Sourdough Cinnamon Focaccia

If you've ever dreamed of pillowy focaccia bread meeting the gooey magic of a cinnamon roll, this recipe is for you. Our Sourdough Cinnamon Focaccia brings the best of both worlds-soft, caramelised edges, a spiced layer, and a naturally leavened base that makes it just a little more special.

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When Sourdough Focaccia Meets Cinnamon Rolls

Think of this as your shortcut to cinnamon roll heaven-without the fuss.

• Sourdough focaccia bread uses a high hydration dough, which may sound tricky, but there's no shaping involved - just coil fold.
• It's easier than sourdough cinnamon rolls: no rolling pins, no precise cutting, no spirals to mess up. And easier than Cinnamon Sugar Sourdough Pretzel Bites too - no need to poach anything!
• The golden, chewy edges and soft, airy crumb of focaccia pair perfectly with warm cinnamon sugar and vanilla icing. Take it a step further and add apples, like we do in our Cinnamon Apple Sourdough Focaccia recipe.
• The result? A rustic, irresistible twist on two classics, ideal for weekend baking or a sweet brunch treat.

Ingredient Notes

Here's everything you will need to make this Sourdough Cinnamon Focaccia:

• strong bread flour: with at least 12% protein content. All-purpose flour won't give you such airy crumb. 
• water: we use slightly warm water to kickstart the bulk fermentation process.
• salt.
• active sourdough starter: 100% hydration. Wild yeast is the only leavening agent in this recipe - no commercial yeast in sight!
• olive oil: we use slightly less oil in this recipe compared to our other sourdough focaccia recipes due to the butter we add later. 
• brown sugar: either light or dark brown sugar. 
• cinnamon.
• unsalted butter: melted and cooled. 
• you will also need extra butter, milk, icing sugar (a.k.a. powdered sugar) and vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract) for the icing. 

Step-By-Step Method

DAY 1

First thing in the morning, feed your sourdough starter and leave it in a warm place to at least double in volume. We typically feed our starter in a ratio of 1 part starter: 1 part water: 1 part flour, and it doubles (or even triples) within 4 hours.

Fermentolyse and Mixing The Dough

1. In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, water and active sourdough starter. Mix the dough in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment for a few minutes on low speed, until the flour is hydrated. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and leave the dough to fermentolyse (a type of sourdough autolyse where sourdough starter is added too) for an hour.

2. After an hour, scatter the salt on top of the dough. Drizzle the olive oil all over, and using your hands, squish the salt and oil into the dough, aiming to distribute it evenly.

TIP: Don't be tempted to just mix the oil in by running the stand mixer - the dough will split, separated by oil layers.

3. Once incorporated, run your mixer on medium speed for 10-12 minutes, until you have a very smooth and elastic dough. It will be wet, but should start gathering around the dough hook attachment.

Coil Folds, Bulk Fermentation, Cold Retardation

1. Scoop the dough into a lightly oiled bowl (we like to use a heavy shallow dish - it helps with coil folds later). Cover the dough with a damp tea towel or cling film (plastic wrap) and leave it in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

2. Over the next 3 hours, at 30-minute intervals, perform a set of coil folds, using wet hands. See the coil folding video below, or learn how to coil fold HERE. 

3. After all 6 sets of coil folds are completed, cover and let the dough rise and finish its bulk fermentation undisturbed for 1.5-3 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

4. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours (or simply overnight).

DAY 2

The next day, line a baking tray (approx 24x24cm) with parchment paper, and brush it with a little olive oil.

Cinnamon Sugar Filling

In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon.

Second Proof, Filling and Final Proof

1. Spritz clean kitchen surface with plenty of water (this will prevent the dough from sticking to the surface. Take the focaccia sourdough out of the fridge. Very carefully transfer the dough onto the sprayed surface, trying not to deflate it too much. Stretch it out slightly.

2. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar across one half of the dough. It may look like a lot, but remember, we haven't added any sugar to the dough itself.

3. Fold the other half of the dough over the filling and pinch the edges together.

4. In a swift motion, transfer the dough into the prepared baking tray (Please see video below for visual instructions). Tug on the edges of the dough to stretch the dough out to fill the baking tray.

5. Cover it with a sheet of cling film (plastic wrap) resting on the rims of the baking tray and leave the dough in a warm spot for its second proof for 1-2 hours.

6. After the second rise, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

7. Melt the butter and leave it to cool down to body temperature.

8. Drizzle the butter over the surface of the dough, then dimple the dough with your fingers.

9. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon mixture on top.

Baking and Cooling

1. Place your sourdough cinnamon focaccia in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the edges. 

2. Once baked, let it firm up in the tray for 5-10 minutes, then lift it out by the overhanging parchment paper, and place it on a wire rack. Slice the parchment paper out from underneath and allow the focaccia to cool down (we like it slightly warm with dripping icing, but if you want the icing to set, you'll need to cool your focaccia to room temperature before icing).

Icing

1. In the meantime, prepare the icing by mixing melted butter, icing sugar, vanilla paste, a pinch of salt and milk together and stirring to a smooth paste.

2. Drizzle your sourdough cinnamon focaccia with the icing and tuck in!

Serving Suggestions

This sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia bread is at its best when it's still slightly warm, letting the icing drip into every cinnamon-laced pocket.

