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This Sticky Pecan Sourdough Focaccia is ooey, gooey and insanely delicious. Reminiscent of sticky buns, this easy sourdough focaccia recipe is filled with a buttery, cinnamon sugar swirl and topped with a sticky, caramelized maple pecan mixture.
If you love sourdough cinnamon rolls, butter, pecans, and brown sugar this is the sourdough focaccia bread for you. This high-hydration dough doesn’t require a stand mixer, kneading, or shaping like a cinnamon roll, making it super simple and beginner-friendly! Plus, just like the sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia you can make this in just one day. Eat it for a sweet breakfast or as a delicious dessert.
Flavored Sourdough Focaccia
I love sourdough focaccia! It’s so easy to make and has a very forgiving timeline. You can make it sweet or savory or keep it plain with just a drizzle of olive oil. All my focaccia recipes are based off my simple sourdough focaccia recipe made with active sourdough starter. Some of my favorite flavors have been Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Sourdough Focaccia, Cinnamon Roll Sourdough Focaccia, Cheeseburger Sourdough Focaccia, Caramel Apple Sourdough Focaccia, Hawaiian Roll Sourdough Focaccia and now this Sticky Pecan Sourdough Focaccia!
Tips for making Sticky Pecan Sourdough Focaccia
- Let the dough get puffy and rise fully. Baking it too early will result in a denser focaccia.
- To speed up the process, find a warmer spot for the dough to rise, and be sure to use warm water when mixing the dough.
- If you want to bake the next day, after the first rise place the dough in the fridge. Then, let it come to room temperature in a greased 9×13″ pan and let it get puffy before baking as directed.
Ingredients
Sticky Pecan Sourdough Focaccia
- Water- use warm water to help the dough ferment quicker. You want the water to be room temperature or warm, but not hot.
- Sourdough starter – use a starter that is active and bubbly and is at peak. If you don’t have a starter yet check out my post how to make a sourdough starter.
- Salt – any type of salt will work such as sea salt or kosher salt.
- Bread flour – I recommend using bread flour instead of all-purpose flour when baking sourdough bread because it has a higher protein content and absorbs moisture better.
- Brown sugar – you don’t have to include this but it does help give the dough a little extra sweetness. You could use honey or maple syrup instead but it could make the dough stickier.
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- Butter – the melted butter will give the focaccia a buttery flavor and give the bread a golden brown crust.
- Brown sugar – the brown sugar gives a richer flavor in the filling.
- Cinnamon – compliments the flavors so well.
Sticky Maple Pecan Topping
- Butter- this will be mixed with the brown sugar and maple syrup to create a sticky topping.
- Maple Syrup- this contributes to the sticky, caramelized texture we want on top. I recommend using pure maple syrup.
- Brown Sugar- the brown sugar gives a rich flavor and caramelizes the top of the focaccia.
- Pecans– You could use walnuts or a different type of nut if preferred but I love the flavor of pecans. I recommend roughly chopping the pecans.
How to make Sticky Pecan Sourdough Focaccia
Step 1: Mix all the dough ingredients together with a danish dough whisk or your hand in a straight edge container until a shaggy dough is formed. Let sit in a warm spot covered for about 30 minutes.
Step 2: Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds with at least a 30 minute rest in between each set. To stretch and fold the dough, grab one side of the dough with a damp hand and gently shimmy the dough up, and then fold it on itself. Repeat this 3 more times rotating the bowl 90 degrees each time to complete one set.
Step 3: Continue to let the dough rise for bulk fermentation until it is risen 50% and is jiggly with bubbles forming around the sides of the bowl. With dough in the mid 70’s F, the first rise will take about 4-5 hours total, including the stretch and folds.
Step 4: Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon.
Step 5: Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter into a greased 9×13 inch pan. Dump the dough into the pan and coat both sides with butter. Spread the dough out to fit the pan.
Step 6: Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on the dough.
Step 7: Fold the top of the dough down to about the halfway point. Then, fold the bottom half of the dough up to meet the top, creating a trifold. Rotate the dough 90 degrees so that the longer section aligns with the length of the pan.
Step 8: Cover and let the dough rise for another 1-2 hours until puffy and fills most of the pan.
Step 9: Melt the butter for the topping and mix with sugar and maple syrup. Then mix in chopped pecans.
Step 10: Pour the topping on the risen focaccia dough.
Step 11: Using the tips of your fingers press into the dough creating dimples throughout.
Step 12: Bake in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. If the top is getting too brown on top add aluminum foil the last few minutes. Let cool on a cooling rack.
Sample bakers schedule
This is based on the dough temperature being in the mid 70s. There are many factors that can impact how slowly or quickly dough rises so use this as a guideline but look for the visual cues the dough is ready to move on.
| Step | Time |
| Feed sourdough starter a 1:5:5 ratio (15 grams starter: 70 grams flour: 70 grams water) | 10 pm |
| Mix dough together | 8 am |
| Stretch & Folds | 8:30-9:30 am |
| Add dough to 9×13 pan | 12:30 pm |
| Bake | 2:00 pm |
How to store Sticky Pecan Sourdough Focaccia
Keep the focaccia on the counter for up to 3 days. After that, place the focaccia in the fridge for an extra 2-3 days. To warm up slices of the focaccia place it in the microwave for about 15 seconds until heated through. To heat up the entire focaccia, place it in a warm oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through.
Tried this Sourdough Sticky Pecan Focaccia or another recipe from the site? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments—can’t wait to see what you’re baking!
