This Sweet Apple Cinnamon Focaccia is made with cinnamon sugar coated diced apples folded into a classic focaccia bread with a brown sugar butter sauce and simple sweet glaze.

Horizontal slices of Sweet Apple Cinnamon Focaccia with Brown Sugar Butter Sauce and simple glaze with some slices turned on the side to show the fluffy apple cinnamon interior.

This may be one of the best desserts I’ve ever made. It’s like a lighter, but just as indulgent apple fritter. Because it’s made with a focaccia base, it’s not overly sweet, its pillowy and light and it has all the fall flavors of apple and cinnamon.

Once you’ve mastered a classic focaccia and learned how to work the dough with stretch and folds (even easier than it sounds) this recipe is a great opportunity to practice with inclusions or mix ins. And it’s absolutely stunning and rave worthy if you’re looking for something to bring to a party.

Regardless of whether you’re a new or experienced baker or bread maker, this is a very doable recipe and I will walk you through each step with detailed instructions and photos.

What to Know at a Glance

The dough is 80% hydration.
The recipe starts with a classic focaccia dough with two sets of stretch and folds.
On the third set of stretch and folds, incorporate the cinnamon sugar apples. This helps for even distribution.
Right before baking, dimple and pour over a simple brown sugar butter sauce.
Once it has cooled slightly, drizzle with a simple glaze (confectioners’ sugar and water).

Variations

Focaccia is an easy bread to customize. Here are a few ideas for making it your own.

Spices: Add in a pinch of nutmeg, cloves, or allspice.
Toppings/Inclusions: Rather than apples, use diced pears. Top with chopped pecans or walnuts.
Sauce: Rather than the brown sugar butter sauce, top with caramel.
Glaze: Use maple syrup rather than water for additonal fall flavor in the glaze. Or add in a touch of vanilla extract.

Ingredients

Below are the ingredients needed to make this Sweet Apple Cinnamon (Fritter) Focaccia.

Focaccia

Water: The water should be warm but not hot. The warm water helps speed up the rising process.
Honey: Provides sugar for the yeast to get a head start. It also helps with browning.
Yeast: To keep this recipes simple, I use a single standard packet of yeast.
Olive Oil: I recommend using extra virgin olive oil. Unlike an enriched dough, this apple cinnamon focaccia does not have any sugar or butter added. The extra virgin olive oil, does however add good fat, which adds flavor.
Salt: I use roughly 2% salt which is standard for bread recipes.
Bread Flour: Bread flour has higher protein, which means more potential for gluten development. The structure of the bread will be stronger than if using all-purpose flour, which helps support the weight of the apples.

Apple Mixture (to fold in during last stretch and fold)

Apple: You can use any variety of apple. I’ve been using a crisp red apple lately, called Cosmic Crisp, but Honeycrisp works, or whatever is your favorite. Dice the apples small so that they are not too heavy in the dough.
Brown Sugar and Cinnamon: The apples are tossed in a small amount of brown sugar and cinnamon which brings out those classic fall flavors.

Brown Sugar Butter Sauce (to pour on top before baking)

Brown Sugar: Use either light or dark brown sugar.
Butter: I use salted butter, but this is personal preference.

Glaze (to drizzle on the finished bread)

Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar (not pictured).
Water: I chose to make the glaze with water rather than lemon juice, maple syrup or other choice because its simpler and leaves the glaze looking white which provides contrast to the golden brown focaccia.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Sweet Apple Cinnamon Focaccia

Below are the step-by-step instructions and photos for how to make this Sweet Apple Cinnamon Focaccia. Its like the focaccia version of an apple fritter!

*Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.

The ingredients needed to make the Apple Cinnamon Focaccia mixed together roughly in a bowl.

Step 1. Start the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the warm water (ensure it is warm and not hot) and honey and stir. Stir in the yeast. Add the extra virgin olive oil, salt, and bread flour. It will be a fairly wet dough. Cover the bowl and let rest for 20 minutes.

The first set of stretch and folds showing what it looks like to pick up and stretch and fold the dough from beginning to end.

Step 2. First Stretch and Folds: This will be the first set of three stretch and folds, with the last set incorporating the diced apples. To complete a set of stretch and folds, rinse your hand under water and pick up one edge of the dough in the bowl, stretch the dough upwards without tearing and fold it over the remaining dough in the bowl.

