Ingredient
All-purpose flour
farina 0The flour most people already have — it makes perfectly good focaccia with a softer, slightly tighter crumb.
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-08
Quick answer
All-purpose flour (about 10–11.5% protein) makes good focaccia — just with a slightly softer, tighter crumb and a bit less chew than bread flour. It absorbs less water, so if a recipe was written for bread flour, hold back a few percent of the water.
What it contributes
All-purpose is a medium-protein flour designed to do a bit of everything. In focaccia it forms enough gluten to trap gas and rise, but its weaker network holds less water and less gas than bread flour, so the crumb comes out a touch denser, softer, and more uniform. For many home bakers that is a perfectly pleasant, tender focaccia.
Its big advantage is that it is already in most kitchens, so it is the natural starting point before you invest in bread flour.
Adjusting hydration
Because all-purpose absorbs less water than bread flour, a recipe’s stated hydration can feel wetter and slacker with all-purpose. If you are substituting it into a bread-flour recipe, reduce the water by roughly 3–5% and add it back only if the dough can take it. The dough should still be wet and sticky — just not a soup.
Everything else stays the same: fold to build what strength you can, ferment fully, and handle gently.
Getting the best from it
Lean on technique to compensate for the weaker flour. Do a few extra stretch-and-folds to develop the gluten you do have, keep hydration sensible (70–78% is a comfortable range for all-purpose focaccia), and give the dough a full, unhurried ferment for flavor and lift.
A cold overnight ferment works nicely with all-purpose, adding flavor and making the slacker dough easier to handle chilled.
Measuring matters most
The single biggest all-purpose pitfall is measuring by the cup. Scooped cups pack in 15–20% extra flour, which quietly turns a good recipe into a dry, dense one. Weigh your flour if you possibly can; if you must use cups, spoon the flour in and level it rather than scooping.
Where to buy it
Every supermarket carries it. Unbleached is a fine default. For focaccia you do not need anything special — freshness and accurate weighing matter more than brand.
Find all-purpose flour on Amazon →
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Frequently asked
- Is bread flour or all-purpose better for focaccia?
- Bread flour gives a taller, more open, chewier crumb and handles high hydration better. All-purpose is more than fine for a softer everyday focaccia and is what most people already own.
- Do I need to change the recipe if I use all-purpose?
- Slightly. All-purpose absorbs less water, so reduce the liquid by about 3–5% versus a bread-flour recipe, and keep hydration in a comfortable 70–78% range.
- Why did my all-purpose focaccia come out dense?
- Usually under-fermentation, over-measured flour from scooping cups, or too little folding. Weigh your flour, add a couple of stretch-and-folds, and proof until visibly puffy.
Sources & notes: Protein ranges are typical for US all-purpose flour; European plain flour is similar.