This Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia blends two favorites—focaccia and cinnamon rolls—into one sweet, airy treat. The dough yields the characteristic focaccia bubbles and soft crumb, while a cinnamon-brown sugar topping and a simple glaze give it that classic cinnamon roll flavor. It’s a same-day recipe that’s ideal for dessert, a weekend brunch, or using up sourdough discard.
Want another fun focaccia twist? Try the Sourdough Strawberry Donut Focaccia.
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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’s straightforward to make. The optional fold-and-stretch step can be skipped for an even easier process.
- Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia is a delicious sweet treat—great for dessert or an indulgent snack.
- If you love cinnamon roll flavors, try classic Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls or the Sourdough Discard Apple Pull-Apart Bread.
- It’s a smart way to use sourdough discard. You can also swap in active sourdough starter with minor timing adjustments.
- Freezes well: Enjoy fresh slices now and freeze the remainder for easy reheating later.
Ingredients
Simple pantry staples are all you need. Quantities and detailed ingredient list are in the recipe card below.
- Sourdough discard: Use unfed discard at room temperature. This recipe assumes a 1:1 starter ratio; if yours differs, you may need to tweak flour or water slightly.
- Butter: Melted butter is used to grease the pan and forms the base of the brown sugar-cinnamon topping, which gives the focaccia its cinnamon roll character.
See the complete ingredient list in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
This recipe is flexible. A few easy swaps:
- Active starter: Substitute 200g active sourdough starter for the discard and omit the commercial yeast; allow longer rise times.
- Frosting thickness: Adjust milk to make the glaze thinner or thicker. Less milk yields a thicker icing; more milk makes a thinner glaze.
- Other focaccia mashups: Try strawberry donut focaccia or other sweet focaccia ideas for variety.
How to make Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia
Patience with the rises is the key. The steps below summarize the process; follow the full recipe card for exact measurements and times.
- Step 1: Bloom the yeast in warm water with a little sugar until foamy.
- Step 2: Mix in flour, sourdough discard, and salt until no dry spots remain. The dough will be very shaggy and wet.
- Step 3: Transfer dough to a large oiled bowl, cover, and let rise 2–3 hours until doubled.
- Step 4: Butter a 9×13-inch pan to prepare for the dough.
- Step 5: Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, cover, and let rise 1½–2 hours until it fills or nearly fills the pan.
- Step 6: With wet fingers, press dimples all over the dough.
- Step 7: Melt butter and stir in brown sugar and cinnamon to make the topping.
- Step 8: Pour the brown sugar and butter mixture over the dimpled dough; it will spread into the dimples as it bakes.
- Step 9: Bake at high heat until golden and crusty, about 25–30 minutes.
- Step 10: Cool the focaccia, then drizzle with the glaze made from confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla. Slice and serve.
Expert baking tips
- Expect a very wet dough. This dough is shaggy and sticky—kneading isn’t necessary or recommended.
- Let the dough rise sufficiently. Longer rises produce larger, more open bubbles that make the focaccia light and airy.
- Don’t fear the messy topping. The butter and brown sugar seem loose when poured on, but they bake into the dough and create delicious pockets of caramelized sweetness.
- Cool before glazing. Wait until the focaccia has cooled so the frosting doesn’t melt away.
Storage
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for 1–2 days. Reheat briefly in the microwave to warm.
Freezer: Slice after cooling, place pieces in freezer-safe bags, and freeze up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave for about a minute to restore softness.
Recipe FAQs
Sourdough discard is the portion of starter you remove when feeding your starter. Instead of throwing it away, discard can be used in recipes like this focaccia to add flavor and reduce waste.
Yes. Replace the discard with 200g active starter and omit the commercial yeast. Expect longer rise times when using active starter.
More Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Recipes
- Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Pull Apart Bread
- Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls
- Sourdough Discard Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
If you try this Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia, please leave a star rating and a comment to share your experience. Happy baking!
Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia
Jessica Vogl
Equipment
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9×13-inch baking pan
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Kitchen scale
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
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In a stand mixer bowl or large mixing bowl, combine warm water and granulated sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top and let sit about 5 minutes until foamy. If yeast doesn’t foam, start again with fresh yeast.
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Add flour, sourdough discard, and salt. Mix on low until combined and no dry pockets remain—dough will be wet and shaggy.
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Transfer dough to a large oiled bowl, cover, and let rise 2–3 hours until doubled.
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Brush a 13×9-inch pan with 2 Tablespoons melted butter and set aside.
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Deflate the dough with a spatula, transfer to the prepared pan, cover, and let rise 1½–2 hours until the dough fills or nearly fills the pan.
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Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Melt butter for the topping in a small saucepan, then stir in brown sugar and cinnamon.
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With wet fingers, press deep dimples all over the dough. Drizzle the butter-brown sugar mixture evenly over the dough.
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Bake 25–30 minutes until golden and crusty. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool fully.
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Whisk confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Adjust milk for desired consistency, drizzle over cooled focaccia, slice, and serve.
Video
Notes
**If doubling or tripling, bake each focaccia in a separate 9×13-inch pan rather than one larger pan.
Using active starter: Omit yeast and replace discard with 200g active starter; increase rise times accordingly.