Cranberry Cinnamon Sourdough Focaccia with White Chocolate Glaze
This focaccia started as a “what if” kind of recipe. I was already making sourdough bread weekly, I really didn’t want to go to the grocery store, and with the holidays having just ended, I had some frozen cranberries and lots of cinnamon on hand. Thus, I thought, why not just give it a shot? Turns out, I accidentally created the bread equivalent of a holiday hug. It’s warm, wintery, comforting, and guaranteed to disappear fast.
The bread itself is everything a sourdough should be—chewy with a deep, slightly tangy flavor. Add to that a buttery brown sugar topping, tart cranberries, and a drizzle of white chocolate glaze, and you’ve got something truly special. Every bite is balanced, not overly sweet, and just the right amount of indulgent.
This recipe is beginner-friendly, even if it looks fancy. The stretch-and-fold method gives the dough its structure, and the toppings are as simple as spreading butter and scattering fruit. Plus, the divots you press into the dough double as little flavor pockets for the glaze. If you’ve ever wanted to impress guests—or just your own taste buds—this is the recipe for you. It’s messy, fun, and 100% worth it! Happy Baking!
With love,
Your Baker, Hannah
Convinced it’s time for some homemade sourdough focaccia? Here’s a grocery list of everything you’re gonna need!
Ingredients Needed to Bake Cranberry Cinnamon Sourdough Focaccia:
Water
Active sourdough starter
All-purpose flour
Whole wheat flour
Salt
Brown sugar
Butter
Cinnamon
Fresh cranberries
Whole milk
White chocolate chips
(To make it even easier, you can hit the “Get Ingredients” button inside the recipe, and these items will be added straight to your shopping cart at the grocery store of your choice.)
Ingredient Substitutions:
Whole Wheat Flour: Substitute with all-purpose flour for a milder flavor and slightly lighter texture.
Fresh Cranberries: Use dried cranberries that have been rehydrated in warm water or juice.
Brown Sugar: Swap with coconut sugar or white sugar mixed with a small amount of molasses.
White Chocolate Chips: Replace with a vanilla glaze or cream cheese frosting if preferred.
Whole Milk: Heavy cream or a dairy-free alternative like almond milk can work for the glaze.
What Tools Do You Need to Bake Cinnamon Cranberry Sourdough Focaccia?
Step-by-Step Instructions for Baking Cinnamon Cranberry Sourdough Focaccia:
Start by creating your dough using sourdough starter, water, flours, and a bit of brown sugar. After mixing and kneading, let the dough rest and perform three rounds of stretch and folds to build its structure. The dough is then left to ferment overnight, allowing the flavors to develop.
The next morning, transfer the dough to a buttered baking dish, spreading it out gently to preserve its airiness. Top the dough with a cinnamon-butter-brown sugar mixture and press fresh cranberries into the surface. This creates the perfect mix of sweetness and tartness that complements the chewy focaccia texture.
After baking at a high temperature, you’ll finish with a drizzle of white chocolate glaze. This step adds a luxurious touch to the bread, making it a true holiday centerpiece. Serve warm, and watch it disappear faster than you can say “homemade bread.”
FAQs About Baking Cinnamon Cranberry Focaccia:
How to Proof Sourdough for the Best Results:
Keep the dough in a warm, draft-free spot, like an oven with the light on, to encourage a steady rise. Avoid overly hot areas that can dry out the dough or kill the starter.
How to Make the Best Crispy Focaccia:
Generously butter your baking dish to create a golden crust, and don’t skimp on the divots—they help capture all that buttery, sugary topping.
How to Prevent Your Bread from Overbaking:
Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of your focaccia. It’s done when it reaches 200°F in the center.
How to Freeze or Store Your Focaccia Loaf:
Wrap cooled focaccia tightly in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven for the freshest texture.
Recipe for Cranberry Cinnamon Sourdough Focaccia:
Cranberry Cinnamon Focaccia with White Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients
Instructions
- Into a large mixing bowl, weigh out your water and starter. Whisk them together until the starter has been completely dissolved.
- Add the flour, salt, and brown sugar, and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough begins to form. When the dough gets too hard to stir, use your hands to lightly knead it together until a ball of dough has formed and no dry flour is left. (This dough will feel more sticky than a traditional loaf of bread.)
- Once your dough has formed, leave it in your mixing bowl, and cover it with a damp dish towel for 1 hour to allow the flour to absorb the water. After 1 hour, begin your first set of stretch and folds, then recover your dough, and repeat your stretch and folds every 30 minutes for 2 more rounds.
- Once all 3 rounds of stretch and folds have been completed, re-cover your dough, and place it in your oven with only the oven light on to bulk ferment for 8-12 hours.
- The next morning (or after 8-12 hours), line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper and generously butter it with 2 Tablespoons of your butter (Use the entire 2 Tablespoons).
- Next, remove your dough from the oven and turn it out into your baking dish. Gently work the dough into a flat rectangle that fits the corners of your baking dish (Do not force your dough too hard, you want some of the air bubbles in the dough to remain.)
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- Once your dough has been placed in the bottom of your dish, take the remaining 6 Tablespoons of butter and melt it. Then, add in your cinnamon and brown sugar and mix well until combined. The mixture will be thick.
- Spread the Cinnamon Sugar mixture out as evenly as possible over the top of the dough.
- Next, using your fingertips, press divots all over the top of the dough. (Just lightly press your fingertips into the top of the dough). Place your fresh cranberries into the divots evenly all over the top of the dough. It is okay if not every divot is filled.
- Once all of the cranberries have been placed, place your focaccia into the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the center of your bread reached 200 degrees F on a thermometer.
- Once your bread has baked, remove it from the oven, and begin making your white chocolate glaze.
- Into a small saucepan, place your 1/3 cup of milk and heat it over medium heat until it starts to steam (Do not allow it to boil.)
- Once the milk is hot, remove it from the heat and pour in your white chocolate chips. Allow the chips to sit in the milk for 1 minute before stirring them in until entirely smooth.
- If your glaze seems too runny to pour directly on the bread, transfer your glaze into a separate small bowl, and place it in the fridge for 20 minutes to allow it to cool and thicken slightly (you still want it to be a pourable consistency).
- Once your glaze is ready, gently pour it over your bread (use as much or as little as you want), and allow it to get into all of the divots.
- After your glaze has been poured, slice your bread, serve, and enjoy!
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