This Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread is a spectacular hybrid treat that takes the gooey, spiraled goodness of a classic cinnamon roll and infuses it with the sweet, comforting flavor of banana bread. Instead of a loaf, this recipe uses yeasted banana dough to create fluffy, pull-apart rolls that are perfect for breakfast or brunch.
Smothered in a rich cinnamon cream cheese frosting, these rolls are a decadent way to use up overripe bananas and impress your family at the same time.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: The dough carries a distinct sweet banana flavor, enhanced by brown sugar and cinnamon, while the filling and frosting double down on warm spices and tangy cream cheese.
- Texture: These rolls are incredibly soft and fluffy (thanks to the banana in the dough), with a gooey cinnamon-sugar center and a smooth, creamy topping.
- Time: 30 minutes prep, 2 hours rising (divided), 30 minutes bake time.
- Difficulty: Intermediate. It involves working with yeast dough, kneading, and rolling.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a large mixing bowl and a stand mixer (or hand mixer) to beat the dough and frosting. A 9×13 inch pan lined with parchment paper is essential for baking the rolls. Unflavored dental floss or a very sharp knife is recommended for cutting the dough cleanly without squishing the spiral.
Ingredient Notes
- Overripe Banana – You need about 2/3 cup of mashed banana. The browner the banana, the better the flavor and sweetness it will impart to the dough.
- Rapid Rise Yeast – This ensures a faster rise time. If using active dry yeast, you may need to proof it in the warm milk first.
- Flour – All-purpose flour provides the right structure. You will add it gradually to ensure the dough isn’t too dry.
- Butter – Unsalted butter is used in the dough, filling, and frosting. Make sure it is at room temperature for the filling and frosting so it spreads and whips easily.
- Brown Sugar – Packed light brown sugar adds moisture and molasses notes to both the dough and the filling.
- Cinnamon – A generous amount is used in all three componentsdough, filling, and frosting for maximum spice impact.
- Cream Cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese at room temperature for the smoothest, tangiest frosting.
- Milk – Warm milk activates the yeast in the dough, and a splash helps thin the frosting.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Nuts – Chopped walnuts or pecans sprinkled over the filling before rolling add a classic banana bread crunch.
- Frosting – If you prefer a lighter glaze, simply mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla, omitting the cream cheese and butter.
- Spices – A pinch of nutmeg or cloves in the filling would complement the banana flavor nicely.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl combine 2 cups of the flour, brown sugar, yeast, cinnamon, and salt. Mix to combine.
- Warm Liquids: In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the milk and butter for 30 seconds until warm and the butter is mostly melted. The mixture should be warm (about 110°F), but not hot. Tip: If it is too hot, let it cool before adding to prevent killing the yeast.
- Combine Dough: Add the warm milk and butter along with the mashed banana to the flour mixture. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high until completely combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add Remaining Flour: Scrape down the bowl and add 1 more cup of flour, beating until combined. Add the remaining cup of flour (totaling 4 cups) a little at a time until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and form a ball.
- Knead: Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth. Perform the “windowpane test”: if you can stretch a piece of dough between your fingers without it breaking, the gluten has developed!
- First Rise: Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and cover. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Make Filling: While the dough rises, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the filling in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Roll and Fill: Once the dough has risen, punch it down and roll it out into a long rectangle about 18 x 12 inches on a well-floured surface. Spread the room-temperature butter all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the butter, pressing it down slightly.
- Shape Rolls: From the long end, roll the dough away from you into a tight log, sealing the bottom edge by pinching the dough together. Use unflavored floss or a very sharp knife to cut the dough into 12 even rolls.
- Second Rise: Place the rolls in a 9 x 13 inch pan lined with parchment paper. Cover loosely with a dishcloth and allow to rise for another hour until doubled in size and puffed up.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until they are golden brown and no longer doughy. Allow to cool slightly.
- Frost: While the rolls cool, make the frosting. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, milk, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed, increasing to high until light and fluffy. Spread the icing evenly over the warm rolls. Enjoy!
Pro Tip: Using unflavored dental floss to cut the rolls is a game-changer. Slide the floss under the log, cross it over the top, and pull quickly. It cuts cleanly through the dough without squishing the beautiful spiral shape like a knife can.
