Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Focaccia

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This sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia (without yeast) is easy, delicious, and the perfect sweet sourdough recipe for beginners. If you’re also looking for a sourdough recipe that uses a lot of active starter, this is my favorite. No instant yeast, and using only sourdough starter as the leaven.

I’ll teach you how to break all the “rules” in this step-by-step recipe for beginners. There’s no fancy folding the dough and no extended bulk fermentation time. This is a same day sourdough focaccia and is the perfect recipe for a holiday breakfast, dinner party dessert, or after-school sweet treat.

Scroll down for the recipe card, followed by detailed step-by-step instructions (with photos). And a sample baking schedule.

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Baked sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia drizzled with icing

Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Focaccia Recipe

Sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia drizzled with icing

Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Focaccia

Hello Honeycomb
This sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia is the perfect sweet treat for the beginner sourdough baker. It's easy to make and uses a lot of active sourdough starter. It's a sweet same day sourdough focaccia recipe you'll be making again and again!
4.86 from 14 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Fermentation Time 9 hours
Total Time 10 hours
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 390 kcal

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Dough whisk
  • Kitchen towel
  • Small saucepan
  • Small whisk
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • 9×13 glass baking dish
  • Kitchen scale (if using gram measurements)

Ingredients
  

Sourdough Focaccia Dough

  • 200 g active sourdough starter about 1 cup
  • 400 g warm water about 1 ⅔ cups (warm water between 100℉ – 110℉, no hotter)
  • 10 g salt 1 ½ teaspoons
  • 510 g unbleached flour about 3 ½ cups
  • avocado cooking spray or cooking spray of choice for spraying 2nd mixing bowl and baking dish

Cinnamon Roll Focaccia Topping

  • 113 g salted butter 1/2 cup or 1 stick
  • 250 g brown sugar about 3/4 cup
  • 4 g vanilla extract about 1 teaspoon
  • 6.5 g ground cinnamon about 2 ½ teaspoons

Vanilla Icing Glaze

  • 120 g powdered sugar about 1 cup
  • 4 g vanilla extract about 1 teaspoon
  • 30-45 g milk or cream 2-3 Tablespoons (more for thinner glaze, less for thicker glaze)

Instructions
 

Sourdough Focaccia Dough

  • Mix Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine active sourdough starter and water. Whisk to combine until starter is evenly dissolved.
  • Add salt and flour to mixture and whisk to combine to form dough. Dough will be very wet and sticky and not come together right away. This is normal! Let dough rest for 30 minutes.
  • 1 Set of Stretch and Folds: After 30 minute rest, perform 1 set of stretch and folds. You only need 1 set during the bulk fermentation for this recipe. The dough will still be very wet, shaggy, and stretchy even after stretch and folds.
    How to stretch and fold: With slightly wet fingers, grab one side of the dough and stretch the dough upward. Fold the dough into the center. Slightly rotate the bowl and repeat 8-10 times until all sides of the dough have been stretched up and folded into the center. This is 1 set of stretch and folds.
  • Bulk Fermentation (or 1st Proof)*: Spray 2nd mixing bowl with avocado cooking spray (or cooking spray of choice). Since this dough is very sticky and wet, cooking spray helps the dough transfer better. Transfer dough to greased mixing bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Place in an oven (not turned on) with oven light on. *See Note about using warmth to speed up rise times.
  • Let dough sit covered for about 3 hours or until the dough has grown in size by 50% to 75%. And is bubbly, jiggly, and passes the poke test. Always rely on visual cues for bulk fermentation versus a timer. Fermentation time depends on strength of your sourdough starter, what type of flour you use, and how warm your kitchen is.
    How to do the poke test: Wet a finger with water and poke the dough. If the dough springs slowly and leaves a slight indentation, it's ready. If the dough springs back quickly, it needs more time to proof.
  • Once dough is proofed, spray 9×13 glass baking pan with avocado oil (or cooking spray of choice). Transfer dough to greased baking pan and do 1 set of stretch and folds (fold dough in on itself) once more.
    Overnight Instructions: At this point you can cover the dough and refrigerate it overnight or up to 12 hours before proceeding with a 2nd proof and baking. If baking after removing from fridge, keep in mind it may need to rise longer for the 2nd proof.
  • 2nd Proof: Cover pan with damp kitchen towel. Place pan back in oven with the oven light on for a 2nd rise for 1 hour or until the dough has nearly doubled in size and mostly filled pan. The dough will be pillowy and bubbly, and will have expanded to nearly reach the edges. *See Note about using warmth to speed up rise times.
  • After 2nd proof, remove baking pan from oven and sit on counter while you make the topping. Preheat the oven to 425℉ while you make the topping.

