Cinnamon Roll Focaccia With Sourdough discard

Cinnamon Roll Focaccia With Sourdough discard

 

🥖🍬 “It’s a cinnamon roll. It’s focaccia. It’s here to blow your carb-loving mind!” 🍬🥖!

 

Cinnamon Roll Focaccia With Sourdough discard

The Sweetest Fusion You Never Knew You Needed

Hey hey, sugarplums! 💕 Today we’re diving fork-first into one of the most whimsical, delightful, and unexpectedly crave-worthy bakes your oven has ever seen: Cinnamon Roll Focaccia made with sourdough discard. YES. It’s the buttery, bubbly bread you know and love—focaccia—but it decided to go rogue and invite cinnamon sugar and silky glaze to the party.

If your sourdough starter is judging you from the back of the fridge (we’ve all been there), now’s its time to shine. This sweet spin on traditional focaccia blends the chewiness of artisan bread with the gooey goodness of a cinnamon roll. It’s golden and crunchy around the edges, fluffy inside, with buttery cinnamon swirls and a glossy vanilla drizzle that’ll have your inner pastry chef doing a dance.

Grab your apron. You’ve got delicious mischief to make. ✨

If you are anything like my family you wake up spend a couple hours opening gifts and playing with and setting up toys, then you want to eat breakfast. We love to have breakfast pre-made the night before to kind of streamline the process and not have a lot of mess.

This has significantly reduced our stress on Christmas day. We love to do cinnamon rolls and this might replace and create a new tradition. The kids love this and so do I. 

 

Cinnamon Roll Focaccia With Sourdough discard

🛒 Ingredients Snapshot

Ingredient	What It Does	Notes
Bread flour (512g)	Structure and chew	High-protein for elasticity
Kosher salt (10g)	Flavor enhancer	Use fine salt if needed
Instant yeast (8g)	Rise power	Active dry works too—just bloom first
Lukewarm water (455g)	Hydration	Around 100–105°F
Sourdough discard (100g)	Flavor depth	Adds tangy complexity
Butter	Greasing + flavor	Use salted for max yum
Olive oil (4 Tbsp)	Richness + crisp crust	Divide for dough and topping
Brown sugar (147g)	Cinnamon swirl sweetness	Light or dark = win
Ground cinnamon (8g)	Warm spice	Go bold or go home 💃
Salted butter (4 Tbsp)	Melted into the topping	Because more butter = happiness
Powdered sugar (1½ cups)	Icing magic	Sift to avoid lumps
Heavy cream (1 Tbsp)	Smooth icing texture	Sub milk in a pinch
Vanilla (½ tsp)	Flavor booster	Adds warmth and bakery vibes

 

Cinnamon Roll Focaccia With Sourdough discard

Ingredients

• • 512 grams bread flour, see notes above
  • 10 grams kosher salt
  • 8 grams instant yeast, see notes above if using active dry
  • 455 grams lukewarm water
  • 100 grams sourdough discard
  • butter for greasing
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 147 grams brown sugar
  • 8 grams cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cinnamon Roll Focaccia With Sourdough discard

Directions

1. 1. 1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water and start. Using a Danish dough whisk, mix until the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball. Rub the surface of the dough lightly with olive oil. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel, cloth bowl cover, or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator immediately for at least 12 hours or for as long as three days.
      2. Grease two 8- or 9-inch pie plates or a 9×13-inch pan with butter or coat with nonstick cooking spray. 
      3. In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
      4. Pour a tablespoon of oil into the center of each pan or 2 tablespoons of oil if using the 9×13-inch pan. Using your hands, deflate the dough by releasing it from the sides of the bowl and pulling it toward the center. Rotate the bowl in quarter turns as you deflate, turning the mass into a rough ball. Use a bench scraper to split the dough into two equal pieces (or do not split if using the 9×13-inch pan). Place one piece into one of the prepared pans.
      5. Then, pull the dough as flat as it will go and then spread some of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture over the dough, then do an envelope fold stretch out the other direction and put more mixture on the dough and fold again.
      6. Roll the dough ball in the oil to coat it all over, forming a rough ball. Repeat with the remaining piece. Let the dough balls rest for 3 to 4 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen. No need to cover for this room temperature rise.
      7. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 425°F. Pour a tablespoon of oil over each round of dough (or two tablespoons if using a 9×13-inch pan).  Rub your hands lightly in the oil to coat, then, using all of your fingers, press straight down to create deep dimples. If necessary, gently stretch the dough as you dimple to allow the dough to fill the pan. Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon mixture over the top.
      8. Transfer the pans or pan to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the underside is golden and crisp. Remove the pans or pan from the oven and transfer the focaccia to a cooling rack. Let it cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
      9. While it cools mix together the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and heavy cream.
      10. Once the bread has cooled for a minute spread the frosting over the top.

