Sweet Cinnamon Roll Focaccia with a Buttery Sugar Crust

Dimpling focaccia dough usually means pushing olive oil and rosemary into every pocket, but the same dimpling technique works just as well for pooling melted butter and cinnamon sugar instead. Those dimples turn into little caramelized wells once the pan comes out of the oven, something a rolled cinnamon roll never quite manages on its own.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• The dimpled surface creates little pockets of caramelized cinnamon sugar.
• No rolling or shaping individual rolls, just one pan of dough.
• A cream cheese glaze finishes it off in true cinnamon roll style.
• Great for sharing at a brunch table, pulled apart in squares.
• Comes together with a simple no-knead style dough.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, about 1 packet
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons fine salt
• 1 1/2 cups warm water, about 110°F
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, for dimpling
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoons milk, for the glaze

Crockery and Time To Create

You will need a large mixing bowl, a 9×13 inch baking pan, and a small bowl for the glaze. Prep time is 20 minutes and cook time is 25 minutes, for a total active time of 45 minutes. The dough also needs about 2 hours to rise, which is not included in the active time. This recipe serves 12.

Ingredient Substitutions and Variations

• Olive oil: swap for melted butter in the dough itself for a slightly richer, less savory base.
• Whole warm water: swap for warm milk for a softer, more enriched crumb.
• Brown sugar: swap for coconut sugar for a deeper, less sweet topping.
• Cream cheese glaze: swap for a plain vanilla glaze, whisking powdered sugar with milk and vanilla extract, for a lighter finish.
• All-purpose flour: swap for bread flour for a slightly chewier structure.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Activate the Yeast

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until the surface turns foamy.

Mix the Dough

Add the olive oil, salt, and flour to the yeast mixture, then stir with a spatula or your hands just until a shaggy, sticky dough forms, no kneading required.

First Rise

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until it has doubled in size.

Transfer and Second Rise

Pour a little olive oil into the baking pan and spread the dough out into the pan, stretching it gently toward the edges. Cover loosely and let it rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until puffy.

Dimple the Dough

Drizzle half of the melted butter over the risen dough, then use your fingertips to press deep dimples all across the surface, letting the butter pool into each pocket.

Add the Cinnamon Sugar

Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle it generously over the dimpled dough, letting some settle into the wells.

Bake the Focaccia

Drizzle the remaining melted butter over the top, then bake at 400°F for 22 to 25 minutes, until deep golden brown and the sugar has caramelized at the edges.

Glaze and Serve

Beat the cream cheese with the powdered sugar and milk until smooth, then drizzle generously over the warm focaccia before slicing into squares and serving.

Pro Tips for Best Results

• Press the dimples deep enough to actually hold the butter and sugar, shallow dimples let everything run off to the edges.
• Let the dough rise fully in the pan before dimpling, an underproofed dough will spring back instead of holding the dimples.
• Use your fingertips rather than knuckles for dimpling, this creates cleaner, more even pockets.
• Watch the edges closely near the end of baking, the sugar can go from caramelized to burnt quickly.
• Glaze the focaccia while it is still warm so it melts slightly into the dimpled pockets.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping the second rise before dimpling: this leaves a flat, dense focaccia, always let it puff up in the pan first.
• Dimpling too shallow: the butter and sugar run off instead of pooling, press firmly all the way down.
• Baking at too low a temperature: this leaves the sugar undercaramelized, keep the oven at 400°F for the best texture.
• Glazing while too hot: the glaze can melt completely and disappear, let the focaccia cool a few minutes first.

What to Serve With

• A hot cup of coffee, since the sweetness pairs naturally with a warm drink.
• Fresh sliced fruit on the side, offering a light contrast to the richness.
• A scoop of vanilla yogurt, turning a square into a heartier breakfast.

Storage and Reheating

• Fridge: store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: freeze unglazed squares in a sealed container for up to 2 months.
• Reheating: warm in a 300°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, then glaze after reheating, and avoid the microwave since it can make the crust tough.

Nutrition Information

Health Benefits

Cinnamon has been linked to mild anti-inflammatory properties and may help support more balanced blood sugar levels when eaten as part of a varied diet, offering a small nutritional upside to an otherwise indulgent bake. Making this at home also means controlling the sugar in both the topping and glaze, unlike many bakery pastries loaded with far more than necessary.

This is best enjoyed as an occasional treat rather than a daily habit, and pairing a square with some fresh fruit can help round out a brunch spread.

Conclusion

This is the bake that turns two favorites into one pan, and the caramelized dimples of cinnamon sugar are honestly more fun to eat than a standard rolled cinnamon roll. Give this one a try, save the recipe, and share it with anyone who loves both focaccia and cinnamon rolls enough to want them combined.

Sweet Cinnamon Roll Focaccia

A dimpled, no-knead focaccia topped with caramelized cinnamon sugar and a cream cheese glaze.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 12 Rolls

Calories: 270

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 1/4 teaspoons fine salt, 1 1/2 cups warm water, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted), 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon, 4 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar with milk for glaze

Equipment

• 1 a large mixing bowl
• 1 a 9×13 inch baking pan
• 1 a small bowl for the glaze.

Method

 

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water, let foam.

Stir in olive oil, salt, and flour into a shaggy dough.

Let dough rise 1 hour, then spread into a pan and rise again.

Dimple the dough with melted butter.

Top with brown sugar and cinnamon, drizzle with remaining butter, and bake at 400°F for 22 to 25 minutes.

Glaze with cream cheese frosting, slice, and serve warm.