Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Focaccia
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!
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Dough whisk
- Kitchen towel
- Small saucepan
- Small whisk
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- 9x13 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 9x13 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.