Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Deliciously soft and flavorful Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls combine the comforting taste of banana bread with the classic swirl of cinnamon rolls. Perfect for breakfast or brunch, these rolls are made with a yeast dough enriched with ripe bananas and a cinnamon-sugar filling, topped with a sweet vanilla glaze.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls 1x
- Category: Breakfast & Brunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough:
- 2 ½ – 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast
- ¼ cup warm milk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ tsp salt
For the Filling:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk (or heavy cream for richness)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Activate the yeast: Mix warm milk and granulated sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle active dry yeast on top and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until it becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active and ready to use.
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas thoroughly. Add the egg, melted butter, salt, and the yeast mixture. Gradually add the all-purpose flour a little at a time and mix until a dough forms.
- Knead & rise: Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Make the filling: In a small bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until well mixed and smooth.
- Shape the rolls: Roll out the risen dough on a floured surface into a rectangle about 12×18 inches. Spread the cinnamon sugar filling evenly over the dough. Starting from one long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Cut the log into 12 equal slices to create the rolls.
- Second rise: Place the cut rolls in a greased baking pan. Cover and let them rise again for 30–40 minutes until puffy and slightly expanded.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cinnamon rolls for 25–30 minutes until they turn golden brown on top and are cooked through.
- Glaze: While the rolls are still warm, mix powdered sugar, milk (or heavy cream), and vanilla extract to make a smooth glaze. Drizzle the glaze generously over the rolls and serve warm.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas for maximum flavor and natural sweetness.
- For a richer glaze, substitute milk with heavy cream.
- Add chopped nuts or mini chocolate chips to the filling for extra texture and flavor.
- To prepare the rolls in advance, assemble them, refrigerate overnight, then bake fresh the next morning.
- When reheating rolls, cover with a damp paper towel to retain softness.
Keywords: banana bread cinnamon rolls, banana cinnamon rolls, cinnamon roll recipe, breakfast rolls, homemade cinnamon rolls
