Easy Cast Iron Keto Focaccia Bread

Easy Cast Iron Keto Focaccia Bread

A delicious, keto friendly almond flour based focaccia bread, baked in a cast iron skillet. Top with rosemary and sea salt and you have the perfect keto friendly bread recipe!

I have always enjoyed cast iron skillet yeast bread and wanted a good alternative to a classic focaccia bread recipe that was not only gluten-free but also lower in carbs.

I was inspired by my favorite Keto Almond Flour Biscuit recipe and modified it to become this rich and flavorful keto focaccia bread as well. The bread is made up of keto baking staples, comes together quickly, and is baked all in one skillet!

I love pairing this bread with my easy garlic confit and charcuterie or as a side for soup. Find out how to make this keto focaccia bread recipe by reading through this post or jump to the recipe below!

Focaccia bread pieces on charcuterie board.

Want to save this recipe for later? Save it to your Pinterest page instead and make it when the cravings strike!

“School” Supplies:

  • 9 Inch Cast Iron Skillet
  • Parchment Paper
  • Food Processor
  • Measuring Cups & Spoons

“Class” Notes:

Welcome to my virtual classroom! Use the guided notes below where I often answer commonly asked questions I get from readers and cooks just like you.

This information is meant to help you have a stronger understanding of this recipe and the process so you can find success all on your own.

Ready to begin cooking? Simply jump to the recipe below and begin.

Keto Focaccia Bread Ingredients:

Here are the basic ingredients needed for making the best cast iron focaccia bread-

  • Almond Flour
  • Xanthan Gum (do not omit)
  • Baking Powder
  • Sea Salt
  • Fresh Rosemary
  • Cold Butter
  • Mozzarella (grate your own for best results)
  • Parmesan (grate your own for best results)
  • Eggs

Why is cold butter necessary for this keto bread recipe?

Besides using baking powder to help my low carb focaccia bread rise, cold butter aids in leavening as well. This bread is yeast free so it needs help rising in the oven. As the cold butter melts and expands in the oven, it helps create a flakier texture to bread and will also help act as a mechanical leavener to a yeast-free bread like this.

What if I don’t have a food processor?

If you don’t have a food processor, it’s no problem! Instead of mixing the ingredients in a food processor, you can grate the cold butter into a large mixing bowl and then mix the rest of the ingredients in together until it is a crumbly dough.

Can I substitute the Almond Flour for Coconut Flour?

The common questions I typically get in regards to keto baking recipes are usually about substitutes. I haven’t tried substituting coconut flour for the almond flour.

Typically coconut flour is a lot more crumbly and absorbs moisture differently. If you experiment with this to make keto and nut-free focaccia bread then you may need to add a little cream cheese or sour cream to help moisten the dough.

Preparation:

  1. For this recipe, combine all the dry ingredients into the food processor and pulse them together to thoroughly mix them. Add in the cold butter and grated cheeses next and pulse again until it’s nice and crumbly! Add one egg into the mixture and mix until the dough is one even texture.
  2. Place the dough into the cast iron skillet that’s lined with parchment. Lightly fold the dough over itself in the pan creating a ball and knead gently (this helps prevent cracking during baking).
  1. Use your hands to evenly pat the dough out to about 1-inch thickness. The dough doesn’t need to be exactly flush against the sides but close to the edge (the bread will expand slightly as it bakes). Make sure the dough is even and around an inch thick.
  2. Use your fingers to add some dimpling to the top. This is typical of traditional focaccia bread as it creates a nice space for drizzling olive oil into when eating later on.
  1. Brush your keto focaccia bread with a nice egg wash and sprinkled on course sea salt and more rosemary over the top. I wanted to really punch up the flavor and added a decent amount of fresh rosemary. Bake the bread for about 20-25 minutes.
  2. The bread should get nice and golden brown on the bottom and on the top. Allow it to cool a bit and set before serving.

Tips for Baking:

  • Make sure your oven is preheated to 425 F when the bread goes into the oven. This will ensure that the butter does its job and creates a nice rise on the bread.
  • Use parchment paper to line your cast iron to ensure that the bread does not stick to the skillet. Since there is a low amount of fat in this recipe compared to traditional focaccia bread, the parchment paper will save you from any sticking issues.
  • The addition of shredded mozzarella cheese and parmesan in this recipe acts as a binding agent. leavening agent, and helps with overall flavor. It is best if you grate your own cheeses because pre-grated cheeses are coated with a preservative that doesn’t allow it to fully melt. You’ll see better results with freshly grated cheeses.
  • To make this bread as delicious as possible, you’ll want to ensure that you season the top of the bread. Don’t skip adding the chunky sea salt and extra rosemary to the top of the bread before baking so that you have that extra punch of flavor!

Serving:

Focaccia bread is very versatile and can be served in many different ways. Dip it into olive oil and serve with some meats and cheeses as a snack!

Or, serve it with a soup like my Chicken Cauliflower Gnocchi Soup to sop up some of that creamy broth.

This bread would also go well as a side to a meat dish so try it with a Spatchcock Chicken, Reverse Seared Picanha, or my saucy One Pan Keto Tuscan Salmon!

Easy Cast Iron Keto Focaccia Bread

Easy Cast Iron Keto Focaccia Bread

A delicious, low carb, and keto friendly almond flour based focaccia bread baked in a cast iron skillet. Top with garlic confit and rosemary and sea salt and you have the perfect keto friendly bread recipe!
4.95 from 20 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Easy Cast Iron Keto Focaccia Bread
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 350kcal
Author: Bon Appeteach

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Fine Almond Flour plus extra for dusting
  • 1 tsp Xanthan Gum DO NOT OMIT
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Sea Salt extra for the top
  • 2-3 tsp Fresh Rosemary minced (extra for the top)
  • 4 tbsp Cold Butter cut into chunks
  • 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella
  • 1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan
  • 2 Eggs reserve 1 egg for the egg wash

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a cast iron skillet with parchment paper.
  • In a food processor, combine the almond flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, sea salt, and rosemary. Pulse until combined.
  • Add in the diced, cold butter and shredded cheese. Pulse again until it starts to crumble and form into a ball. Finally, add in one egg and mix until the dough is one even mixture.
  • Place the dough into the cast iron skillet that’s lined with parchment. Lightly fold the dough over itself in the pan so that it forms a ball (this helps prevent cracking during baking). Use your hands to evenly pat the dough out to about 1 inch thickness. The dough doesn’t need to be exactly flush against the sides but close to the edge (the bread will expand slightly as it bakes).
  • Use your thumb to dimple the top and then brush the top lightly with the egg wash. Season generously with sea salt and rosemary.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes in the oven. The bread should be nicely golden brown and sizzle a bit when removed. Allow it to rest until lightly warm to the tough before cutting into it (it’s a very tender bread otherwise). Serve with smoked garlic confit if desired or some olive oil over the top.

Notes

Don’t have a cast iron skillet? Try using a round cake pan or an 8×8 square pan too. These will store well in a container for up to 5 days and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 401mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g
4.95 from 20 votes (20 ratings without comment)

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  1. I made this bread tonight but used coconut flour instead of almond flour (but allergy over here). It came out great! I used 3/4 of a cup of coconut flour and followed the rest of the recipe as is. I had to form the dough into a ball by hand once out of the food processor as my processor is small. I’d definitely make this recipe again!