Fresh Milled Sticky Pecan Pie Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
Pecan pie is one of those desserts that always reminds me of cozy family gatherings and holiday baking. And instead of making a traditional pie, I came up with this fresh-milled sticky pecan pie pull-apart sourdough focaccia. It's a soft, buttery, sweet pull-apart bread that's great to serve warm, and everyone can simply grab a piece and enjoy.
It feels like part bread, part coffee cake, and part pecan pie all in one pan. Made with freshly milled hard white wheat flour, toasted pecans, and maple pecan caramel. It's a perfect shareable bread for weekend breakfast, holiday brunch, and afternoon coffee break.
I'm obsessed with pull-apart sourdough bread and if you are too, try these fresh milled apple pie pull-apart sourdough skillet and fresh milled apple cinnamon crumble pull-apart sourdough focaccia.
Summarize & Adapt This Recipe On:
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Bulk Fermentation: 5-7 hours
- Final Proof: 2-3 hours
- Cook Time: 24-30 minutes
- Total Time: 8-10 hours
- Servings: 12
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Baking Method: Oven-baked
- Best For: Breakfast, brunch, holidays, and weekend baking
Jump to:
- Summarize & Adapt This Recipe On:
- Quick Look
- Important Ingredients
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Fresh Milled Sticky Pecan Pie Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
- Baking Schedule
- 💭Crucial Success Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- How To Store Fresh Milled Sticky Pecan Pie Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
- Other Delicious Fresh Milled Sourdough Recipes
- Fresh Milled Sticky Pecan Pie Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
- Need Help Tweaking This Recipe?
- Other Fresh Milled Dessert Recipes You'll Love
- Fresh Milled Apple Cinnamon Crumble Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
- Fresh Milled Apple Pie Pull-Apart Sourdough Skillet
- Fresh Milled Blueberry Lemon Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
Important Ingredients
- Freshly Milled Hard White Wheat Flour gives the focaccia a soft, tender crumb with a wholesome, fresh-milled flavor.
- Active Sourdough Starter helps the dough rise naturally while adding a gentle sourdough flavor.
- Whole Milk adds moisture and richness to the dough, helping create a soft texture.
- Unsalted Butter makes the dough tender and buttery while adding richness to the caramel.
- Egg adds richness and helps give the dough a soft, brioche-like texture.
- Light Brown Sugar brings sweetness and a warm caramel flavor to the pecan topping.
- Maple Syrup adds a lovely maple flavor and helps create the sticky pecan caramel.
- Heavy Cream gives the caramel a smooth, rich, and creamy texture.
- Pecans added the buttery, nutty flavor and a little crunch.
- Ground Cinnamon adds warm spice that brings out the cozy pecan pie flavor.
- Vanilla Extract rounds out the caramel with a sweet, warm flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- You can experiment with another wheat variety if you're familiar with how it behaves in enriched sourdough dough.
- For milk, you can use another dairy milk if needed.
- If you don't have maple syrup, you can use honey.
- If you don't have pecans, walnuts can be used if that's what you have available.
How to Make Fresh Milled Sticky Pecan Pie Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
Step 1: Add the freshly milled flour, milk, sourdough starter, egg, sugar, and salt to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until no dry flour remains and a shaggy dough forms. Cover and let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes. After resting, check the consistency and mix in another 5-20 g of milk if the dough feels too firm.
Step 2: Mix on low speed while adding the softened butter one tablespoon at a time. Allow each piece to incorporate before adding the next. Once all the butter has been added, continue mixing for another 2-3 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Cover and let it rest for another 30 minutes.
Step 3: Perform 2-3 sets of stretch and folds, about 30 minutes apart. After the final fold, cover the dough and let it continue fermenting until it has risen by about 30-50%. At 72°F (22°C), this usually takes 5-7 hours. (Image 3)
Step 4: Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast them at 350°F (175°C) for 5-8 minutes, just until fragrant (Image 4). You can also roast them in a cast iron skillet for a few minutes on medium. Set aside to cool slightly.
Step 5: In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, maple syrup, heavy cream, cinnamon, and salt. (Image 5)
Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth and gently bubbling, about 3-4 minutes.
Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and let the caramel cool for about 10 minutes before folding in about 80% of the toasted pecan (we're saving 20% for the final sprinkling!).
Step 6: Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
Spread about one-third of the pecan pie caramel over the bottom of the prepared pan. (Image 6)
Step 7: Tear off pieces of dough about 3-4 tablespoons in size, and then place them into the prepared pan, over the caramel. (Image 7)
Cover and let the focaccia proof until it looks puffy and slightly jiggly, about 2-3 hours.
Step 8: Toward the end of the proof, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Spoon the remaining pecan pie caramel over and between the dough pieces (Image 8). Sprinkle the 20% of saved roasted pecans over it too. Dip your fingers into the focaccia a couple of times, focaccia style, to make sure some of the pecan pie caramel and pecans go into the dough.
Step 9: Bake for 24-30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until the focaccia is deep golden brown and the caramel is bubbling around the edges.
If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil for the final few minutes.
