If you have been following along here for a while, you know that last summer I developed one of my all time favorite recipes, a banana bread sourdough focaccia with cinnamon swirls and a vanilla drizzle, and I honestly still think about it all the time. It was soft and pillowy with that deep banana flavor running through every bite, and it was the kind of bake that made me stop in the middle of a slice just to stare at it, so it landed in my personal top three without any question at all.
Naturally, the very next thought was what would happen if I turned it into a pull-apart, and that is exactly what this recipe is. It uses the same banana bread dough I fell in love with, now pulled into individual pieces, dipped in vanilla butter, rolled generously in cinnamon sugar with a hint of nutmeg, proofed until poofy, dimpled, baked until deeply golden, and finished with a cream cheese icing that melts right into every crevice. The result lands somewhere between banana bread, monkey bread, and a cinnamon roll, and it has earned its own spot right next to the original.
The technique is the same one I use for every recipe in my pull-apart focaccia series, and it works every single time because the dough does all of the hard work while you sleep. By morning, all you are doing is pulling off pieces and rolling them, which makes it approachable and forgiving with a payoff that feels far bigger than the effort you put in. If you do not keep a sourdough starter, there is a same day yeast version right here in this post as well.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- The banana is baked into the dough. Real mashed banana goes right into the dough rather than sitting on top, so the flavor runs through every single piece instead of just the surface.
- The dough is made in one bowl with no kneading. A single set of stretch and folds is the hardest part of the sourdough version, and then you walk away for the night.
- Shaping is simple and actually fun. You pull pieces straight off the dough, dip and roll them, and drop them in the pan without ever reaching for a rolling pin.
- Every layer is doing something. The banana in the dough, the nutmeg in the cinnamon sugar, the vanilla butter, and the icing each bring their own flavor, and together they taste like a bakery treat.
- It pulls apart beautifully. Each piece stays distinct enough to pull free while baking into its neighbors, which gives you that signature pull-apart texture.
- You get to choose sourdough or yeast. The overnight sourdough version builds the deepest flavor, and the same day yeast version gets it on the table in an afternoon.
Ingredients Overview
Every exact amount lives in the recipe cards below, so this section is all about why each ingredient is there and what it does for the finished focaccia.
Bread flour is essential here, because its higher protein content builds the gluten structure that gives each piece its chew and hold, which matters when you are shaping individual pieces rather than spreading the dough flat in a pan.
Frozen bananas, fully defrosted, are the key ingredient in this recipe. Freezing breaks down the cell walls of the banana, which intensifies the flavor and releases far more liquid as the bananas thaw, and that extra liquid is what keeps the dough tender with an almost custardy interior. Because every banana is a different size, the recipe is written around a total liquid target rather than a banana weight, so you weigh your bananas and top them up with water until you reach the total listed in the card.
Active sourdough starter brings the rise in the sourdough version and adds depth to the dough without overwhelming the banana, and it should be fed and bubbly at its peak before you begin. The yeast version swaps the starter for instant or active dry yeast and follows my same day dough method instead.
Brown sugar in the dough adds a gentle caramel sweetness that keeps the dough from tasting flat without pushing it into dessert territory before it ever hits the pan, while vanilla extract works with the banana to create that familiar banana bread warmth.
Butter and vanilla are stirred together for the dip, which coats every piece, carries the cinnamon sugar, and creates the caramelized outside during baking.
Brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg make up the coating, and the brown sugar caramelizes better than granulated sugar while adding a deeper molasses note that pairs so well with banana. The nutmeg stays out of the dough entirely on purpose, which keeps the dough clean and banana forward while the spice sits on the outside of each piece where it can caramelize into a crust that contrasts with the soft interior.
For the finish, you have two options, a classic vanilla glaze or a cream cheese icing, and both are in the recipe cards with more on choosing between them further down.
What If I Do Not Have Frozen Bananas?
Frozen bananas are the gold standard for this recipe, and if you already toss overripe bananas in the freezer the way so many bakers do, you are all set. If you do not have any on hand, though, the oven method is the closest shortcut and works much better than using a banana that is simply ripe.
Baking whole, unpeeled bananas until the skins turn completely black and the fruit feels soft forces the moisture out and softens the flesh in a similar way to freezing, which gives you a much more liquid, mashable banana. The oven temperature and timing are in the recipe card notes, and the bananas need to cool completely before they go into the dough, since hot liquid can hurt your starter or your yeast.
Start with yellow bananas rather than green ones, because green bananas have not developed enough sugar or flavor yet and the oven will not fix that. Whatever you do, avoid a firm or only slightly ripe banana, since it will not release enough liquid and the dough will bake up noticeably denser and less tender, so the blacker and more liquid the banana, the better your focaccia will be.
The Sourdough Recipe
This is the original version, and the long overnight fermentation does something to this dough that a quick rise cannot fully replicate. As the dough ferments slowly at room temperature, the wild yeast in the starter works through the flour gradually and develops a depth of flavor that makes the finished bread taste like it took real effort, even though you spent most of that time asleep.
For a banana bread dough in particular, that slow fermentation deepens the banana flavor rather than competing with it, so you get a clean, mellow sweetness that lets the banana and vanilla come through clearly. There is a practical benefit as well, because by morning the gluten has had time to relax and develop, and the dough stretches and shapes smoothly even with all of that banana moisture in it. Use a fed, bubbly starter at its peak for the best rise, and if you need a starter, my Minimal Waste Sourdough Starter guide walks you through making one from scratch.
Banana Bread Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- kitchen scale
- 9×13 inch aluminum baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Small bowl for vanilla butter
- Shallow bowl for cinnamon sugar coating
- Plastic wrap or damp towel
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 500 grams bread flour (4 cups plus 2 tablespoons, spooned and leveled)
- 2 large frozen bananas fully defrosted to room temperature
- Water, as needed to bring the bananas to 375 g total liquid (see notes)
- 75 grams active sourdough starter fed and bubbly 1/3 cup
- 15 grams brown sugar (1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon)
- 10 grams vanilla extract (2 1/2 teaspoons)
- 10 grams salt (1 3/4 teaspoons)
For the Vanilla Butter Dip
- 85 grams butter melted (6 tablespoons)
- 5 grams vanilla extract (1 1/4 teaspoons)
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 150 grams brown sugar packed (2/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons)
- 12 grams ground cinnamon 1 and 1/2 tablespoons
- 1 grams ground nutmeg 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon
Optional
- 100 grams walnuts or pecans coarsely crushed, (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
For the Classic Vanilla Glaze
- 180 grams powdered sugar 1 and 1/2 cups
- 45 grams whole milk or heavy cream 3 tablespoons
- 5 grams vanilla extract (1 1/4 teaspoons)
- pinch of salt
For the Cream Cheese Icing
- 113 grams full-fat cream cheese softened 1/2 cup
- 120 grams powdered sugar sifted 1 cup
- 45 to 60 grams heavy cream 3 to 4 tablespoons
- 5 grams vanilla extract (1 1/4 teaspoons)
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Day 1 Evening: Mix the Dough
- Weigh your defrosted bananas directly in your large mixing bowl, then add enough room temperature water to bring the total liquid weight to 375 grams. Mash until no large chunks remain. The mixture will be loose and liquid, which is exactly right
- Add the sourdough starter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix until combined.
- Add the bread flour and salt. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until no dry flour remains. The dough will be sticky and shaggy. This is normal.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and let the dough rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, perform one set of stretch and folds to build strength in the dough. With wet hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat until you have worked all the way around the dough.
- Cover the bowl again and let the dough bulk ferment at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours overnight, until it has at least doubled in size and looks bubbly and puffy.
Day 2 Morning: Shape, Proof, and Bake
- Line your 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Melt the 85 grams of butter for the vanilla butter dip and let it cool slightly before stirring in the 5 grams of vanilla extract. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
- Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a shallow bowl for the coating.
- Lightly oil your work surface and turn the dough out. The dough should look bubbly and feel soft and airy.
- Working with oiled or wet hands, pull off a golf ball-sized piece of dough. Dip it into the vanilla butter, let the excess drip off, then roll it generously in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated.
- Place the coated ball in the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining dough, leaving a small gap between each ball. They will expand and connect during the second proof.
- Cover the pan and let the dough balls proof at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, until poofy, almost doubled, and jiggling when you shake the pan gently.
- During the last 30 minutes of proofing, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Put the rack in the center of the oven.
