This banana bread cinnamon roll recipe combines flavors from two brunch favorites into one perfect pastry.
Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
Published on Apr. 01, 2025
If you’re a fan of baking mashups (or just delicious flavor combinations) these banana bread cinnamon rolls are sure to please. This recipe combines the best of classic banana bread and homemade cinnamon rolls to make the ultimate treat.
Mashed bananas are incorporated into a fluffy cinnamon roll dough, which is then filled with melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Once the cinnamon rolls are baked and golden, they’re finished with a dreamy spiced cream cheese frosting. Serve this showstopping brunch recipe for friends or family, or simply enjoy the banana bread cinnamon rolls on a slow Sunday morning at home, paired with a cup of coffee.
Ingredients for Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
- Milk: The bananas are boiled with whole milk to provide moisture and flavor to the dough. If you don’t have whole milk, you can use 2% milk or even half-and-half cream.
- Bananas: Mashed bananas bring plenty of flavor to these cinnamon rolls. Make this recipe with ripe bananas—not overripe ones—for the best taste.
- Sugar: A small amount of granulated sugar is incorporated into the dough. This activates the yeast and adds a touch of sweetness.
- Active dry yeast: Yeast is crucial for helping dough to rise. When using yeast, be sure to test the yeast before adding it to the dough.
- Salt: A pinch of salt helps to balance flavor in the dough.
- All-purpose flour: The dough needs flour in order to rise properly. It also provides structure to the cinnamon rolls.
- Butter: Butter is incorporated into the dough for a richness. It serves as a base of flavor and texture for the frosting. For the filling, melted butter serves as the “glue” to help the brown sugar and spice mixture stick to the dough.
- Eggs: Eggs are added to the dough for flavor and fluffy texture. For the easiest incorporation into the dough, use room-temperature eggs.
- Brown sugar: The base of the filling is brown sugar, which provides tasty molasses notes. You can use dark brown sugar or light brown sugar, depending on what you have on hand.
- Cinnamon: They wouldn’t be cinnamon rolls without cinnamon! This baking spice is added to the filling, and a small amount is also used to enhance the frosting.
- Cloves: Cloves add a wonderful depth of flavor to both the filling and the frosting.
- Walnuts: If you love walnuts in banana bread, you’ll love them in the filling of banana bread cinnamon rolls.
- Cream cheese: Cream cheese frosting is the perfect pairing for any cinnamon roll recipe. Use softened cream cheese for the ideal smooth and creamy texture.
- Vanilla extract: A touch of vanilla extract helps to enhance the cream cheese frosting.
- Confectioners’ sugar: Confectioners’ sugar is added to thicken the frosting for a smooth texture and also helps with sweetness.
Directions
Step 1: Prep the bananas
In a small saucepan, combine the milk and mashed bananas. Bring them to a boil, and then remove them from the heat. Cool the mixture slightly, then cover it. Refrigerate it for eight hours or overnight.
Step 2: Make the dough
In a large bowl, mix the sugar, yeast, salt and 2 cups of flour. In a small saucepan, heat the banana milk mixture and butter to between 120° and 130°F. Add liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, and beat them on medium speed for two minutes.
Add the eggs and beat on high for two minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (the dough will be sticky).
Step 3: Knead the dough
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead it until it’s smooth and elastic, six to eight minutes.
Editor’s Tip: You may not need to incorporate all of the flour that the recipe calls for to finish the dough. Add it in gradually, 1/4 cup at a time.
Step 4: Let the dough rise
Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about one hour.
Step 5: Make the filling
Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves in a medium bowl. Punch down the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into an 18×12-inch rectangle.
Brush the dough with the melted butter and sprinkle it with the brown sugar mixture to within 1/2-inch of the edges. If desired, sprinkle with walnuts.
Step 6: Cut the rolls
Roll the dough up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Pinch the seam to seal it, then cut the log of dough into 12 slices. Place the rolls in a greased 13×9-inch pan, cut side down.
