Fluffy Banana Cinnamon Rolls

These fluffy banana cinnamon rolls are definitely the perfect brunch item for any occasion. Plenty of options to make dairy-free and vegan-friendly as well! 

This post is sponsored in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill. Thank you for supporting the brands that help me bring you delicious new recipes! As always, all opinions expressed are my own. 

THE CINNAMON ROLLS OF MY DREAMS.

I’m talking BANANA cinnamon rolls. Hopefully you’re banana-obsessed like me and on board with this. I’ve made these three times already and they’re almost too good to be true.

Even Mr. FMK really likes them and THAT my friends, is a big freaking deal. He prefers that I don’t “mess with” classic recipes such as cinnamon rolls. But with these he didn’t even seem to notice that I used less butter and sugar than a traditional cinnamon roll recipe. So let’s just keep that between us, mmk?

But I’ve been dreaming up this cinnamon roll recipe for ages and it’s about dang time I bring you the recipe so you can understand just how delicious these guys really are.

Fluffy Banana Cinnamon Rolls

I am forcing my banana loving ways on you in hopes that you’ll make this epic cinnamon roll recipe the next time your morning needs a special treat.

And I want to go through some steps for you so you can see just how simple baking cinnamon rolls really is.

Don’t be afraid of yeast, my friends! 

Bob’s Red Mill Bread Flour

We’re using Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour in this recipe to produce the fluffiest, most delicious cinnamon rolls.

If you haven’t made cinnamon rolls with bread flour you’re in for a real treat… IT’S SO FLUFFY <– Name that movie. 

Bob’s Red Mill is my go-to for all of my flour baking needs – they product the highest quality products that you can always trust to give you the best baked goods ever.

And these cinnamon rolls with bread flour are no exception. They are AMAZING.

How to make banana cinnamon roll dough

I start with proofing the yeast – you do this by combining sugar, yeast and warm milk and let it sit for about 10 minutes, until the top is foamy.

If the mixture did not get foamy, your yeast is not active. So make sure you’re not pulling old yeast packets out from months and months ago – check the dates.

Then for this recipe you’ll then add the banana puree and melted butter, then stir in the flour (and touch of salt) about 1/2 cup at a time. The dough will start to come together around the 3 cup mark. You’ll know it’s time for the dough hook when the dough looks elastic and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Next I change to the dough hook attachment and knead the dough for about 5 minutes. You’ll need to add more flour here as well when dough begins to ball up but likely stick to the bottom. I add about 2 tablespoons at a time, take the dough off the hook to reshape and then place back in the bowl to continue kneading.

Once you’ve kneaded the dough for 5 minutes, it needs to rise in a draft-free environment.

TIP: Set the oven to 200ºF, turn off once it reaches temperature and let the dough rise in a greased bowl until it doubles in size – about 45 minutes.

Now it’s time to ROLL OUT. (Ludacris, anyone?) 

Just be gentle as you roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 15 inches long by 9 inches wide.

Then the filling goes on and you’ll roll up the rectangle into a long roll to slice the cinnamon rolls.

The best technique for slicing cinnamon rolls

The floss method! 

Trust me, it’s so easy and you won’t run the risk of smushing your dough roll as you try to cut into it.

The way you use floss is to shimmy the floss under the log, pull the floss together towards each other in the center and pull down until you’ve cut the roll.

Baking the cinnamon rolls

Make sure you leave enough room in your baking dish for the rolls to rise again. I spread mine out just a little bit so as you wait for the second rise, they don’t overcrowd each other.

Bake the cinnamon rolls until the tops are lightly golden and when you push them they kind of spring back a little bit. Check the rolls half way through baking and if the tops are browning too quickly, cover the cinnamon rolls with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls Method

If you’re looking to have fresh cinnamon rolls in the morning but don’t want to be up super early, you can prep the recipe up until you’ve sliced the dough and placed in the baking pan. Then you just cover and place in the fridge overnight. Bring the pan out of the fridge about an 45 minutes before pre-heating the oven. Then place the rolls in the preheated oven and bake for about 25-35 minutes.

These banana cinnamon rolls are:

• Light and fluffy.
• Banana-y (duh) thanks to the banana used in the dough AND in the filling.
• Lightly spiced with nutmeg (can’t help myself but feel free to omit).
• Delicious topped with cream cheese frosting – Obviously, right?

I hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

Let me know if you try this recipe by leaving a comment and review on the blog – it helps other readers learn more about the recipe too! Xx Ashley 

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

How to Make…

Fluffy Banana Cinnamon Rolls

These fluffy banana cinnamon rolls are definitely the perfect brunch item for any occasion. A lightened up filling but full of flavor, egg-free, and options to make vegan friendly. 

• Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

• Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls 1x
• Scale: 1x2x3x

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Ingredients

DOUGH

• 1 cup milk of cashew milk (or your choice of milk)
• 2 1/4 tsp rapid rise yeast (1 packet)
• 2 TBS brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 3 TBS unsalted butter, vegan butter or coconut oil, melted & cooled
• 2 medium bananas, equal to 3/4 cup mashed
• 3 1/2 – 4 cups Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour* (see notes)
• 1/2 tsp salt

FILLING

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter or vegan butter, softened
• 1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 TBSP ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 medium bananas, thinly sliced into about 30 slices

FROSTING

• 5oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 TBSP milk or greek yogurt, to thin as needed
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. In a microwave safe bowl or glass measuring cup, heat milk for about 20-30 seconds. Allow temperature of mixture to reach 110F (or lukewarm). If it’s too hot it will kill the yeast. Add yeast and sugar into large mixing bowl of stand mixer and gently add milk. Stir until combined and allow to sit for 10 minutes, until top is foamy. If your mixture doesn’t get foamy, the yeast did not activate. 
2. Once the milk and yeast mixture is foamy, add melted butter and mashed banana mixing low speed until combined. Start to add flour, salt, and nutmeg if using – about ½ cup at a time. You will likely need about 3 1/2 cups. Dough should be elastic and start to pull away from edge of bowl when it is ready. At this time, change the attachment to the dough hook, and allow the hook to knead the dough on low speed for about 5 minutes. Dough should remain soft but not overly sticky – this is typically where I add another 1/4 cup of flour with the mixer running, then stop the mixer once the flour has mixed in slightly, reposition the dough and start the mixer again.
3. Oil large bowl and shape dough into ball, place dough in bowl and cover with towel and let rise in warm environment until dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes. TIP: set oven to warm or preheated to 200F then turn off. Place bowl in the warmed oven and allow to rise.
4. Grease a 9×13″ baking dish with butter or coconut oil, set aside. Once the dough has about doubled in size, lightly cover rolling pin and flat surface with flour. Roll out dough into a 15×9 inch rectangle. Be patient, and roll gently. Don’t use too much flour or your dough will be stiff. Spread on softened butter, sprinkle sugar and spices; gently pat to let sugar absorb into butter slightly. Place sliced bananas flat on dough in 3 long rows (see picture in post). Using the heels of your hands and thumbs, gently roll dough into a long roll, placing seam side down. Use floss method to slice rolls (this video helps for a visual) or a serrated knife to gently cut into about 1 1/2″ width. You should get about 12 rolls for a 9×13 pan. Place rolls in greased pan, leaving room to rise, and put pan in draft-free environment. You can use the warm oven tip above. See notes below for overnight adaptation. 
5. Once the rolls have risen again slightly (about 15 minutes), preheat oven to 350F (take rolls out and wait for oven to get up to 350F). Bake cinnamon rolls for 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Then, if necessary, cover top of rolls with foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Covering the rolls for the last 5-10 minutes will prevent them from getting too brown on the top.
6. Make the cream cheese frosting: In medium bowl using electric hand mixer (or stand mixer with paddle attachment) beat softened cream cheese and yogurt until light and fluffy. Add in extract and powdered sugar; mix on low speed until combined. Spread on slightly cooled banana cinnamon rolls. Best served warm – enjoy!
    

Recipes Notes:

*If you don’t have bread flour, you can sub unbleached all-purpose flour, or whole wheat pastry flour, but bread flour will produce the lightest and fluffiest rolls.

TO MAKE DAIRY-FREE: sub vegan butter or butter flavored coconut oil in cinnamon roll recipe and sub dairy-free cream cheese and yogurt for frosting.

*Nutrition info approximate, does not include cream cheese frosting. This recipe adapted from my gingerbread cinnamon rolls.

Nutrition Information:

• Serving Size: 1/12
• Calories: 318
• Sugar: 12g
• Sodium: 145
• Fat: 7g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3g
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 47g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 8g
• Cholesterol: 30mg

Category: breakfast Method: oven Cuisine: American
Keywords: healthier cinnamon rolls, bread flour cinnamon rolls, banana cinnamon rolls
Author: Ashley @ Fit Mitten Kitchen