My banana cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy sweet rolls made with ripe bananas right in the dough and swirled with gooey cinnamon sugar. They're topped with a creamy vanilla cream cheese frosting and crunchy baked cinnamon streusel for the perfect bakery-style finish.
If you love banana treats, try my chocolate chunk banana bread or pumpkin banana muffins — and for more fun twists on classic rolls, my lemon raspberry sweet rolls and sourdough cinnamon rolls are favorites. For another banana-berry combo, don't miss my banana blackberry muffins.
Quick Look: Banana Cinnamon Rolls
⏱️ Ready In: about 2 hours 45 minutes
🔥 Bake Time: 30 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 12 rolls
✨ Calories: 747 per roll
🥄 Main Ingredients: ripe bananas, flour, butter, cinnamon, cream cheese
🌿 Dietary: Vegetarian
💛 Why You'll Love It: fluffy banana dough, a gooey cinnamon swirl, and cream cheese frosting with crunchy streusel
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Banana in the dough. Ripe banana makes these rolls extra soft and moist, with cozy banana-bread flavor in every bite.
A bakery-style finish. Cream cheese frosting and a crisp baked cinnamon streusel give these the look and texture of a pastry-case splurge.
Make-ahead friendly. Shape them the night before and bake fresh in the morning — perfect for holidays, just like my sourdough cinnamon rolls. If you love make-ahead breakfast, make sure my biscoff overnight oats are on your radar.
A great use for overripe bananas. Right alongside my sourdough banana bread and sourdough banana muffins, this is my favorite way to rescue spotty bananas.
Endlessly customizable. Chocolate chips, pecans, caramel, maple glaze — the dough takes well to all of it.
Jump to:
- Quick Look: Banana Cinnamon Rolls
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Easy Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Banana Cinnamon Rolls
- Overnight Instructions
- Expert Tips
- What Makes This Recipe Special?
- Banana Bread Cinnamon Roll FAQs
- Banana Cinnamon Roll Troubleshooting Guide
- Storage
- Other Cinnamon Roll Recipes to Consider
- Banana Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients You'll Need
For the banana dough:
- Ripe bananas — about two; they add moisture, flavor, and natural sweetness.
- Milk and melted butter — warmed together to activate the yeast and enrich the dough.
- Egg and egg yolk — for a soft, tender, golden crumb.
- All-purpose flour, salt, and yeast — the structure and rise.
For the cinnamon-sugar filling:
- Softened butter, dark brown sugar, and cinnamon — the gooey swirl, plus a pinch of salt.
For the vanilla cream cheese frosting:
- Butter and cream cheese — beaten smooth and tangy.
- Powdered sugar, vanilla, and a splash of milk — for the perfect spreadable finish.
For the cinnamon streusel:
- Flour, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter — baked into crunchy clumps for topping.
See recipe card for quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations
Milk: A full-fat oat milk works beautifully.
Butter: Use a non-dairy stick butter (like Country Crock's plant butter), or a neutral oil like coconut oil.
Cream cheese: A cream cheese alternative like Kite Hill works in the frosting.
Chocolate chip banana rolls: Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the filling before rolling — a nod to my sourdough double chocolate banana muffins or my chocolate chunk banana muffins.
Caramel pecan, maple-glazed, nutty, or spiced: Add chopped pecans and caramel, swap in a maple glaze, fold toasted nuts into the dough, or add nutmeg and cardamom to the filling. If you love cozy fall flavors, you need to try my sourdough pumpkin French toast too!
Overnight option: Prepare through shaping, arrange in the greased 9x13-inch pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate 8–16 hours. The next morning, let the rolls sit at room temperature 45–75 minutes until puffy, then bake at 350°F for 25–28 minutes. Frost and serve warm (more detailed breakdown below).
How to Make Banana Cinnamon Rolls
Note: I bake by weight for accuracy. Cup measurements are approximate and may vary depending on how you scoop.
Step 1: Make the dough. Warm the milk and butter together, then cool to 110–120°F. Stir in the yeast and a teaspoon of sugar and let it sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the mashed banana, egg, and egg yolk, then gradually add the flour and salt. Knead 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic, then cover and let rise until doubled, about 1–1.5 hours.
Step 2: Fill and shape. Stir the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt into a spreadable filling. Roll the risen dough into a large rectangle, about 12x18 inches. Spread the filling all the way to the edges, then slice into 1-inch-wide strips and roll each into a tight swirl.
