Apple Cinnamon Focaccia
This apple cinnamon focaccia is filled with tender apples, warm cinnamon sugar, and buttery goodness, then finished with a sweet homemade glaze. It has all the cozy flavors of apple pie in a soft, slightly tangy loaf like my artisan sourdough bread recipe, which is perfect for fall breakfasts, afternoon snacks, or dessert. I love making this recipe with apples from our orchard that I've canned for the pantry-learn how to can apples- and it's a delicious way to use sourdough discard-try my easy sourdough starter recipe- or dough that's fermented a little longer than planned.
Quick Look: Apple Cinnamon Focaccia
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 8 hours
- 🍳 Cook Time: 30 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 8 hrs, 30 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 10
- 📊 Calories: ~245 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cook Method: Oven-baked in cast iron skillet.
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Sweet and slightly tangy with tender apple pieces, warm cinnamon, and a soft, airy sourdough crumb.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy – beginner-friendly, simple mixing, shaping, and baking.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- All the flavors of apple pie: This apple cinnamon sourdough focaccia is filled with tender apples and cinnamon sugar, then finished with a sweet glaze. If you love apple desserts, try my apple cinnamon sourdough bread, too.
- A delicious way to use sourdough discard: You can make this focaccia with sourdough discard from your refrigerator or use active starter if that's what you have available.
- Perfect for fall baking: This sweet focaccia makes a wonderful breakfast treat, afternoon snack, or easy dessert to share with family. For another delicious variation, try my sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia
- Great for using home-canned apples: I love using apples from our own orchard that I've preserved for the pantry. Learn how to can apples so you can enjoy homemade apple treats throughout the year.
- Simple and flexible: Focaccia is a forgiving sourdough recipe, and the dough can be adapted to fit your schedule. It's a delicious option when your dough has fermented longer than expected and you want to turn it into something special.
- Sourdough discard: If your starter needs a little attention before your next baking project, learn how to maintain a healthy sourdough starter.
Ingredients
For a full list of ingredients needed to make this recipe, see the recipe card below.
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How To Make Apple Cinnamon Focaccia
Step 1: Mix the Dough. In a large bowl, combine water, sourdough starter, maple syrup, and flour. Mix with a Danish dough whisk until a shaggy dough forms. Add salt now or during the first stretch and fold.
Step 2: Rest the Dough. Let the dough rest for 15–30 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the water. Then perform a set of stretch-and-folds or a coil fold to mix everything well.
Step 3: Bulk Ferment. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 3–8 hours. Focaccia dough can be slightly over-fermented.
Step 4: Prepare the Filling. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Melt the butter and grease a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or 9 × 13-inch pan, reserving about half the butter for the topping.
Step 5: Fill the Dough. Transfer the dough to the greased pan. Sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar mixture over the dough, fold both sides toward the center to enclose the filling, then flip and gently spread the dough back out.
Step 6: Add the Toppings. Let the dough rise in a warm spot for 1–2 hours or refrigerate overnight. Chop the apples into small pieces. Drizzle the reserved melted butter over the dough and top with the remaining cinnamon sugar and apples. Dimple the dough with wet fingers.
Step 7: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Step 8: Glaze and Serve. Mix powdered sugar and milk to make a thick glaze. Drizzle over the warm focaccia. Let cool before slicing, if you can wait! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Tips for Making Apple Cinnamon Focaccia
- Let the focaccia cool before slicing for cleaner cuts, if you can wait!
- Use a strong, active sourdough starter or sourdough discard.
- Chop apples into small pieces so they soften while baking. Home-canned apples work great, too.
- Let the dough ferment until bubbly and stretchy. Focaccia is forgiving if the dough ferments a little longer.
- For an overnight second rise, cover the dough and refrigerate it after shaping.
- Grease the pan generously with butter to prevent sticking and add flavor.
- Use wet fingers when dimpling the dough to keep it from sticking.
- Drizzle the glaze over the focaccia while it's still warm.
Apple Cinnamon Focaccia FAQs
Yes! You can use sourdough discard or active sourdough starter for this recipe. Keep in mind that older or less active discard may take longer to ferment, so watch the dough rather than relying only on the clock.
Yes! Home-canned apples work wonderfully in this recipe. Drain them well and chop them into small pieces before adding them to the dough.
Yes! After adding the filling and shaping the dough in the pan, cover it and refrigerate overnight for the second rise. The next day, add the toppings if needed and bake according to the recipe, allowing the dough to warm up slightly if it is still very cold.
Focaccia dough is naturally wet and sticky because of its high hydration. Use wet hands when folding and dimpling the dough, and generously grease your baking pan to make handling easier.
