For all that I’m a baker, I don’t actually make bread very often. I make little rolls and biscuits, and a very picturesque milk bread loaf is part of why I started this blog, but I’m still more likely to buy bread than bake it.
Sometimes, a recipe catches my eye and I just have to make it, though. This bread is definitely one of those. In fact, it’s also the reason I made my own cinnamon baking chips for last week’s recipe! You can buy them, sure, but they’re easy enough to make that I decided to do so.
This recipe is one I found on Reddit (and made minor modifications, as always), and I think the original came from King Arthur, but I’m not 100% sure. It’s definitely good enough to be one of theirs, that’s for sure.
I’ve also never made a focaccia before! Despite all that, it turned out extremely well.
This is a fairly thick and small focaccia, which makes it a lot more like cinnamon rolls without the roll part. Icing completes the picture, and it all makes a beautiful dessert.
Cinnamon Roll Focaccia
Equipment
- 9×9" Baking Dish
- Mixing Bowls
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
For the Bread Dough
- 3 Cups Flour
- 1¾ Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Instant Yeast
- 1 Tsp Sugar
- 1¼ Cup Warm Water
- 1½ Tbsp Olive Oil
- ¼ Cup Cinnamon Baking Chips More if you like; see post for recipe.
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil This extra is for greasing the pan and other uses.
For the Cinnamon Filling
- ⅓ Cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 1 Tbsp Cinnamon
For the Icing
- ¾ Cup Powdered Sugar
- 1½ Tbsp Milk
- ½ Tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your flour, salt, yeast, and sugar from the bread dough ingredients.3 Cups Flour, 1¾ Tsp Salt, 1 Tsp Instant Yeast, 1 Tsp Sugar
- Add the oil and water to the dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined into a dough. Cover the dough and let it sit for 15 minutes to settle.1¼ Cup Warm Water, 1½ Tbsp Olive Oil
- Grab the dough from a side of the bowl, pull it toward the center, and press down. Repeat while circling around the dough until you work all the way around, about a dozen times. This lightly kneads the dough. Flip the dough ball over so the smooth side is up. Cover and let the dough rest another 15 minutes, then repeat.¼ Cup Cinnamon Baking Chips
- After your third 15 minute rest and second fold (so before your third fold), sprinkle half of your cinnamon chips over the dough and fold them in. Do the same before your fourth fold with the other half of the cinnamon chips.
- Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm room for a full hour.
- Prepare your baking dish by greasing it and lining it with parchment paper to make it easier to remove the bread when it's done. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan on top of the parchment paper here too.3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Transfer your dough to the pan, gently so as not to fully knock the air out of it. Once more, cover and let rise for another hour.
- Make your filling by combining the butter, sugar, and cinnamon.⅓ Cup Brown Sugar, 2 Tbsp Butter, 1 Tbsp Cinnamon
- When the rise is almost complete, preheat your oven to 450℉.
- Use some of the excess oil to coat your fingers and poke dimples into the bread dough, pressing to reach the bottom of the pan (but not so deep it breaks through). You don't want to fully deflate the dough, just add pockets for the cinnamon filling throughout.
- Sprinkle your filling across the bread, making sure extra fills the dimples. Drizzle any remaining oil over the top of the dough.
- Bake your bread for 15-20 minutes. You're looking for the topping to be bubbly and the bread to be golden brown.
- Remove the bread from the oven and the baking dish, transferring to a wire rack to cool.
- Make your icing by mixing together the milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Drizzle or spread this over the bread (depending on the consistency you prefer, adjust with more milk or sugar) and cut to enjoy.¾ Cup Powdered Sugar, 1½ Tbsp Milk, ½ Tsp Vanilla Extract