melted 4 Tablespoons
  • 224 grams diced ham 1 cup
  • 170 grams swiss cheese 1 ½ cup

Instructions
 

  • Warm the pineapple juice, water and milk. It should be warm, but not too hot to the touch. Mix all the ingredients for the dough together in a large mixing bowl till a shaggy dough is formed. Let sit in a warm spot covered for about an hour. I like to cover with a lid or dinner plate instead of a tea towel so that the dough doesn’t dry out. 
    177 grams pineapple juice, warm, 120 grams milk, warm, 120 grams water, warm
    150 grams active sourdough starter, 5 grams vanilla extract, 1 gram ginger powder, 10 grams salt, 500 grams bread flour, 50 grams brown sugar
  • Perform 2-3 sets of stretch and folds to develop the dough with at least a 30 minute rest in between each set. To stretch and fold the dough, grab one side with a damp hand and gently shimmy the dough up, and then fold it on itself. Repeat this 3 more times rotating the bowl 90 degrees each time.
  • Continue to let the dough rise for bulk fermentation until it is risen 50% and is jiggly with bubbles forming around the sides of the bowl. At 78F this took 5 hours from the time the dough was mixed. But this could take less or more time depending on the temperature of your house.
  • Melt 4 Tablespoons of butter in a 9×13 baking dish or cast iron skillet and then place the dough in the pan. Flip once to coat both sides. Cover and let sit on the countertop or warm spot until doubles in size and is puffy for the second proof. This took another 2 hours at 78F.
    57 grams butter, melted
  • Right before it is ready, make the sauce. In a small bowl, add all of the sauce ingredients and whisk to combine.
    5 grams worcestershire sauce, 9 grams poppy seeds, 15 grams dijon mustard, 2 grams onion powder, 57 grams butter, melted
  • When the dough has doubled in size, pour the sauce mixture over the dough. Brush the mixture so it coats all of the dough. Then sprinkle the top with diced ham and swiss cheese. Dimple the dough with your fingers and bake at 425F for 25-30 mins. Let cool on a cooling rack and enjoy!
    224 grams diced ham, 170 grams swiss cheese

Notes

Do not bake the dough until it is puffy and doubled in size, filling most of the pan.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 336kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 14gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 636mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6g
Keyword active starter, cheese, flavored bread, focaccia, hawaiian rolls
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8 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    When I was making my dough I found it to be a bit wet & wasn’t coming together into the shaggy consistency I was hoping for. This may have totally been user error in my initial measurements of the various liquids, but I added 100g of bread flour & proceeded as normal. The focaccia was airy & light & very subtly sweet. I used Spam instead of ham as that was what I had on hand & it was so delicious! Definitely going to make this again.

  2. 3 stars
    under notes it states:
    Do not bake the dough until it is puffy and doubled in size, filling most of the pan. So then you dont want it puffy?

  3. 5 stars
    This recipe produced the best textured focaccia! I live in marshlands (literally – my house is elevated) so I had to add 75 grams of flour because of the different climate. It came out perfectly. 90% was gone within and hour of it coming out of the oven. I think this is a great base for whatever kind of focaccia you want to try. Thank you!

  4. 5 stars
    This is a phenomenal recipe. I did add brown sugar to the sauce cause I don’t like mustard. My toddler ate half the pan over a 3 day period and is sad it’s gone.

4.57 from 16 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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