Cinnamon Roll Focaccia Topping

  • Make Cinnamon Roll Topping: In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine and remove from heat as soon as ingredients are melted together.
  • Dimple Dough: Wet fingers and poke the dough to create "dimples." Gently push the dough all over to expand it fully in the pan. The dough should be bubbly and dimpled all over.
  • Bake Focaccia: When the oven is preheated to 425℉, pour cinnamon sugar topping all over dimpled dough in the pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes until focaccia is bubbling and golden brown.

Vanilla Icing Glaze

  • Mix and Add Glaze: While focaccia is cooling in the pan, mix together glaze. Combine powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Add milk or cream a little at a time until you've reached your desired glaze consistency. Drizzle glaze over slightly cooled focaccia. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

  • The #1 KEY TIP to this same day recipe is using warmth to speed up the rise times. Keep the dough in a warm place like an oven with the light on, by a warm stove, OR placed in an oven that has been preheated to 170 degrees Fahrenheit and then turned off  and allowed to slightly cool with the door open before placing dough inside.
  • Rise times for a sourdough recipe can be impacted by kitchen temperature, elevation, and many other factors. Always rely on visual cues for bulk fermentation and proofing versus relying on a timer. 
  • Using 200 grams of active starter means this recipe ferments and rises faster. Using a light in a turned-off oven provides a warmer environment and quicker fermentation. Proof times may be longer if left out on the counter or placed in a cooler area.
  • Using a damp kitchen towel to cover the bowl keeps the dough from drying out during proofing.
  • This dough is very wet and sticky pretty much the whole time. That’s okay! This leads to a soft focaccia in the end. But it’s also why using cooking oil like avocado oil, coconut oil, or olive oil is important to make the dough easier to transfer for baking.

This recipe breaks a lot of sourdough “rules.” I use stainless steel mixing bowls and have quicker fermentation times with this same day sourdough focaccia. I put my dough in the oven with the light turned on and don’t do a cold proof in the fridge. But you totally can put it in the fridge overnight if you want to make it ahead to bake in the morning!

There are only 2 sets of stretch and folds. No fancy folding, all sourdough starter as the leaven, and it can be made same day. Sometimes we can take a good thing (like a delicious sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia recipe) and overcomplicated it. This is the simplest and best sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia out there! Anyone can make this.

Baked sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia pieces drizzled with icing resting on wire rack with blue striped kitchen towel underneath

Sample Same Day Sourdough Focaccia Baking Schedule

The #1 KEY TIP to this same day recipe is using warmth to speed up the rise times. Keep the dough in a warm place like an oven with the light on, by a warm stove, OR placed in an oven that has been preheated to 170 degrees Fahrenheit and then turned off and allowed to slightly cool with the door open before placing dough inside.

Morning
7:30amFeed sourdough starter and put in warm place.* Let rise for 4 hours or until bubbly and active.

*Starter can also be fed the night before and left out on counter overnight so you can mix up the dough immediately in the morning. This is a way to shorten the same day baking schedule if needed.
11:30amMix up focaccia dough. Let sit for 30 minutes in a bowl covered with damp kitchen towel.
Afternoon
12:00pm Do one set of stretch and folds. Transfer dough to greased bowl. Cover with damp towel and place in oven with the oven light turned on.
Let sit for bulk ferment for 3 hours. Check on dough periodically to gauge how fermented dough is getting.
3:00pmCheck on dough and do the poke test.
Wet a finger with water and poke the dough. If the dough springs slowly and leaves a slight indentation, it’s ready. If the dough springs back quickly, it needs more time to proof.
If dough is properly fermented, place dough in greased glass baking pan. Do another set of stretch and folds. Cover pan with damp kitchen towel and place back in oven with oven light on for 1 hour for the 2nd proof.
4:00pm Remove pan from oven when dough is ready and place on counter. Preheat oven to 425 Fahrenheit and make the cinnamon roll topping.
Dimple the dough and pour topping over evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
4:30pmMix up vanilla icing glaze and drizzle over slightly cooled focaccia. Slice and serve.

Equipment

Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Focaccia Ingredients

This recipe uses all pantry staples: flour, salt, water, butter, cinnamon, vanilla extract, brown sugar, powdered sugar, and of course, sourdough starter. For the focaccia dough you’ll need the basics:

Sourdough focaccia ingredients sitting on table and labeled: active sourdough starter, salt, water, unbleached flour
  • Active sourdough starter – You’ll need to use sourdough starter that has been fed in the last 12 hours. We’re looking for active and bubbly starter here.
  • Unbleached flour – My favorite unbleached flour is the organic King Arthur flour. You can use the King Arthur regular unbleached all purpose flour or the bread flour here. Either is fine.

For the cinnamon roll topping and vanilla icing glaze, a couple ingredients can be easily swapped out depending on what you have on hand.

Sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia topping ingredients sitting on table and labeled: Cream or milk, vanilla extract, brown sugar, powdered sugar, butter, ground cinnamon
  • Butter – You can use salted or unsalted for this recipe.
  • Vanilla extract – Maybe I’m biased, but there is nothing like the flavor of homemade vanilla extract. I think it levels up any sweet treat recipe. Any kind of vanilla extract will do, but if you want to kick it up a notch, use homemade.
  • Cream or milk – You can use either cream or milk to make the vanilla icing glaze. Just use whatever you prefer or have readily available.

A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card above.

How to Make Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Focaccia Bread: Step-by-Step (With Photos)

This is one of the easiest sourdough dessert recipes to make! Follow along below for the full how-to.

Step 1: Mix Dough – In a large mixing bowl, combine active sourdough starter and water. Whisk to combine until starter is evenly dissolved. Here is the Danish dough whisk pictured here.

Grid of 2 metal mixing bowls containing water and active sourdough starter with wooden handle whisk

Step 2: Add salt and flour to mixture and whisk to combine to form dough. Dough will be very wet and sticky and not come together right away. This is normal! Let dough rest for 30 minutes.

Grid of 2 metal mixing bowls containing flour, salt, water and active sourdough starter with wooden handle whisk

Step 3: 1 Set of Stretch and Folds – After 30 minute rest, perform 1 set of stretch and folds. You only need 1 set during the bulk fermentation for this recipe. The dough will still be very wet, shaggy, and stretchy even after stretch and folds.

How to stretch and fold: With slightly wet fingers, grab one side of the dough and stretch the dough upward. Fold the dough into the center. Slightly rotate the bowl and repeat 8-10 times until all sides of the dough have been stretched up and folded into the center. This is 1 set of stretch and folds.

Grid of 2 images; image on left of sourdough focaccia dough in metal bowl; image on right of sourdough focaccia dough in metal bowl with wooden handle whisk above and below a greased metal bowl and avocado spray

Step 4: Bulk Fermentation (or 1st Proof) – Spray 2nd mixing bowl with avocado cooking spray (or cooking spray of choice). Since this dough is very sticky and wet, cooking spray helps the dough transfer better. Transfer dough to greased mixing bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Place in an oven (not turned on) with oven light on.

Grid of two photos; image on left sourdough focaccia dough resting in metal bowl; image on left metal bowl covered by damp towel

Step 5: Let dough sit covered for about 3 hours or until the dough has grown in size by 50% to 75%. And is bubbly, jiggly, and passes the poke test. Always rely on visual cues for bulk fermentation versus a timer. Fermentation time depends on strength of your sourdough starter, what type of flour you use, and how warm your kitchen is.

How to do the poke test: Wet a finger with water and poke the dough. If the dough springs slowly and leaves a slight indentation, it’s ready. If the dough springs back quickly, it needs more time to proof.

Grid of 2 photos; image on left of bulk fermented sourdough focaccia dough in metal bowl; image on right of bulk fermented sourdough focaccia dough in metal bowl above with greased glass baking pan and avocado oil spray below

Step 6: Once dough is proofed, spray 9×13 glass baking pan with avocado oil (or cooking spray of choice). Transfer dough to greased baking pan and do 1 set of stretch and folds (fold dough in on itself) once more.

Overnight Instructions: At this point you can cover the dough and refrigerate it overnight or up to 12 hours before proceeding with a 2nd proof and baking. If baking after removing from fridge, keep in mind it may need to rise longer for the 2nd proof.

Grid of two photos; on left sourdough focaccia dough in greased baking pan; image on left proofed sourdough focaccia dough in greased baking pan

Step 7: 2nd Proof – Cover pan with damp kitchen towel. Place pan back in oven with the oven light on for a 2nd rise for 1 hour or until the dough has nearly doubled in size and mostly filled pan. The dough will be pillowy and bubbly, and will have expanded to nearly reach the edges.

Step 8: After 2nd proof, remove baking pan from oven and sit on counter while you make the topping. Preheat the oven to 425℉ while you make the topping.

Step 9: Make Cinnamon Roll Topping – In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine and remove from heat as soon as ingredients are melted together.

Grid of two photos; on left proofed and dimpled sourdough focaccia dough in greased baking pan; image on left proofed sourdough focaccia dough in greased baking pan covered in cinnamon roll mixture

Step 10: Dimple Dough – Wet fingers and poke the dough to create “dimples.” Gently push the dough all over to expand it fully in the pan. The dough should be bubbly and dimpled all over.

Step 11: Bake Focaccia – When the oven is preheated to 425℉, pour cinnamon sugar topping all over dimpled dough in the pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes until focaccia is bubbling and golden brown.

