Easy Cinnamon Roll Sourdough Focaccia Bread
Last Updated on October 17, 2025 by Jamie Saechao
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This easy, same-day cinnamon roll sourdough focaccia bread is tangy, chewy, and just like devouring a cinnamon roll topped with cream cheese frosting!
This quick focaccia is a no-yeast recipe that you can bake the same day you start it, but can also be put in the fridge for a longer overnight ferment.
This fluffy, cinnamon-rich focaccia bread reminds me of my childhood trips to the mall and the smell of Cinnabon- that was my inspiration for this recipe! The sweet flavors of cinnamon and brown sugar collide with the tangy depth of sourdough to make this delicious focaccia.
I worked on this recipe for weeks, looking for just the right amount of flavor in the dough to hint towards the delicious flavors of a cinnamon roll. Instead of a glaze, I went with a thick, creamy cream cheese icing.
I love the results and hope you do too!
For more of the best focaccia recipes, try my classic sourdough focaccia, chocolate chip sourdough focaccia, and pumpkin spice focaccia bread!
Why You’ll Love It
- Quick: This recipe takes advantage of warm temperatures for a fast ferment.
- Festive: This sourdough dessert is a festive sweet treat to serve for brunch (or dessert) at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
- Easy: I break this recipe down step by step so it’s super easy for you to follow, plus I have checkpoints + tips throughout for your baking success!
- If need be, learn how to make a sourdough starter + how to feed it here.
Ingredients
Notes: This recipe calls for 200 grams of sourdough starter- so be sure to feed your starter enough flour and water before starting the recipe.
For the dough:
- Bread flour (all purpose flour may be substituted)
- Active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly starter)
- Vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon
- Warm water
- Salt
- Sugar
- Olive Oil
- Butter
Brown Sugar Filling
- Brown sugar (light or brown)
- Cinnamon
Cinnamon Roll Frosting:
- Butter
- Cream cheese
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Powdered sugar
Supplies: You may need a Danish dough whisk, electric mixer, digital scale, 9×13-inch pan, and large bowl for this recipe.
Tips
- For a quick bulk rise, make sure to have a room temperature of 78 degrees or higher, or use the warming option on your oven.
- To get a nice cinnamon swirl, start your shaping when the dough is fully fermented but not overly bubbly. The dough is still workable at this point. We will continue the bulk ferment, which will further ferment the dough, after the dough is shaped.
- I do not have a warming option, so I set my oven temperature to 200 degrees F, turn it off and cool for 10 minutes, then put my dough into the warm oven.
- Watch for signs that your dough is ready on the final rise. Focaccia is over-fermented dough, so you want lots of air pockets in the dough and for it to be light, airy, and loose – and jiggly!
- Use a 9×13 glass baking pan to give the dough a nice shape- make sure to grease + butter it very well.
Signs Fermentation Is Done
Bulk fermentation can be tricky! Here are signs you can move on from bulk fermentation to shaping:
- The top of the dough is jiggly, and there are a few big bubbles showing.
- If you pull the dough away from the side of the bowl, you will see gluten strands (see photo)
- The dough has nearly doubled in size.
Get my simple sourdough bread recipe (unloaf method) here!
How To Make Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Focaccia
Mixing + Bulk Ferment
- Mix the active start and warm water in a large bowl. Add the flour, salt, vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon. Mix well with a dough whisk or by using damp hands.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel for thirty minutes.
- Perform one set of stretch and folds by pulling up one side of the dough and folding it back over itself. Work your way around the dough, stretching and folding each side.
- Repeat until the dough forms into a rough ball. Cover the dough again for 30 minutes.
- Do one more set of stretch + folds on the dough, then cover.
- Let the dough bulk ferment in a very warm location, 78 degrees F or higher. You can use your oven with the warming option on, or simply increase the temperature of your room.
- After 3-5 hours, the dough should be doubled in size, jiggly, and have some bubbles on the top. Ferment time is temperature dependent, so watch the dough for signs!
Visual cues: The dough should have a few bubbles on top. If you pull it from the edge of the bowl, you will see fermented strands of dough, which look like webs, pulling away. The dough should be jiggly.
If you prefer a longer ferment, you can refrigerate the dough at this point and continue on the next morning!
Shaping + Second Ferment
- Grease a 9×13 pan generously with olive oil and one tablespoon of butter.
- Dump the dough into the prepared pan and push it into the rough shape of a rectangle.
- In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar.
