Cheesy Sourdough Whole Wheat Focaccia Fresh Milled Flour

Don’t let this classic Italian bread intimidate you. Cheesy sourdough whole wheat focaccia with fresh milled flour is one of the easiest recipes to make, and it’s so delicious. It uses simple ingredients, only a few tools, and there is no kneading required!

This perfect bread is a bubbly, crispy-edged, sourdough focaccia, made with wholesome whole-wheat flour and layered with gooey, melty cheese. Yes, it’s as good as it sounds. No, you won’t want to share your homemade bread. You’ll have this recipe on repeat once you try it. 

It makes a great side, a delicious dipper, or even a wonderful snack; We even like to cut it thin for sandwich bread! It’s one of the best basic recipes to put your own twist on. 

Looking for other sourdough bread recipes made with fresh milled flour? Try making Sourdough Pretzel Buns, Overnight Sourdough Sandwich Bread, or even a Sourdough Apple Pie Cobbler!

Why You’ll Love Sourdough Whole Wheat Focaccia Bread

A pan full of fluffy, cheesy, and garlicky goodness awaits you! The texture is everything – a little spongy, moist, and chewy. Thanks to a well-fermented sourdough starter and a generous amount of herbs and melty goodness, each bite hits that sweet spot you only get with comfort food.

It’s made with fresh milled flour, which means extra flavor AND nutrition. It adds nutty depth and gives your focaccia that wholesome and hearty feel. Olive oil does the heavy lifting here to get that signature texture. It crisps the bottom while the interior stays tender and springy. Basically, it’s no knead bread magic.

My family literally starts hovering near the oven when they start smelling this bread. It’s now my go-to bake when I need to impress, comfort, or let’s be honest… bribe my kids. My daughter said this is her favorite bread I’ve ever made – I’ll take that compliment any day!

Fresh Milled Flour 

Fresh milled whole grain flour does hydrate differently — it may soak up more water than store-bought, but don’t panic when you start with a sticky dough. Just trust the process!

Fresh home-milled whole wheat flour really does taste better than bagged flour. When you mill flour fresh, the oils and nutrients remain intact, giving your bread that deep nutty aroma and superior flavor and heft.

I wouldn’t go as far as calling this healthy focaccia bread, but whole grains do give you a lot more fiber, vitamins, and minerals than store-bought all-purpose flour. Plus, no preservatives or bleaching agents. Just real food tasting real good.

I like to use a combination of hard white and soft white wheats in this whole wheat bread recipe to balance the texture and make the crumb a bit softer. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

Autolyse the Dough: Combine your starter, water, and fresh milled flour in mixing bowl. Mix together into a shaggy dough until no dry flour remain. Cover and let rest for 30-60 minutes to hydrate. 

Mix the Dough: Sprinkle salt and drizzle olive oil over the surface of the dough and get in there with your hands, shaping it into a ball by pulling dough from the sides of the bowl. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. 

Stretch and Folds: Perform 2-3 more stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes. Cover and rest dough in between each set. 

Second Rise: After the last rest period, add 1/4 cup of olive oil to the bottom of the baking pan, making sure it is all coated. Gently plop the focaccia dough in, using wet hands to stretch it to fit, and let it rise again in a warm place for 1–2 hours until you start to see a few bubbles forming and it is a bit poofy. **This dough will not rise as much as a regular bread dough!

Topping the Dough: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Then, using the remaining olive oil, drizzle it on top and make little dimples in the dough with your fingers to form some air bubbles. Be careful not to rip the dough. Sprinkle salt and dill over the top, then cheese it up! Sprinkle cheese generously over the top of the dough. If you think it’s too much… add a little more. We don’t want boring bread.

Baking Focaccia: Bake for 23–27 minutes, or until the top is golden, edges are browned, and the cheese is bubbling. 

Cool: Remove from baking pan quickly and place on a cooling rack. Let your focaccia cool for 10-15 before inhaling, or let cool fully to store. 

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers (If You Have Any!)

Wrap whole wheat sourdough focaccia in foil or keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. You may need to vent your bag or container if the cheese to holding on to too much moisture. I wouldn’t want your bread to get moldy!

To freeze: Cut into squares, wrap in parchment or foil, then put into plastic bag and freeze for 2-3 months. Reheat from frozen at 375°F until warm, or let thaw and rewarm.

One bite of this cheesy masterpiece and you’ll be planning your next batch before the first one cools. Watch out, it may disappear before you even get a bite. Maybe just make two batches or hide a slice for yourself!