Description
Deliciously soft and flavorful Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls combine the sweetness of ripe bananas with warm cinnamon spice, baked to golden perfection and topped with a creamy vanilla cream cheese frosting. Perfect for brunch, dessert, or a comforting treat any time of day.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Filling
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup softened butter
Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a small bowl, combine warm milk, yeast, and a teaspoon of granulated sugar. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed ripe bananas, melted butter, egg, remaining granulated and brown sugars, salt, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined.
- Add Yeast Mixture: Pour the foamy yeast mixture into the banana mixture and stir to combine thoroughly.
- Incorporate Flour and Knead: Gradually add the all-purpose flour while mixing until a soft dough starts to form. Transfer dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if the dough is too sticky.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a clean towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, approximately 1 to 1.5 hours.
- Prepare Filling: In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon until well mixed.
- Shape Rolls: Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a floured surface into a rectangle about 16×12 inches. Evenly spread the cinnamon sugar butter filling over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Roll and Cut Dough: Starting from the long edge, tightly roll the dough into a log. Use a sharp knife to cut the log into 12 equal-sized rolls.
- Second Rise: Place the rolls cut-side up into a greased baking dish, evenly spaced. Cover and let them rise again until puffed and nearly doubled, about 30-40 minutes.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Prepare Frosting: While the rolls bake, beat together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Frost Rolls: Remove the warm rolls from the oven and let them cool slightly for 5-10 minutes. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the top of the rolls before serving.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas for the best natural sweetness and flavor.
- Add chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, or chocolate chips to the filling for extra texture and taste.
- If the dough feels too sticky during kneading, gradually add a little more flour, but avoid adding too much to keep rolls soft.
- Make sure the milk is warm, not hot, to avoid killing the yeast.
- For an extra soft texture, cover the rolls with a clean kitchen towel during baking to trap moisture.
