Cinnamon Sourdough Focaccia
Recipe ByAshley |
UpdatedApril 7, 2026 |
Comments
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure Policy
Hey friends! Ashley here. So picture this: it’s Saturday morning, my kitchen smells like a bakery, and my kids are hovering around the counter asking every 30 seconds “is it DONE yet?” — all because of this Cinnamon Sourdough Focaccia. It’s everything you love about pillowy, bubbly sourdough focaccia, topped with a buttery brown sugar cinnamon swirl and finished with the most dreamy vanilla icing. Think: cinnamon roll meets artisan bread and had the most beautiful, delicious baby. Ready? Let’s go!
Why You’ll Love This Cinnamon Sourdough Focaccia
If you’ve ever needed a reason to feed your sourdough starter this weekend, y’all — this is it. Here’s exactly why this cinnamon sourdough focaccia belongs at your table:
- No Commercial Yeast Required: Your sourdough starter does all the heavy lifting here, giving this focaccia that gorgeous tangy depth of flavor that store-bought bread just can’t replicate. It’s the kind of complexity that makes people ask, “Did you REALLY make this yourself?!” — and you’ll say yes with the biggest smile.
- Make-Ahead Magic: The overnight bulk fermentation is your absolute best friend — mix the dough in the evening, let it work its magic while you sleep, and wake up ready to pan, top, and bake. Future-you will thank you big time when brunch is this effortless!
- Cinnamon Roll Vibes, Focaccia Style: We’re talking a buttery brown sugar cinnamon topping pressed right into those iconic focaccia dimples, finished with a drizzle of vanilla icing. It’s imperfectly perfect in every single bite, hitting that magical sweet spot between breakfast bread and dessert.
- Total Crowd-Pleaser for All Ages: My kids go absolutely wild for this one — and honestly, so do the adults. It disappears so fast, y’all — I’m talking gone in under 10 minutes at any gathering. It’s equally at home at a fancy brunch or a lazy Sunday morning in your pajamas.
- Simple Pantry Ingredients: Bread flour, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon — nothing fancy here! Everything you need is probably already in your kitchen. No specialty equipment, no complicated techniques — just real, honest, delicious baking that anyone can tackle.
Honestly, once you make this cinnamon sourdough focaccia, there’s simply no going back to plain focaccia again!
Ingredient Spotlight: Sourdough Starter & Brown Sugar Cinnamon Topping
The star of this whole show is your active sourdough starter. And when I say active, I mean bubbly, happy, and fed within the last 4–8 hours active. A starter at peak activity is what gives your focaccia that beautiful rise and those signature airy bubbles. If your starter seems sluggish, give it a feeding the night before and let it get lively. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s doubled in size with a slightly domed top — that’s peak activity, and it’s what you’re aiming for!
Bread flour is my non-negotiable for this cinnamon sourdough focaccia — it has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which means more gluten development and that chewy, stretchy crumb we’re after. If you only have all-purpose flour, it’ll work in a pinch, but bread flour is worth the upgrade every single time. It’s what gives this focaccia that gorgeous pull-apart texture everyone fights over.
For the topping, brown sugar is key — not white sugar. The molasses in brown sugar creates this deep, caramelized richness when it bakes, almost like a toffee crust right on top of your focaccia. I use packed brown sugar to make sure you get generous coverage across every inch. Paired with ground cinnamon (the fresher the better — if yours has been sitting in the back of the pantry for two years, it might be time for a new jar!), you get a topping that makes your whole kitchen smell like a cinnamon roll shop.
The vanilla icing is the finishing touch that ties everything together beautifully. All you need is powdered sugar, a splash of whole milk or cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of cinnamon. Keep it thick enough to drizzle in gorgeous ribbons right over the warm focaccia — thin it out a little at a time until you hit that perfect ribbon consistency. It sets up as the bread cools, making every slice look and taste absolutely stunning.
Let’s Make Cinnamon Sourdough Focaccia Step-by-Step
- Mix Your Dough (Autolyse): In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, lukewarm water, active sourdough starter, sugar, and salt. Mix until everything comes together into a shaggy, rough dough — it won’t look pretty yet, and that’s completely fine! Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes. This is the autolyse stage, and it’s quietly building your gluten structure while you relax.
