A hand holding a piece of jelly donut pull-apart focaccia, highlighting its soft, glazed surface, with a baking tray of dough pieces in the background.

Jelly Donut Pull-Apart Focaccia (Viral Sourdough Recipe!)

Transform your sourdough into glazed jelly donuts! This viral pull-apart focaccia features soft, fluffy pieces coated in crunchy sugar, filled with raspberry jam, and drizzled with a hardening vanilla glaze. Each piece pulls apart like a mini jelly donut – perfect for brunch or dessert!

Prep Time: 30 minutes
First Rise: 8-12 hours
Second Rise: 2 hours
Bake Time: 25-30 minutes
Total Time: ~15 hours

OPTION 1: Night Before Evening: mix dough → proof overnight at room temp → morning: shape balls, dip & arrange → proof 1-2 hours → bake & ice
OPTION 2: Day Before Morning: mix dough → proof all day → evening: shape balls, dip & arrange → cover well & refrigerate overnight → next morning: bring to room temp 1-2 hours → bake & ice
Both ways = same delicious result! Pick what works for YOUR schedule. Follow the timing AND signs of complete proofing in the recipe

Why You’ll Love This Jelly Donut Focaccia

This jelly donut pull-apart focaccia is the third installment in my viral focaccia series, and it might be the best one yet!

Imagine this: soft sourdough pieces coated in crunchy sugar, filled with sweet raspberry jam, and glazed like a classic donut. The glaze hardens into that perfect crackly shell just like your favorite bakery donut. Each piece pulls apart easily and reveals jam oozing from the center. Pure heaven!

What makes this recipe truly special is how it captures everything we love about jelly donuts without any frying. The overnight sourdough fermentation creates incredibly soft, fluffy bread. The sugar coating adds texture, the jam brings that nostalgic jelly donut flavor, and the hardening glaze? Chef’s kiss! It’s exactly like biting into a fresh glazed donut from your favorite bakery.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Sweet Sourdough Dough:

500g (4 cups) bread flour
400g (1¾ cups) water, room temperature
75g (⅓ cup) active sourdough starter, fed and bubbly
8g (1½ teaspoons) salt
20g (1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) sugar
10g (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
14g (1 tablespoon) melted butter

For the Pan:

28g (2 tablespoons) melted butter

For the Vanilla Butter Dip:

85g (6 tablespoons) butter, melted
5g (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

For the Sugar Coating:

200g (1 cup) granulated sugar
15-20g (2 to 3 tablespoons) cornstarch

For the Jelly Filling:

340g (1 cup) raspberry jam, seedless (or strawberry, grape, or mixed berry)

For the Vanilla Glaze:

• 90g (¾ cup) powdered sugar
• 22-30g (1½ to 2 tablespoons) milk
• 2.5g (½ teaspoon) vanilla extract

How to Make Jelly Donut Pull-Apart Focaccia

Three stage process of making jelly donut pull-apart focaccia showing proofed dough, dimpled dough, and finished glazed bread — The transformation from proofed to perfection! Watch how the sugar-coated dough balls rise, get filled with raspberry jam, and become glossy glazed jelly donuts.

Day 1: Make the Sweet Sourdough Dough

Step 1: Mix the dough
In a large bowl, combine water, active sourdough starter, sugar, vanilla extract, and melted butter. Mix until combined. Add the flour and salt, then mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be sticky and shaggy – this is perfect for creating that soft donut texture.

Step 2: Rest
Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

Step 3: Stretch and fold
Perform one set of stretch and folds to build strength. Wet your hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat 4-6 times total until you’ve worked around the entire dough ball.

Step 4: Bulk fermentation (room temperature proof)
Cover the bowl and let the dough proof at room temperature for 8-12 hours, or until at least doubled in size. Look for a domed top, visible bubbles throughout, and a puffy, jiggly texture. The exact time will depend on your kitchen temperature and starter strength.

Day 2: Shape, Rise, and Bake

Step 5: Prepare your pan
Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Pour 28g (2 tablespoons) of melted butter into the bottom of the pan and spread it around evenly. This creates a golden bottom and prevents sticking.

Step 6: Prepare vanilla butter
Melt 85g butter and stir in 5g vanilla extract. Set aside in a bowl for dipping.

Step 7: Prepare sugar coating
In a shallow bowl or plate, whisk together granulated sugar and cornstarch. The cornstarch prevents clumping and keeps the coating dry during the rise. This creates that classic donut sugar coating and helps keep the dough from resticking together.

Step 8: Shape into balls
Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface. Divide and shape into approximately 20 equal-sized balls. You can adjust to make them as large or small as you want. Use a bench scraper for easy separation.

Step 9: Dip and coat
Dip each ball into the vanilla butter, allowing excess to drip off, then roll in the granulated sugar mixture.