Step 12: Mix and Add Glaze – While focaccia is cooling in the pan, mix together glaze. Combine powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Add milk or cream a little at a time until you’ve reached your desired glaze consistency. Drizzle glaze over slightly cooled focaccia. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Baked sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia drizzled with icing

How to Make Ahead

This can be made ahead and kept in the fridge overnight. After the dough has finished its bulk ferment and been placed in the greased glass baking dish, perform second set of stretch and folds. Then cover the baking pan and refrigerate the dough overnight or up to 12 hours before proceeding with a 2nd proof and baking.

When ready to bake, remove the pan from the fridge and bring it to room temperature on the counter. Proceed with instructions for the 2nd proof, allowing extra time for the 2nd proof since the dough has been chilled. Once fully proofed (nearly doubled in size and filling the pan), proceed with instructions to dimple the dough, add topping, and bake as outlined in the recipe card above.

How to Serve

Serve alongside an egg casserole and fresh fruit for a special holiday breakfast. Or serve with a cup of decaf coffee for an after-dinner sweet treat.

How to Store

Store any leftover sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. If it lasts that long!

Frequently Asked Questions

I have only ever used a glass baking pan for this recipe. If you’re using a metal baking pan, you may have to adjust the oven temperature and bake time.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

No, sourdough focaccia is not the same as regular focaccia bread. Sourdough focaccia is made with sourdough starter as the leaven, while regular focaccia bread is made with conventional yeast. The main difference is type of leaven used and how long it takes for the focaccia to rise.

This sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia recipe (without yeast) is perfect for the beginner sourdough baker. A same day sourdough focaccia recipe that uses a lot of active sourdough starter, anyone can make this! It’s a crowd pleaser. I hope you love it as much as we do!

Leave a comment below letting me know how you enjoyed this recipe or if you have any questions!

Looking for more after-school snacks? Check out my Easy Chewy Homemade Granola Bars.

Interested to learn more about Hello Honeycomb? Click here to read more about me!

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54 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is my go-to sweet treat recipe when I have lots of active sourdough starter. It’s like sourdough cinnamon rolls but even easier! Ask me any questions in the comments and I’ll answer them as soon as I can!

    Reply

  4. 5 stars
    I love this recipe! And your instructions are really easy to follow with great detail. I think this will become a staple in our family! Saving and sharing this. Awesome!

    Reply

    1. Let me know what you think! I developed this recipe because I wanted sourdough cinnamon rolls but sooner than the recipes called for. And this easy, delicious creation was the result!

      Reply

  17. I love all things sourdough! I actually make wild yeast or natural yeast which is the same as sourdough just a different flavor so I’m excited to try it in this recipe!

    Reply

  21. 3 stars
    Wasted a very nice sourdough with this recipe. It is tasty, but the sugar/butter mixture caramelized hard, and it does not come out of the dish easily. It’s a hot mess. Any suggestions?

    Reply

    1. Is sourdough ever wasted if it’s tasty? 🙂 Maybe it would help next time to make sure the sides of the pan are completely oiled top to bottom to avoid sticking. You could also try baking it in parchment paper, I would just trim the edges so it doesn’t burn. There are lots of options to avoid sticking and remember focaccia is a very different texture than say, a coffee cake. As for the caramelizing cinnamon sugar, it’s important to remove the mixture from the stove as soon as everything is melted. Perhaps next time you could bake the focaccia halfway, add the cinnamon sugar mixture and then continue to fully bake if you want it softer. It will naturally caramelize on the edges from baking at a high heat, which is why fully greasing is important. I’m glad it was tasty! Please report back with any improvements you make next time.

      Reply

  25. Thank you so much for this recipe! I followed your timeline exactly, and it turned out perfectly. As a total sourdough newbie, I was really surprised at the depth of flavor it adds to a sweet dish like this. We will definitely be making this one again!

    Reply

    1. I’m so glad you loved and found the sample timeline helpful. Sourdough really enhances the flavor many different types of dishes, but I especially like how it enhances sweet recipes like this one!

      Reply

  26. 5 stars
    My children LOVE cinnamon rolls and they were so excited to try this. I was a little nervous they wouldn’t love it because it is slightly different but one child told me, “Mom, can you make this every day?” So I guess it is a win! Will definitely be adding this to the rotation of foods our family loves!

    Reply

  27. 5 stars
    This was SO easy! We got a last-minute dinner invitation so I ended up doing the overnight proof in the fridge and pulling it out for the final proof the next day. I’m still learning my sourdough so this was perfect!

    Can I use the same focaccia dough recipe for other variations? Maybe you said that and I missed it.

    Reply

    1. Glad you loved it and how exciting to be learning sourdough! Yes, you can use the same focaccia dough recipe for different variations. Simply choose your toppings/fillings and adjust bake times as needed. Happy baking!

      Reply

  29. 5 stars
    Absolutely fool proof instructions!! What a fabulous treat and will become a staple for my family & in my recipes!

    Reply

  33. Do I need to do stretch and folds before the 2nd proof?
    Or just take the dough from the fridge, and place it into the oven to rise?

    Reply

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