- Add the Butter: After the autolyse rest, add the softened unsalted butter and work it into the dough using stretch-and-fold motions. The dough will feel slippery and a little rebellious at first — just keep going! It will come together into a smooth, supple dough that’s a pleasure to work with.
- Bulk Fermentation with Stretch & Folds: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Let it ferment at room temperature for 5–10 hours, or overnight. During the first 2 hours, perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes: grab one side of the dough, stretch it up high, fold it over the center, rotate the bowl, and repeat 4 times per set. This builds the strength and structure that creates those gorgeous airy holes.
- Make the Cinnamon Roll Topping: In a small bowl, mix together the packed brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and melted butter until you have a paste-like mixture. Set it aside — this is the magic swirl that makes everything taste like a cinnamon roll!
- Pan the Dough: Once the dough has fermented and is wonderfully puffy and full of bubbles, transfer it to a well-greased 9×13 pan (or two 8×8 pans, which is my personal preference!). Gently stretch it to fill the pan — if it springs back, let it rest for 10 minutes and try again. Never force it!
- Dimple and Top: Use your fingers to press deep, satisfying dimples all over the surface of the dough. Drizzle the 2 tablespoons of melted butter over the top, then sprinkle generously with your cinnamon roll topping, pressing it lightly into those dimples so it bakes right in.
- Bake: Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25–30 minutes, until the focaccia is deep golden brown and the topping is bubbling and caramelized. Your kitchen will smell absolutely unbelievable — fair warning, your neighbors may come knocking!
- Glaze with Vanilla Icing: Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk or cream, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until smooth. The moment the focaccia comes out of the oven, drizzle the icing generously all over the top. It melts into all those gorgeous warm nooks and crannies and sets as the bread cools. Let it rest at least 10 minutes before slicing — I won’t judge if you can’t wait, though!
Ashley’s Pro-Tips for the Perfect Cinnamon Sourdough Focaccia
Use your starter at peak activity — this is the single biggest thing you can do for focaccia success. I feed my starter in the morning and use it in the afternoon when it’s domed, doubled, and bubbly. You’ll know it’s at peak when it has a slightly domed top and looks like it’s full of life. Drop a small spoonful into a glass of water — if it floats, you’re good to go! This step is non-negotiable — an underactive starter means a flat, dense focaccia.
Don’t skip the stretch and folds. I know setting a timer every 30 minutes during fermentation can feel tedious, but those sets are building all the structure that creates those gorgeous airy holes. Without them, your dough will be flat and dense instead of pillowy and bubbly. I do mine during commercial breaks or between tasks — it’s literally just 30 seconds of work each time, and the payoff is massive!
Be generous with the pan grease. Don’t be shy — I’m talking a real coat of butter AND a drizzle of olive oil in my pans. That combination is what creates the crispy, golden bottom that makes sourdough focaccia SO special. That bottom crust is the difference between good focaccia and absolutely life-changing focaccia. You’ve come this far — don’t skimp now!
Let cold dough come to room temperature before baking. If you did a cold retard in the fridge overnight, let the panned dough sit at room temperature for 1–2 hours before baking. Cold dough won’t puff and dimple the same way, and you’ll miss out on that beautiful airy open crumb. Patience pays off big time here, friends!
Glaze while it’s piping hot. The vanilla icing goes on immediately when the focaccia comes out of the oven — it melts into the warm bread beautifully and then sets as it cools. If you wait too long, the icing sits on top in a thick layer instead of soaking in slightly. That one little step makes a BIG difference in the final result, and it’s absolutely worth doing right!
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
This focaccia keeps beautifully! Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, pop individual slices in the microwave for 20–30 seconds, or warm the whole pan in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes to bring back that gorgeous crispy bottom. It tastes almost as good as fresh — almost!
Yes, you can absolutely freeze cinnamon sourdough focaccia! Slice it first, wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe zip bag. It freezes beautifully for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or right on the counter, then warm in the oven at 300°F for 10–12 minutes. The icing may soften slightly after freezing, but the flavor stays completely incredible — worth every bite.
