Hands up if you love sourdough focaccia?! Well then, you are going to want to make these sourdough focaccia rolls today! They are everything you love about sourdough focaccia in a smaller, more customizable format. These sourdough focaccia rolls are the perfect mix of soft, chewy, and golden with that signature sourdough tang. They bake up light and airy on the inside with a beautiful olive-oil crust on the outside, making them such a treat fresh from the oven. You can top them simply with rosemary and sea salt or get creative with tomatoes, onions, and peppers. They make amazing sandwich rolls, dinner rolls, or a fun addition to an appetizer board.

Close up of a sourdough focaccia roll with cherry tomatoes, onions and a sprig of fresh rosemary on top.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Everything You Love About Focaccia - If you love making sourdough focaccia bread (and seriously, who doesn't) then you are going to love these rolls! It gives everyone a chance to add the toppings they want, or for you to make a variety of rolls to suit everyone's tastes!

Soft and Chewy Texture - These rolls bake up with a pillowy crumb inside and a slightly crisp, olive-oil exterior that makes every bite irresistible.

Customizable Toppings - Use your favorite flavors. Keep them classic with rosemary and flaky salt or load them up with tomatoes, caramelized onions, or peppers to make each roll unique.

If you are a sourdough focaccia lover, then make sure you check out these sourdough focaccia muffins, sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia bread and sourdough focaccia pizza bread!

Sourdough focaccia roll cut in half on a tray of sourdough focaccia rolls to show soft, pillowy inside texture.

Ingredients

Sourdough Starter - I've used active sourdough starter at peak to create the softest, squishiest sourdough focaccia rolls.
Olive Oil - For the dough plus extra for topping. You can add as much or as little olive oil as you like to the top of the rolls.
Bread Flour - make sure you use high protein bread flour and not all purpose flour.
Salt - I've used my regular salt for making the dough and then added flaky sea salt on top.
Your choice of toppings - I've used a selection of cherry tomatoes split in half, fresh rosemary leaves, flaky sea salt, yellow peppers and red onion slices, but you can use whatever you like!

How to Make Sourdough Focaccia Rolls

Add the sourdough starter, water, olive oil, bread flour and salt to the bowl of your stand mixer and bring together into a dry dough. Let the dough sit for around 30 minutes.

Two photos to show mixing dough for sourdough focaccia rolls in a stand mixer with one picture showing a rough, sticky dough, and the other showing a smooth dough.

Now, use your dough hook attachment to knead the dough into a smooth, elastic dough. Use speed 1 for around 2 to 3 minutes. The bowl should be clean and the dough should be cohesive and elastic when you're done. This makes it a little different from traditional focaccia dough, but don't worry, they will become more focaccia like when you shape them!

Cover the dough and leave it at room temperature to rise by around 30%.

Once the dough has risen around 30% it's time to shape the sourdough focaccia rolls (don't worry, they won't be under fermented because you'll let them rise again once they're shaped).

Divide the dough into 10 equally weighted pieces and gently bring them into a ball shape. I've made mine around 90g but you can make them as big or small as you like.

Measured out dough on counter to make sourdough focaccia rolls.

Place them onto a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper and drizzled in olive oil (unless you have non stick trays, then you don't need to line them).

Gently squish each sourdough focaccia roll down using your fingers so that the balls of dough flatten out. You can use your fingertips to gently dimple the dough at this stage too.

Two photos to show adding sourdough focaccia roll dough to baking sheet and pressing it down into pan.

Cover the sourdough focaccia rolls with a dish towel and set aside to rise again. You want the dough to double and become light and puffy. You can see what mine look like in the photos below.

Two photos to show sourdough focaccia roll dough on a baking sheet - one photo before second rise, and one photo after the second rise.

Once the dough has proofed (finished the second rise), it's time to preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Drizzle the rolls in more oil and use your finger tips to gently dimple the dough (it's ok if you squish it down at this point).

Add whatever toppings you like to each roll (flaky sea salt, rosemary leaves, peppers, cherry tomatoes, red onion slices - whatever you like). Leave the rolls to sit until the oven has preheated.

Two photos to show adding sourdough focaccia roll dough to baking sheet and adding toppings before baking.

Bake the sourdough focaccia rolls at 180ºC (350ºF) for around 22 minutes, or until they are golden brown and the toppings are cooked.

Remove from the oven, drizzle in more olive oil and salt if desired. Set on a wire rack to cool before splitting and filling with your favorite sandwich fillings.

Fresh baked sourdough focaccia rolls on a baking sheet sitting on top of a wooden cutting board to cool.

Baker's Timeline

Here's a sample timeline to help you manage your bake. Remember though, that this is just a sample and the times listed are just a guide. You'll need to adjust this based on your sourdough starter and the temperature of your kitchen.

TIME	PROCESS
9 PM	Night Before: Feed your sourdough starter 1:3:3 so it peaks in the morning (learn about sourdough starter ratios).
6 AM	Next Day: Mix together the dough and let it sit for around an hour.
7 AM	Bring dough together into a sticky ball (one set of stretch and folds). Cover the dough and leave at room temperature to bulk ferment.
12 PM	Once the dough has risen, divide it into equally weighted pieces, shape and place onto a baking sheet. Drizzle in oil and dimple.
12.30 PM	Leave sourdough focaccia rolls to proof, covered until they're doubled and soft and squishy.
5 PM	Preheat the oven and add the toppings to your sourdough focaccia rolls while it preheats.
5.30 PM	Bake!
6 PM	Allow the rolls to cool slightly before splitting and filling with your fave sandwich fillings.

How To Store + Freeze

Store at Room Temperature - Keep your focaccia rolls in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They stay soft and flavorful, especially if you warm them back up before serving.

Refrigerate - You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm them in the oven for a few minutes to bring back their soft texture.

Freeze for Later - These rolls freeze beautifully. Let them cool completely, then wrap well and place in a ziplock bag. They'll keep for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm in the oven before serving.