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Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls

Banana bread cinnamon rolls with pillowy, banana-enriched yeast dough and a brown-butter cream cheese frosting that melts into every golden swirl. Soft fluffy rolls with a cinnamon-brown sugar swirl and bakery-style finish.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
rising 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the dough
  • 2 ripe bananas Mashed until mostly smooth.
  • 0.75 cup warm milk Warm to about 105–110°F so the yeast wakes up.
  • 2.25 tsp instant yeast Measure level for consistent rise.
  • 0.25 cup sugar Granulated sugar.
  • 0.333 cup butter, softened Use softened, not melted.
  • 1 egg Room temperature helps incorporate evenly.
  • 3 cup all-purpose flour Measure by spoon-and-level.
  • 0.5 tsp salt Fine salt preferred.
For the filling
  • 4 tbsp butter, softened For spreading on rolled dough.
  • 0.333 cup brown sugar Packed.
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon Ground cinnamon.
For the frosting
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened Softened for easy smoothing.
  • 3 tbsp browned butter Brown butter, cooled slightly but still pourable.
  • 1 cup powdered sugar Sift if lumpy.
  • 2 tbsp milk Add a little more if needed for spreadable texture.
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla Pure vanilla extract.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the banana dough
  1. Mix warm milk, instant yeast, and sugar in a bowl, then let sit 5 minutes until foamy.
  2. Stir in mashed bananas, softened butter, and egg, then add all-purpose flour and salt.
  3. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8–10 minutes, then shape into a ball.
  4. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour until doubled.
Assemble the rolls
  1. Roll the dough into a 12x18 rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
  2. Spread softened butter evenly over the dough.
  3. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the butter.
  4. Roll up tightly from the long edge and pinch the seam to seal.
  5. Slice into 12 rolls and place them in a greased 9x13 pan, cut sides up.
  6. Cover and let rise 30 minutes until puffy and nearly doubled.
Bake and frost
  1. Bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes until the tops are golden.
  2. Beat browned butter, softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Spread frosting over the warm rolls immediately so it melts into the swirls.

Notes

Pro tip: For the cleanest swirls, slice the log with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion, then keep the rolls covered during the second rise to prevent drying. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; rewarm in the microwave for 15–25 seconds per roll. Freezer: freeze baked, unfrosted rolls up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and warm before frosting. Dietary swap: use a plant-based butter and cream cheese alternative in equal amounts to make it dairy-free while keeping the same technique.