The best make-ahead strategy is the overnight bulk fermentation — which is honestly already built right into this recipe! Mix your dough in the evening, let it ferment on the counter overnight (8–10 hours), then pan it, top it, and bake it fresh in the morning. You can also refrigerate the dough after the stretch-and-fold period for a cold retard, pulling it out in the morning for a slightly more complex, deeply flavorful result. Either way, future-you wakes up with almost nothing left to do — and a kitchen that smells like a cinnamon roll bakery!
A Little Joy on Top
This Cinnamon Sourdough Focaccia is absolutely stunning served warm for weekend brunch — cut it into big generous squares, dust with a little extra powdered sugar if you’re feeling fancy, and watch everyone’s faces light up the moment they take that first pillowy, cinnamon-swirled bite. It’s just as magical alongside your morning coffee as it is as a sweet afternoon treat with the kids after school.
If you’re hosting a brunch spread, this is your showstopper. It pairs beautifully with fresh fruit, a big bowl of yogurt, and honestly — it doesn’t need much else because it IS the centerpiece. But if you want to lean all the way into a full sourdough morning, you absolutely have to pair it with my Easy Fluffy Sourdough German Pancakes — they’re light, puffy, and the most perfect companion to this sweet focaccia for a brunch that’ll have everyone asking for your recipes!
For all my fellow bakers and sweet-treat lovers — if the baking bug has officially bitten you (welcome to the club, we have cinnamon sugar!), my Easy Homemade Brownies are a pantry-staple classic that never ever fails to impress. And if you want to sneak some goodness into your morning routine, my Easy Sweet Potato Waffles are a total weekday breakfast game-changer that the whole family will devour!
From my kitchen to yours — thank you so much for baking along with me, friends! Whether this is your very first sourdough adventure or you’re a seasoned starter-keeper who could do stretch-and-folds in your sleep, I hope this recipe brings as much warmth, joy, and cinnamon-scented happiness to your kitchen as it has to mine. Drop a comment below and let me know how it turned out — I seriously love hearing from y’all. Happy baking! 🧡
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below, and we’ll send the link straight to your inbox.
Cinnamon Sourdough Focaccia Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, lukewarm water, active sourdough starter, sugar, and salt. Mix until you have a shaggy dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes — this is the autolyse stage, and it’s doing serious gluten-building work.
- After the autolyse rest, add the softened butter and work it into the dough using stretch-and-fold motions until fully incorporated. The dough will feel slippery at first — just keep going, it comes together!
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Let it ferment at room temperature for 5–10 hours, or overnight.
- During the first 2 hours, perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes: grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, fold it over the center, rotate the bowl, and repeat 4 times per set. This builds the structure that creates those gorgeous airy bubbles.
- In a small bowl, mix together the packed brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and melted butter until you have a paste-like mixture. Set aside until ready to use.
- Once the dough has fermented and is puffy and full of bubbles, transfer it to a well-greased 9×13 pan (or two 8×8 pans). Gently stretch to fill — if it springs back, rest for 10 minutes and try again.
- Use your fingers to poke deep dimples all over the surface of the dough. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of melted butter over the top, then sprinkle generously with the cinnamon roll topping, pressing it lightly into the dimples.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25–30 minutes until deep golden brown and the topping is bubbling and caramelized.
- While the focaccia bakes, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk or cream, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until smooth.
- The moment the focaccia comes out of the oven, drizzle the icing generously all over the top. It will melt into the warm bread and set as it cools. Let cool at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
Meet Ashleybakeseasy
Welcome to Ashley Bakes Easy! I’m Ashley, a home cook and mother who believes that delicious food doesn’t have to be complicated. My journey in the kitchen started with a simple goal: create meals that my whole family would love, we could afford on a single income, and create recipes tailored for our special needs son Winston.
LET’S CONNECT!
Hello Form Ashleybakeseasy
Welcome to Ashley Bakes Easy! I’m Ashley, a home cook and mother who believes that delicious food doesn’t have to be complicated. My journey in the kitchen started with a simple goal: create meals that my whole family would love, we could afford on a single income, and create recipes tailored for our special needs son Winston.
Leave a Reply