Monkey bread meets focaccia… I don’t know why we haven’t been doing this all along. 😭
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!This cinnamon roll pull-apart sourdough focaccia starts with my soft sourdough focaccia dough, but instead of stretching it into a pan like usual, we’re tearing it into rustic little pieces and dunking every single one in melted butter and cinnamon sugar.
Then we pile them all together, bake until golden and caramelized around the edges, and pour cream cheese frosting alllll over the top while it’s still warm.
The result is somewhere between a cinnamon roll, monkey bread and focaccia. Soft and fluffy in the middle, buttery and gooey around the edges, and made for pulling apart with your hands.
No slicing. No perfectly shaped cinnamon rolls.
Just a glorious pan of cinnamon sugar sourdough. 🤤
Why You’ll Love This Cinnamon Roll Sourdough Focaccia
- Soft, fluffy sourdough focaccia with gooey cinnamon sugar in every little crevice
- No rolling, filling, or individually shaping cinnamon rolls
- Naturally fermented with sourdough starter
- Brown sugar creates the BEST sticky, caramelized edges
- Can be prepped the night before and baked the next day
- Finished with pourable cream cheese frosting
- Basically monkey bread + cinnamon rolls + focaccia… helloooooo
What You’ll Need
- Large mixing bowl
- Dough whisk or wooden spoon
- Bench scraper
- 9×13-inch baking pan
- Parchment paper
- 2 small bowls for the melted butter and cinnamon sugar
- Hand or stand mixer for the frosting
- Instant-read thermometer (optional, but helpful!)
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A Few Helpful Tips Before You Begin
Don’t worry about perfectly shaped pieces.
We’re not making 30 adorable little dough balls here. 🙈 Cut the dough into roughly golf-ball-sized pieces and leave them rustic. That’s the whole point!
Use the brown sugar.
You can use all white sugar, but the brown sugar is what gives you those sticky, caramelized edges. Worth it.
Please use parchment.
The cinnamon sugar caramelizes as it bakes and WILL stick to your pan. Save yourself the scrubbing. Ask me how I know. 😭
Watch the top toward the end.
If your focaccia is getting too dark before the center reaches 200°F, loosely tent it with foil for the final 10 minutes.
Want to make it overnight?
After you’ve coated and arranged the dough pieces in the pan, pop the whole thing in the fridge overnight. The next day, give it about 2 hours at room temperature before baking.
Cinnamon Roll Sourdough Focaccia FAQs
Can I make cinnamon roll sourdough focaccia overnight?
Yes! After dunking the dough pieces in butter and cinnamon sugar and arranging them in the pan, cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, let the dough sit at room temperature for about 2 hours before baking.
How do I know when sourdough focaccia is fully baked?
The top should be deeply golden with bubbling, caramelized sugar around the edges. For the most reliable check, the internal temperature should reach 200°F.
Can I use all white sugar instead of brown sugar?
You can, but you won’t get quite the same sticky, caramelized edges. The brown sugar brings extra moisture and that lovely gooey texture, so I definitely recommend keeping it!
Can I add nuts?
Absolutely! Add a handful of chopped pecans between the layers as you pile the coated dough pieces into the pan.
How should I store leftover cinnamon roll focaccia?
It’s best eaten the same day, but you can keep leftovers covered at room temperature for 1–2 days. Warm individual pieces in the microwave for 15–20 seconds to soften them back up.
Can I make the cream cheese frosting ahead of time?
Yep! Make it up to a week ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Let it come back to room temperature before serving and whisk in a splash of milk if needed to make it pourable again.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
Here’s the quick version before we dive in:
- Feed your sourdough starter and let it get nice and bubbly.
- Mix the focaccia dough and let it rest for 20–30 minutes.
- Complete 3 rounds of stretch and folds.
- Bulk ferment until doubled, airy and jiggly.
- Cut the dough into rustic, golf-ball-sized pieces.
- Dunk each piece in melted butter and roll in cinnamon sugar.
- Pile into a parchment-lined pan and proof until puffy.
- Bake until deeply golden and caramelized.
- Pour cream cheese frosting over the warm focaccia.
- Pull apart and EAT. 🤤
Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
Rate this RecipeIngredients
- 100 grams active sourdough starter
- 375 grams warm water
- 20 grams olive oil
- 20 grams honey
- 500 grams bread flour
- 10 grams salt
- 113 grams salted butter melted (½ cup / 1 stick)
- 150 grams light brown sugar ¾ cup, packed
- 50 grams granulated sugar ¼ cup
- 12 grams ground cinnamon 1½ tbsp
- 220 grams full-fat cream cheese softened (1 block / 8 oz)
- 113 grams salted butter softened (½ cup / 1 stick)
- 240 grams powdered sugar sifted (2 cups)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 –4 tbsp whole milk to a pourable consistency
Method
- Prep your starter. About 4–12 hours before mixing your dough, feed your starter equal parts: 50 grams starter, 50 grams water and 50 grams flour. Let it double and get nice and bubbly. I like to use mine just past peak, when the dome has started to fall a little, so if you miss that peak moment, don't stress. It's exactly what you want!
- Mix the dough. In a large bowl, whisk together the starter, warm water, olive oil and honey until cloudy. Add the flour and salt and mix until there's no dry flour left. Cover and rest for 20–30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold. Do 3 rounds of stretch and folds, spaced 20–30 minutes apart. Grab the dough, stretch it up and fold it over itself. By the third set it should feel noticeably stronger and smoother.
- Bulk ferment. Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled, airy and slightly jiggly, about 6–8 hours at 70°F. This is mostly hands-off time, so go about your day.
- Prep the coating and pan. Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment, leaving some overhang on the long sides, and brush it with a little of the melted butter. Pour the rest of the melted butter into a small bowl. In a second bowl, mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar and cinnamon.
- Divide. Tip the dough onto a lightly oiled bench. Using a bench scraper, cut it into roughly golf-ball-sized pieces (about 30 pieces). Don't shape them. Rustic is the whole point.
- Dunk and roll. One piece at a time, dunk the dough in the melted butter, then roll it in the cinnamon sugar until coated. Pile the pieces into the pan in a loose, even layer. Drizzle any leftover butter over the top and sprinkle over any remaining cinnamon sugar.
- Final proof. Cover and rest for 1–2 hours until the dough looks relaxed and puffy. Or pop it in the fridge overnight at this point and give it 2 hours at room temperature the next day before baking.
- Bake. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Bake for 20-25 minutes until deeply golden and the sugar is bubbling around the edges. It's done when it reaches an internal temperature of 200°F. If the top is browning too fast, loosely tent it with foil for the last 5 minutes.
- Make the frosting. While it bakes, beat the cream cheese and butter together until completely smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Add milk 1 tbsp at a time until it's pourable.
- Frost and serve. Let the focaccia cool in the pan for about 10–15 minutes (warm, not hot), then pour the frosting over the top so it melts into all the gaps. Lift it out with the parchment and pull apart to serve.