Recipe Tips
- Banana Moisture: Bananas vary in moisture content. If your dough feels excessively sticky while kneading, add more flour one tablespoon at a time until it is manageable but still soft.
- Temperature Check: Use a thermometer to check your milk mixture. It should be between 105°F and 115°F. Anything hotter than 120°F can kill the yeast, preventing the rolls from rising.
- Room Temp Frosting: Ensure your butter and cream cheese are truly room temperature before whipping. This prevents lumps in your frosting.
FAQs
- Can I make these overnight? Yes! After shaping the rolls and placing them in the pan (step 10), cover them tightly and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let them come to room temperature and rise for about an hour before baking.
- Why didn’t my dough rise? This usually happens if the yeast is old/expired or if the liquid added was too hot. Check your yeast expiration date!
- How do I store leftovers? Store leftover rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften them up again.
Serving Suggestions
- Coffee: These rich, sweet rolls are best enjoyed with a strong cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk.
- Brunch: Serve alongside savory items like bacon and eggs to balance the sugar.
- Dessert: Warm up a roll and top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent treat.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Freezing: You can freeze the baked, unfrosted rolls. Thaw them at room temperature, warm them up, and frost fresh for the best taste.
Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 12 Rolls 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread is a spectacular hybrid treat that takes the gooey, spiraled goodness of a classic cinnamon roll and infuses it with the sweet, comforting flavor of banana bread. Instead of a loaf, this recipe uses yeasted banana dough to create fluffy, pull-apart rolls that are perfect for breakfast or brunch. Smothered in a rich cinnamon cream cheese frosting, these rolls are a decadent way to use up overripe bananas and impress your family at the same time.
Ingredients
The Banana Dough
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (divided use)
- 2/3 cup mashed overripe banana (approx. 2 bananas)
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup milk, warm (approx. 110°F)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) Rapid Rise yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
The Cinnamon Filling
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
The Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Mix Dough Base
In a large bowl (or stand mixer), combine 2 cups of the flour, brown sugar, yeast, cinnamon, and salt.
Add Wet Ingredients
In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the milk and 6 tbsp butter until warm (105°F–115°F) and butter is mostly melted.
Combine
Add the warm milk mixture and the mashed banana to the dry ingredients. Beat on low speed, increasing to high for 2 minutes.
Knead
Add the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides and forms a ball.
Work
Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. (If the dough is too sticky due to the banana moisture, add 1 tbsp of flour at a time).
First Rise
Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour (or until doubled in size).
Shape & Fill
Punch down the risen dough. Roll it out into an 18×12-inch rectangle on a floured surface.
Spread
Spread the 1/4 cup room-temperature butter over the dough, leaving a small border.
Sprinkle
Mix the filling ingredients (brown sugar, cinnamon, salt) and sprinkle evenly over the butter.
Roll & Cut
Roll the dough tightly into a log starting from the long edge. Pinch the seam to seal. Cut: Cut into 12 even rolls. (Tip: Use unflavored dental floss to slice cleanly without squishing the spiral).
Second Rise
Place rolls in a parchment-lined 9×13-inch pan. Cover loosely and let rise for another 1 hour until puffy.
Bake
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.
Frost
While rolls cool slightly, whisk together the frosting ingredients (powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, cinnamon, milk, vanilla, salt) until fluffy. Spread over warm rolls.
Notes
The Floss Trick: Using unflavored dental floss is the secret to perfectly round rolls. Slide the floss under the log, cross it over the top, and pull quickly to slice through the dough without compressing the layers.
Banana Moisture: Bananas vary in hydration. If your dough is unmanageable or extremely sticky during the kneading process, don’t be afraid to add a little extra flour, one tablespoon at a time.
Temperature Check: Ensure your milk mixture is warm but not hot (under 120°F). If it is too hot, it will kill the yeast and your rolls will be dense flat pucks.
Make Ahead: You can let the rolls do their second rise (Step 7) in the fridge overnight. In the morning, let them come to room temperature on the counter for about 45 minutes before baking.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast / Dessert
- Method: Baking / Yeast Dough
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Roll
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 240mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Keywords: banana bread cinnamon rolls, yeast banana bread, cream cheese frosting, brunch recipes, overripe banana recipes, homemade cinnamon rolls, fall baking