Step 10: Arrange in pan
Place the sugar coated dough balls in the prepared pan, arranging them directly next to each other. They should fill the entire 9×13 inch pan snugly, this creates the perfect pull-apart effect as they rise and bake together.

Step 11: Second rise
Cover and let rise for about 2 hours at room temperature, or until puffy and the balls have grown together into one cohesive pull-apart bread.

Step 12: Bake
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) with the rack positioned in the lower third of the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. The internal temperature should reach about 190-200°F for perfectly baked bread. The lower rack helps the bottom get golden while preventing the sugar from over-browning on top.

Step 13: Cool slightly
Let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. You want it warm but not scorching hot for the next steps.

Fill and Glaze

Piping raspberry jam into warm jelly donut focaccia pieces using a piping bag — Pro tip: Fill with jam while the bread is still warm! This helps the jelly flow into every nook and cranny for better distribution throughout each piece.

Step 14: Prepare jam
Transfer raspberry jam into a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. Make sure your jam is smooth enough to pipe easily.

Step 15: Poke holes
Using your piping tip, thick straw, chopstick, or the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes into each piece of warm focaccia, going about ¾ of the way down. Make the holes big enough to fill generously with jam. The warmth of the bread makes this step much easier!

Step 16: Fill with jam
Pipe approximately 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam into each hole (about 20 teaspoons total). Don’t be shy, fill them up! The warmth of the bread helps the jelly spread into every nook and cranny, creating better distribution throughout each piece. You’ll see the jam filling the inside beautifully.

Step 17: Make glaze
Whisk together powdered sugar, milk (starting with 22g), and vanilla extract until smooth. Add more milk if needed to reach a drizzling consistency, you want it thick but pourable.

Step 18: Glaze
Generously drizzle the vanilla glaze over the entire focaccia while it’s still slightly warm. Make sure every piece gets covered. The glaze will start to harden as it cools, creating that iconic crackly donut shell.

Step 19: Set
Let the glaze set for 20-30 minutes before serving. This allows it to harden into that perfect glossy, crackly donut shell.

Step 20: Serve
Pull apart and enjoy! Each piece is like a mini glazed jelly donut with jam oozing from the center.

Pouring vanilla glaze over jelly donut pull-apart focaccia from a white measuring cup — The final touch, that iconic hardening vanilla glaze! Pour it generously over the warm focaccia and watch it transform into authentic glazed donuts as it sets.

Hand holding glazed jelly donut focaccia piece showing fluffy interior texture and jam filling

Print Recipe

Jelly Donut Pull-Apart Focaccia

Transform your sourdough into glazed jelly donuts! This viral pull-apart focaccia features soft, fluffy pieces coated in crunchy sugar, filled with raspberry jam, and drizzled with a hardening vanilla glaze. Each piece pulls apart like a mini jelly donut, perfect for brunch or dessert!

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: enriched sourdough, glazed donut, jelly donut, pull-apart bread, viral recipe

Servings: 20

Calories: 180kcal

Author: Noelle Reed

Ingredients

Sweet Sourdough Dough:

500 g bread flour
400 g water room temperature
75 g active sourdough starter fed and bubbly
8 g salt
20 g sugar
10 g vanilla extract
14 g melted butter

For the Pan:

28 g butter melted

Vanilla Butter Dip:

85 g butter melted
5 g vanilla extract

Sugar Coating:

200 g granulated sugar
15-20 g cornstarch

Jelly Filling:

340 g seedless raspberry jam or strawberry, grape, or mixed berry

Vanilla Glaze:

90 g powdered sugar
22-30 g milk
2.5 g vanilla extract

Instructions

Day 1: Make the Sweet Sourdough Dough

Mix the dough: In a large bowl, combine water, active sourdough starter, sugar, vanilla extract, and melted butter. Mix until combined. Add the flour and salt, then mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be sticky and shaggy.
Rest: Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

Stretch and fold: Perform one set of stretch and folds to build strength. Wet your hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat 4-6 times total until you’ve worked around the entire dough ball.
Bulk fermentation: Cover the bowl and let the dough proof at room temperature for 8-12 hours, or until at least doubled in size. Look for a domed top, visible bubbles throughout, and a puffy, jiggly texture. The exact time will depend on your kitchen temperature and starter strength.

Day 2: Shape, Rise, and Bake

Prepare your pan: Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Pour 28g (2 tablespoons) of melted butter into the bottom of the pan and spread it around evenly.

Prepare vanilla butter: Melt 85g butter and stir in 5g vanilla extract. Set aside in a bowl for dipping.
Prepare sugar coating: In a shallow bowl or plate, whisk together granulated sugar and cornstarch. The cornstarch prevents clumping and keeps the coating dry during the rise.
Shape into balls: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide and shape into approximately 20 equal-sized balls. You can pick whatever size you'd like. Use a bench scraper for ease.

