Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls (Print version)
Banana bread–inspired cinnamon rolls: soft yeasted dough, cinnamon–brown sugar filling, and cream cheese icing.
# What goes in:
→ Dough
01 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
03 - 3/4 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
04 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
05 - 2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
06 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Filling
09 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
11 - 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
→ Cream Cheese Icing
13 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
15 - 1 cup powdered sugar
16 - 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
17 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
# Cooking steps:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, blend warm milk with active dry yeast and let stand for 5 minutes until frothy. Mix in melted butter, mashed bananas, granulated sugar, egg, and salt until well incorporated.
02 - Gradually add all-purpose flour to the wet mixture, stirring until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook until dough is smooth and elastic.
03 - Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap, and leave in a warm, draft-free location for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
04 - In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg. Reserve. On a floured surface, roll dough into a 16-by-12-inch rectangle.
05 - Spread softened butter evenly over the rolled dough. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture uniformly on top. Starting from a long edge, roll the dough tightly to form a log.
06 - Cut the log into 12 even slices. Place rolls cut-side up in a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
07 - Cover rolls and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes at room temperature until puffy.
08 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls for 22 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
09 - While rolls bake, beat softened cream cheese, softened butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth and spreadable.
10 - Cool rolls for 10 minutes, then spread icing evenly over the warm rolls. Serve immediately.
# Tips from flavorandfeast:
01 -
- Each bite combines the pure comfort of banana bread with the swirl of gooey cinnamon roll filling—you really can have the best of both worlds.
- The cream cheese icing melts into every golden crevice, making these irresistible at brunch or even sneaked for dessert.
02 -
- If you rush the rising, your rolls won’t be as fluffy and you’ll taste the difference.
- Letting bananas get fully spotted (almost black) brings the deepest flavor—don’t be afraid of a few overripe ones.
03 -
- Don't skimp on kneading—the time spent makes the dough cloud-soft.
- Rising time is always worth the wait for the fluffiest rolls.