Cinnamon Toast Focaccia

Cinnamon Toast Focaccia is a sweet, buttery version of focaccia topped with cinnamon sugar. It’s the perfect addition to brunch or breakfast.

A few months ago, after I perfected a same-day focaccia, I started thinking about other (mostly sweet) versions of focaccia I could make. However, at that time, summer was just starting, and I don’t really bake during the summer.

But now it’s fall, and those sweet focaccias are on my mind again. Since I’ve had a serious cinnamon sugar craving lately (which is perfect fall timing, really), I decided to start with Cinnamon Toast Focaccia. I envisioned it being buttery, with a thick, caramelized layer of cinnamon sugar on the top. It turned out just like I imagined, and it was delightful.

This sweet focaccia is nice and soft, with a crunchy, sweet, buttery, and cinnamony layer on the top. It’s best served warm, but can be reheated if needed. This would make the perfect carb-filled addition to breakfast or brunch. Keep reading to find the recipe.

How to Make Cinnamon Toast Focaccia

To make your sweet, buttery Cinnamon Toast Focaccia, start by making the dough.

First, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in the bowl of your stand mixer. Note that if you’re using active dry yeast, you will have to proof the yeast first (see detailed instructions in the recipe notes).

Stir in the warm water until a shaggy dough forms. Affix the dough hook onto your mixer, and mix the dough on low speed until all of the flour is mixed in, and a sticky dough forms (note that the dough will continue to stick to the bottom of the bowl when it’s done mixing).

Grease a medium bowl with some canola oil, and transfer the dough into it. Cover the bowl and set it aside to rise for about an hour.

Prepare an 8×8″ baking pan by greasing it with half of the melted butter, turning the pan to ensure that the butter gets up the sides of the pan too. Transfer the dough into the pan, turning it to coat both sides in the butter. Gently press the dough into all four corners of the pan, but don’t worry if it doesn’t stay. Cover the pan with plastic or a clean towel, and let it rise again for 45 minutes.

After rising, drizzle the remaining melted butter over the dough, and sprinkle evenly with all of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Use your fingertips to press into the surface of the dough, creating dimples and pushing the cinnamon sugar mixture into the dough over the entire piece.

Bake the focaccia in a 450°F oven for about 20 minutes, until the top of the bread is well browned and bubbling. Run a knife along the edges of the pan to loosen the bread, and remove the bread from the pan while it’s still warm. Cool slightly before serving, but the focaccia is best served warm.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container or zipper bag, reheating as needed in the microwave (this will only take a few seconds).

Cinnamon Toast Focaccia Ingredients

• Granulated sugar – You will be using sugar primarily to make the cinnamon sugar topping, as well as in a smaller amount to slightly sweeten the focaccia dough.
• Cinnamon – You will be using cinnamon to make the cinnamon sugar topping, as well as adding it to the focaccia dough for extra cinnamon flavor.
• All-purpose flour – Focaccia uses all-purpose flour vs. bread flour, which would result in a tougher bread.
• Whole wheat flour – I like to use a portion of whole wheat flour in most of my baked goods, including focaccia. If you want a completely white focaccia, or don’t have any whole wheat flour, feel free to substitute an equal amount of additional all-purpose flour.
• Instant yeast – You can also use active dry yeast (see the instuctions in the recipe notes to find out how).
• Table salt – You will be adding salt to the focaccia dough. The amount is slightly lower than in a regular (savory) focaccia.
• Warm water – You will be using warm water to make the focaccia dough. Note that it is generally safer to use water that is heated in the microwave or on the stovetop, vs. warm water from the faucet, because warm tap water has a higher chance of containing contaminants than cold tap water. Note that the water should be around 100-120°F (43-49°C). Use an instant-read thermometer to be sure, but it should feel similar or slightly warmer than body temperature. Water that is too warm (over 130°F or 54°C) can kill the yeast.
• Canola oil or another neutral-flavored cooking oil – this is used to grease the bowl that the dough will rise in.
• Unsalted butter – You can use a dairy-free butter alternative to make your focaccia vegan and/or dairy-free. Note that if you want to use salted butter instead, I would recommend cutting the salt in the dough down to ½ teaspoon (3 grams).

Yeast Baking Tip

Did you know that you can always change the amount of yeast in bread recipes if you want to shorten or lengthen the rising time? The amount of yeast used in this focaccia is quite high for a relatively quick rise. However, if you have more time on your hands, or need a longer rise, feel free to cut it down as needed (I used 1 teaspoon for a 2 hour plus 45 minute rise).