• Serve slices of warm focaccia with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a dessert-style treat.
• Enjoy it with your morning coffee (or a glass of cold milk) instead of a pastry - no one will complain.
• Cut into thick strips for a shareable brunch centrepiece.

Storage

Uniced cinnamon roll sourdough focaccia can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. But since our icing contains milk, iced focaccia should be stored in the fridge (just make sure to bring it to room temperature before enjoying). It will keep fresh for up to 2 days. 

Uniced focaccia can also be frozen by cutting it into individual pieces and wrapped tightly in cling film.

More Sourdough Focaccia Recipes

What's next? Try our Sourdough Baklava Focaccia! For a summer bread, try Sourdough Cherry Tomato Focaccia - it's a tomato season favourite! And for dessert, it must be our Lemon Sourdough Focaccia! Sourdough bread never gets boring with all these sourdough focaccia recipes:

Sourdough Cinnamon Focaccia

If you've ever dreamed of pillowy focaccia bread meeting the gooey magic of a cinnamon roll, this recipe is for you. Our Sourdough Cinnamon Focaccia brings the best of both worlds-soft, caramelised edges, a spiced swirl, and a naturally leavened base that makes it just a little more special.

4.96 from 21 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Fermenting & Proofing 18 hours hrs

Total Time 21 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Course Bread, Dessert

Cuisine Sourdough, Worldwide

Servings 9 portions

Calories 288 kcal

Equipment

• Stand Mixer Fitted with A Dough Hook Attachment
• 24x24cm Baking Dish
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

  

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For Sourdough Focaccia Dough:

• 320 g strong bread flour with at least 12% protein content
• 220 ml water
• 5 g salt
• 140 g active sourdough starter 100% hydration
• 15 g olive oil plus extra for greasing

For Cinnamon Sugar Filling:

• 100 g brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 30 g unsalted butter melted and cooled

For The Icing:

• 100 g icing sugar
• 15 g butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 1-2 tablespoon milk
• a pinch of salt

Instructions

 

DAY 1:

• First thing in the morning, feed your sourdough starter and leave it in a warm spot to at least double in volume. We typically feed our starter in a ratio of 1 part starter: 1 part water: 1 part flour, and it doubles (or even triples) within 4 hours.

Fermentolyse and Mixing The Dough:

• In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, water and active sourdough starter. Mix the dough in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment for a few minutes on low speed, until the flour is hydrated. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and leave the dough to fermentolyse (a type of sourdough autolyse where sourdough starter is added too) for an hour.
• After an hour, scatter the salt on top of the dough. Drizzle the olive oil all over, and using your hands, squish the salt and oil into the dough, aiming to distribute it evenly.
• TIP: Don't be tempted to just mix the oil in by running the stand mixer - the dough will split, separated by oil layers.
• Once incorporated, run your mixer on medium speed for 10-12 minutes, until you have a very smooth and elastic dough. It will be wet, but should start gathering around the dough hook attachment.

Coil Folds, Bulk Fermentation, Cold Retardation:

• Scoop the dough into a lightly oiled bowl (we like to use a heavy shallow dish - it helps with coil folds later). Cover the dough with a damp tea towel or cling film (plastic wrap) and leave it in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
• Over the next 3 hours, at 30-minute intervals, perform a set of coil folds, using wet hands. See the coil folding video below.
• After all 6 sets of coil folds are completed, cover the dough and let it finish its bulk fermentation undisturbed for 1.5-3 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
• Place the dough in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours (or simply overnight).

DAY 2:

• The next day, line a baking tray (approx 24x24cm) with parchment paper, and brush it with a little olive oil.

Cinnamon Sugar Filling:

• In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon. It may look like a lot, but remember, we haven't added any sugar to the dough itself.

Second Proof, Filling and Final Proof:

• Spritz clean kitchen surface with plenty of water (this will prevent the dough from sticking to the surface. Take the focaccia sourdough out of the fridge. Very carefully transfer the dough onto the sprayed surface, trying not to deflate it too much. Stretch it out slightly.
• Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar across one half of the dough.
• Fold the other half of the dough over the filling and pinch the edges together.
• In a swift motion, transfer the dough into the prepared baking tray (Please see video below for visual instructions). Tug on the edges of the dough to stretch the dough out to fill the baking tray.
• Cover it with a sheet of cling film (plastic wrap) resting on the rims of the baking tray and leave the dough in a warm spot for its second proof for 1-2 hours.
• After the second rise, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
• Melt the butter and leave it to cool down to body temperature.
• Drizzle the butter over the surface of the dough, then dimple the dough with your fingers.
• Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar on top.

Baking and Cooling:

• Place your sourdough cinnamon focaccia in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes.
• Once baked, let it firm up in the tray for 5-10 minutes, then lift it out by the overhanging parchment paper, and place it on a wire rack. Slice the parchment paper out from underkneath and allow the focaccia to cool down (we like it slightly warm with dripping icing, but if you want the icing to set, you'll need to cool your focaccia to roomtemeprature before icing).

Icing:

• In the meantime, prepare the icing by mixing melted butter, icing sugar, vanilla paste, a pinch of salt and milk together and stirring to a smooth paste.
• Drizzle your sourdough cinnamon focaccia with the icing and tuck in!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 288kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 5gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 234mgPotassium: 65mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 139IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Overnight Sourdough Focaccia, Sourdough Cinnamon Focaccia, Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Focaccia, Sourdough Focaccia, Sweet Sourdough Focaccia

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