Sweet Cinnamon Roll Focaccia With Cream Cheese Glaze

Cinnamon Roll Focaccia with Cream Cheese Glaze perfect for brunch, holiday mornings.

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Sweet Cinnamon Roll Focaccia With Cream Cheese Glaze

This Cinnamon Roll Focaccia delivers all the cozy flavor of classic cinnamon rolls without the rolling and slicing. Soft, chewy dough is layered with gooey cinnamon sugar and finished with a tangy cream cheese glaze. Perfect for brunch, potlucks, or anytime you're craving sweet comfort.

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

2 20

Course: Breakfast food, easy yeast bread, sweet rolls

Cuisine: American-Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 365kcal

Author: Marisa Franca @ All Our Way

Equipment

Ingredients

Focaccia Base:

1 ½ cups warm tap water 100°F to 110°F
1 ¾ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
3 ½ cups bread flour
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt preferably Diamond Crystal
4 tablespoons olive oil divided, plus more for dimpling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Cinnamon Filling:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Cream Cheese Glaze

Cream Cheese Glaze:

4 ounces cream cheese softened
¼ cup unsalted butter softened
¾ cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Make The Dough:

Mix warm water, yeast, and brown sugar in a stand mixer bowl with a dough hook. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it gets foamy.
Add flour and salt to yeast mixture and beat on low speed until everything is combined, scraping sides of bowl as needed, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and beat dough until smooth and clinging to dough hook, about 5 minutes.
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil in a large bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl and turn it over to coat it with the oil.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap. Let it sit in a warm spot, around 75°F. Make sure it's free of drafts. Wait until the dough is very puffy, bubbly, and about three times its original size. This should take about 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Make the Filling:

While dough rises stir together melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Brush remaining 2 tablespoons oil and melted butter up sides and on bottom of a 13- x 9-inch baking pan. Set aside.

Continue working with the dough:

After dough has risen, remove plastic wrap from dough; turn dough into prepared pan, and spread gently with greased hands to fill the pan.
Dollop half (about heaping ⅓ cup) of the cinnamon filling on top of dough and spread with your fingers.
Fold bottom third of dough into the center and the top third of dough on top, like folding a letter.
Spread remaining heaping ⅓ cup cinnamon filling on top of dough, pressing to spread dough to fill pan. (If dough is resisting, let rest 15 minutes before trying to stretch and spread again.)
Cover pan tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place until dough puffs slightly, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Oil your fingers and dimple the dough deeply and evenly all over.
Bake in a preheated oven until the focaccia is golden around the edges and on top. This will take about 25 minutes for a gooey texture or 27 minutes for crispier edges. If it starts to brown too much, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.

Make the glaze as focaccia bakes:

Mix the cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat them together until smooth and fluffy, which should take about 1 minute.
Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds.

When the focaccia finishes baking:

Immediately loosen and transfer focaccia to a serving platter or cutting board using a large spatula. Let cool 10 minutes before spreading glaze on top. Cut into 12 pieces and serve warm.

Notes

To prepare the dough in advance: Mix the dough as instructed, letting it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 48 hours. During this time, it will rise slowly, doubling or even tripling in size. When you’re ready to continue, let the dough rest at room temperature in its container for 30 minutes before baking.

To store baked focaccia: Wrap each slice in plastic wrap. Then, put them in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag. Keep at room temperature for up to three days. Please don't refrigerate it, as that will dry it out.

For more extended storage: Wrap in plastic wrap, then freeze for up to two months. Thaw overnight at room temperature before serving.

Notes from the All Our Way Kitchen
Instant yeast can be added directly to the flour — no blooming needed. Use 75% of the amount of active dry yeast; for this recipe, that’s 1 ⅜ teaspoons of instant yeast.

💛 If you loved this recipe card, you'll adore the full post — it's bubbling with extra tips, serving inspo, and a sprinkle of Italian charm.

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