   Cinnamon Roll Focaccia With Sourdough discard

   👩‍🍳 Pro Baking Tips

   • Use parchment paper: Lining your pan makes for easy lifting and cleanup.
   • Room-temp ingredients: Helps yeast and sourdough play nicely together.
   • Dimple generously: Creates those iconic focaccia valleys to trap sweet cinnamon goodness.
   • Don’t overbake: You want a tender crumb, not dry bread—watch for golden edges and a set center.
   • Chill the glaze first: Slightly cold glaze drizzles like a dream and doesn’t sink in.

    

   🔍 Nutritional Facts (Per Slice, Approx. 1 of 12)

   Nutrient	Amount
   Calories	~270 kcal
   Total Fat	12 g
   Saturated Fat	5 g
   Carbohydrates	35 g
   Sugars	15 g
   Fiber	2 g
   Protein	6 g
   Sodium	260 mg

    

   A dessert bread that feeds your sweet tooth and your carb cravings—because balance is a lifestyle. 😎

    

Cinnamon Roll Focaccia With Sourdough discard

🎨 Delicious Variations for the Adventurous Baker

1. Apple Pie Focaccia 🍏 Mix in finely chopped apples with the cinnamon sugar topping before baking. Instant fall vibes.
2. Nutty Swirl 🥜 Add crushed pecans, walnuts, or almonds to the cinnamon sugar mixture. Adds crunch and warm nuttiness.
3. Berry Burst 🍓 Sprinkle fresh raspberries or blueberries across the top pre-bake. Juicy surprise pockets!
4. Pumpkin Spice Edition 🎃 Swap half the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice and add 2 tablespoons of pumpkin purée to the dough.
5. Maple Glazed Heaven 🍁 Replace vanilla glaze with a maple syrup + powdered sugar combo. It’s like breakfast in dessert form.
6. Mocha Morning Twist ☕ Mix 1 tsp espresso powder into the cinnamon sugar and glaze with a coffee-flavored drizzle.

 

Cinnamon Roll Focaccia With Sourdough discard

🤹‍♀️ Kiddo-Approved Activities

Let the little ones help with:

• Stirring ingredients (expect some flour flurries)
• Dimpling the dough with tiny fingers
• Drizzling glaze in wild patterns
• Naming your finished bake—“Cinna-Breadzilla”? “Swirltopia”? Anything goes! 💕

🧊 Storage Tips + Make-Ahead Hack

• Room Temp: Keep focaccia in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat slices in the microwave for 10 seconds to revive softness.
• Freezer Friendly: Slice and wrap pieces individually. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw and warm for a cozy treat.
• Make-Ahead Dough: Mix dough and refrigerate overnight before the first rise. Let come to room temp before dimpling and baking.

Bake it. Love it. Share it.

Grab that sourdough discard, give it a second life full of sweetness and spice, and gather your favorite humans around this delicious fusion. It’s innovative enough to impress the foodie friends, cozy enough for the family dinner, and easy enough for even beginner bakers to master.

Tag us @LouLouGirls_ when you bake it—we wanna see those swirls! 💫

Cinnamon Roll Focaccia With Sourdough discard

Did you try our Cinnamon Roll Focaccia With Sourdough discard? What did you think? Did you love it? We would love to hear from you! Please leave us a comment below or tag us on Instagram! 

 

FOCACCIA!

 

Tomato Focaccia is to die for! I think I finally got it right. You can add any toppings you want!

 

 

Rosemary Parmesan Foccacia is the best side for any dinner and super easy to make! Dip in any and all the sauces!