More sourdough focaccia recipes
Sourdough Focaccia Recipes
S’mores Sourdough Focaccia
Sourdough Focaccia Recipes
Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Focaccia
Same Day Sourdough Recipes
Cinnamon Roll Sourdough Focaccia
Sourdough Focaccia Recipes
Strawberry Lemonade Sourdough Focaccia
Sticky Pecan Sourdough Focaccia
Equipment
Ingredients
Sourdough Focaccia
- 400 grams water, warm, 1 ⅔ cup
- 150 grams sourdough starter, heaping ½ cup
- 10 grams salt, 1 ½ teaspoon
- 500 grams bread flour, 3 ⅔ cups
- 50 grams brown sugar, ¼ cup
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- 30 grams butter, 2 Tablespoons
- 110 grams brown sugar, ½ cup
- 8 grams cinnamon, 1 Tablespoon
Sticky Pecan Topping
- 113 grams butter, ½ cup
- 30 grams maple syrup, 2 Tablespoons
- 220 grams brown sugar, ¾ cup
- 110 grams pecans, chopped, 1 cup
Instructions
- Mix all the dough ingredients dough together in straight edge container until a shaggy dough is formed. Let sit in a warm spot covered for about 30 minutes. I like to cover with a lid or dinner plate instead of a tea towel so that the dough doesn’t dry out.400 grams water, warm, 150 grams sourdough starter, 10 grams salt, 500 grams bread flour, 50 grams brown sugar
- Perform 2-3 sets of stretch and folds to develop the dough with at least a 30 minute rest in between each set. To stretch and fold the dough, grab one side with a damp hand and gently shimmy the dough up, and then fold it on itself. Repeat this 3 more times rotating the bowl 90 degrees each time to complete one set.
- Continue to let the dough rise for bulk fermentation untilit is risen 50% and is jiggly with bubbles forming around the sides of the bowl. With dough in the mid 70’s ℉, the first rise will take about 4-5 hours total, including the stretch and folds.
- Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon.110 grams brown sugar, 8 grams cinnamon
- Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter and pour into a greased 9×13 inch metal pan.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on the dough. Fold the top of the dough down to about the halfway point. Then, fold the bottom half of the dough up to meet the top, creating a trifold. Rotate the dough 90 degrees so that the longer section aligns with the length of the pan.
- Let it rise another hour or two covered in a warm spot until it has risen well and is puffy.
- Melt the butter for the topping and mix with sugar and maple syrup. Then mix in chopped pecans.113 grams butter, 30 grams maple syrup, 220 grams brown sugar, 110 grams pecans, chopped
- Pour the topping on the risen focaccia dough. Using the tips of your fingers press into the dough creating dimples throughout.
- Bake in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. If the top is getting too brown on top add aluminum foil the last few minutes. Let cool on a cooling rack.
Notes
- Let the dough get puffy and rise fully. Baking it too early will result in a denser focaccia.
- To speed up the process, find a warmer spot for the dough to rise, and be sure to use warm water when mixing the dough.
- If you want to bake the next day, after the first rise place the dough in the fridge. Then, let it come to room temperature in a greased 9×13″ pan and let it get puffy before baking as directed.
- Based on the feedback below the topping has been reduced from 3/4 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1/4 cup maple syrup.
- Recipe updated 5/9/25 to melt the butter with the brown sugar and maple syrup to pour on top instead of adding it in clumps.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh great…..now I have another sourdough obsession! This focaccia was beyond delicious!!! I can’t wait to try your other versions. Cheeseburger may be next….or salsa, hot chocolate, Margherita, Pesto, etc. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe Paula! Thanks for the review.
Super delicious
So glad you liked it! Thanks for the review.
Can you freeze this after baking?
I haven’t frozen this specific one but I have froze other focaccias without issue. I think it will freeze well!
In order to make the next day, you say to put in refrigerator after first rise. So you add the stinky pecan mixture the next day, but do you add it after the dough has sat for 2 hours or before?
The filling you want to add before the second rise but the topping that goes on top you add right before baking.
Is the water to flour ratio correct for the focaccia? Mine seems SUPER wet and sticky as opposed to other focaccias I’ve made in the past
Yes it is higher hydration at 80% so it will be wet compared to some doughs but after the stretch and folds it should come together.
This is by far the best thing my family and I have tasted that I have made sourdough! I have made it for everyone! Thank you for this! You won’t ever get sick and tired of this recipe that’s for sure!
Thanks so much Katie!
A real winner in our home. The not too sweet fluffy goodness with the light crunch… just lovely! I use a Wolf combi steam oven – convection steam- 400 degrees for 20 mins. Perfection. Thank you so much for this fantastic recipe! Your knowledge and skill for sourdough is exceptional!
Where I live it is winter and cold, house at 68degrees so I started later in the afternoon and did my stretch and folds into the evening and then let the bowl sit out on the counter(covered) all night and by morning it had doubled in size and I carried on from there!!
Does it need to be unsalted butter or can i use salted butter ?
salted is fine
I have made this recipe twice as written and both times this has been a crowd favorite. The first time I did not let it rise enough and the bread was dense. The second time I let it rise almost all day but used the aliquot method to make sure I got a complete doubling in size. I actually think this is even better the second day when all of the sticker sugar goodness melts into the dough. I made the dough a day ahead and let it rest after the rise in the fridge overnight. I got it out of the fridge Christmas morning and let it come to room temp while we opened gifts and put it in the oven and baked and it’s a new Christmas tradition for sure!