- Press one dimple into the top of each ball with your finger just before baking.
- If adding nuts, sprinkle the crushed walnuts or pecans evenly over the top of the pan now. They will caramelize from the oven heat and sit beautifully on top of each ball.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees F (93 degrees C). Check the bottom at about 22 minutes, and if it is coloring too quickly, slide a second baking sheet underneath for the rest of the bake.
- Let the focaccia cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before adding icing.
Make the Vanilla Glaze
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk or cream, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. Add more milk a little at a time if needed to reach a drizzleable consistency.
- Drizzle generously over the warm focaccia and serve immediately.
OR Make the Cream Cheese Icing
- Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth, then add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time and mix until the icing is smooth and pourable but still thick enough to coat the tops of the balls.
- Drizzle or spread over the warm focaccia and serve immediately.
Notes
The Yeast Recipe
If you do not keep a sourdough starter, you can make this exact banana bread pull-apart focaccia with instant or active dry yeast and have it ready the same day. The bananas, the vanilla butter dip, the cinnamon sugar coating, the shaping, the bake, and both icing options all stay the same, and the only things that change are the leavening and the timeline.
The yeast version is built on my Same Day Focaccia dough, so instead of one set of stretch and folds followed by an overnight rise, the dough gets three sets of stretch and folds spaced about 30 minutes apart and then a much shorter rise. Those folds build the strength that the long sourdough fermentation would normally develop on its own, which is what gives you a soft, airy crumb in just a few hours, and the full method for both instant and active dry yeast is in the printable card below.
Banana Bread Pull-Apart Focaccia (Yeast)
Equipment
- Digital Kitchen Scale
- Large mixing bowl
- Instant read thermometer
- 9×13 inch baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Small Bowl
- Shallow bowl
- Plastic wrap or lid
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 500 g bread flour 4 cups plus 2 tablespoons, spooned and leveled
- 2 large frozen bananas fully defrosted to room temperature
- Warm water as needed to bring the bananas to 375 g total liquid (see notes)
- 5 g instant yeast 1 1/2 teaspoons OR 6 g active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
- 15 g brown sugar packed (1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon)
- 10 g vanilla extract 2 1/2 teaspoons
- 9 g fine sea salt 1 1/2 teaspoons
For the Vanilla Butter Dip
- 85 g butter melted (6 tablespoons)
- 5 g vanilla extract for the butter dip 1 1/4 teaspoons
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 150 g brown sugar for the coating packed (2/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons)
- 12 g ground cinnamon 1 1/2 tablespoons
- 1 to 2 g ground nutmeg 1/2 to 1 teaspoon
Optional Topping
- 100 g walnuts or pecans coarsely crushed (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
For the Vanilla Glaze
- 180 g powdered sugar for the glaze 1 1/2 cups
- 45 g whole milk or heavy cream 3 tablespoons
- 5 g vanilla extract for the glaze 1 1/4 teaspoons
- Pinch of salt
OR For the Cream Cheese Icing
- 113 g full fat cream cheese softened (1/2 cup)
- 120 g powdered sugar for the icing sifted (1 cup)
- 45 to 60 g heavy cream for the icing 3 to 4 tablespoons
- 5 g vanilla extract for the icing 1 1/4 teaspoons
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Make the Dough
Instant yeast method.
- Weigh your defrosted bananas directly in the large mixing bowl, then add warm water until the combined weight reaches 375 g, and mash until no large chunks remain. Add the bread flour, brown sugar, and vanilla extract, then place the salt on one side of the bowl and the instant yeast on the other so they do not sit on top of each other. Mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be very wet and sticky, which is exactly right.
Active dry yeast method.
- Weigh your defrosted bananas in the large mixing bowl and mash them, then subtract their weight from 375 g to find how much water you need. Warm that water to 100 to 110°F, stir in the active dry yeast with a pinch of the brown sugar, and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. If it does not foam, start over with fresh yeast. Pour the yeast mixture into the bananas, add the bread flour, remaining brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, and mix until no dry flour remains.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Stretch and fold, set 1.
- With a wet hand, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up as far as it will go without tearing, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat for four folds total. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
Stretch and fold, set 2.
- Repeat the same four folds around the bowl. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
Stretch and fold, set 3.
