Description
Turn traditional focaccia into a sweet, swirled loaf that eats like a cross between a cinnamon roll and a rustic breakfast bread. Fluffy interior, sticky cinnamon ribbons, and golden edges—perfect for brunch, dessert, or grazing with coffee.
Ingredients
Scale
For the dough
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1½ cups warm water (about 110°F / 45°C)
- 2 teaspoons honey or granulated sugar
- 3¾ cups all-purpose flour (≈470 g)
- 1½ teaspoons fine salt
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus extra for the pan and drizzling)
For the cinnamon ribbon
- ½ cup packed brown sugar (≈100 g)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (or olive oil for dairy-free)
Optional finish
- Extra cinnamon-sugar to sprinkle, or
- A simple glaze: ½ cup powdered sugar + 1–2 tsp milk
Instructions
- Wake the yeast. Mix the warm water with the honey (or sugar), sprinkle on the yeast, and wait until it bubbles up — about 5–10 minutes. That foam means the yeast is ready.
- Form the dough. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the foamy yeast mixture and the olive oil. Stir until the mixture comes together, then knead briefly by hand or with a mixer until the dough feels smooth and slightly tacky.
- First rise. Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough inside, cover, and leave it to puff up until roughly doubled — usually 60–90 minutes depending on room temp.
- Make the filling. Stir brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until the mix looks like wet sand. Set aside.
- Shape on the pan. Oil a baking sheet well. Press the risen dough out to the sheet—gently stretch it to fit. Use your fingertips to create deep dimples across the surface.
- Add the swirl. Spread the cinnamon mixture thinly over the dough. Use a knife or spatula to drag through the sugar in loose swirls so you create marbled streaks—not a uniform smear. (Want jammy bites? Dollop small spoonfuls of jam into a few dimples.)
- Second rise. Let the shaped dough rest while the oven heats—20–30 minutes—so it puffs a bit more. Preheat to 425°F (220°C).
- Bake. Drizzle a little olive oil on top and bake 20–25 minutes, until the top turns a warm golden brown and the edges crisp slightly.
- Finish. Cool a few minutes, then dust with extra cinnamon-sugar or drizzle the glaze. Slice warm and serve.
Notes
- Use warm, not hot, water to activate yeast—too-hot water kills it.
- Dimple generously; those pockets catch the cinnamon ribbons and create texture.
- Don’t over-swirl. Keep visible cinnamon veins instead of mixing the sugar into one brown blob.
- Chill for more flavor: refrigerate the dough overnight after the first rise for deeper taste.
- Bold tip: Bake on a metal sheet for crispier edges.