- Liberally sprinkle the inside of the dough with the cinnamon sugar filling, leaving 1/2 inch space at the edge of the dough. (Image 1)
- Fold each half of the dough into the center, then sprinkle cinnamon sugar here as well. (Image 2)
- Roll the dough up and tuck the ends in, then rotate it so it is “long side” in the pan. (Image 3-4)
- Gently rub softened butter over the surface of the dough.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it ferment at 78 degrees F or higher for an additional 2-3 hours, or until the dough is bubbly and doubles in size.
Second Ferment: The dough is done with it is big and bubbly, has doubled in size, and when you push on it you feel air bubbles moving around.
Baking
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and make sure the oven is in the lower middle rack.
- Dimple the dough by pressing your fingertips all the way to the bottom of the pan, and sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar if desired. Make deep dimples!
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top of the bread is golden brown; the internal temperature should be 190-200 degrees F.
Frosting
- Add softened butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and salt to a large bowl. Use a mixer and beat for 30 seconds or until well combined.
- Slowly add powdered sugar, beating until smooth.
- Slather over focaccia (warm or cooled). Yum!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
- Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- I do not recommend freezing this bread- let me know if you try it!
Cinnamon Roll Sourdough Focaccia Bread
Equipment
- 1 9×13 pan
- 1 Large Bowl
- 1 Dough whisk optional
Ingredients
Dough
- 200 grams sourdough starter fed, active + bubbly
- 525 grams bread flour
- 350 grams warm water 90-95 degrees F
- 1.5 tsp vanilla
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp sugar
For Greasing Pan
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
Cinnamon Filling
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/4 cup softened butter unsalted
- 4 ounces softened cream cheese from a block (8 tablespoons)
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1.5 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Make Dough
- Mix the active start and warm water in a large bowl. Add the flour, salt, vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon and mix well. Cover the dough and let rest for 30 minutes.200 grams sourdough starter, 525 grams bread flour, 350 grams warm water, 1.5 tsp vanilla, 1.5 tsp salt, 2 tsp cinnamon , 2 tbsp sugar
- Perform one set of stretch and folds by pulling up one side of the dough and folding it over itself, working your way around each side of the dough. Repeat until the dough forms into a rough ball. Cover the dough again for 30 minutes.Do one more set of stretch + folds on the dough, then cover. Let the dough bulk ferment in a very warm location, 78 degrees F or higher. See notes for tips on bulk fermenting.
- After 3-5 hours, the dough should be doubled in size, jiggly, and have some bubbles on the top. Ferment time is temperature dependent, so watch the dough for signs!
Second Ferment
- Grease a 9×13 pan generously with olive oil and one tablespoon of butter. Dump the dough into the prepared pan and push it into the rough shape of a rectangle.2 tbsp olive oil
- In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar. Liberally sprinkle the inside of the dough with the cinnamon sugar filling, leaving 1/2 inch space at the edge of the dough.1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp cinnamon
- Fold the two ends of the dough into the center, then sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the folded dough (see photos). Roll the dough up and tuck the ends in, then rotate it so it is "long side" in the pan.
- Gently rub softened butter over the surface of the dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it ferment at 78 degrees F or higher for an additional 2-3 hours, or until the dough is very bubbly and doubles in size.2 tbsp butter
Baking
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and make sure the oven is in the lower middle rack. Dimple the dough by pressing your fingertips all the way to the bottom of the pan, and sprinkle the top with additional cinnamon sugar if desired.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top of the bread is golden brown and the internal temperature should be 190-200 degrees F.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add softened butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and salt to a large bowl. Use a mixer and beat for 30 seconds, until smooth and creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Slather over focaccia and enjoy.1/4 cup softened butter, 4 ounces softened cream cheese , 2 tsp vanilla, 1/8 tsp salt, 1.5 cups powdered sugar
Notes
- For a quick dough rise, make sure the room temperature of 78 degrees or higher, or use the warming option on your oven.
- I do not have a warming option. I set my oven temperature to 200 degrees F, turn it off and cool for 10 minutes, then put my dough into the warm oven to rise.
- Signs that your dough is ready: Focaccia is over-fermented dough, so you want lots of air pockets in the dough and for it to be light, airy, and loose. When pulled away from the sides of the bowl you should see gluten strands (like spider webs).
- To get a nice cinnamon swirl, start your shaping when the dough is fully fermented, with air pockets, but not overly bubbly. The dough will continue to rise during the second ferment.
- Make sure to grease your pan very well to keep the dough from sticking.
