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Overnight Cinnamon Roll Focaccia Recipe

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4.8 from 110 reviews

This Overnight Cinnamon Roll Focaccia is a delightful fusion of a soft, fluffy focaccia bread infused with the warm spices of cinnamon sugar and finished with a luscious cream cheese frosting. The dough is prepared the night before, rising slowly in the refrigerator to develop flavor and texture, then topped with a buttery cinnamon sugar glaze and baked to golden perfection. Ideal for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet snack, this recipe combines the simplicity of focaccia with the indulgence of cinnamon rolls in an easy-to-make sheet pan treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

  • 550 g bread flour
  • 100 g granulated white sugar
  • 500 ml warm water
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast (7 grams) or active dry yeast (activated as noted)
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons melted butter (for the pan)

Cinnamon Sugar Filling

  • 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated white sugar

Cinnamon Sugar Butter Glaze

  • 5 Tablespoons melted butter
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons granulated white sugar

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • 3 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 2 Tablespoons softened butter
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar (adjust per sweetness preference)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Prepare Ingredients: Remove cream cheese and butter from the refrigerator to soften at room temperature, ensuring a smooth frosting without clumps.
  2. Make the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together warm water, sugar, sea salt, yeast, and olive oil. Gradually add bread flour and mix using a Danish dough hook or the neck of a wooden spoon for at least one minute until the dough is wet and sticky. Cover with a tea towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
  3. Activate Yeast (if using active dry yeast): Dissolve active dry yeast in warm water with a pinch of sugar and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy before adding to dry ingredients.
  4. Stretch and Fold – First Method: Wet your hands and stretch the dough by pulling and folding it over itself at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions in the bowl. Cover with a tea towel and rest for 10 minutes.
  5. Stretch and Fold – Coil Method: With wet hands, gently loosen the edges of the dough and lift it from the middle to fold using its own weight. Rotate the bowl 90° and repeat. Perform this coil fold 3 more times at 10-minute intervals to strengthen gluten.
  6. First Rise: Drizzle about 2 tablespoons olive oil over dough and bowl to prevent sticking. Cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel. Let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1½ hours or refrigerate overnight.
  7. Prepare Pan and Dough: Remove plastic wrap, gently move the bowl to open bubbles and allow dough to breathe. Coat a 9″x13″ baking pan with 3 tablespoons melted butter. Transfer the dough to the pan; it may deflate slightly, which is normal.
  8. Add Cinnamon Sugar Filling: Mix 1 tablespoon cinnamon with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, sprinkle evenly over dough. Fold dough into thirds to seal cinnamon sugar inside, rotate 90°, and flip so the smooth side is up.
  9. Second Rise: For room temperature rise, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm spot for at least 1 hour until dough stretches to pan corners. For refrigerated dough, bring to room temperature (2-4 hours) until no longer cold and springs back when pressed.
  10. Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C).
  11. Make Cream Cheese Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese and softened butter on high speed for 1-2 minutes. Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar; mix until smooth and fluffy.
  12. Make Cinnamon Sugar Butter Glaze: In a small saucepan over low-medium heat, melt butter with cinnamon and sugar until mixed well. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  13. Slice and Indent Dough: After the second rise, cut dough in the pan into 12 equal sections with a bench scraper or sharp knife. Coat fingertips with oil and press into dough to create dimples and bubbles over surface.
  14. Apply Glaze and Bake: Pour the cinnamon sugar butter glaze evenly over dough, letting it pool in indentations and cuts. Bake on center rack for 20-22 minutes until puffy and golden, taking care to avoid burning glaze.
  15. Cool and Frost: Let focaccia rest in pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. While still warm, spread cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Use a digital scale for accurate flour measurement in grams to ensure consistency.
  • If using active dry yeast, be sure to activate it properly in warm water before mixing with dry ingredients.
  • Softening cream cheese and butter at room temperature prevents clumps in frosting.
  • The stretch and fold technique strengthens gluten without kneading; be patient for best dough texture.
  • Allow dough to fully come to room temperature after refrigeration for optimal rise and texture.
  • Use oil on fingertips to prevent dough sticking when making dimples.
  • Adjust powdered sugar in frosting according to preferred sweetness.

Keywords: Overnight focaccia, cinnamon roll focaccia, sweet focaccia bread, cinnamon sugar bread, cream cheese frosting focaccia, breakfast bread, brunch recipe

Find it online: https://cheframiflavor.com/overnight-cinnamon-roll-focaccia-recipe/