Yes, but focaccia is more forgiving than many sourdough loaves. If the dough becomes very loose, weak, or starts collapsing, it may be over-fermented. For best results, watch for bubbles and a light, airy texture during bulk fermentation.
Bake at 425°F for 25–30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is fully baked. If the top browns too quickly, check the center before removing it from the oven.
Store leftover focaccia in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Warm individual pieces before serving for a soft texture and delicious cinnamon aroma.
Yes! Allow the focaccia to cool completely, then slice it into portions and freeze in an airtight freezer-safe container or bag. For best texture, freeze without the glaze and add fresh glaze after thawing and warming.
Other Delicious Sourdough Recipes
If you try this recipe and love it, please come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @wagonwheelhomestead21. I can’t wait to see what all you make!
Apple Cinnamon Focaccia
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Measuring cups
- 1 Danish whisk
- 1 Bench scraper
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 12” cast iron skillet or 9” x 13” glass pan
Ingredients
- ½ cup sourdough starter (discard)
- 1 ¼ cups warm water
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 3 ½ cups cups flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
Filling/Topping
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 Tbl cinnamon
Additional Ingredients
- ½ cup melted butter
- 4 cups chopped apples
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Mix Ingredients
- Add water, sourdough starter, maple syrup, and flour to a large bowl. Mix with a Danish dough whisk until a shaggy dough forms. Add salt now or during the first stretch and fold. Let rest for 15–30 minutes, then perform a set of stretch and folds or a coil fold to mix well.
Bulk Fermentation
- Cover bowl with a loose fitting lid like a plate and leave it in the bowl at room temperature for 3-8 hours to let the dough rise in a bulk ferment. It doesn’t matter if it over ferments, in fact that’s really what you want for focaccia.
Make The Filling
- Mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Melt butter and grease a 12-inch cast iron skillet or 9 × 13-inch pan, reserving half the butter.Transfer dough to the pan. Spread half the cinnamon sugar over the dough, fold both sides toward the center to enclose the filling, then flip and gently spread the dough back out.Let rise in a warm spot for 1–2 hours or refrigerate overnight. Chop apples into small pieces. Drizzle the reserved melted butter over the dough and top with remaining cinnamon sugar and apples. Dimple the dough with wet fingers.Preheat oven to 425°F.
Bake
- Bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Glaze
- Combine powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl to make a thick glaze and drizzle over the top of the warm focaccia.
Slice and Enjoy
- Let the focaccia cool before slicing, if you can wait! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.If you make this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating to help others find it, too. Happy baking, friends!
Notes
- Chop apples into small pieces so they soften while baking. Home-canned apples work great, too.
- Use wet fingers to dimple the dough without sticking.
- Let the dough rise in a warm spot for 1–2 hours or refrigerate overnight for the second rise.
- Grease the pan generously with butter to prevent sticking.
- Let the focaccia cool before slicing for cleaner cuts.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
I didn’t use all the filling/topping or. Apples. Tbh but turned out yummy… question , do you cool in cast iron or take out to cool?
I just let it cool in the cast iron pan.
I just made this and it was absolutely honeybunalicious! Nice and soft and gooey. I may have used a little more butter than called for and mixed it up with the last half of the cinnamon and sugar mixture so it was like a cinnamon/sugar syrup then poured it over top where it soaked in and around the dough. Oh sooooo good!!
Oh yum!!!!
If you do not have sourdough starter then how much yeast?
I would use 2 Tablespoons.
My family loved this! I think it would be very forgiving and customizable depending on how much butter/sugar/apples you want to use. Will see how well we like it tomorrow when it’s day old and refrigerated but I expect my family will love it just as much as day 1.
Yes, and you can always mist it with a little water and then warm it up in the oven so it tastes fresh baked!
This was tasty but I only used half the filling and half the butter and I'm glad I made that choice. When I first made the recipe as written I realized after a few hours it wasn't rising at all and needed fresh yeast. I added a couple of teaspoons of yeast activated in a little water with a touch of maple syrup and blended it into the dough. Finally a few hours later I got rise! The finished dish was a hit at Bible study.
This recipe doesn't have a leavening agent. I used sourdough discard and I'm now realizing the recipe probably meant active starter. And just one set of stretch and fold? I'm going to try and add some yeast to save all the ingredients I used in this. 🤷 Thank goodness I don't need it for two days. 🤦♀️
No, there is no leavening agent needed even if you use discard. If given enough time to rise, even discard will leaven a recipe. However, for this recipe it doesn't really need to rise much because it's a flatter bread. Hope that makes sense. If you added yeast, that's fine, but it may make the bread rise too fast. The original recipe is correct.