Guide

How to Make Airy Focaccia (Big, Open Holes)

The five things that give focaccia a light, open, bubbly crumb — and the handling mistake that flattens it.

By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-14

Quick answer

Airy focaccia comes from five things working together: high hydration (78–82%), building strength with stretch-and-folds instead of kneading, a full but not over-long fermentation, strong bread flour, and a hot oven. The biggest mistake is degassing the dough — punching it down or pressing out the bubbles when you pan it — which flattens the crumb you worked to build.

Airy comes from gas trapped in strong, wet dough

The big, glossy holes in a good focaccia are pockets of fermentation gas held in place by a well-developed, well-hydrated dough. Everything that makes focaccia airy is really about making more gas and building a structure strong and stretchy enough to trap it — then not crushing it before it bakes.

Get any one of the five levers below badly wrong and the crumb tightens. Get them all roughly right and even a beginner dough opens up beautifully.

1. Go high hydration

Wet dough bakes more open. Aim for about 78–82% hydration for a light, custardy crumb — enough water that the dough is soft and slack but still manageable with folds. Too dry (below ~70%) and the crumb is tight and bready no matter what else you do.

If a wet dough feels intimidating, start at 78% and work up; our hydration guide covers how to change a recipe’s water safely.

2. Build strength with folds, not kneading

A wet focaccia dough does not need aggressive kneading — it needs gentle strength so it can hold gas. Give it a series of stretch-and-folds during the first hour or two: lift one side, stretch it up, and fold it over, turning the bowl a quarter each time. A few rounds transform a shaggy, slack dough into a smooth, elastic one.

This builds the gluten network that traps bubbles, without knocking out the air an intense knead would.

3. Ferment fully (but do not overdo it)

Gas takes time. A rushed, under-proofed dough simply has not made or trapped enough of it, and it bakes dense — under-proofing is the single most common cause of a tight focaccia. Let the bulk rise until the dough is visibly puffy and jiggly, and give the panned dough a proper final proof until it looks pillowy.

A long, cold overnight ferment is the reliable route to both flavor and an open crumb. Just don’t go so far that the dough over-proofs, deflates, and turns slack — read the dough, not only the clock.

4. Use strong flour — and 5. bake it hot

Higher-protein bread flour builds a stronger network that holds bigger bubbles and carries high hydration better than all-purpose. It is one of the easiest upgrades for a more open crumb.

Finally, bake hot — around 220–245°C / 430–475°F. A hot oven gives a strong initial rise (oven spring) that pushes the crumb open and sets the structure before the bubbles can collapse. A generous layer of oil under and over the dough helps the base fry crisp while the inside stays light.

The mistake that flattens it: degassing

You can do everything above and still get a dense focaccia if you crush the air out at the end. Do not punch the dough down or press it flat when you transfer it to the pan — tip it out gently and coax it to the edges, keeping the bubbles intact.

Dimpling is fine and important, but dimple after the panned dough has relaxed and puffed, pressing straight down to the base rather than dragging the air out sideways. Handle the risen dough like it is full of bubbles you want to keep — because it is.

Frequently asked

Why is my focaccia dense and not airy?: Most often under-proofing (not enough fermentation), too little water, or degassing the dough when panning it. Raise hydration toward 80%, let it proof until visibly puffy, and stop pressing the air out.
What hydration makes focaccia airy?: Around 78–82% for a light, open crumb. Below ~70% the crumb tightens; much above ~85% is hard to handle in a home oven for little extra openness.
Does bread flour make focaccia more airy?: Yes — its higher protein builds a stronger network that holds bigger bubbles and carries high hydration better than all-purpose flour.