Cosi’s top secret flatbread recipe that is thin, crispy and chewy with a deliciously buttery crisp crackled crust. 
Cosi’s long held secret is their deliciously crisp and crackly flatbread. This recipe may be a bit of a labor of love, but the result is delicious and perfect for making flatbread sandwiches and of course for salads!I’m popping in quickly today to share the second half of yesterday’s delicious lunch that was posted. This Sunday a project that I’ve been a part of and working on for the last six months is launching so the last few days are a bit of a crazy time here.
I don’t do a lot of in process shots but I wanted to give you some pictures to guide you along the way as there are a lot of variations when it comes to making bread.
When you’ve added your flour and you’re adding in your olive oil, the dough with be very sticky. 
When you’re letting the dough age and you poke it with your fingers, you want to feel like you are more or less tearing the top of the dough each time you poke it. If it doesn’t feel like there is a paper thin layer you’re breaking through on top, it hasn’t dried out for long enough.
Here is a better picture after it has baked of the tearing in the layer when you poke it. You can see the thin top layer. This is before the final brushing with butter.
Enjoy! You worked pretty darn hard to make this flatbread!
Pop back in Monday, I have an awesome post about a Superbowl dessert! With a printable game!
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ - ounce packet active dry yeast
- 1 pinch sugar
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour , plus more for dusting
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- more oil for brushing the pan
- 2 tablespoons butter , melted
Instructions
- Add the yeast, sugar and 1 ½ cups of warm water (110 degrees) in a bowl.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes then add in the 3 ½ cups of flour and 1 ½ teaspoons of kosher salt.
- Mix well, then add in the olive oil and mix until combined and smooth.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel on top.
- Let sit in a warm place for an hour and a half.
- Put the ball of dough in your stand mixer with a dough hook.
- Turn onto medium speed and let it go for 5 minutes.
- Add more flour if it is too sticky to handle.
- Add the dough back to the bowl, cover again and let rise for 1 ½ hours.
- Take dough out of the bowl and put onto a floured surface.
- Brush olive oil on the bottom of a baking sheet and leave upside down (greased side up).
- Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, dusting with more flour if needed.
- Cut the dough in half.
- Roll out both halves into 12-by-3-inch rectangles, about ½ inch thick.
- Put the dough rectangles onto the baking sheet.
- Let rest for 2 ½ hours. You want the top of the dough to get dry and crusty.
- Preheat the oven to 475 degrees
- Put the greased baking sheet in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Poke the tops of the dough with your fingers making indentations and pull slightly to create the top crackled effect.
- Brush the tops of the dough with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining ½ teaspoon of kosher salt.
- Bake on the bottom rack for 7 minutes, then move to the middle rack and bake for an additional five minutes.
- Remove from oven and brush on more melted butter.
Nutrition
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I thought I understood the recipe until I read the comments. There is only one baking sheet used, right? You turn it over and grease the bottom – which will be the surface you put the dough on – because you want a rimless baking sheet.
In some of the comments, it sounds like there is a second sheet that is placed on top of the dough (so is sandwiched between 2 sheets) to keep it flat. This is NOT what you are saying, correct?
Someone made this recipe for me and it’s great. One question before I make it myself: When you first put the pan in the oven, which rack should it be on? (The recipe specifies that when returning the dough/pan to the oven after poking the tops and brushing with butter, to use the bottom rack, but it doesn’t say which rack to use for the 1st part of baking.)
Thanks!
This looks delicious but I too am confused as to how many baking sheets are required to bake this. I understand the Olive oil goes on the bottom of the pan. Is the dough placed on it to give it a rimless baking effect or is the dough placed on a second baking sheet and then topped with the sheet with the oil on it and baked 7 minutes total?
It would really help I’d you would rewrite this part of the recipe to make it crystal clear. Love your generosity in sharing your wonderful recipes.
I’d really like to try this but like others am very confused about the pan(s) even though the recipe has been updated. Is this baked sandwiched between two pans? If not, how does an upside down pan keep the bread flat?
This dough smelled great, but the recipe could use some clarifications. Apparently you need TWO baking sheets, one that is greased on the bottom and one that is… not? Or maybe is also greased? And you put one (but not both?) in the oven to pre-heat?
Also, the time is way off. There’s 5 hours 35 minutes of rest time called for, not counting the actual mixing, kneading or rolling. It smelled great but the texture was off. I may try again but this is a full-day endeavor.
In step 18, do you put the greased baking sheet in the oven without the dough on it?
I am so sorry I am just seeing this tonight. I am sure the recipe has long been cooked/or not but I still want to try to help.
Amy, sorry the recipe is confusing, but the dough goes on the baking sheet in step 15 so it will be going into the oven in step 18 with the baking sheet.
I’m confused with the amount of yeast to use. Is it one 1/4 oz packet, or 1and1/4oz of yeast?
Sorry for the confusion. You’ll be using 1 packet (1/4 oz).
Thank you so much for sharing. I will try it this recipe and let you know how I did.
Question: Since this recipe takes some time to make. Can I make enough to last for few days? How can I keep the bread fresh if I make it during a weekend to last for at least 3 or 4 days?
Would the bread taste the same?
The flatbread will keep in a ziplock for up to two days. Otherwise you can freeze it and then reheat in the microwave when you’re ready to eat. 🙂 Hope this helps, let me know how it goes!
Why is the pan upside down?
Holds the bread down to help it stay flat. 🙂
Can I make this dough in a bread machine?
I’ve never tried it before so I’m not comfortable giving a recommendation. If you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turned out.
Can I use a baking stone instead of the pan?
Yes!
Hi! This looks delicious, but I am a little confused. In step 20, is it an empty pan that goes in the oven for 15 min? I’m assuming this is the upside down greased pan from step 11?
Yes! Sorry for the confusion and the delay this comment got snared in the spam filter somehow!
Hi, I really want to try this recipe, but I don’t follow the instructions about greasing one baking sheet with olive oil and 2 with butter. Which do you put the dough on to rest and which do you bake it on?
Sorry for not responding sooner, your message got caught in the spam filter. I’ve updated the recipe, I hope it clears up your confusion.
If I don’t have a dough hook, can I knead it by hand? If yes, how long should I knead it for?
Thanks for what looks like a really yummy recipe!
You can knead it by hand, but it will take about five times as long.
I love making homemade bread. I have made flatbread only once, but this looks so much better than the stuff that I made. The recipe sounds delicious. Your pictures look great!
Thanks, Dawn! Homemade bread is a favorite over here too!