Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Focaccia

This recipe starts with my classic sourdough focaccia base but swaps water for lemonade, adding a subtle sweetness and a bright, citrusy tang to the dough, similar to my Strawberry Lemonade Sourdough Focaccia. The result is a soft, airy focaccia with golden edges, juicy blueberries, and a hint of lemon with a light, sweet lemon glaze. Find all my other unique sourdough focaccia flavors here!

More delicious recipes to try this blueberry season include Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread loaf, Sourdough Discard Blueberry muffins, Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Protein Pancakes and Sourdough Fruit Pizza.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• This is a same day sourdough recipe, giving you all the benefits of being naturally fermented without the wait!
• A slice of this Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Focaccia is the perfect sweet treat for breakfast or brunch for any spring or summer special occasion.
• You do not need any special equipment or Dutch oven to make this Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Focaccia.
• The flavors of tart lemon and blueberry goodness are the perfect combination. 

Important Ingredients & Substitutions

• Lemonade- Instead of water, this recipe uses lemonade to infuse the lemon flavor throughout the dough. You can also use a flavored lemonade if you’d like to switch up the flavor. 
• Fresh blueberries- The blueberries add pops of bright and fruity sweetness throughout the focaccia. If you want to substitute frozen blueberries I recommend rinsing the blueberries a few times and then patting them dry with paper towels. Also I recommend reducing the lemonade by 25 grams. Note when using frozen blueberries the dough will be colder taking longer to rise.
• Active sourdough starter- A sourdough starter is active and at its peak when it has doubled in size and has lots of bubbles.
• Bread flour- A flour with a higher protein content, like bread flour, is ideal for sourdough bread. In a pinch, you can swap bread flour for all-purpose flour but I recommend cutting the amount of liquid by 50 grams as all-purpose flour does not absorb as much liquid.
• Butter- Instead of olive oil, like a traditional focaccia recipe, this recipe uses butter to coat the focaccia dough. You can sub for coconut or olive oil if needed.

See all the ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.

Helpful tools 

• 9×13 pan– I recommend using a metal 9×13 baking pan for this recipe. 
• Kitchen Scale– Using a kitchen scale and measuring the ingredients in grams will help give more accurate measurements. 
• 2 quart proofing container– Using a container with a straight edge is the easiest way to tell when the dough has risen 50% for the first rise.
• Cooling Rack– Adding the focaccia to a wire rack after baking helps allow air under the bread and helps it cool down quicker.

Instructions to make Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Focaccia

Step 1: In a bowl or straight edge container, mix together the lemonade, lemon zest, active starter, and salt until the starter is mostly dissolved. Add the bread flour and mix until a shaggy dough is formed. Cover bowl with a lid or dinner plate and let it sit in a warm spot for about 30 minutes.

Step 2: Perform 2-3 sets of stretch and folds to develop the gluten in the dough with at least a 30 minute rest in between each set. Add the blueberries during the first set of stretch and folds.

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.

Step 3: 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. With dough in the mid 70’s F, the first rise will take about 4-5 hours total time.

Step 4: Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in a 9×13 pan and add the focaccia dough. Coat both sides with butter and spread out the dough. Let it rise another hour or two covered in a warm spot until it has risen well and is puffy. 

Sample Schedule 

This is based on the dough temperature being in the mid 70s. There are many factors that can impact how slowly or quickly dough rises so use this as a guideline but look for the visual cues the dough is ready to move on.

Storage Instructions 

Store leftovers in an airtight container or cover in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for 5-7 days. To reheat, you can warm it in the microwave, or to get a crispy crust again spray it lightly with water and add it back to a 400-degree oven or air fryer for a few minutes until warmed through.

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