- Repeat the four folds one more time. The dough should feel noticeably smoother and stronger, and if it still feels slack, give it a fourth set after another 30 minutes.
- Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled, bubbly, and jiggly, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours after the final set. A warm kitchen moves much faster, so watch the dough rather than the clock.
Shape, Proof, and Bake
- While the dough rises, line the 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper.
- Melt the butter and let it cool slightly, then stir in the vanilla extract and pour it into a small bowl.
- In a shallow bowl, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg for the coating.
- Lightly oil your work surface and turn the dough out.
- With oiled hands, pull off a golf ball size piece of dough. Dip it in the vanilla butter, let the excess drip off, then roll it generously in the cinnamon sugar until fully coated.
- Place the coated piece in the prepared pan and repeat with the remaining dough, they will expand and connect as they proof.
- Cover the pan and proof at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, until the pieces are poofy, touching or nearly touching, and jiggle when you gently shake the pan.
- During the last 30 minutes of proofing, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the center.
- Just before baking, press one dimple into the top of each piece with your fingertip.
- If using nuts, sprinkle the crushed walnuts or pecans evenly over the top now.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until deeply golden and the center reaches 200°F (93°C). Check the bottom at about 22 minutes, and if it is coloring too quickly, slide a second baking sheet underneath for the rest of the bake.
- Cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before icing.
Make the Vanilla Glaze
- Whisk the powdered sugar, milk or cream, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth, adding the liquid gradually until the glaze is drizzly. Pour it over the warm focaccia and serve.
OR Make the Cream Cheese Icing
- Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth, then add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Add the heavy cream a tablespoon at a time until the icing is thick but pourable. Drizzle or spread it over the warm focaccia and serve.
Notes
Tips for Success
- Hit the liquid target instead of chasing a banana weight. Weighing the bananas and topping them up with water takes the guesswork out of every batch and keeps the hydration consistent no matter how big your bananas are.
- Give the dough the time it needs. In the sourdough version, the overnight fermentation is where the banana flavor deepens, and in the yeast version, the three sets of folds are what build the structure, so neither step is one to rush or skip.
- Use your starter or yeast at its best. Your starter should have roughly doubled since its last feeding and still be domed, and for the yeast version, the right water temperature depends on your brand, so check the packet and use a thermometer rather than guessing.
- Keep your hands oiled when shaping. This dough is sticky by design, so oil your hands and your work surface instead of adding flour, which would tighten the dough and take away the tender texture you are after.
- Watch the dough, not the clock, on the second proof. The pieces should look poofy, be touching or nearly touching, and jiggle when you gently shake the pan, and an underproofed pan bakes up dense.
- If your pieces spread flat instead of puffing up, the dough most likely went too long on the second proof and lost its structure, so in a warm kitchen start checking well before the low end of the proofing window.
- Check the bottom partway through the bake. The cinnamon sugar can darken quickly against the pan, so lift an edge of the parchment near the end of baking and slide a second sheet pan underneath if the bottom is coloring too fast.
Vanilla Glaze or Cream Cheese Icing?
Both options are in the recipe cards, and the right one really comes down to how you like your sweet breads finished. The classic vanilla glaze is thinner and pourable, so it runs down into the crevices between the pieces, coats everything lightly, and sets up with a slight shine, which makes it the quicker option and the one you see in the video.
The cream cheese icing is thicker and richer, and it tastes a little less sweet thanks to the cream cheese, so it settles over the warm pieces and melts slightly into the tops for that classic cinnamon roll frosting experience. Whichever you choose, let the focaccia cool in the pan for a short while first, because icing poured over a pan straight from the oven runs right off, while icing added to warm bread spreads naturally and settles into every gap.
When and How to Serve
This focaccia is a morning recipe through and through, since you start the sourdough version the night before and have it ready to pull apart by mid morning, which makes it ideal for weekend breakfasts, holiday brunches, or any day you want something special on the table without being up before dawn. It pairs beautifully with a strong cup of coffee or a latte, where the bitterness cuts through the sweetness of the icing in exactly the right way, and for a brunch spread you can set it out alongside fresh fruit and let everyone pull pieces straight from the pan.
It works as a dessert as well, and served slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it becomes a completely different experience from the breakfast version and a surprisingly easy one to pull off for a dinner party. Leftovers warm up beautifully too, and the icing melts a little as the pieces heat, which is honestly even better than fresh.
