Cinnamon Roll Focaccia
This Cinnamon Roll Focaccia is the best mashup of cinnamon rolls and bakery-style focaccia — featuring an overnight, pillowy dough folded with cinnamon sugar, baked with gooey cinnamon butter in the dimples, and finished with a sweet vanilla glaze. SO GOOD!!!
About This Cinnamon Roll Focaccia Recipe (updated 1/14/2026)
If you love cinnamon rolls but don’t always want the work of rolling, slicing, and proofing individual buns, this Cinnamon Roll Focaccia is your dream recipe! It has that classic cinnamon roll flavor — warm cinnamon sugar, buttery sweetness, and a vanilla glaze — but with the airy, fluffy texture of focaccia (I also think the texture is better!). This is an overnight focaccia dough that cold ferments for 1-2 days for the best flavor and bubble structure, then gets folded with cinnamon sugar to create a cinnamon “swirl” right through the center.
Why You’ll Love
Tastes like a cinnamon roll, but easier to make
Ultra fluffy, airy focaccia texture with big bubbles
Cinnamon sugar folded inside so every bite has a sweet swirl
Cinnamon butter goo melts into the dimples for a caramelized goo pockets
Finished with vanilla glaze for that bakery-style sweetness
Perfect for holiday mornings, brunch, weekend baking, or dessert
Ingredients You’ll Need
Bread flour
Warm water
Instant yeast
Salt
Olive oil
Brown sugar + cinnamon
Butter + heavy cream
Powdered sugar + vanilla
How to Make
Mix the focaccia dough and let it rest before doing four rounds of stretch-and-folds to build structure. Let the dough sit at room temperature for a couple hours, then refrigerate for 24-48 hours to cold ferment. Transfer to a parchment-lined, oiled 9×13 pan, sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the dough, and fold it to trap the cinnamon sugar inside. Let it rise until pillowy, then dimple, spoon cinnamon butter goo into the dimples, and bake until golden and caramelized. Drizzle with vanilla glaze while warm and slice to serve.
Tips for Success
Cold fermenting for 24-48 hours gives the focaccia the best texture and flavor.
When you fold the cinnamon sugar inside, oil your hands well so you don’t tear the dough.
Let the dough rise until it looks very puffy and jiggly — this is what creates the airy crumb.
Dimple firmly with oiled fingertips so the goo stays in the pockets.
Don’t skip the parchment — it makes removal easy and helps prevent any caramelized sugar from sticking.
For the best final look, glaze when the focaccia is warm but not piping hot so it coats smoothly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this cinnamon roll focaccia in one day?
This recipe is best with a long cold ferment, but you can shorten it to 18–24 hours in the fridge. The flavor and bubbles may be slightly less dramatic, but it will still be delicious.
Why is focaccia dough so wet and sticky?
Focaccia is a high-hydration dough, so it’s supposed to be loose and sticky. The stretch-and-folds and cold fermentation build structure over time.
How do I know when the dough is ready to bake?
The dough should be very puffy and pillowy, with bubbles at the edges and a noticeable jiggle when you gently shake the pan.
My dough still has resistance when I dimple— is it underproofed?
Not necessarily. With a long cold ferment, the dough can still feel slightly resistant even when fully risen. Focus on puffiness, bubbles, and jiggle.
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?
Yes, but bread flour gives the best structure and chewy, airy texture. All-purpose flour may bake up softer with slightly smaller bubbles.
Can I add more cinnamon goo on top?
You can, but too much goo can weigh down the dough and make it overly sweet or soggy. The amount in this recipe is designed to stay fluffy while still tasting like a cinnamon roll.
How should I store cinnamon roll focaccia?
Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Warm slices in the microwave for 10–15 seconds before serving.
Can I freeze cinnamon roll focaccia?
Yes. Wrap slices tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm before serving.
What to Serve With
Coffee or lattes
Hot chocolate
Fresh berries or fruit salad
Crispy bacon or breakfast sausage
Scrambled eggs or an omelet (sweet + salty combo!)
A holiday brunch spread
More Recipes You’ll Love
Cinnamon Roll Focaccia
This cinnamon roll focaccia is soft, fluffy, and perfectly gooey — made with an overnight focaccia dough, a cinnamon sugar fold baked into the center, a cinnamon butter “goo” melted into the dimples, and a vanilla glaze on top.
Ingredients
- BY WEIGHT
- 500 g bread flour
- 500 g warm water (95–100°F)
- 12 g fine sea salt
- 1 packet (7 g) instant yeast
- 20 g olive oil (for the dough)
- 40–60 g olive oil (for the pan)
- BY VOLUME
- 4 cups bread flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons warm water
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 packet (or 2¼ teaspoons) instant yeast
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil (for the dough)
- 3–4 tablespoons olive oil (for the pan)
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Mix the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the bread flour, instant yeast, and salt. Add the warm water and olive oil and mix until fully hydrated with no dry spots. The dough will be very wet and sticky. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold: Perform 4 rounds of stretch-and-folds, spaced 25–30 minutes apart. For each round, stretch the dough up from the sides and fold it over itself, rotating the bowl as you go. The dough will become smoother and more elastic.
- Room temperature rest: After the final fold, cover and let the dough sit at room temperature for about 2 hours, until slightly puffed.
- Cold ferment: Lightly oil the top of the dough, cover tightly, and refrigerate for 48 hours.
- Prepare the pan: Line a 9×13 metal pan with parchment paper, pressing it into the corners so it lays flat. Drizzle 3–4 tablespoons olive oil over the parchment.
- Add cinnamon sugar and fold: Transfer the cold dough into the prepared pan. Sprinkle about ¾ of the cinnamon sugarevenly over the dough. With well-oiled hands, gently fold the dough over itself to enclose the cinnamon sugar, then place it seam-side down in the pan.
- Final rise: Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature (around 73°F) for about 4 hours, until very puffy and pillowy and bubbles appear at the edges.
- Dimple: Oil your hands well and press your fingertips straight down into the dough to dimple the surface evenly.
- Add the goo: In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, heavy cream, melted butter, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Spoon the cinnamon butter goo evenly over the dough, letting it settle into the dimples.
- Bake: Bake at 425°F for 24–28 minutes, or until the top is golden brown, the edges are caramelized, and the bottom is crisp. For deeper color, increase the oven temperature to 450–475°F for the final 2–3 minutes.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes.
- Glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk or cream, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Drizzle over the warm focaccia, slice, and serve.