Dip and coat: Dip each ball into the vanilla butter, allowing excess to drip off, then roll in the granulated sugar mixture.
Arrange in pan: Place the sugar-coated dough balls in the prepared pan, arranging them directly next to each other. They should fill the entire 9×13 inch pan snugly.
Second rise: Cover and let rise for 2 hours at room temperature, or until puffy and the balls have grown together into one cohesive pull-apart bread.

Bake: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) with the rack positioned in the lower third of the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. The internal temperature should reach about 190-200°F. The lower rack helps the bottom get golden while preventing the sugar from over-browning on top.
Cool slightly: Let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. You want it warm but not scorching hot for the next steps.

Fill and Glaze

Prepare jam: Transfer raspberry jam into a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped off.

Poke holes: Using a thick straw, chopstick, or the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes into each piece of warm focaccia, going about 3/4 of the way down. The warmth of the bread makes this step much easier!
Fill with jam: Pipe approximately 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam into each hole (about 20 teaspoons total). The warmth of the bread helps the jelly spread into every nook and cranny, creating better distribution throughout each piece.
Make glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, milk (starting with 22g), and vanilla extract until smooth. Add more milk if needed to reach a drizzling consistency – you want it thick but pourable.

Glaze: Generously drizzle the vanilla glaze over the entire focaccia while it’s still warm. Make sure every piece gets covered. The glaze will start to harden as it cools, creating that iconic crackly donut shell.
Set: Let the glaze set for 20-30 minutes before serving. This allows it to harden into that perfect glossy, crackly donut shell.

Serve:

Pull apart and enjoy! Each piece is like a mini glazed jelly donut with jam oozing from the center.

Notes

OPTION 1: Night Before Evening: mix dough → proof overnight at room temp → morning: shape balls, dip & arrange → proof 1-2 hours → bake & ice

OPTION 2: Day Before Morning: mix dough → proof all day → evening: shape balls, dip & arrange → cover well & refrigerate overnight → next morning: bring to room temp 1-2 hours → bake & ice

Both ways = same delicious result! Pick what works for YOUR schedule
Follow the timing AND signs of complete proofing in the recipe

– Use seedless jam for easier piping and a smoother texture

– Poke holes while warm – it’s much easier than when cool, and the warmth helps the jam spread throughout

– Fill with jam while warm – this helps the jelly get into every nook and cranny for better distribution

– The glaze will be messy – embrace it! That’s part of the jelly donut experience

– Don’t skip the cornstarch in the sugar coating – it prevents clumping during the rise

– Watch your baking time – the sugar can brown quickly, so check at 25 minutes

– Use a piping bag for the jam – it makes filling so much easier and neater

– Best eaten the day of making while fresh and warm

– Leftovers can be stored covered at room temperature for 1 day, but the glaze may soften

No Sourdough Starter? Use Yeast Instead!

Don’t have sourdough starter? You can use instant yeast instead! Here’s what to do:

Replace this:

75g active sourdough starter

With this:

37g (about ¼ cup) all-purpose flour
37g (about 2½ tablespoons) water (room temp or warm 100-110°F)
7g (2¼ teaspoons) instant yeast

What changes:

If you are worried about wet dough? Start with decreasing the water to 360g(1.5 cups) in the recipe. Experienced bakers can stick with the 400g.
Mix the yeast right in with the flour and water at the beginning (same as you would with starter)

Bulk fermentation takes only 2-3 hours instead of 8-12 hours
Look for the dough to double in size and become puffy and jiggly

Everything else stays exactly the same – same mixing, same stretch and fold, same shaping, coating, second rise, and baking!

Expert Tips for Perfect Jelly Donut Focaccia

Use seedless jam for easier piping and a smoother texture

Poke holes while warm – it’s much easier than when cool, and the warmth helps the jam spread throughout
Fill with jam while warm – this helps the jelly get into every nook and cranny for better distribution
The glaze will be messy – embrace it! That’s part of the jelly donut experience

The glaze hardens beautifully into that classic crackly donut shell, just like a bakery!
Don’t skip the cornstarch in the sugar coating, it prevents clumping during the rise
Watch your baking time – the sugar can brown quickly, so check at 25 minutes

Use a piping bag for the jam, it makes filling so much easier and neater

Cross-section of jelly donut focaccia pieces showing raspberry jam filling inside glazed bread — The best part? That gorgeous jam filling in every bite! The warm bread helps the jelly spread into every nook and cranny for maximum flavor.

Jam Flavor Variations to Try

While raspberry is the classic jelly donut flavor, you can experiment with different jams to create your own signature version:

Raspberry – Classic jelly donut flavor with the perfect sweet and tart balance (my favorite!)

