Banana Cinnamon Sweet Rolls (Print Version)

Soft, fluffy rolls with banana and cinnamon filling, topped with creamy icing.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 cup mashed ripe bananas, approximately 2 large bananas
02 - 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
05 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
06 - 1/2 cup warm milk at 110°F
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1 large egg

→ Filling

09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
10 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
11 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

→ Icing

12 - 1 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk

# Step-by-Step:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together warm milk, yeast, and a pinch of granulated sugar. Allow to sit undisturbed for 5 minutes until foamy and activated.
02 - Add mashed bananas, melted butter, egg, granulated sugar, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir thoroughly until all components are well incorporated.
03 - Gradually incorporate flour into the wet ingredients until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
04 - Place dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise in a warm location for approximately 1 hour until volume doubles.
05 - Deflate risen dough and roll out on a floured surface into a rectangle approximately 14 by 9 inches. Spread softened butter evenly across the surface.
06 - Sprinkle packed brown sugar and ground cinnamon uniformly over the buttered dough surface.
07 - Beginning from the longer edge, roll dough tightly into a log. Using a sharp knife, cut into 9 equal portions.
08 - Arrange rolls in a greased 9-inch baking dish. Cover and allow to rise for 20 minutes while preheating oven to 350°F.
09 - Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked through.
10 - While rolls cool slightly, whisk together powdered sugar and milk to achieve a smooth icing consistency. Drizzle icing over warm rolls immediately before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The banana keeps the dough impossibly soft and moist, so these stay tender even after a day sitting in the kitchen.
  • You get that cinnamon-sugar rush of a bakery roll without needing a stand mixer or professional equipment.
  • They're forgiving enough for a first-time baker but impressive enough to make for people you actually want to impress.
02 -
  • The dough will be stickier than a typical bread dough because of the bananas—that's not a mistake, so don't dump in extra flour or your rolls will turn out dense and dry.
  • These rolls are best eaten warm or within a day; after that, they're still good toasted the next morning, but the first-day texture is simply unbeatable.
03 -
  • Roll the dough tightly when you're making the log—loose rolls will unravel as they bake and lose their definition.
  • If your kitchen is cold, set the dough to rise in an oven with the light on, or in a cooler turned to 110°F with the lid cracked slightly—it sounds elaborate but makes the difference between a 1-hour rise and a 3-hour rise.
Return