No Roll Focaccia Cinnamon Rolls (Sourdough)
Twelve big, soft sourdough focaccia cinnamon rolls shaped with the Cinnamon Tuck, which folds the cinnamon sugar inside each piece so you get a cinnamon swirl without a rolling pin, a log, or a knife. Overnight ferment, gooey caramelized bottom, and a thick vanilla icing on top.
Servings: 12 Rolls
Calories: 345kcal
Equipment
- 9x13 inch metal baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Large bowl or dough container
- 2 small bowls for dipping
- kitchen scale
- Instant read thermometer
- Cookie scoop
Ingredients
Dough
- 500 g bread flour 4 cups plus 2 tablespoons, spooned and leveled
- 375 g room temperature water 1½ cups plus 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon
- 75 g active fed sourdough starter (⅓ cup)
- 8 g fine sea salt 1⅓ teaspoons
- 30 g granulated sugar for the dough 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon
- 10 g vanilla extract for the dough 2 teaspoons
- 14 g unsalted butter melted, for the dough (1 tablespoon)
- 1 g ground cinnamon for the dough ½ teaspoon
Vanilla Butter Dip
- 85 g unsalted butter melted, for dipping (6 tablespoons)
- 5 g vanilla extract for the dip 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 150 g packed brown sugar for the coating ¾ cup
- 7 g cornstarch for the coating 1 tablespoon
- 12 to 15 g ground cinnamon for the coating 1½ to 2 tablespoons
Thick Vanilla Icing
- 120 g powdered sugar for the icing 1 cup
- 15 to 20 g milk for the icing 1 tablespoon to 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon
- 2.5 g vanilla extract for the icing ½ teaspoon
- Pinch of fine sea salt for the icing
Instructions
Day 1
- Mix the dough: In a large bowl or dough container, combine the bread flour, water, sourdough starter, salt, sugar, vanilla, melted butter, and cinnamon. Mix until no dry flour remains, then cover and rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
- Stretch and fold: With wet hands, pull an edge of the dough up and fold it into the middle, working around the bowl until the dough comes together and feels taut. Flip it seam side down, cover, and do just this one round.
- Bulk ferment: Leave the covered dough at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours, until it has at least doubled and looks puffy with bubbles on the sides.
Day 2
- Prepare the pan: Line a 9x13 inch metal pan with parchment.
- Set up the dip and coating: Stir the melted dipping butter and vanilla together in one small bowl. Mix the brown sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon together in a second small bowl.
- Turn out the dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter.
- Shape with the Cinnamon Tuck: Pinch off a piece of dough about 84 g. Dip it in the vanilla butter, then roll it generously in the cinnamon sugar. Push your thumbs into the bottom of the piece so the cinnamon sugar is pressed up inside, bring the sides up, and pinch them together underneath into a taut ball. Then do the same with the opposite edges, and close the bottom seam. Redip the top of the roll into the cinnamon sugar. Set it seam side down in the pan, then shape the next piece. Arrange the 12 rolls in three rows of four, close together.
- Use the leftover coating: Drizzle any remaining butter between the gaps of the rolls. Sprinkle any cinnamon sugar left in the bowl over the tops and into the gaps between the rolls.
- Second proof: Cover the pan and let the rolls rise at room temperature for 1 to 3 hours, until they are puffy, soft, and pressed up against each other.
- Preheat: About 20 minutes before the rolls are ready, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the center.
- Dimple: Gently press your fingertips into the top of each roll.
- Bake: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until deep golden and the center roll reads 190°F to 200°F on an instant read thermometer. If your oven runs hot, start checking at 20 minutes, and tent loosely with foil if the tops brown too quickly.
- Cool: Let the rolls cool in the pan for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Make the icing: Stir the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and 15 g of milk together, adding the rest of the milk only if needed, until the icing holds a soft peak but still spreads slowly.
- Ice: Scoop a round of icing onto the center of each roll and let it settle. Pull apart and serve warm.
Notes
Water
375 g of water is easiest to shape into big rolls if you are newer to high hydration dough. If you are comfortable handling a wetter dough, you can use up to 400 g (1⅔ cups plus 1 teaspoon).
All Purpose Flour
If using all purpose flour, reduce the water to 350 g (1½ cups minus 1 teaspoon). The rolls will be a little softer and slightly less tall.
The Seam
This is a soft, high hydration dough, so pinch the seam closed as well as you can and do not overthink it. A seam that opens a little in the oven will not hurt the roll.
Proofing Time
The second proof can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours depending on how warm your kitchen and dough are, and it will run longer in the colder months. Go by how the rolls look, not the clock.
Make Ahead
Let the dough rise during the day, shape the rolls, cover the pan well, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let them finish proofing at room temperature until they are larger, fluffy, and soft, then bake as written.
Freezing
Freeze baked rolls before icing. Let them come to room temperature, then ice them, or warm them in the oven first and then ice.
Icing Options
For a less sweet topping, see the cream cheese frosting and Greek yogurt cream cheese glaze in the Icing Options section of the post.