Strawberry – Sweet, popular, and loved by kids
Grape – Nostalgic and traditional American jelly donut flavor
Mixed berry – Complex flavor profile with multiple berry notes
Cherry – Bold and fruity with a beautiful red color
Apricot – Sophisticated and slightly tangy

Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions

This jelly donut pull-apart focaccia is best eaten the day of making while fresh and warm. The glaze and jam keep everything moist and delicious for several hours. Leftovers can be stored covered at room temperature for 1 day, but the glaze may soften. For best results, enjoy fresh!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use store-bought jam?
Absolutely! Just make sure it’s seedless and smooth enough to pipe. Avoid chunky or preserves-style jams.

Why is my glaze not hardening?
Make sure you’re using powdered sugar (not granulated) and don’t add too much milk. Start with 45g of milk and add more only if needed. The glaze should be thick, it hardens as it cools on the warm bread.

Can I fill these ahead of time?
It’s best to fill with jam right before serving to keep the bread from getting soggy, but you can fill them a few hours ahead if needed. The warmth helps the jam distribute better anyway!

What if I don’t have a piping bag?
Use a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off, or even a spoon to stuff jam into the holes. The piping bag just makes it neater and easier.

Can I freeze these?
Not recommended with the glaze and jam filling. They’re best enjoyed fresh!

My sourdough starter isn’t very active – will this still work?
For best results, use a fed, bubbly, active starter. If your starter is sluggish, the rise times will be longer. Plan for up to 14-16 hours for bulk fermentation if needed.

Can I make this without sourdough starter?

No Sourdough Starter? Use Yeast Instead!

Don’t have sourdough starter? You can use instant yeast instead! Here’s what to do:

Replace this:

75g active sourdough starter

With this:

37g (about ¼ cup) all-purpose flour
37g (about 2½ tablespoons) water (room temp or warm 100-110°F)
7g (2¼ teaspoons) instant yeast

What changes:

If you are worried about wet dough? Start with decreasing the water to 360g(1.5 cups) in the recipe. Experienced bakers can stick with the 400g.
Mix the yeast right in with the flour and water at the beginning (same as you would with starter)

Bulk fermentation takes only 2-3 hours instead of 8-12 hours
Look for the dough to double in size and become puffy and jiggly

Everything else stays exactly the same – same mixing, same stretch and fold, same shaping, coating, second rise, and baking!

Why This Recipe Works

This jelly donut pull-apart focaccia is the perfect marriage of artisan sourdough bread baking and classic American jelly donuts. Here’s what makes it so special:

The overnight room temperature rise develops incredible flavor complexity and creates that signature sourdough tang that balances all the sweetness perfectly. It also develops the gluten structure for soft, fluffy bread that pulls apart beautifully.

The sugar coating with cornstarch creates that authentic donut exterior, sweet, and textured. The cornstarch keeps it from clumping during the second rise, so every piece has that perfect coating.

Filling with jam while warm is a game-changer – the warmth helps the jelly flow into all the nooks and crannies instead of just sitting in a pocket. This means every bite has that delicious jam flavor.

The hardening glaze is what really makes these feel like authentic glazed donuts. Using the right ratio of powdered sugar to milk creates a glaze that sets into a glossy, crackly shell as it cools.

Whether you’re serving this for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, it’s guaranteed to disappear fast. Each pull-apart piece is like eating a warm jelly donut from your favorite bakery – but better, because you made it yourself!

The Idle Hands Pull-Apart Focaccia Series

This jelly donut version is the third recipe in my viral pull-apart focaccia series. If you loved this one, you have to try the others:

A hand holding a piece of cheesy pull-apart bread, with strings of melted cheese stretching from the piece. The focaccia is topped with a golden crust and shows a soft, fluffy interior.

Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Focaccia – Savory, buttery, garlicky perfection.

A hand holding a piece of jelly donut pull-apart focaccia with a vanilla glaze, with a tray of the baked bread in the background.

Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Focaccia – All the flavor of cinnamon rolls in focaccia form

A hand holding a piece of jelly donut pull-apart focaccia, showcasing its golden, glazed top and raspberry filling, with several pieces in a baking tray in the background.

Jelly Donut Pull-Apart Focaccia – You are here! The sweetest addition yet

Each recipe takes the same basic sourdough focaccia technique and transforms it into something completely different and delicious. The pull-apart format makes them perfect for sharing, brunches, parties, or just treating yourself to something special.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been following along with my viral focaccia series, you know I love taking classic sourdough techniques and giving them a creative twist. This jelly donut version might be my favorite yet, it’s indulgent, nostalgic, and absolutely delicious. The combination of soft sourdough, crunchy sugar coating, sweet jam filling, and that iconic hardening glaze creates something truly special.

Put those idle hands to good use and give this recipe a try! I promise it’ll be worth the wait. And when you make it, tag me in your photos. I love seeing your beautiful creations!

Happy baking!