Let the focaccia cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before serving. This gives the caramel a chance to thicken while staying perfectly gooey. (Image 9)
Serve warm.
Hint: For an easier assembly, let the pecan caramel cool for about 10 minutes before using it. You want it soft and spreadable, but not hot and runny.
Baking Schedule
- 8:00 AM - Mix the Dough
- 9:00 AM - Bulk Fermentation
- 1:30 PM - Make the Pecan Caramel
- 2:00 PM - Assemble and Final Proof
- 4:30 PM - Preheat the Oven
- 5:00 PM - Final Topping and Bake
- 5:30 PM - Cool and Serve
💭Crucial Success Tips
Bulk fermentation can vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the strength of your starter. Look for the dough to rise about 30-50%.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You have two options. After bulk fermentation, cover the dough and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours, then let it sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before assembling. You can also assemble the focaccia, cover it, and refrigerate it overnight before proofing and baking the next day.
After assembly, the dough should look noticeably puffy and slightly jiggly. This usually takes about 2-3 hours at room temperature, but your kitchen temperature and starter activity can change the timing.
Yes. The recipe is designed around freshly milled hard white wheat, so the dough may behave a little differently with store-bought flour. Start with the listed amount of milk and adjust the dough as needed.
How To Store Fresh Milled Sticky Pecan Pie Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
Let the focaccia cool before storing it. Place leftovers in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 2 days.
For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to 5 days.
Other Delicious Fresh Milled Sourdough Recipes
- Fresh Milled Sticky Pecan Pie Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
- Fresh Milled Apple Cinnamon Crumble Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
- Fresh Milled Apple Pie Pull-Apart Sourdough Skillet
- Fresh Milled Blueberry Lemon Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
If you tried this fresh milled sticky pecan pie pull-apart sourdough focaccia or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below! Happy Baking!
Fresh Milled Sticky Pecan Pie Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
Ingredients
For the Fresh-Milled Sourdough Brioche Dough
- 500 g freshly milled hard white wheat flour milled as finely as possible
- 310 g milk at cool room temperature, plus 5-20 g more if needed
- 100 g active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 50 g unsalted butter softened
- 1 large egg
- 7 g fine sea salt
For the Pecan Pie Caramel
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 115 g unsalted butter
- 80 g maple syrup
- 60 g heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 180 g chopped pecans lightly toasted
Instructions
- Add the freshly milled flour, milk, sourdough starter, egg, sugar, and salt to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until no dry flour remains and a shaggy dough forms. Cover and let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes. After resting, check the consistency and mix in another 5-20 g of milk if the dough feels too firm.
- Mix on low speed while adding the softened butter one tablespoon at a time. Allow each piece to incorporate before adding the next. Once all the butter has been added, continue mixing for another 2-3 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Cover and let it rest for another 30 minutes.
- Perform 2-3 sets of stretch and folds, about 30 minutes apart. After the final fold, cover the dough and let it continue fermenting until it has risen by about 30-50%. At 72°F (22°C), this usually takes 5-7 hours.
- Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast them at 350°F (175°C) for 5-8 minutes, just until fragrant. You can also roast them in a cast iron skillet for a few minutes on medium. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, maple syrup, heavy cream, cinnamon, and salt.Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth and gently bubbling, about 3-4 minutes.Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and let the caramel cool for about 10 minutes before folding in about 80% of the toasted pecan (we're saving 20% for the final sprinkling!).
- Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.Spread about one-third of the pecan pie caramel over the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Tear off pieces of dough about 3-4 tablespoons in size, and then place them into the prepared pan, over the caramel.Cover and let the focaccia proof until it looks puffy and slightly jiggly, about 2-3 hours.
- Toward the end of the proof, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).Spoon the remaining pecan pie caramel over and between the dough pieces. Sprinkle the 20% of saved roasted pecans over it too. Dip your fingers into the focaccia a couple of times, focaccia style, to make sure some of the pecan pie caramel and pecans go into the dough.
- Bake for 24-30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until the focaccia is deep golden brown and the caramel is bubbling around the edges.If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil for the final few minutes.Let the focaccia cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before serving. This gives the caramel a chance to thicken while staying perfectly gooey.Serve warm.
Notes
- Mill the flour as finely as possible for the softest crumb.
- Freshly milled flour continues absorbing liquid during the initial rest, so wait before deciding whether to add more milk.
- Toasting the pecans adds extra flavor and keeps them crisp after baking.
- Let the caramel cool slightly before layering it into the dough. If it's too hot, it will become runny and make assembling more difficult.
- Lightly coating the dough pieces in butter helps keep the pull-apart layers soft while allowing the pecan pie caramel to shine.
- Layering caramel throughout the focaccia ensures every pull-apart piece is coated with buttery, sticky pecan goodness.
- Overnight after bulk fermentation: Cover the dough and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Let it sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before assembling.
- Overnight after assembly: Assemble the focaccia, cover, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, let it proof at room temperature until puffy before baking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Warm individual pieces for 15-20 seconds before serving to soften the caramel.
