Soft Banana Cinnamon Rolls (Printer-Friendly)

Soft, pillowy rolls filled with ripe banana and cinnamon, topped with creamy glaze for the ultimate breakfast indulgence.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
04 - ½ tsp salt
05 - ¾ cup warm milk
06 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 ripe banana, mashed

→ Filling

09 - ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - ½ cup brown sugar
11 - 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
12 - 1 large banana, thinly sliced

→ Cream Cheese Glaze

13 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
14 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
15 - 1 cup powdered sugar
16 - 1–2 tbsp milk
17 - ½ tsp vanilla extract

# How to Make It:

01 - Whisk together warm milk, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - Add melted butter, mashed banana, eggs, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir well to combine. Gradually add flour, mixing until a soft dough forms.
03 - Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, approximately 1 hour.
04 - Punch down risen dough and roll out into a 16×12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
05 - Spread softened butter evenly over the dough surface. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, then arrange banana slices in an even layer.
06 - Roll up dough tightly from the long side. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the log into 12 even rolls.
07 - Place rolls cut-side up in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes until puffy.
08 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls for 22–25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
09 - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla. Add enough milk to achieve a pourable consistency.
10 - Spread cream cheese glaze generously over warm rolls immediately before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The banana keeps the rolls incredibly moist for days unlike regular cinnamon rolls that can dry out
  • That cream cheese glaze transforms these from breakfast into something that feels like a legitimate treat
  • The dough is surprisingly forgiving and workable even if you are new to yeast baking
02 -
  • The dough should feel tacky but not stick to your hands like crazy, so add flour gradually during kneading
  • Letting the rolls cool for just a few minutes before glazing helps the glaze set up slightly instead of running completely off
  • If your banana slices are too thick they can make the rolls hard to slice cleanly, so aim for thin even pieces
03 -
  • Use bananas with lots of brown spots for the sweetest, most intense banana flavor in both dough and filling
  • If your kitchen is cold, the dough might take longer to rise, so find a warm spot near a preheating oven or on top of the refrigerator

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