Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia

This sourdough discard cinnamon roll focaccia is soft, bubbly, and topped with buttery cinnamon sugar, then finished with a simple vanilla glaze. It has the texture of sweet focaccia bread with the flavor of a cinnamon roll, making it a fun sourdough discard recipe for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

I like this recipe because it takes the same simple idea behind my Simple Sourdough Discard Focaccia Bread Recipe and turns it into something sweet. It uses sourdough discard and a little active dry yeast, so it still has good flavor without needing an overnight rise.

If you are new to baking with discard, my What Is Sourdough Discard? post is a good place to start. If you need a starter, you can also use my How to Make a Sourdough Starter From Scratch guide.

This dough is soft and sticky, just like a good focaccia dough should be. Instead of olive oil and savory toppings, this sweet focaccia is made with melted butter in the dough, more butter in the pan, and a brown sugar cinnamon topping pressed into the dimples before baking.

It is best served slightly warm, when the cinnamon sugar is soft and the vanilla glaze has settled over the top. If you like sourdough baking with a sweet side, you may also like my Perfect Soft Sourdough Discard Sugar Cookie Recipe or Sourdough Lemon Quick Bread With Simple Lemon Glaze.

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Quick Look

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Rise Time: About 2 ½ to 3 hours
Bake Time: 22 to 28 minutes
Total Time: About 3 ½ to 4 hours
Servings: 12
Texture: Soft, fluffy, bubbly, and slightly chewy with buttery cinnamon sugar pockets
Best Served: Slightly warm with vanilla glaze

What Is Cinnamon Roll Focaccia?

Cinnamon roll focaccia is a sweet focaccia bread made with cinnamon sugar topping and glaze instead of savory ingredients. It has the bubbly texture of focaccia with the flavor of a cinnamon roll.

This version is made with sourdough discard, active dry yeast, all-purpose flour, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla glaze. The sourdough discard adds flavor, while the yeast helps the dough rise in a same-day time frame.

Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia

This recipe uses sourdough discard without needing a long fermentation.

It has cinnamon roll flavor without rolling, slicing, or shaping individual rolls.

The cinnamon topping gets pressed into the dimples, creating little pockets of buttery brown sugar and cinnamon.

It is made in a 9x13-inch pan, so it is easy to slice and serve.

The vanilla glaze makes it feel like a cinnamon roll, but the focaccia bread texture keeps it a little different.

Equipment You Will Need

Large mixing bowl or stand mixer

Dough hook, if using a stand mixer

9x13-inch baking pan

Kitchen scale

Small mixing bowl

Whisk

Rubber spatula

Measuring spoons

Clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap

Cooling rack

Ingredients for Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia

For the Focaccia Dough

⅔ cup sourdough discard, unfed and at room temperature, 150 grams

1 ½ cups warm water, 350 grams

2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, 7 grams

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 40 grams

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 500 grams

1 ¾ teaspoons fine salt or 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 10 grams

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, 40 grams

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened or melted, for greasing the pan, 28 grams

For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, 85 grams

½ cup packed brown sugar, 120 grams

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 8 to 10 grams

Pinch of salt

For the Vanilla Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar, 120 grams

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to Make Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia

Add the warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, until the yeast begins to look foamy.

Add the sourdough discard, flour, salt, and melted butter.

Mix until everything is well combined and no dry flour remains. If using a stand mixer, mix on low speed with the dough hook for about 3 to 4 minutes.

The dough should be very soft and sticky, but it should still have enough structure to stretch. It will be wetter than ordinary bread dough, but it should not be completely pourable.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Make the Dough

With damp hands, gently stretch one side of the dough upward and fold it toward the center. Turn the bowl and repeat on all four sides.

Cover the bowl again and let the dough rise for about 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until noticeably puffy and approximately doubled in size.

Transfer the Dough to the Pan

Generously grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with the 2 tablespoons of butter.

Gently transfer the risen dough to the prepared pan. Try not to press out all of the air that developed during the first rise.

Use buttered or damp fingertips to gently stretch the dough toward the edges of the pan.

If the dough springs back, let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes, then stretch it again.

Cover and let the dough rise for another 45 to 75 minutes, until it looks light, bubbly, and puffy.

Make the Cinnamon Sugar Topping

While the dough finishes rising, add the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pinch of salt to a small bowl.

Mix until a thick cinnamon butter paste forms.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Dimple and Top the Focaccia

Once the dough has risen, lightly wet or butter your fingertips.

