Sweet Potato Sourdough Focaccia

Thanksgiving-inspired sourdough focaccia

This Sweet Potato Sourdough Focaccia would be the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table or any holiday gathering! If you’re looking for other sourdough focaccia recipes to impress your family try the Sticky Pecan Sourdough Focaccia, Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Focaccia, or Sourdough Caramel Apple Sourdough Focaccia. 

Ingredients for the Sweet Potato Sourdough Focaccia

• Sweet Potato – you will need roughly one large, or two small sweet potatoes to have enough for the dough. Be sure to measure it out in grams after it is cooked to ensure you have the correct amount. I like to use freshly cooked sweet potatoes for the best flavor, but you can also use canned sweet potato puree if you would like. 
• Milk- The added fat from the milk gives the focaccia a rich flavor and soft, fluffy texture. For a dairy-free focaccia you can replace milk with more water.
• Water – Either tap or filtered water will work just fine. Use warm water to help keep the dough warm.
• Sourdough Starter – Use active starter that is at it’s peak and is bubbly and has doubled in size. If you do not have a sourdough starter, you can make one with this Easy Sourdough Starter recipe. 
• Bread Flour –I prefer bread flour, but in a pinch, you can swap bread flour for all-purpose flour. However since this is a high hydration dough I recommend cutting the amount of liquid by 25-50 grams if using all purpose flour as it does not absorb as much water.

See all the ingredients listed in the recipe card.

Tips for success when making Sweet Potato 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. Using warm ingredients in the dough will help with this as well. If it is rising too slowly at room temperature, you can use a bread mat (use code country10 for 10%) to keep the dough warm. 
• 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.
• Add dough to a straight edge container so you can easily see when the dough has risen 50%. 

Sample baking 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.

Instructions to make the Sweet Potato Sourdough Focaccia 

First, cook your sweet potato either in the microwave or oven until soft. Pierce the sweet potato with a fork and cook it whole in the microwave until it is softened. Or, you can roast it in the oven as well. Let cool a little and then discard the peel.

To puree the sweet potatoes, add to a blender along with the milk and water and blend until smooth.

Add the sweet potato mixture to a bowl along with the active sourdough starter and mix to combine. 

Add the brown sugar, salt, and flour to the mixture and combine until a shaggy dough is formed. 

Let sit in a warm place covered for about 30 minutes. I like to cover with a lid or dinner plate instead of a tea towel so that the dough doesn’t dry out.

Perform 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 covered dough rise for bulk fermentation until it has 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, including the stretch and folds.

Spray a 9×13” pan with non-stick spray and then add 2 Tablespoons of melted butter to the pan. Dump the dough into the pan and flip it once to coat both sides in butter. Cover and let it rise another 2-3 hours covered in a warm spot until it has risen well and is puffy. 

Make the topping by melting butter and then mixing in the brown sugar and pecans. Once the dough is ready, pour the mixture over the dough.  Dimple the dough with your fingers, creating indentations in the dough, and bake in the oven at 425F degrees for 25-30 minutes. 

After the focaccia has finished baking, add it to a cooling rack and let it cool some before serving.

How to store sourdough focaccia

Store the Sweet Potato Sourdough Focaccia in an airtight container on the counter for 5-7 days. To reheat, you can warm it in the microwave, or add it back to a 400-degree oven or air fryer for a few minutes until warmed through.