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!
If you're looking for other sourdough discard recipes, check out these Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels, Sourdough Discard Apple Pull Apart Bread, and Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread.
As you might guess, this recipe is based on my Sourdough Discard Focaccia and my Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls. They're delicious, too!
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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.
- 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!
- Granulated sugar: You will use 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar in the dough. This is to feed the yeast (the majority of the sweetness in this recipe comes from the brown sugar and cinnamon topping).
- Active dry yeast: Even though we are using sourdough starter, we still need to use a leaving agent (in this case, yeast) to ensure the dough rises predictably. If you make the substitution to use active sourdough starter, you will not use commercial yeast.
- All-purpose flour: Using all-purpose flour will help give us a fluffy, light focaccia. If you used bread flour, you could expect a crustier version of this recipe.
- 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.
- 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.
- Powdered sugar: This is the base for the frosting. You do not need to sift the powdered sugar before mixing.
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 (1:1 substitution). You will also need to adjust the rise times.
- Use regular dairy milk - This recipe is written using non-dairy milk because I'm lactose intolerant, but regular dairy milk will work as well.
- 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).
I have not tested this recipe with other variations, but if you do, let us know how it turns out in the comments! I always love to hear how you're adapting these recipes and use those as ideas for future recipes as well!
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!
Equipment
I like to use a KitchenAid 5-Quart Stand Mixer to mix the dough, but this is optional. You can also mix this dough in a large bowl with a wooden spoon.
Use a kitchen scale to measure your sourdough starter. You will also need a 9x13-inch baking pan.
kitchen essentials
My Favorite 9x13-inch Pan
This versatile pan is perfect for both sweet and savory baking!
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 FAQ
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 (a 1:1 substitution). You will also need to adjust the rise times.
Yes, it does! After baking, let the focaccia cool completely, then slice into individual servings. Place each piece in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave for about 60 seconds to make warm and soft again.
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 powdered sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons non-dairy or regular dairy milk
- 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 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!
Reba says
Delish recipe
You should definitely add to it though, cover with tin foil while cooking. I had so much smoke from the brown sugar and butter cooking the smoke alarm was going off lol.
Don’t know if I did something wrong or not but I read and re-read to see if I missed where you said to cover it and didn’t read anything on it
Jessica Vogl says
Oh interesting! Did you find it was overflowing and spilling over your pan, or just smoking from being on top?
Cherryl L Moore says
My family loved it. I used a cream cheese frosting and have requested another one tomorrow. This was super easy and the taste is amazing.
Jackie M. says
I’ve made this 3 times now!! I recommend this recipe to anyone I know with sourdough starter! First time I made it I brought some for my coworkers. Which led to me making it two days later as requested from multiple coworkers. I tend to half the recipe since it’s just 2 people in my house and the full recipe is a bit much for us to eat.
Jennifer says
Oh no! I accidentally bought bread machine instant yeast! Will it park the same?
Jessica Vogl says
It's going to be ok! You don't need to let instant yeast bloom on warm liquid, so if you're using it in this recipe, you can just add all the ingredients together, no blooming needed first.
Kate says
OMG! I can't stop eating this! The bread itself is so squishy in the most perfect way. And then the cinnamon sugar sweetness- yum! I didn't have powdered sugar, so no glaze, but I don't miss it. I had difficulty getting the dimples to stay dimpled until I dipped all 10 fingers in the sugar butter like a manicure soak (is that a thing?) and then dimpled and then poured on the mixture. My sugar top did blacken/burn a bit. Maybe next time I will check it halfway and cover with foil or maybe drop the temperature??? It isn't slowing me down though. I'm about to change into my elastic waistband pants and get another slice.
Brenda says
I made this yesterday as well! It is amazing! What a great way to use up some well prepared dicard. Tender fluffy not to sweet.
Wonderful breakfast!
Will definitely make this again.
Jenn says
I’m so excited to try this recipe! I’m a total newbie, and on day 8 of my sourdough starter. Thanks to your amazing directions, I have a very happy and bubbly starter dough. My question is, what is the difference between active sourdough and discard? I have been feeding my starter twice a day and am ready to use the discard. Will I need to use active yeast if I’m taking discard out of the starter jar (not in fridge)? Thank you!
Jessica Vogl says
Hi there! I have a few posts that might really help you. I'd start with this one about using sourdough discard: https://www.thisjess.com/how-to-use-sourdough-discard/
Emily Darling says
All I can say is... HOLY SMOKES. i just made these today and tried a piece, and not only is this incredibly easy, its delicious AND I think its pretty too !! I tried the "quick" version with discard, but i will try it with the long fermentation time as well and report back !
Jessica Vogl says
Love to hear it! Thank you so much!
Danielle says
This is now my go to recipe, even if I’m making a different flavor for the inclusions. Do you happen to know what the Nutritional facts are for the bread alone??
Jessica Vogl says
So glad to hear it! I don't have that at the moment, but I'm working on adding nutritional information to all my recipes in the coming months!
Audrey says
Can I leave the dough on the counter overnight? 68-70 degrees
Jessica Vogl says
I wouldn't recommend it. But you could do the first rise in the fridge overnight.
Mrs Dee says
very easy and tasty. my family gives this a definite thumbs up
Julia says
if I'm using active sourdough, what's the rising time adjustment?
Jessica Vogl says
I don't have those times for you since this is written as a discard recipe. I'd recommend using visual cues and looking for the dough to double in size, etc.
Jim McGillicuddy says
Can I do a long rise overnight?
Jessica Vogl says
You could do the first rise in the fridge overnight.
Lexi says
Just finished this up. Super super delicious. Glad I was able to store away the left overs in the freezer. My son and his dad will thoroughly enjoy them.
Karen says
Just wondering how/what I would need to adjust if my discard is a 1:5:5 ratio instead of 1:1:1? I have so much discard and would love to try this recipe.
Jessica Vogl says
Since you still use a 1:1 flour to water ratio for feeding, you can use the recipe as written!
Laura D. says
This was my first attempt at anything sourdough anything. I'm so glad I tried it first. It wasn't very intimidating. My whole family loved it! We ate half the loaf within 15 minutes of it coming out of the oven.
Jessica Vogl says
Bravo! Welcome to the sourdough world!
Raven says
is the measurements for the yeast correct? A standard packet of active dry yeast is 2 ¼ teaspoon not 1 ¼ teaspoon.
Jessica Vogl says
Yes, it's written correctly! You do not need the full packet of yeast.
Kerry says
This is an amazing recipe. Wondering if it would freeze well. Has anyone made ahead and done a reheat on it?
Jessica Vogl says
Yes, it does!