Continue around the edge of the bowl picking up the dough, stretching it, and folding it over the remaining dough until all the dough has been worked this way, about 6-8 times. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.

The second set of stretch and folds showing what it looks like to pick up and stretch and fold the dough from beginning to end.

Step 3. Second Set of Stretch and Folds: Complete another set of stretch and folds. Cover the dough and let rest 20 minutes.

Butter a 9x13 metal baking dish including the bottom and all the way up the sides.

The third set of stretch and folds with the diced cinnamon apples on top of the dough showing what it looks like to pick up and stretch and fold the dough while incorporating the apples.

Step 4. Third Set of Stretch and Folds: Before completing the last set of stretch and folds, toss the diced apples with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Add half of the cinnamon sugar apples to the top of the dough. Then proceed with the third set of stretch and folds, incorporating the diced apples as you go. If some of the apples fall to the side, that is okay, just press them into the dough.

The dough stretched out in a prepared 9x13 pan before and after rising.

Step 5. Rise Time: Place the dough in the prepared 9x13 dish and use wet hands to gently stretch the dough to the edges. It does not need to go all the way. It will expand to the edges as it rises. Let the dough rise for about 1 hour, covered in plastic wrap. If your room is on the colder side, this rise time may take longer.

About half an hour before you plan to bake the focaccia, preheat the oven to 450°F and ensure that there is a rack on the lower third of the oven.

Brown Sugar Butter Sauce: Add the brown sugar and butter to a small saucepan and bring to medium heat. Once the mixture starts to bubble, remove it from the heat and let it cool.

The dough after being dimpled and topped with the remaining diced apples and brown sugar butter sauce.

Step 6. Dimple the Dough and Add Toppings: Rinse your hands under water and dimple the dough all over, pressing to the bottom, but do not tear the dough.

Lightly place the remaining half of the diced apples on top of the dough.

Then drizzle the brown sugar butter sauce on top, trying to steer clear of the edges of the pan where it can cause sticking (this is fine if it happens, it's just a little easier to lift the focaccia out of the pan if the sauce isn't all over the edges).

Step 7. Bake:

Place the focaccia in the fully preheated oven on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Bake for 15 minutes.
Remove it from the oven, cover it in aluminum foil and bake again on the lower rack for 10 minutes.
Remove the aluminum foil and bake for 3 more minutes on the lower rack, but watch to ensure that the top does not burn. The focaccia should be a bright golden brown throughout. Some spots may be a little darker or lighter in color depening on their exposure to the heat.

Remove the focaccia and allow it to cool slightly.

Sweet Glaze (optional, but a great finishing touch): After removing the Apple Cinnamon Focaccia from the oven, make the glaze by combining the confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar) and water in a small bowl.

Once the focaccia has had a chance to cool somewhat, drizzle with the glaze. Cut into pieces and serve.

Tips for Making the Best Sweet Focaccia:

Measurments: This recipe is best made by measuring the ingredients by weight in grams. Methods for measuring flour in a cup are not universal or standardized, which produce variable results when baking.
Rinsing Hands with Water: Rinsing your hands with water before handling the dough helps to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.
Warm Space to Rise: The dough will rise much faster in a warm environment than a cold one. If you're house is cold, consider putting the dough in front of a sunlit window, or at the back of the stove with the oven on (not the stove on), or in the microwave with a mug of boiling water beside it (do not microwave the dough).
Oven Temperature: All ovens are different, some run hotter or colder, and some take upwards of 30 minutes to fully preheat (even when the oven indicates it has preheated), and some maintain their heat differently during the baking process. Keep this in mind and adjust accordingly based on your oven and how your focaccia looks.
Incorporating Inclusions: Through the process of recipe testing, I've found that the best time to include the diced apples is during the third set of stretch and folds. This helps to incorporate the apples evenly throughout the middle of the dough.
Glaze: If the glaze is too thick add a few drops of water. If it is too thin add a tablespoon of powdered sugar.

Storage and Reheating Recommendations

To Store: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or 2 days max. It is best eaten the day that it is made, but this sweet focaccia reheats better than classic focaccia.
To Freeze: Cut the focaccia into slices and freeze in an airtight container or gallon-sized freezer bag.
To Reheat: This sweet focaccia reheats well in the oven. Reheat at 400°F for 8-10 minutes on a baking sheet or other baking dish.