Easy Focaccia Pizza Muffins

These Easy Focaccia Pizza Muffins combine fluffy focaccia dough, my homemade marinara sauce, a garlic herb butter and melted mozzarella cheese in one bake. Baked in a muffin tray until golden and crispy around the edges, they’re perfect for at home cafe’s like mine and hosting family dinners or sharing with friends.

What makes these Easy Focaccia Pizza Muffins!

Unlike traditional pizza, these focaccia pizza muffins have a light and airy texture thanks to a double rise, while plenty of olive oil creates the signature focaccia-style crust. Stuffed with pepperoni, olives, fresh basil and mozzarella. You could even do vegetarian or vegan versions to suit your diet! They can also be prepared with an overnight fridge proof or same day depending on if you’re preparing for the next day and may be short on time the day that you actually plan to serve them.

Ingredients

For the Focaccia Dough

• 500g strong white bread flour
• 370ml warm water
• 7g instant yeast
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• plus extra olive oil for oiling the bowl, hands and muffin trays

For the Marinara Sauce

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 350ml water
• Large handful fresh basil, finely chopped
• Sea salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• Chilli flakes, to taste

For the Garlic Herb Butter

• 150g salted butter, softened
• 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Large handful fresh coriander, finely chopped

For the Toppings

• Marinara sauce
• Sliced pepperoni
• Black olives, halved
• Fresh basil leaves
• Grated mozzarella cheese

How to Make Easy Focaccia Pizza Muffins

Step 1: Prepare the Dough

• Add the flour, warm water, instant yeast, sea salt and olive oil to the bowl of a stand mixer.
• Knead for 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
• Generously coat a large mixing bowl with olive oil.
• Lightly coat your hands with olive oil.
• Remove the dough from the stand mixer and transfer it to the oiled bowl.
• Turn the dough several times so all sides are coated in olive oil.
• Cover the bowl tightly with cling film.
• Place in a warm spot and leave to rise until doubled in size.
• The olive oil helps prevent sticking and stops the dough from drying out while proving.
• Covering the bowl with cling film helps trap warmth and moisture, encouraging a better rise and a lighter focaccia texture.

Make Ahead Option

If you’re planning ahead, the first rise can be done overnight in the fridge.

• Prepare the dough as directed.
• Transfer it to a generously oiled bowl and turn it to coat.
• Cover tightly with cling film.
• Refrigerate overnight for 8-12 hours.
• Remove from the fridge 30-60 minutes before dividing into portions.
• Continue with the recipe as written.

The cold fermentation slows the rise, making it easier to fit into a busy schedule while helping the dough develop a deeper flavour and improved texture.

Step 2: Make the Marinara Sauce

• While the dough is rising, prepare the marinara sauce.
• Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the chopped garlic and fry gently until fragrant.
• Pour in the chopped tomatoes and water.
• Add the chopped fresh basil.
• Season generously with sea salt, black pepper and chilli flakes.
• Stir well to combine.
• Simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
• Stir regularly throughout cooking.
• Once slightly thickened, remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Step 3: Make the Garlic Herb Butter

• While the dough continues to rise, make the garlic herb butter.
• Add the softened butter to a bowl.
• Stir through the finely chopped garlic.
• Add the chopped coriander.
• Mix until evenly combined.
• Set aside until needed.

Step 4: Portion the Dough

• Once the dough has doubled in size, generously coat your hands with olive oil.
• Divide the dough into 18 equal portions.
• Each dough ball should weigh approximately 50-51g.
• Generously coat every well of two muffin trays with olive oil.
• Make sure the base and sides of each well are completely coated.
• Place one dough ball into each muffin well.

Step 5: Second Rise

• Loosely cover the muffin trays with an inverted baking tray.
• Leave the dough to rise for 30 minutes.
• The dough should become noticeably puffy and expand into the muffin wells.

Step 6: Dimple and Add Garlic Herb Butter

• Use your fingertips to gently dimple the surface of each dough portion.
• Spoon a little garlic herb butter onto each muffin.
• Press the butter into the dough using your fingertips.
• The dimples help hold the butter and create that classic focaccia texture.

Step 7: Add the Marinara Sauce and Toppings

• Spoon a little marinara sauce onto each muffin.
• Top with sliced pepperoni.
• Add the halved black olives.
• Scatter over fresh basil leaves.
• Finish with a generous amount of grated mozzarella cheese.

Step 8: Bake

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
• Bake the focaccia pizza muffins for approximately 25 minutes.
• They should be golden brown with bubbling cheese and lightly crisp edges.
• Check them after around 20 minutes.
• If they are browning too quickly, loosely cover the trays with foil.
• Continue baking until fully cooked and golden.

Step 9: Finish and Serve

• Remove the focaccia pizza muffins from the oven.
• Brush generously with the remaining garlic herb butter while still hot.
• Run a butter knife around the edge of each muffin to help release them from the tray.
• Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
• Serve warm while the cheese is melted and stretchy.

Top Tips for the Best Easy Focaccia Pizza Muffins

• Generously oil the proving bowl before adding the dough.
• Coat your hands with olive oil whenever handling the dough to prevent sticking.
• Turn the dough in the bowl so every side is coated in olive oil before proving.
• Be generous with the olive oil in the muffin tray to create crispy focaccia-style edges.
• Don’t skip the second rise as it helps create a lighter, fluffier texture.
• Allow the marinara sauce to reduce for 10-15 minutes before using so the muffins don’t become soggy.
• Brush with extra garlic herb butter immediately after baking for maximum flavour.

Storage

• Store leftover Easy Focaccia Pizza Muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Reheat in the oven or air fryer until hot and crispy.
• Avoid microwaving where possible as it softens the focaccia crust.

Freezing Instructions

• Allow the pizza muffins to cool completely.
• Freeze in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
• Reheat directly from frozen in the oven until piping hot throughout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Easy Focaccia Pizza Muffins ahead of time?

Yes. You can prepare the dough and marinara sauce ahead of time before assembling and baking.

Why use a muffin tray?

A muffin tray creates perfectly portioned pizza muffins with crispy focaccia-style edges and a soft fluffy centre.

Can I use different toppings?

Absolutely. These Easy Focaccia Pizza Muffins work well with most traditional pizza toppings.

How do I know when they’re cooked?

The tops should be golden brown, the cheese bubbling and the bases lightly crisp when removed from the tray.

If you like the look of my Focaccia Pizza Muffins then you should definitely check out the recipes below for some more amazing bakes:

• Blueberry Streusel Custard Buns
• Samosa Pin Wheels
• Tiramisu Brownies – Fudgy Brownies with Mascarpone Cream
• Brown Butter Pistachio Cookies – Gooey Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies