This Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia recipe brings together two all-time favorites: focaccia and cinnamon rolls. It has the soft dough texture (and bubbles!) of a focaccia, and the sweet topping of cinnamon rolls. It's a delicious same-day recipe that is perfect for a sweet treat or dessert and using up some of your sourdough discard!
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Holy moly... My entire family devoured it!!! Thank you Jess for your guidance to sourdough success, even the sweet stuff!
- Kelly
Why you'll love this recipe
- This is a same-day focaccia recipe that is easy to make. Even better: the fold-and-stretch while rising is optional!
- Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia is a delicious treat, perfect for an afternoon sweet or dessert.
- Looking for other cinnamon roll recipes? Try my classic Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls, and this Sourdough Discard Apple Pull Apart Bread.
- This is a great recipe to use some of your sourdough discard, but you can also make an easy substitution to use active sourdough starter instead.
- This recipe freezes well! Enjoy some right out of the oven, then freeze the rest for later.
Ingredients
The ingredients needed for this recipe are pantry staples. You'll be on your way in no time!
- Sourdough discard: The sourdough discard should be unfed and at room temperature for this recipe. This recipe is designed for a 1:1 sourdough starter (when you feed your starter, it's with 1 part flour and 1 part water). If your starter uses a different ratio, you may need to adjust some of the ingredients in this recipe.
- Learn more about how to make a sourdough starter.
- Butter: You will use butter to grease the pan (instead of olive oil, as you normally would with focaccia) and to create the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture for the topping.
See full recipe below for detailed directions.
Substitutions & Variations
This is a very adaptable recipe and below are a few easy substitutions and variations you can try.
- Use active sourdough starter - To use active sourdough starter, omit the commercial yeast and substitute active sourdough starter for the sourdough discard (200g). You will also need to adjust the rise times.
- Adjust the thickness of the frosting: The frosting is more of a drizzle in this recipe, but you can easily adjust the thickness by adding more or less milk. Less milk will give you a thicker frosting (more like that of cinnamon rolls), and more milk will give you a thinner frosting (more like a glaze).
- Try this Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Pull Apart Bread for another fun cinnamon roll variation!
I have not tested this recipe with other variations, but if you do, let us know how it turns out in the comments!
How to Make Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia
The key to this recipe is patience with the rises, but otherwise it comes together in just a few steps!
- Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl, combine warm water and granulate sugar. Sprinkle with yeast and let bloom.
- Step 2: Add flour, sourdough discard, and salt and mix on low until combined and no dry spots remain.
- Step 3: This will be a very shaggy, wet dough (you couldn't knead it if you tried!). Transfer to a large, oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 2-3 hours, until doubled in size.
- Step 4: Brush a 9x13-inch baking pan with melted butter.
- Step 5: Transfer the dough into the pan, then cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise 1 ½-2 hours, until it fills or nearly fills the pan.
- Step 6: With wet fingers, press dimples all over the dough.
- Step 7: Melt the butter for the topping and combine with the brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Step 8: Pour the butter and brown sugar mixture over the dimpled dough.
- Step 9: Bake until golden and crusty.
- Step 10: Let the loaf cool, then drizzle with the frosting. Slice and serve!
Expert Baking Tips
- The dough will be very wet. Don't worry! This is not a dough that you could knead, even if you wanted to.
- Make sure to let the dough rise long enough. The rise time is what gives the focaccia those wonderful airy bubbles. A longer rise will give you more, larger bubbles.
- Trust the process when pouring on the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. It looks a bit messy, but it will bake into the focaccia wonderfully and look great in the end!
- Let the focaccia cool before you add the frosting. If you don't, the frosting will melt right off!
- Interested in other sourdough discard brunch recipes? Try these Sourdough Discard Scones and these Sourdough Discard Waffles.
Storage
Room Temperature Storage: If you're planning to eat this focaccia in the next 1-2 days, store the focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature. You can reheat it in the microwave for 15-30 seconds to make it soft and warm again.
Freezer Storage: This focaccia also freezes well. Once fully cooled, cut the focaccia into slices, then place each piece into a freezer-safe bag or bags, and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat the focaccia in the microwave for about 60 seconds before serving to make warm and soft again.
Recipe FAQs
Sourdough discard is what is leftover after you feed your sourdough starter. You can either literally discard it (in the trash or compost), or use it in sourdough discard recipes like this one.