Make Ahead and Storage
If you want the focaccia fresh from the oven first thing in the morning, you can shape, dip, and coat the pieces, arrange them in the pan, and let the refrigerator hold them overnight. The cold slows the proof way down, so in the morning the pan just needs time on the counter to come back to room temperature and finish puffing before it goes in the oven, and as always, the dough tells you when it is ready rather than the clock.
Leftovers keep covered at room temperature and reheat well in the microwave or the oven. For freezing, bake the focaccia first and freeze it without any icing, since the icing does not thaw well, and then warm it and add fresh icing right before serving so it tastes just baked. The exact timing for the overnight hold, storage, and freezing is in the recipe card notes.
FAQs
Can I use fresh bananas instead of frozen?
You can, but they need to be completely black and mushy rather than just ripe or spotty, because a standard ripe banana will not release enough liquid and the dough will turn out much denser. Frozen and defrosted bananas are strongly preferred since freezing guarantees that liquid release every time, and the oven method is the next best option if you do not have any in the freezer.
Can I make this without a sourdough starter?
Yes, and the yeast version is on this same post in its own recipe card. It is built on my Same Day Focaccia dough with instant or active dry yeast, and it goes from mixing to baking in an afternoon.
My bananas weigh more or less than yours. Does that matter?
Not at all, because the recipe is written around a total liquid target rather than a specific banana weight. Weigh your defrosted bananas, then add enough water to reach the total in the recipe card, and the natural variation in banana size takes care of itself.
Can I use all purpose flour instead of bread flour?
Yes, you can swap all purpose flour in at the same weight. All purpose flour absorbs a little less liquid than bread flour, so hold back a small amount of the water, and expect pieces that are a bit softer with less chew that are still delicious.
Can I microwave the bananas to defrost them?
Yes, as long as they cool down before they go into the dough, since liquid that is too hot can hurt your starter or your yeast. Room temperature or just slightly warm is ideal.
Can I add nuts like in classic banana nut bread?
Yes, and walnuts or pecans are both traditional choices that work beautifully here. Crush them and sprinkle them over the pan right after dimpling so they sit on top and caramelize in the oven instead of getting pushed down into the dough, then ice the focaccia as usual and let the icing run over them. Walnuts give you a more classic banana bread flavor, while pecans are a little sweeter and more buttery, and the amount is in the recipe card.
Can I add chocolate chips?
You can, and mini chocolate chips are the best choice because they spread more evenly through the dough. Add them at the very end of the initial mix once the dough has come together, and the amount is in the recipe card notes.
Why is the nutmeg in the coating instead of the dough?
This was a deliberate choice, because keeping the dough clean and banana forward lets the nutmeg shine on the outside of each piece, where it caramelizes during baking into a spiced crust that contrasts with the soft banana interior.
My dough is sticky. Is that normal?
Yes, this is a high hydration dough with extra moisture from the bananas, and that stickiness is exactly what creates the soft, pillowy texture after baking. Use oiled hands and an oiled work surface when shaping, and resist adding extra flour.
How do I know when the second proof is done?
The pieces should look noticeably puffed, have grown together so they are touching or nearly touching, and jiggle when you gently shake the pan. If you press one lightly with a floured finger, it should spring back slowly.
Salted or unsalted butter?
Either one works, and salted butter adds a nice contrast to the sweetness of the cinnamon sugar coating. If you use unsalted, add a small pinch of salt to the vanilla butter dip for the same balance.
More Sweet Pull-Apart Focaccia Recipes
If this recipe has you hooked on sweet pull-apart focaccia, here are more from the series to try next.
- Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Focaccia is the one that started the sweet pull-apart obsession, with vanilla butter, a brown sugar cinnamon coating, and your choice of glaze or cream cheese frosting.
- Caramel Apple Pie Pull-Apart Focaccia brings warm spiced apple pie filling and a caramel glaze that sets into a crackly shell.
- Lemon Blueberry Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia is bright and fruity and perfect for spring and summer baking.
- Gingerbread Pull-Apart Focaccia is the holiday version, packed with warm spices and a thick vanilla drizzle.
- Banana Bread Sourdough Focaccia with Cinnamon Swirls is the original recipe that inspired this one, if you want to see where it all started.
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