Press your fingers deeply into the dough to create dimples across the surface. Be gentle so you do not completely deflate the dough.

Drop small spoonfuls of the cinnamon butter mixture over the dough.

Use your fingertips to gently press some of the cinnamon mixture down into the dimples.

Spread the remaining mixture loosely over the surface.

You do not need to cover every inch of the dough. Leaving some exposed areas helps the focaccia rise and brown while still creating pockets of buttery cinnamon sugar.

Bake

Bake at 425°F for 22 to 28 minutes, or until the focaccia is puffed, golden brown, and baked through in the center.

If the cinnamon sugar begins browning too quickly, loosely cover the pan with foil during the last few minutes of baking.

Allow the focaccia to cool in the pan for about 10 to 15 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack.

Let it cool until just slightly warm before adding the glaze.

Make the Vanilla Glaze

Whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and vanilla extract.

Add more milk, a small amount at a time, until the glaze reaches your preferred consistency.

Drizzle the glaze generously over the cinnamon roll focaccia.

Slice and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Tips for the Best Cinnamon Roll Focaccia

Do not add extra flour unless the dough is unusually loose. Focaccia dough should be soft, sticky, and higher hydration than regular bread dough.

Use damp or buttered hands when handling the dough so it does not stick to your fingers.

Be gentle when moving the dough to the pan. Keeping the air bubbles helps give the finished focaccia bread a light texture.

Let the dough rest if it resists stretching. A short rest makes it easier to spread into the pan.

Do not aggressively press down when dimpling. You want deep dimples without flattening the dough.

Add the glaze when the focaccia is slightly warm, not hot. If it is too hot, the glaze will melt completely into the bread.

Can I Make This With Active Sourdough Starter?

Yes, active sourdough starter can be used in place of sourdough discard, but the timing depends on whether you keep the yeast in the recipe.

If you use active starter and still use the active dry yeast as written, the rise time should be similar and may even be a little faster.

If you want to leave out the yeast and rely only on active sourdough starter, you will need to allow more time for the dough to rise. The exact timing will depend on how strong your starter is and how warm your kitchen is. Watch the dough instead of only watching the clock, and move to the next step when it looks puffy, bubbly, and well-risen.

Can I Make This Overnight?

Yes, you can make this dough overnight, even with the active dry yeast in the recipe.

After mixing the dough and doing the stretch and fold, cover the bowl tightly and place it in the refrigerator overnight. The cold temperature slows the yeast down, so the dough can rise slowly while it chills.

The next day, take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature until it is easier to stretch. Gently transfer it to the buttered pan, stretch it toward the edges, and continue with the second rise.

Because the dough will be cold, the second rise may take longer than usual. Wait until the dough looks light, bubbly, and puffy before adding the cinnamon topping and baking.

For best results, use the refrigerated dough within about 8 to 12 hours. If it rises too much overnight, handle it gently and continue with the recipe, but the finished focaccia may be slightly less airy.

Can I Use Bread Flour?

Yes, bread flour can be used instead of all-purpose flour.

Bread flour will give the dough a little more chew and structure. All-purpose flour makes a softer focaccia, which I like for this cinnamon roll version.

Can I Use Cream Cheese Frosting Instead?

Yes, you can use cream cheese frosting instead of vanilla glaze.

A cream cheese frosting will make this taste even more like a traditional cinnamon roll. Let the focaccia cool until just slightly warm or room temperature before frosting so the topping does not melt too much.

If you want a lighter finish, use the vanilla glaze as written.

How to Serve Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia

This cinnamon roll focaccia is best served slightly warm.

Slice it into squares and serve it for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or a sweet afternoon treat. It is good with coffee, tea, or a glass of milk.

The texture is soft and bubbly like focaccia, but the cinnamon sugar topping and glaze make it feel more like a cinnamon roll. It is a good recipe when you want something sweet but do not want to roll and cut individual cinnamon rolls.

How to Store Cinnamon Roll Focaccia

Store leftover cinnamon roll focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.

For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to 4 days. The texture will firm up once chilled, so warm slices briefly before serving.

You can reheat individual pieces in the microwave for a few seconds or warm them in a low oven until soft.

Can You Freeze Cinnamon Roll Focaccia?

Yes, you can freeze it.

Let the focaccia cool completely, then wrap slices tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.

For best results, freeze it before adding the glaze, then thaw, warm, and drizzle with fresh glaze before serving. If it is already glazed, it can still be frozen, but the glaze may soak into the bread more after thawing.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia