Sweet Cinnamon Focaccia Bake

Imagine the comforting aroma of cinnamon rolls filling your kitchen, but with a fraction of the effort. Our delightful **Cinnamon Roll Focaccia** offers exactly that – a soft, pillowy, and utterly delicious breakfast treat or sweet snack, crafted from staple ingredients you likely already have. Drizzled with a luscious icing, it’s a perfect companion to your morning coffee or an unexpected, delightful dessert served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

This versatile recipe effortlessly transitions from a hearty breakfast to a decadent dessert. Its greatest charm lies in its convenience: prepare it the night before and wake up to a freshly baked masterpiece. If you’re a fan of sweet breads and pastries, explore more of our favorites like Cinnamon Twist Bread, Nutella Twist Bread, or any of our other sweet rolls.

Indulge in Homemade Cinnamon Roll Focaccia: An Easy Sweet Treat

Our Cinnamon Roll Focaccia is lovingly dubbed “lazy cinnamon rolls” because it delivers all the beloved elements – the tender, chewy dough, the aromatic cinnamon-brown sugar swirl, and the sweet, creamy icing – without the intricate rolling and cutting typically associated with individual cinnamon buns. Instead, you create one magnificent, shareable piece of focaccia that’s bursting with flavor.

The dough is surprisingly simple to prepare, requiring just a single rise to achieve its characteristic light and fluffy texture. This simplified process means less time spent waiting and more time enjoying. Once baked to golden perfection, a generous drizzle of homemade icing transforms this sweet focaccia into a warm, cozy, and irresistibly delicious delight, perfect for any time of day.

Focaccia, traditionally an Italian flatbread, is renowned for its dimpled surface and olive oil richness. By infusing it with classic cinnamon roll flavors, we’ve created a unique fusion that’s both comforting and exciting. The dimples not only give it that authentic focaccia look but also create perfect pockets for the buttery cinnamon-sugar mixture to nestle in, ensuring every bite is a sweet explosion.

Why You’ll Fall in Love with This Sweet Focaccia Recipe

• Unbeatable Warmth and Comfort: Few things rival the inviting scent of cinnamon-sugar dough baking. The warm, fragrant aroma that fills your home is pure comfort, setting a cozy mood even before the first bite. This focaccia offers a comforting embrace on a chilly morning or a sweet pick-me-up anytime.
• Pantry Staple Ingredients: You won’t need to hunt for exotic items for this recipe. Every ingredient, from flour and yeast to cinnamon and sugar, is likely already stocked in your kitchen. This makes spontaneous baking sessions a breeze, eliminating the need for a special grocery run.
• Effortless Make-Ahead Convenience: Planning ahead has never been easier! You can fully prepare this cinnamon focaccia the night before, cover it, and refrigerate it. The next morning, simply pull it out, let it come to room temperature while your oven preheats, and bake. It’s perfect for busy mornings, holiday breakfasts, or when you want to impress guests without the morning rush.
• Simpler Than Traditional Cinnamon Rolls: Forget the intricate shaping and multiple rises of classic cinnamon rolls. This focaccia streamlines the process into one large, easy-to-manage bake. You get all the flavor and texture without the fuss, making it accessible even for novice bakers.
• Versatile Serving Options: While it shines as a breakfast item, this sweet focaccia is equally fantastic as a dessert. Serve it warm with a cup of coffee or tea, or elevate it into a luxurious dessert experience by pairing it with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Key Ingredients for Perfect Cinnamon Focaccia

Crafting this delicious cinnamon focaccia requires a few essential ingredients, each playing a crucial role in achieving its signature flavor and texture:

• Cinnamon: The star spice of our sweet focaccia! You’ll need a generous amount of ground cinnamon, which, when combined with brown sugar, creates the rich, aromatic filling. For the best flavor, ensure your cinnamon is fresh and fragrant.
• Brown Sugar: Used in the cinnamon swirl mixture, brown sugar contributes a deep, molasses-rich, caramel-like flavor that granulated sugar simply can’t replicate. Its moisture also helps keep the filling soft and gooey.
• Active Dry Yeast: This is the leavening agent responsible for the focaccia’s light and airy texture. Active dry yeast needs to be “proofed” or activated in warm liquid with a little sugar before being incorporated into the dough, ensuring it’s alive and ready to work its magic. Make sure to check the expiration date!
• All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our focaccia dough. All-purpose flour provides the perfect balance of protein to create a soft yet structured bread. While bread flour could be used for a chewier texture, all-purpose is ideal for this recipe’s tender crumb.
• Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar): Essential for making our smooth, lump-free icing. Unlike granulated sugar, powdered sugar dissolves instantly, giving the glaze a silky texture that drizzles beautifully over the warm focaccia.
• Heavy Cream: Used to thin down the powdered sugar into a luxurious, pourable icing. Heavy cream adds richness and a creamy mouthfeel. Whole milk or even a plant-based milk can be used as alternatives, but heavy cream offers the best flavor and texture.
• Butter: Integral to both the dough (if adding a touch for richness) and the cinnamon topping, butter adds incredible flavor and helps create a tender crumb and a gooey, caramelized topping.
• Warm Water & Granulated Sugar: For proofing the yeast. The warm water (around 105-115°F or 40-46°C) activates the yeast, and the sugar provides initial food for the yeast, allowing it to become bubbly and active.
• Oil (Avocado or Olive): A little oil in the dough contributes to its softness and helps prevent sticking. Avocado oil is a neutral choice, while a light olive oil can add a subtle, pleasant undertone characteristic of traditional focaccia.
• Salt: A crucial ingredient that balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors in the dough. It also helps control yeast activity and strengthens the gluten structure.

