Delightful Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls

These banana bread cinnamon rolls blend two favorite treats into one amazing breakfast delight. The banana-infused dough feels soft and airy, making a fantastic base for that sweet cinnamon sugar mixture, all finished with cream cheese frosting that slowly works its way into every bite.

These rolls have become our Sunday morning ritual now. I came up with them while trying to save some spotted bananas, and the mix with regular cinnamon rolls turned out so wonderful that we can't stop making them.

Ingredients

• Warm milk: wakes up the yeast and softens the dough, aim for 110°F or it'll be too hot and kill the yeast
• Active dry yeast: makes everything rise and adds that wonderful bread smell, check the date for freshness
• Granulated sugar: helps the yeast grow and cuts the tang in the dough
• Unsalted butter: brings richness to the dough and filling, try the fancy European kind if you want extra flavor
• Large eggs: hold everything together and add richness, let them sit out before using
• Salt: brings out all the tastes and keeps yeast in check
• All purpose flour: gives you the right texture, grab unbleached for better taste
• Mashed bananas: pick the super spotty ones for the sweetest flavor
• Brown sugar: gives the filling that sticky sweet taste, dark brown works great for more depth
• Ground cinnamon: the key spice here, Ceylon type offers fancier flavor notes
• Walnuts: bring a nice crunch, heat them in a pan first for extra nuttiness
• Cream cheese: makes a tangy topping that works against the sweetness, don't use low-fat
• Powdered sugar: creates silky frosting, run it through a strainer to avoid bumps
• Vanilla extract: ties all flavors together, stick with the real stuff

Step-by-Step Instructions

Activate the Yeast:

Mix your warm milk with the yeast and sugar in a big bowl and wait until it gets foamy, around 5 minutes. This tells you your yeast is working. You'll know it's good when it bubbles up and smells a bit like bread.

Create the Banana Dough Base:

Stir in the melted butter, eggs, salt and banana mash to your yeast mixture. Squish those bananas really well so you don't get chunks in your dough. Stir everything until it all comes together smoothly.

Develop the Dough Structure:

Add flour bit by bit, about a cup at a time. When it starts looking shaggy, dump it onto a floured counter and knead for 10 minutes straight. The dough should feel soft and a little sticky but not wet. It's ready when you poke it and it bounces back.

First Rise:

Put your kneaded dough in a greased bowl, flip it once so it gets coated, and cover with plastic or a damp cloth. Let it sit somewhere warm without drafts until it doubles, about an hour. Around 75°F works best. Test it by poking with your finger - if the dent stays, you're good.

Prepare the Filling:

While waiting, mix soft butter with brown sugar and cinnamon until it's easy to spread. Getting this ready now makes assembly much quicker. Your butter should be soft enough to spread but not melted into liquid.

Shape the Rolls:

Roll out your puffy dough into a big 20x14 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Aim for about 1/4 inch thickness. Spread your filling all over but leave a 1/2 inch strip bare along one long edge. Toss on walnuts if you want, then roll it up tightly starting from the covered long side.

Cut and Arrange:

Slice the log into 12 even pieces using a sharp knife or dental floss without flavor. Put them in a greased 9x13 baking dish with small gaps between each. They'll grow and touch during baking, giving you those classic tear-apart edges.

Second Rise and Baking:

Cover the rolls and let them puff up again for 30 minutes somewhere warm. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 350°F. Bake them for 25 to 30 minutes until the tops look golden brown. You might need to cover them with foil halfway if they're browning too fast.

Frost While Warm:

Beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until it's smooth and creamy. Spread this over your rolls while they're still warm but not super hot. This way some frosting melts down into the rolls, making little pockets of creamy sweetness throughout.

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I really go for the super brown bananas when making these. The darker the skin, the more banana flavor you'll get in your rolls. My little girl always wants to mash them up with a fork and says it's the biggest job in our kitchen.

Make Ahead Options

You can easily prep these rolls the night before. Just put the cut rolls in your baking dish, wrap it tight with plastic, and stick it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, take them out and let them warm up for about 45 minutes before baking. This slow rise actually makes the flavor even better.

Perfect Frosting Techniques

Getting your frosting right comes down to timing. If you want it to melt into all the nooks, spread it on warm rolls with room temperature frosting. For a fancier look, wait till the rolls cool completely then pipe thick frosting in pretty patterns. You can also mix in a spoonful of mashed banana to the frosting for extra banana punch.

Variations to Try

This basic banana roll recipe can change up easily. Try adding a half cup of chocolate chips to the filling for a chocolate banana combo. Switch walnuts for pecans to go southern-style, or toss in a half cup of dried cherries for something fruity. Want a tropical twist? Add half a teaspoon of coconut extract to the dough and sprinkle a third cup of toasted coconut over the filling before rolling.

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Serving Suggestions

These rolls taste best when they're warm from the oven, but you can always warm them up again later. For a fancy brunch, serve them with some fresh fruit, a savory egg dish, and good coffee. If you're having them for dessert, warm a roll slightly and top it with vanilla ice cream and some caramel drizzle.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I make these cinnamon rolls ahead of time?

You bet! Make the rolls right up until the second rise, then wrap them up and stick them in the fridge overnight. In the morning, let them sit out for about 30 minutes to warm up before you bake them.

→ How ripe should the bananas be?

Go for super ripe bananas with dark spots all over them. They're much sweeter and pack more banana punch. Plus, they'll mash up easier when you mix your dough.

→ Can I freeze these rolls?

For sure! You can freeze them before or after baking. If they're not baked yet, freeze them after cutting but before the second rise. For already baked ones, don't add the icing before freezing. Make sure they're totally thawed before you warm them up or finish the recipe.

→ What if I don't have active dry yeast?

You can swap in instant yeast using the same amount. The good news is you won't need to proof it first—just toss it in with your dry stuff.

→ Are walnuts necessary for the filling?

Nope, walnuts aren't a must-have. You can leave them out completely or try pecans or any other nuts you like to change up the taste.

→ How do I know when the cinnamon rolls are fully baked?

Look for a nice golden brown top, and if you have a thermometer, the middle should hit around 190°F (88°C). The rolls in the center shouldn't look raw or doughy anymore.