Your two favorites come together in this delicious breakfast treat. Banana bread cinnamon rolls are made with ripe bananas, sweet cinnamon walnut filling, and an irresistible honey cream cheese frosting.
Why you'll love this recipe
Flavor: Tastes just like your favorite banana nut bread! Bananas are baked into the dough and walnuts added to the sweet cinnamon filling. A rich and tangy honey cream cheese frosting is the perfect finishing touch.
Easy to make ahead. They're easy to assemble the night before (or months ahead) with refrigerator and freezer instructions in the recipe card.
Egg-free. If you're looking for an eggless cinnamon roll recipe, this is a great one to try. Bananas replace the egg in this recipe.
One rise. There's only one, 60-minute rise in this recipe because we're using instant yeast.
Similar to: Homemade Cinnamon Rolls and Banana Nut Bread
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Flour - I have only tested this recipe with all-purpose flour. If you have a different flour on hand, search for a recipe using your preferred type of flour. Many times it's not an easy 1:1 substitution, and a recipe that's been developed for the flour you have on hand will turn out infinitely better than making an untested substitution in this recipe.
- Bananas - You'll need about two medium, ripe bananas for this recipe. I recommend weighing your peeled bananas to ensure you're adding enough banana to the recipe. Bananas add moisture, structure (this recipe is egg-free due to the addition of banana!), and banana flavor to the dough.
- Granulated sugar - Adds sweetness to the dough, helps activate the yeast, adds moisture, and helps keep baked goods moist for several days after baking.
- Milk - I recommend whole milk for moist, tender cinnamon rolls. Lower fats will work in a pinch but I use whole milk for ideal results.
- Salt - Enhances the flavor of your cinnamon rolls.
- Butter - Adds flavor and moisture to the recipe. Unsalted butter can be substituted with salted butter if desired (cut the listed salt in half). We're using butter in every part of the recipe - the dough, the filling, and the frosting.
- Yeast - You'll need one packet of instant yeast for this recipe. Check the expiration date on your yeast to ensure it's not out of date. Old yeast can prevent your cinnamon rolls from rising as they should.
- Walnuts - Adds crunchy texture and nutty flavor to the filling. Optionally, save a few walnuts to sprinkle on top just before serving.
- Brown sugar - Adds caramelized sweetness to the filling.
- Cinnamon - We're using plenty of cinnamon in this recipe to ensure our rolls are bursting with cinnamon flavor.
- Cream cheese - The base of the frosting recipe. You'll need 4 ounces of standard, block-style cream cheese.
- Honey - Adds a hint of honey flavor and sweetness to the frosting. Honey could be substituted with maple syrup or additional confectioner's sugar for a traditional frosting.
- Vanilla - Adds flavor to the frosting.
- Confectioner's sugar - Necessary to create a smooth and creamy frosting.
How to make recipe
- Microwave the milk and butter in 20 second bursts until butter is melted and mixture reaches around 100-110F. Hotter liquid can ruin the yeast, so make sure it feels warm, not hot, to the touch.
- Whisk in the yeast until dissolved.
- Pour yeast mixture into the dry ingredients along with the banana.
- Stir with a spoon until a sticky dough forms.
- Flip dough ball out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Roll out into a 14x9 rectangle.
- Spread softened butter on top, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture and walnuts.
- Starting at the long side, carefully roll into a log. Slice into 9 even pieces and place into your prepared 9x9 square pan.
Banana cinnamon rolls before and after their 60-minute rise. They will double in size during this time.
- Transfer your rolls to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until they reach 195-200F in the center. Testing with a thermometer is the best way to ensure your rolls are cooked through and don't turn out doughy or dry in the center.
- Your rolls should look golden brown across the tops. If they're browning too quickly in the oven, tent with foil for the remaining baking time.
- Prepare your frosting while the rolls bake in the oven. I recommend using a hand mixer for a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Top your freshly baked rolls with icing straight from the oven and serve warm. Optionally, top with extra walnuts.
Heather's Top Tip
An instant-read thermometer is an essential kitchen tool. Use it to test the temperature of your milk (prevents ruining the yeast) and again to test the doneness of your cinnamon rolls (prevents doughy or dry results).
Tips and tricks
How to quickly ripen bananas - Bananas not perfectly ripened for baking? Preheat your oven to 350F and place bananas (peels on) on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until they've darkened and feel soft.