Crafting Your Cinnamon Roll Focaccia: A Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these detailed steps to create a show-stopping sweet focaccia that will impress everyone:

1. Prepare the Cinnamon Mixture: Begin by melting the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is fragrant. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool completely while you prepare your dough. This cooling step is important to prevent it from killing the yeast in your dough later.
2. Activate the Yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl if kneading by hand), combine the warm water (ensure it’s around 105-115°F or 40-46°C – too hot will kill the yeast, too cold won’t activate it), active dry yeast, and granulated sugar. Give it a gentle stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. You’ll know the yeast is active when the mixture becomes foamy and bubbly on the surface. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast might be old or the water temperature was off, and it’s best to start again.
3. Mix the Focaccia Dough: To the activated yeast mixture, add the avocado oil, salt, and 2 cups of the all-purpose flour. Attach the dough hook to your stand mixer and mix on low speed until all ingredients are just combined. Gradually add the remaining ½ to ¾ cup of flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be soft, slightly sticky, but manageable. Once all the flour is incorporated, continue mixing on low speed for another 2 minutes to develop the gluten, resulting in a smooth and elastic dough.

4. Prepare and Dimple the Dough: Lightly grease a 9” x 13” baking dish with butter or avocado oil. Transfer the focaccia dough into the prepared dish. Using your fingertips, gently press the dough to spread it evenly across the bottom of the pan. Once spread, use your fingers to poke deep indentations all over the surface of the dough. These dimples are characteristic of focaccia and create pockets for the cinnamon topping. If the dough resists and springs back, cover it with a clean towel and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before continuing – this allows the gluten to relax.
5. Add the Cinnamon Swirl and Second Rise: Spoon about ¾ of the cooled cinnamon mixture evenly over the dimpled focaccia dough. Now, gently fold the dough over itself, then press it back down into the pan, dimpling again with your fingers to further integrate the cinnamon. This creates beautiful swirls within the dough. Finally, sprinkle the remaining cinnamon mixture generously over the top. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm spot for about 30 minutes, or until it looks visibly puffy and slightly bubbly.

6. Bake to Golden Perfection: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Once preheated and the dough has risen, place the baking dish in the oven. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the focaccia is lightly golden brown on both the top and bottom edges. The aroma filling your kitchen will be incredible!
7. Prepare and Drizzle the Icing: While the focaccia is baking, prepare your icing. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream until completely smooth. If the icing is too thick, add the remaining tablespoon of cream, a tiny bit at a time, until you achieve a smooth, drizzly consistency – not too thin, not too thick.
8. Ice and Serve: As soon as the focaccia comes out of the oven, immediately drizzle the prepared icing generously over the warm bread. The warmth of the focaccia will slightly melt the icing, allowing it to seep into the nooks and crannies, creating a glorious sweet topping. Let the focaccia cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes before slicing into squares and serving warm. Enjoy every blissful bite!

Expert Tips for Focaccia Perfection

• Understanding Dough Resistance: If your focaccia dough springs back vigorously when you try to press it into the baking dish or dimple it, don’t force it! This indicates the gluten has become too tight. Simply cover the dough with a clean towel and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. This resting period allows the gluten strands to relax, making the dough much more pliable and easier to work with.
• Mastering Make-Ahead: This recipe is fantastic for overnight preparation. After pressing the dough into the pan and adding the cinnamon swirl (up to step 5), cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, remove the dish from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes while your oven preheats to 350°F (175°C). This gentle warm-up prevents thermal shock that could crack a cold glass dish in a hot oven and allows the dough to complete its final rise.
• Creative Flavor Variations: Feel free to customize your sweet focaccia!
  • Fruity Additions: Fold in a handful of plump raisins, dried cranberries, or finely diced apples along with the cinnamon sugar.
  • Nutty Crunch: Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the top before baking for added texture and flavor.
  • Spice It Up: Enhance the cinnamon with a pinch of nutmeg, cardamom, or allspice for a more complex profile.
  • Chocolatey Twist: Drizzle melted Nutella or scatter mini chocolate chips into the dough alongside the cinnamon sugar for a truly decadent treat.
  • Citrus Zest: Add a teaspoon of orange or lemon zest to the dough or icing for a bright, aromatic lift.
• Yeast Activation Temperature: The temperature of your water is critical for activating active dry yeast. Aim for lukewarm, around 105-115°F (40-46°C). If it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast; too cold, and the yeast won’t activate, resulting in dense focaccia. A kitchen thermometer is your best friend here!
• Don’t Overmix the Icing: Mix the powdered sugar and cream just until smooth and drizzly. Overmixing can incorporate too much air, making the icing less stable.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cinnamon Roll Focaccia

Comprehensive Storage and Reheating Instructions

• Room Temperature Storage: Once cooled, transfer your cinnamon focaccia to an airtight container or wrap it securely with plastic wrap. It will stay fresh and delicious at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Refrigerator Storage: To extend its freshness, store the focaccia in an airtight container or freezer-safe bags in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Freezer Storage: For longer preservation, wrap baked and cooled focaccia tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and place in freezer bags. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, simply transfer it to the refrigerator overnight or leave it on the countertop for several hours until defrosted.
• Reheating Instructions:
  • Microwave: For a quick single serving, reheat individual slices in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, or until warmed through.
  • Oven: For multiple servings or to restore its fresh-baked crispness, transfer the focaccia to a baking sheet or baking dish. Warm it in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 10 minutes, or until it’s warmed all the way through and the edges are slightly crisp.

Discover More Irresistible Cinnamon Recipes!

This soft and chewy cinnamon roll focaccia bread is an effortless way to bring warmth and sweetness to any occasion. The irresistible combination of a tender, airy dough folded with a sweet cinnamon and brown sugar mixture, then finished with a delicate drizzle of icing, creates a memorable treat that’s perfect for sharing.

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