Step 3: Second rise + make the streusel. Place the swirls in a greased 9x13-inch pan, spacing slightly apart. Cover and let rise until puffy, about 30–45 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the streusel flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter into soft clumps, spread on a parchment-lined sheet, and bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes. Cool and set aside. (Leave the oven on for the rolls.)
Step 4: Bake, frost, and decorate. Bake the risen rolls at 350°F for 30 minutes, until golden and set in the center. Let cool 5–10 minutes. Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth, then mix in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and a splash of milk. Spread the frosting over the warm rolls so it melts into the swirls, then sprinkle with the cooled streusel.
Weigh your ingredients! Using a kitchen scale ensures your measurements are accurate, which is key for getting consistent results in baking. It takes the guesswork out of measuring and helps your recipes turn out exactly as intended every time.
Overnight Instructions
- Prepare the rolls as directed through the shaping step: mix the dough, let it rise, make the filling, roll up, cut, and arrange in the greased 9×13-inch pan.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a reusable cover, then refrigerate overnight (8–16 hours). The slow, cold rise will develop flavor and keep the dough from over-proofing.
- The next morning, remove the pan from the refrigerator and let the rolls sit at room temperature for 45–75 minutes until noticeably puffy. If your kitchen is cool, it may take closer to the full 75 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) during the last 20 minutes of proofing.
- Bake as directed for 25–28 minutes, until lightly golden on top.
- Frost and serve while warm for the softest, gooeyest rolls.
Expert Tips
1. Check your liquid temperature. Milk and butter should cool to 110–120°F before adding yeast — hotter will kill it, cooler won't activate it. An instant-read thermometer takes out the guesswork.
2. Use very ripe bananas. Lots of brown spots mean more sweetness and stronger banana flavor.
3. Frost warm for gooey, cool for fluffy. Spread frosting on warm rolls (after a 5–10 minute rest) to melt it into the swirls, or wait until fully cool for a thicker layer.
4. Add the streusel last. Sprinkle it on after frosting so it stays crunchy. If freezing, wait to add streusel until after reheating.
5. Weigh your ingredients. Especially the flour and banana — it's the easiest way to guarantee soft, consistent rolls.
What Makes This Recipe Special?
Classic cinnamon rolls are wonderful, but folding ripe banana right into the dough takes them somewhere cozier — softer, more tender, with that unmistakable banana-bread warmth running through every swirl. It's the best of both worlds: the pull-apart fluff of a cinnamon roll and the comforting flavor of banana bread.
Want more cozy fall breakfast ideas? Try my sourdough apple muffins and my apple oat muffins! You're going to love them.
Then there's the double finish. Most rolls stop at frosting; these get a tangy vanilla cream cheese layer and a crisp baked cinnamon streusel, so you get gooey and crunchy in the same bite. It's the kind of bakery-style detail that makes them feel special, the same way the streusel layers do in my sourdough discard coffee cake.
Banana Bread Cinnamon Roll FAQs
Yes — see the overnight option above. Shape them the night before, refrigerate, then proof and bake in the morning.
Very ripe, with plenty of brown spots. They mash easily and bring the most flavor and sweetness.
Usually, the liquid was too hot and killed the yeast, or the yeast was old. Aim for 110–120°F and make sure it foams before continuing.
Yes. You can mix it straight into the dry ingredients, though blooming it as written still works fine.
You can use two round cake pans instead; just space the rolls slightly apart in each. They pair perfectly with a banana breakfast like my sourdough breakfast cookies for a brunch spread.
Banana Cinnamon Roll Troubleshooting Guide
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Dough didn't rise | Liquid too hot, or dead yeast | Cool liquid to 110–120°F; use fresh yeast that foams |
| Dense, heavy rolls | Under-kneaded or too much flour | Knead to a smooth, elastic windowpane; weigh flour |
| Filling leaked out | Dough rolled too loosely, or overfilled | Roll tight swirls; spread filling to a thin, even layer |
| Gummy centers | Underbaked | Bake until golden and set in the middle |
| Frosting slid off | Rolls too hot | Rest 5–10 min before frosting |
Storage
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat 15 seconds in the microwave for that soft, gooey texture.
Refrigerator: Keep for up to 5 days; they firm up cold, so warm before serving.
Freezer: Freeze frosted or unfrosted for up to 2 months. Wrap individually, thaw in the fridge, and warm in 15-second increments. Add the streusel after reheating so it stays crisp.