Cover them with a kitchen towel and let them rise in a warm place until they’ve doubled in size, about one hour. Preheat the oven to 350°.
Step 7: Bake the rolls
Bake the cinnamon rolls until they’re golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let them cool on a wire rack.
Step 8: Top with frosting
Beat the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and cloves until blended.
Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar. Spread the frosting over the top of the cinnamon rolls. Refrigerate leftovers.
Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls Variations
- Try peanut butter frosting: Have you ever tried peanut butter spread on a slice of banana bread? It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty, and the same combo works with these banana bread cinnamon rolls. Instead of the frosting included with this recipe, consider making a dreamy peanut butter frosting to go on top.
- Add chocolate: Chocolate and bananas are a wonderful pairing. Add mini chocolate chips to the filling for these cinnamon rolls, drizzle the tops with melted chocolate or opt for a chocolate frosting on top.
- Add additional spices: Cinnamon and cloves add excellent flavor to the filling and frosting. For more spice, double the amounts and consider incorporating nutmeg.
How to Store Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
To preserve the taste and texture of banana bread cinnamon rolls, store them in an airtight container, in a zip-top bag or wrapped in storage wrap. If the cinnamon rolls have been topped with the cream cheese frosting, store them in the fridge for up to five days. If they’re unfrosted, store the cinnamon rolls at room temperature for three to five days.
Can you freeze banana bread cinnamon rolls?
Frozen cinnamon rolls are an excellent breakfast treat to keep on hand. Store the cooled cinnamon rolls covered in a layer of storage wrap and aluminum foil, or in an airtight container or freezer bag. Store the rolls in the freezer for up to three months and thaw them overnight in the fridge.
What’s the best way to reheat cinnamon rolls?
Ready for another cinnamon roll? Reheat the cinnamon rolls at 200° in the oven or heat them up in the microwave in 10-second increments.
Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls Tips
Why are the cinnamon rolls not light and fluffy?
Fluffy cinnamon rolls are the best cinnamon rolls, but they need enough time to rise in order to achieve that texture. One of our best tips for making cinnamon rolls is to leave the dough for the full duration of each rise time to ensure it has plenty of opportunity to develop properly.
What can you serve with banana bread cinnamon rolls?
Banana bread cinnamon rolls are an excellent breakfast or brunch food. Serve the rolls with something savory, like an omelet or ham and cheese frittata, and a cup of your favorite coffee or tea.
What’s the best way to cut cinnamon roll dough?
With such a soft dough, it can be tricky to cut seamless cinnamon rolls. Use a sharp serrated knife to make it easier. Another clever option is to use unflavored dental floss to slice through the dough.
Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
Prep Time
40 min
Cook Time
20 min
Yield
12 rolls
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 medium bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup butter
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- FILLING:
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
- FROSTING:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Pinch each ground cinnamon and ground cloves
- 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions
- In a small saucepan, combine milk and banana. Bring to a boil; remove from the heat. Cool slightly; cover. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
- In a large bowl, mix sugar, yeast, salt and 2 cups flour. In a small saucepan, heat banana milk mixture and butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Add eggs; beat on high 2 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).
- Turn out dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into an 18x12-in. rectangle. Brush with butter; sprinkle with the brown sugar mixture to within 1/2 in. of edges. If desired, sprinkle with walnuts. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 slices; place in a greased 13x9-in. pan, cut side down. Cover with a kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°.
- Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
- For frosting, beat butter, cream cheese, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and cloves until blended; gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar. Spread over tops. Refrigerate leftovers.
Nutrition Facts
1 roll: 506 calories, 20g fat (12g saturated fat), 82mg cholesterol, 395mg sodium, 76g carbohydrate (40g sugars, 3g fiber), 7g protein.
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The moist texture of banana bread combines with the warm spices of cinnamon rolls in this unique recipe. Finished with a topping of sweet cream cheese frosting, this will quickly become your new favorite treat. —Margaret Knoebel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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