Banana Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Delightfully soft and fluffy banana cinnamon rolls featuring a unique banana-infused dough, a rich cinnamon-sugar banana filling, and creamy vanilla cream cheese icing. Perfect for breakfast or dessert, these rolls combine the sweetness of ripe bananas with classic warm spices for an irresistible treat.
- Author: Elena
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 33 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Banana Dough
- 3/4 cup Milk, warmed to 110℉
- 2 1/4 tsp Active dry yeast (1 whole packet, 11 grams)
- 1 Large egg, room temperature and lightly beaten
- 2/3 cup Mashed bananas (from 2 ripe bananas, mashed)
- 5 1/4 cup All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup White granulated sugar
- 10 TBSP Unsalted butter, room temperature and cubed
Cinnamon Banana Filling
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup Brown sugar, packed (light or dark)
- 1 TBSP Ground cinnamon
- 2 Bananas, sliced thinly
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 TBSP Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup Powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- Activate Yeast: Heat the milk in a bowl to 110℉. Sprinkle the active dry yeast over the milk and let it rest for 10 minutes until foamy to activate the yeast.
- Prepare Dough Base: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, white granulated sugar, and salt. Add the cubed unsalted butter and use a pastry kneader or your hands to incorporate the butter until it’s pea-sized in texture.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the warmed milk with yeast, beaten egg, and mashed bananas into the flour mixture. Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix initially on low speed until dough forms, then knead on medium speed for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. (Alternatively, hand knead for 5-8 minutes as described in notes.)
- First Rise: Preheat oven to 200℉. Lightly spray a large bowl with nonstick spray and place the sticky dough inside. Cover with a kitchen towel. Turn off the oven, place the bowl inside with the door cracked open, and let the dough rise for 1 hour to achieve proper fermentation and rise.
- Make Cinnamon Banana Filling: In a small bowl, beat the softened butter on high speed until smooth using a hand mixer. Add brown sugar and ground cinnamon, and mix on medium speed for 1 minute until fully combined and creamy.
- Roll Out Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and dust the top with a little flour. Roll the dough into a large rectangle about 1/4 inch thick using a rolling pin.
- Assemble Rolls: Evenly spread the cinnamon banana filling over the dough with an offset spatula. Arrange the thin banana slices evenly over the filling.
- Form Cinnamon Rolls: Starting from the short side, tightly roll the dough into a log. Trim off uneven ends with a serrated knife. Slice the log gently to create 12 even rolls.
- Second Rise: Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Place the cinnamon rolls evenly spaced in the pan, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise for 20 minutes while preheating the oven to 375℉.
- Bake Rolls: Bake the rolls for 28-33 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown and cooked through.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Icing: In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter on high speed for 1 minute until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, mix on low speed until combined, then increase to high speed and beat until creamy and fluffy.
- Ice Cinnamon Rolls: Spoon the cream cheese icing evenly over each warm roll and spread gently. Serve immediately or store as desired.
Notes
- Use spooned and leveled flour or a kitchen scale to ensure accurate measurement. Compacted flour can dry out the rolls.
- 5 1/4 cups flour is necessary due to the moisture of the mashed bananas to achieve the right dough consistency.
- Bring dairy ingredients to room temperature about 2 hours before baking for best results.
- Making by Hand: Mix wet ingredients into dry with a rubber spatula, then switch to your hands to combine and knead on a floured surface for 5–8 minutes until the dough stretches thin enough to see light through it.
- Overnight Instructions: After cutting the rolls and placing them in the baking pan, cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Remove from fridge while oven preheats the next day and bake as usual.
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