Banana Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze (Printable)
Soft rolls with banana filling and cinnamon, topped with creamy glaze
# 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
# Directions:
01 - Whisk warm milk, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
02 - Add melted butter, mashed banana, eggs, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir thoroughly to combine. Gradually incorporate flour, mixing until a soft, sticky 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 with plastic wrap or a towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, approximately 1 hour.
04 - Punch down risen dough and roll into a 16x12-inch rectangle. Spread softened butter evenly over the surface. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon across the dough, then arrange banana slices in an even layer.
05 - Roll the dough tightly from the long edge into a log. Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the log into 12 equal rolls, approximately 1 ½ inches thick each.
06 - Place rolls cut-side up in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes until puffy and nearly doubled in size.
07 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls for 22-25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. The tops should spring back lightly when touched.
08 - Beat cream cheese and softened butter until smooth and creamy. Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until glaze reaches a pourable consistency.
09 - Drizzle warm glaze generously over the rolls immediately after removing from the oven. Serve warm for best texture and flavor.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The mashed banana in the dough makes these rolls incredibly tender and keeps them fresh longer than traditional recipes
- That cream cheese glaze strikes the perfect balance between tangy and sweet, letting the banana flavor shine through instead of overpowering it
02 -
- I once tried rushing the rising time by putting the dough near my preheating oven, and the heat was so intense it killed the yeast completely, leaving me with dense, flat rolls
- When slicing your rolled dough, use a gentle sawing motion rather than pressing down, or youll squish all those beautiful layers together
03 -
- Rub a little flour on your hands before working with the dough it prevents sticking without adding too much extra flour to your mixture
- Use unflavored dental floss to cut clean rolls without squishing them slide it under the dough, cross the ends, and pull through