If you're new to working with sourdough, check out these in-depth posts on how to feed your sourdough starter, how to use sourdough discard, and tips for struggling sourdough starter.
Yes! To do so, omit the yeast and substitute the sourdough discard for active sourdough starter (200g). You will also need to adjust the rise times.
More Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Recipes
If you tried these Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you! Happy Baking!
Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2 cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 200 grams (about ¾ cup) sourdough discard unfed, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted to grease the baking pan
For the Topping
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the Frosting
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons milk non-dairy or regular dairy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook*, combine the warm water and granulated sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy. If the yeast does not foam, it is dead (your dough will not rise) and you will need to start over with fresh yeast.
- Add flour, sourdough discard, and salt and mix on low until combined and no dry spots remain. This will be a very shaggy, wet dough (you couldn't knead it if you tried!).
- Transfer the dough to a large, oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 2-3 hours, until doubled in size.
- Brush a 13x9-inch pan with 2 Tablespoons melted butter and set aside**.
- Once the dough has risen, use a spatula to scrape around the perimeter of the bowl, deflating the dough. Transfer the dough to the center of the prepared 13x9-inch pan. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise 1 ½-2 hours, until doubled in size and the dough fills (or nearly fills) the pan.
- Near the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 450°F (230℃) and make the topping. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon.
- With wet fingers, press deep dimples all over the dough. Drizzle the dough evenly with the butter and brown sugar mixture. This will look a bit messy!
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the focaccia is golden and crusty. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool fully.
- Combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and combined. If you want a thinner frosting, add more milk. Drizzle the frosting over the focaccia, slice and serve!
Jenny Murray says
This was amazing. Loved the taste and the texture. I will make it again and again. Thank you!
Megan says
I made this with coconut oil, as my kiddos don't do well with dairy and it's so tasty! I was so pleasantly surprised at the rise as my yeast wasn't as active as I thought it should be.
Kelly Hallett says
Holy moly... My entire family devoured it!!! Thank you Jess for your guidance to sourdough success to even the sweet stuff!!!!
Susan says
Is it possible to do a morning bake by proofing dough in fridge overnight and then topping with cinnamon in the morning?
Jessica Vogl says
Yes, that will work!
Bernice says
Does this recipe come in grams?
Jessica Vogl says
Yes! In the recipe card, you can toggle between US Customary and Metric measurements. The button is at the top of the list of ingredients.
Barbara Bradford says
Wondering if you could add raisins? If so, when would you add? Would you pre-soak them?
Jessica Vogl says
I would mix the raisins into the dough! If they're fresh raisins, you probably don't need to soak. But if they've been in your pantry for a while and are pretty dry, then yes, soaking would be a good idea.
Deirdre O’Flynn says
Fantastic ratios and delicious bread. I just used 1:1 active starter and no dry yeast or sugar in the dough. Tall and airy and bubbly, sour and sweet and buttery, I ate so much of it right out of the oven. It’s like monkey bread but fluffier. 10/10 Will make again!
Melissa says
I have made this twice and my family loves it. The second time I wanted to bake it in the morning to take to work. So I waited till about 5:00 PM to do steps 1-3. After transferring to the bowl, I immediately put a lid on it and put it in the fridge till 4:00 AM. I then transferred it to the pan I wanted to bake it in with the butter melted and let it come to room temp about an hour and a half. Then baked it. It still came out perfectly.
Marc says
I've made this a few times now and its a big hit each time! I've started also doing a cinnamon, sugar and melted butter inclusion just before I take it out of the bowl and put in the pan for it's last rise, before dimples. It's turned out even better. So good when you get some pockets inside and on top too.
Katie says
We had breakfast for dinner and this was a hit with the entire family! So good! Will definitely be making this again.
Bonnie Calanchini says
This recipe is a keeper! I tweaked it a bit by using plant based butter and oat milk (vegan version), and it’s absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing this!
Bev says
Wanted to make cinnamon rolls, but didn't want to shape them. I was happy to try thos recipe and pleasantly surprised to find that a perfect blend of crispy edges intertwined with gooey areas of topping and icing. I'm definitely keeping this recipe! Thank you
Shar says
I just made this for a snack for my family and it smells so yummy. It was super easy. Thanks for sharing.!!
Serena says
Really great, easy recipe. Whole family loved it. Thank you!