Want more breakfast bread recipes?

Cinnamon Toast Focaccia Nutrition Notes

Carissa Serink

Cinnamon Toast Focaccia

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Cinnamon Toast Focaccia is a sweet, buttery version of focaccia topped with cinnamon sugar. It's the perfect addition to brunch or breakfast.

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Servings: 6

Course: Bread

Cuisine: Universal

Calories: 356

Special Diet: Dairy Free, Nut Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Rising Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Equipment

• Stand Mixer
• 8×8" baking pan

Ingredients

 

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Cinnamon Sugar Topping

• ▢ 50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
• ▢ 8 g (1 Tablespoon) cinnamon

Cinnamon Toast Focaccia

• ▢ 275 g (2 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
• ▢ 100 g (1 cups) whole wheat flour see note
• ▢ 12 g (1 Tablespoon) granulated sugar
• ▢ 6 g (2 teaspoons) instant yeast see note
• ▢ 6 g (1 teaspoon) table salt
• ▢ 1 g (½ teaspoon) cinnamon
• ▢ 284 g (1 ¼ cups) warm water
• ▢ 12 g (1 Tablespoon) canola oil or another neutral-flavored cooking oil
• ▢ 57 g (¼ cups) unsalted butter melted (use a dairy-free butter alternative to make your focaccia vegan and/or dairy-free)

Instructions

 

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture

1. In a small bowl, stir together 50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar and 8 g (1 Tablespoon) cinnamon until the mixture is uniform. You can do this before you start making the dough, or at any point waiting for the dough to rise. Set aside for now.

Cinnamon Toast Focaccia

1. Whisk together 275 g (2 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour, 100 g (1 cups) whole wheat flour, 12 g (1 Tablespoon) granulated sugar, 6 g (2 teaspoons) instant yeast, 6 g (1 teaspoon) table salt, and 1 g (½ teaspoon) cinnamon in the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir in 284 g (1 ¼ cups) warm water until a shaggy dough is formed.
2. Fit your stand mixer with a dough hook, and turn the mixer on low speed. Mix until all of the flour is mixed in, and a very sticky dough is formed (you may need to turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl several times). Note that the dough will continue to stick to the bottom, and even up the sides of the bowl.
3. Lightly coat the inside of a medium to large bowl with 12 g (1 Tablespoon) canola oil. Use a spatula to scrape the dough into the bowl. Turn the dough over in the bowl so that it's mostly coated with some of the oil. Cover the bowl with a lid, a plate, a damp kitchen towel, or some plastic wrap and set it aside to rise for 1 hour.
4. After an hour, coat the inside of of an 8×8" baking pan with 2 Tablespoons of melted butter, turning the pan to ensure that the entire bottom and the sides of the pan are coated with butter.
5. Turn the dough into the prepared pan, turning the dough over to further coat it with the butter. Gently press the dough into the pan, attempting to stretch it into the corners (don't worry if the dough doesn't stay put). Cover the pan with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and set it aside to rise for 45 more minutes. After 30 minutes, move the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 425°F.
6. Remove pan cover and drizzle the top of the dough with an additional 2 Tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle all of the prepared cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the top of the dough. Using gloves if you don't want to get your hands dirty/sticky, gently press your fingers into the dough, all over the top of the dough to create dimples, pressing the butter and cinnamon sugar into the dough.
   
7. Bake the bread until the top is bubbling and browned, about 20-23 minutes. Run a paring knife between the bread and the pan, and if the bottom is sticking, use a spatula or flipper to carefully pry the bread out. Make sure to remove the bread from the pan while it's still warm, or it will be more likely for it to stick. needed.
8. Set the bread on a wire rack to cool slightly before serving. Note that the focaccia is best served warm. Reheat for a few seconds in the microwave before serving, if needed. Store leftovers in an airtight container or zipper bag at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for longer periods of time.

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 7gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 393mgPotassium: 128mgFiber: 4gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 243IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 3mg

Notes

If you want your focaccia to be white, or you don’t have any whole wheat flour, feel free to subtitute it with an equal amount of additional all-purpose flour.

If you only have regular (active dry) yeast, you can feel free to use that instead. Use the same amount, but instead of mixing the yeast directly into the flour, follow these steps:

1. Stir the granulated sugar into the warm water until dissolved. 
2. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water mixture and let it sit for about 10 minutes until the yeast becomes slightly puffy. 
3. Stir the yeast into the water. Stir the water mixture into the flour mixture and follow the recipe as written.

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