These banana bread cinnamon rolls are made with a soft, easy yeast dough enriched with mashed banana for extra flavor and moisture. Each swirl is filled with brown sugar, cinnamon,Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls and thin banana slices, then finished with cream cheese frosting. You can even prep them the night before for fresh morning rolls!
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Rising Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes
Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls
Ingredients
Dough
1 cup (240 ml) lukewarm milk (about 120–130°F for instant yeast, 105–110°F for active dry yeast)
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
4½–5 cups (540–600 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (or active dry yeast, see notes)
1½ teaspoons salt
½ cup mashed banana (about 1 large banana)
Filling & Assembly
4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, very soft
½ cup (107 g) packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 large bananas, thinly sliced
¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream, slightly warmed
Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups (170 g) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the dough: Warm the milk, butter, and sugar in a saucepan until the butter is melted and the mixture reaches 120–130°F for instant yeast (or 105–110°F for active dry yeast). In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 4½ cups flour, yeast, and salt. Add the warm milk mixture and mashed banana. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium speed for 6–8 minutes (or knead by hand 8–10 minutes), adding up to ½ cup additional flour only if the dough is too sticky. Dough should be soft, slightly sticky, and elastic.
Let it rise: Lightly grease a large bowl. Transfer dough to the bowl, turn to coat, cover, and let rise for 1 to 1½ hours until doubled (longer if using active dry yeast).
Roll and fill: Turn the risen dough onto a floured surface and roll into an 18×12-inch rectangle. Spread with softened butter, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, and press banana slices evenly over the surface.
Shape the rolls: Starting from the long edge, tightly roll the dough into a log. Pinch to seal and cut into 12 rolls using a serrated knife or dental floss for clean cuts.
Second rise: Place rolls into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, spiral side up. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 45–60 minutes, until puffy and nearly doubled (75 minutes if using active dry yeast).
Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Pour warmed heavy cream over the rolls before baking. Bake 30–35 minutes, until golden. Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes before frosting.
Make the frosting: In a mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar gradually, then mix in vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 1–2 minutes.
Frost and serve: Spread frosting over warm rolls so it melts slightly into the tops. Serve fresh and warm.
Notes
Storage: Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Rewarm in the oven or microwave before serving.
Make Ahead: After shaping the rolls, cover and refrigerate overnight. Let them come to room temp and rise for 45–60 minutes before baking.
Freezing: Before baking—assemble, place in a freezer-safe pan, cover, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, rise at room temp, then bake as usual. After baking—cool completely, then freeze the whole pan or individual rolls. Reheat as needed.
Bread Maker: This recipe should work in a bread maker using the dough cycle, though I haven’t tested it. Follow your machine’s dough instructions.
Flour: Use all-purpose flour for soft, fluffy rolls. Bread flour is not necessary here.
Yeast: You can use either instant or active dry yeast 1:1. Instant yeast rises faster; active dry will need lower milk temps and longer rise times.
Milk: Whole milk is ideal for richness and tenderness. Low-fat works too. Avoid cold milk—it slows down yeast activation.
Butter: Use unsalted butter so you can control the salt levels. If using salted, reduce added salt in the dough by ¼ teaspoon.
Cream Cheese: Full-fat is best for frosting texture and flavor. Avoid whipped or fat-free cream cheese.
Nutrition (Per Roll, Approximate)
Calories: 511 | Carbs: 78 g | Protein: 8 g | Fat: 20 g | Saturated Fat: 12 g | Sugar: 37 g | Fiber: 3 g | Sodium: 337 mg | Cholesterol: 53 mg
Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls
Description
These banana bread cinnamon rolls are made with a soft, easy yeast dough enriched with mashed banana for extra flavor and moisture. Each swirl is filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and thin banana slices, then finished with cream cheese frosting. You can even prep them the night before for fresh morning rolls!
Ingredients
Dough
1 cup (240 ml) lukewarm milk (about 120–130°F for instant yeast, 105–110°F for active dry yeast)
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
4½–5 cups (540–600 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (or active dry yeast, see notes)
1½ teaspoons salt
½ cup mashed banana (about 1 large banana)
Filling & Assembly
4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, very soft
½ cup (107 g) packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 large bananas, thinly sliced
¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream, slightly warmed
Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups (170 g) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the dough: Warm the milk, butter, and sugar in a saucepan until the butter is melted and the mixture reaches 120–130°F for instant yeast (or 105–110°F for active dry yeast). In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 4½ cups flour, yeast, and salt. Add the warm milk mixture and mashed banana. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium speed for 6–8 minutes (or knead by hand 8–10 minutes), adding up to ½ cup additional flour only if the dough is too sticky. Dough should be soft, slightly sticky, and elastic.
Let it rise: Lightly grease a large bowl. Transfer dough to the bowl, turn to coat, cover, and let rise for 1 to 1½ hours until doubled (longer if using active dry yeast).
Roll and fill: Turn the risen dough onto a floured surface and roll into an 18×12-inch rectangle. Spread with softened butter, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, and press banana slices evenly over the surface.
Shape the rolls: Starting from the long edge, tightly roll the dough into a log. Pinch to seal and cut into 12 rolls using a serrated knife or dental floss for clean cuts.
Second rise: Place rolls into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, spiral side up. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 45–60 minutes, until puffy and nearly doubled (75 minutes if using active dry yeast).
Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Pour warmed heavy cream over the rolls before baking. Bake 30–35 minutes, until golden. Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes before frosting.
Make the frosting: In a mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar gradually, then mix in vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 1–2 minutes.
Frost and serve: Spread frosting over warm rolls so it melts slightly into the tops. Serve fresh and warm.
Notes
Storage: Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Rewarm in the oven or microwave before serving.
Make Ahead: After shaping the rolls, cover and refrigerate overnight. Let them come to room temp and rise for 45–60 minutes before baking.
Freezing: Before baking—assemble, place in a freezer-safe pan, cover, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, rise at room temp, then bake as usual. After baking—cool completely, then freeze the whole pan or individual rolls. Reheat as needed.
Bread Maker: This recipe should work in a bread maker using the dough cycle, though I haven’t tested it. Follow your machine’s dough instructions.
Flour: Use all-purpose flour for soft, fluffy rolls. Bread flour is not necessary here.
Yeast: You can use either instant or active dry yeast 1:1. Instant yeast rises faster; active dry will need lower milk temps and longer rise times.
Milk: Whole milk is ideal for richness and tenderness. Low-fat works too. Avoid cold milk—it slows down yeast activation.
Butter: Use unsalted butter so you can control the salt levels. If using salted, reduce added salt in the dough by ¼ teaspoon.
Cream Cheese: Full-fat is best for frosting texture and flavor. Avoid whipped or fat-free cream cheese.