Knead until no longer sticky - Knead the dough using the heels of your hands on a lightly-floured countertop. Keep kneading until the dough no longer feels sticky and begins to form a smooth ball. Add more flour to your counter top as needed during this step.
Rise until doubled in size - During the 60-90 minute rise, your dough will double in size. I recommend storing your rolls in a warm, room temperature or slightly warmer environment for best results. If the environment is very cold, your dough will take longer to rise.
Testing for doneness - Visually, your cinnamon rolls will look golden brown and set across the tops. If you have an instant-read thermometer, test the center of the middle cinnamon roll. They're done when they reach 195-200F.
Storage
Cream cheese frosting must be refrigerated. Frosted cinnamon rolls will keep in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. Unfrosted cinnamon rolls will keep for 2 days at room temperature or 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Baked cinnamon rolls (frosted or not) will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, cinnamon rolls freeze well for up to 3 months. I've included directions in the recipe card below on how to freeze baked or raw cinnamon rolls for optimal results.
This recipe must be stored in the refrigerator because the frosting includes cream cheese. Unfrosted cinnamon rolls can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Yes! After assembling your cinnamon rolls, cover and transfer to the refrigerator to rise overnight (this replaces the 60-90 minute rise). In the morning while your oven preheats, allow the cinnamon rolls to warm up on the counter top before baking. I also include these directions in the recipe card notes below.
Cinnamon rolls turn out dry if they're overbaked. I recommend testing them with an instant-read thermometer to ensure they've reached 195-200F in the center before removing them from the oven to cool.
Your cinnamon rolls will turn out doughy if they're undercooked. I recommend testing them with an instant-read thermometer to ensure they've reached 195-200F in the center before removing them from the oven to cool.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) whole milk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 ¼ teaspoons dry instant yeast, one standard packet
- ¾ cup (170 g) mashed ripe banana, about 2 medium bananas
Filling
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (106 g) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ cup (56 g) chopped walnuts
Honey cream cheese frosting
- 4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (56 g) confectioner's sugar
- ¼ cup (84 g) honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Dough
- Lightly grease a 9x9 square baking dish or 9-10 inch round cake or pie pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a microwave safe bowl, add milk and butter. Microwave in 20 second increments until butter has melted and mixture is warm to the touch, but not hot (about 110 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Whisk in yeast and continue whisking until yeast has dissolved. Pour yeast mixture into dry ingredients. Add the mashed banana and stir with a sturdy wooden spoon until a soft dough forms.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes, or until dough looks smooth (not sticky).
- Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl, lightly cover, and allow to rise for 10 minutes.
Filling
- Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 14x9 rectangle.
- Spread room temperature butter evenly across the dough. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle evenly over the butter. Spread chopped walnuts on top of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Starting at the long 14 inch side, roll dough up into a log. Using a serrated knife, slice into 9 even rolls and place into prepared baking dish.
- Lightly cover and allow rolls to rise at room temperature for 60-90 minutes, or until they've doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Transfer dish to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown across the top and rolls reach 195-200 degrees Fahrenheit in the center (use an instant read thermometer to test internal temperature). If rolls are browning too quickly, lightly tent with foil for the remaining baking time.
- While the rolls bake, preparing the frosting.
Honey cream cheese frosting
- In a medium bowl, add cream cheese and butter. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until creamy and smooth. Add confectioner's sugar, honey, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Using a knife, spread frosting over warm cinnamon rolls and serve immediately.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- How to ripen bananas quickly: Preheat oven to 350F. Place bananas on a baking sheet (peel on) and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until skin has darkened and bananas feel soft.
- Overnight directions: After assembling the cinnamon rolls, cover and transfer to the refrigerator to rise overnight (this replaces the 60-90 minute rise). In the morning, remove cinnamon rolls from the refrigerator and uncover while the oven preheats. Bake as directed in the recipe card above.
- Leftovers: Store leftover cinnamon rolls covered at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Freezing baked rolls: Baked cinnamon rolls freeze well and keep for up to 3 months.
- Freezing unbaked cinnamon rolls: Follow the directions above for assembly and rising, using a disposable foil pan (or other freezer-safe pan you don't mind freezing for a while). Bake your cinnamon rolls at 350F for 10 minutes. They should look risen and par-cooked, but not yet browned. Cool completely, then cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. In the morning, preheat your oven to 350F and bake for the remaining 15-18 minutes.
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!