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Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls

These fluffy Banana Cinnamon Rolls are soft and tender thanks to ripe bananas right in the dough. Swirled with a brown sugar cinnamon filling and tangy cream cheese glaze, they are heavenly. Dairy free, vegan friendly, and overnight instructions included.

Prep Time
1 hr 20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 45 mins
Servings: 12 cinnamon rolls
Calories: 318 kcal
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Dough
  • 1 cup cashew milk or your choice of milk
  • 2.25 teaspoons Rapid Rise Yeast 1 packet
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 medium bananas equal to 3/4 cup mashed
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan butter
  • 3.5 - 4 cups Bob's Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour* see notes
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Filling
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter or vegan butter softened
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg optional
  • 1 medium banana thinly sliced into about 30 slices
Frosting
  • 5 ounces cream cheese softened, sub dairy-free as needed
  • 2 tablespoons milk or Greek yogurt to thin as needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Warm milk: In a microwave safe bowl or glass measuring cup, heat milk for about 20-30 seconds. Allow temperature of mixture to reach 110ºF (or lukewarm). If it’s too hot it will kill the yeast. Add yeast and sugar into large mixing bowl of stand mixer and gently add milk. Stir until combined and allow to sit for 10 minutes, until top is foamy. If your mixture doesn't get foamy, the yeast did not activate. 
  2. Make dough: Once the milk and yeast mixture is foamy, add melted butter and mashed banana mixing low speed until combined. Start to add flour and salt – about ½ cup at a time. You will likely need about 3 1/2 cups. Dough should be elastic and start to pull away from edge of bowl when it is ready. At this time, change the attachment to the dough hook, and allow the hook to knead the dough on low speed for about 5 minutes. Dough should remain soft but not overly sticky – this is typically where I add another 1/4 cup of flour with the mixer running, then stop the mixer once the flour has mixed in slightly, reposition the dough and start the mixer again.
  3. Rise: Oil large bowl and shape dough into ball, place dough in bowl and cover with towel and let rise in warm environment until dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes. TIP: set oven to warm or preheated to 200F then turn off. Place bowl in the warmed oven and allow to rise.
  4. Prepare rolls: Grease a 9x13″ baking dish with butter or coconut oil, set aside. Once the dough has about doubled in size, lightly cover rolling pin and flat surface with flour. Roll out dough into a 15×9 inch rectangle. Be patient, and roll gently. Don’t use too much flour or your dough will be stiff. Spread on softened butter, sprinkle sugar and spices; gently pat to let sugar absorb into butter slightly. Place sliced bananas flat on dough in 3 long rows (see picture in post). Using the heels of your hands and thumbs, gently roll dough into a long roll, placing seam side down. Use floss method to slice rolls or a serrated knife to gently cut into about 1 1/2" width. You should get about 12 rolls for a 9x13 pan. Place rolls in greased pan, leaving room to rise, and put pan in draft-free environment.You can use the warm oven tip above. See notes below for overnight adaptation. 
  5. Bake: Once the rolls have risen again slightly (about 15 minutes), preheat oven to 350ºF (take rolls out and wait for oven to get up to 350ºF). Bake cinnamon rolls for 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Then, if necessary, cover top of rolls with foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Covering the rolls for the last 5-10 minutes will prevent them from getting too brown on the top.
  6. Make the cream cheese frosting: In medium bowl using electric hand mixer (or stand mixer with paddle attachment), beat softened cream cheese and yogurt until light and fluffy. Add in extract and powdered sugar; mix on low speed until combined. Spread on slightly cooled banana cinnamon rolls. Best served warm – enjoy!

Notes

  • FLOUR - If you don't have bread flour, you can sub unbleached all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour, which will work but you'll only need about 3.5 cups total, and your rolls will be more dense. 
  • DAIRY-FREE - use vegan butter or coconut oil in cinnamon roll dough, vegan butter in filling, and sub dairy-free cream cheese and dairy-free milk for frosting.
  • STORAGE - stored covered in the fridge or in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • REHEAT - rewarm in a low temperature oven (300 degrees F) for 5-10 minutes.
  • *Nutrition info approximate, does not include cream cheese frosting. This recipe adapted from my gingerbread cinnamon rolls.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1/12 Calories 318kcal (16%) Carbohydrates 47g (16%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Cholesterol 30mg (10%) Sodium 145mg (6%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 12g (24%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12cinnamon rolls

Amount Per Serving

Calories 318

% Daily Value*

Serving 1/12
Calories 318kcal 16%
Carbohydrates 47g 16%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Cholesterol 30mg 10%
Sodium 145mg 6%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 12g 24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.