Other Cinnamon Roll Recipes to Consider
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Banana Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale
- Stand Mixer
- small bowl for mixing streusel
- small bowl for mixing filling
- Icing knife or spatula for spreading the frosting or filling
- 9x13 baking dish
- Parchment Paper
- 5-wheel pastry cutter (or pizza cutter)
Ingredients
Banana Bread Rolls
- 113 g unsalted butter melted, ½ cup. Salted butter would work well too, just use less salt in the dough.
- 180 g milk ¾ cup
- 250 g mashed bananas 1 cup, roughly 2 bananas
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 810 g all-purpose flour 6 ¾ cups
- 6 g salt 1 tsp
- 7 g yeast 2 ¼ tsp, one packet
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- 75 g unsalted butter ⅓ cup, softened. salted would work fine too.
- 90 g dark brown sugar ¾ cup
- 10 g ground cinnamon 1 ¼ teaspoon
- pinch salt if using unsalted butter
Vanilla cream cheese frosting
- 113 g butter ½ cup
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 400 g powdered sugar 4 cups
- 15-30 g milk 1-2 tablespoons
- 5 g vanilla extract 1 tsp
Cinnamon streusel
- 60 g all-purpose flour ½ cup
- 100 g sugar ½ cup
- 12 g ground cinnamon 1 ½ tablespoons
- pinch salt
- 56 g melted butter 4 tablespoons
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Warm the milk and butter: Melt the butter with the milk in a heat-safe bowl or saucepan. Once melted, pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl) and let it cool to 110–120°F.113 g unsalted butter, 180 g milk
- Bloom the yeast: Stir in the yeast and a teaspoon of sugar, then let it sit for about 5 minutes until foamy and bloomed.7 g yeast
- Mix in wet ingredients: Add the mashed banana, egg, and egg yolk to the yeast mixture and stir until just combined.250 g mashed bananas, 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- Add dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add them to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed or with a spoon until the dough comes together.810 g all-purpose flour, 6 g salt
- Knead the dough: Knead on a lightly floured surface or using the dough hook on low speed for 8–10 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and pulling away from the bowl. The dough should pass the windowpane test.
- First rise: Lightly grease the bowl, return the dough to it, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size (about 1–1.5 hours).
Make the Filling
- Combine ingredients: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
- Set aside: Keep the filling nearby while rolling out the dough.
Roll and Fill the Dough
- Roll out the dough: Once risen, punch the dough down and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, about 12x18 inches and ¼ inch thick.
- Spread the filling: Evenly spread the softened butter over the rolled-out dough, then top with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, going all the way to the edges. Use your hands or a spatula to spread the cinnamon sugar and work it into the butter.75 g unsalted butter, 90 g dark brown sugar, 10 g ground cinnamon, pinch salt
Shape the Rolls
- Cut into strips: Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice the dough into 1-inch-wide strips, starting along the shorter, 12-inch side of the dough.
- Roll individually: Starting at one end of each strip, roll it up tightly like a pinwheel. Place each rolled strip into a greased or parchment-lined 9x13-inch pan.
- Second rise: Cover the pan and let the rolls rise again until puffy, about 30–45 minutes.
Make the Streusel
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until evenly mixed.60 g all-purpose flour, 100 g sugar, 12 g ground cinnamon, pinch salt
- Add the butter: Pour in the melted butter and stir with a fork until soft clumps form and the mixture looks crumbly.56 g melted butter
- Bake the streusel: Spread the streusel evenly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes, or until lightly golden and crisp around the edges. Leave the oven on, as you will be baking the rolls at 350°F as well.
- Cool and crumble: Let it cool completely on the pan, then break into chunks or crumbles for topping the rolls after icing.
Bake the Rolls
- Bake: Once risen, bake the rolls for 30 minutes at 350°F or until golden brown and baked through.
- Cool slightly: Let them cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before frosting.
Make the Frosting
- Cream the butter and cream cheese: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.113 g butter, 4 oz cream cheese
- Add sugar and vanilla: Gradually mix in the powdered sugar, then add the vanilla and a splash of milk to reach your desired consistency.400 g powdered sugar, 15-30 g milk, 5 g vanilla extract
Frost the Rolls
- Spread while warm: For gooey, melted frosting, spread it over the warm rolls. Wait 5-10 minutes after taking them out of the oven to add the frosting so it doesn't melt entirely.
- Cool for a thicker layer: Let the rolls cool completely if you prefer a thicker, fluffier frosting on top.
Audrey Grubb says
These might be my favorite cinnamon rolls of all time! I absolutely love this recipe and how consistently good it turns out every time. If you make these cinnamon rolls yourself, make sure you leave a rating and comment!