Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls with Peanut Butter Frosting
Warm aromatic spices, the natural sweetness of bananas, and decadent crowning glory of creamy peanut butter frosting make these Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls the ultimate way to use up those ripe bananas. Tender, moist, and completely irresistible. These are sure to become a new favorite.
There is a reason banana bread is such a comfort food. The combination of warm spices and sweet bananas is always a winning duo. Whether it’s Banana Bread Pancakes or these fully loaded over the top cinnamon rolls, it’s a full sensory experience. From the way it perfumes the entire kitchen to that first warm, tender bite it has the power to keep you coming back for more. These pillowy and tender cinnamon rolls will give you all the feels you love about traditional banana bread and so much more.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Accessible Ingredients – Not only do you have complete control of the ingredients, but this cinnamon roll recipe also requires common pantry staples like butter, flour, and sugar.
- Straightforward Process – While there are a few steps to making these banana bread cinnamon rolls, they’re easy to follow. The hardest part is the inactive parts of this recipe as you eagerly anticipate that first bite.
- Versatility – This recipe can be made with regular flour and dairy, be made Gluten Free but with full dairy, or Dairy Free with regular AP flour. It fits whatever your personal dietary needs are.
- Meal Prep – Cinnamon rolls are a great make ahead for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet treat. They can be enjoyed at room temperature or heated up.
Ingredients
Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls with Peanut Butter Frosting are decadent yet comforting. Combining pantry staples with familiar flavors, this is a celebration of the classics while being completely new and exciting. Just be warned, it will be love at first bite and they will become a part of the regular rotation.
- Butter – Adds richness to the dough itself along with lending to its tender texture. It’s also used for the brown sugar spice filling.
- Milk – Makes this cinnamon roll dough extra tender.
- Honey – Helps feed the yeast while giving the dough delicate sweetness.
- Sugar
- Spices – Cinnamon and allspice add warmth to the rolls themselves while cinnamon adds warmth to the brown sugar filling. I use Spiceology for the freshest spices with maximum flavor. You can receive 10% off your order with the code SALTY
- Warm Water – You want your water at around 110 degrees to activate your yeast.
- Kosher Salt
- Ripe Bananas – Gives sweetness to the dough while also keeping it moist.
- Flour
- Instant Active Yeast
- Brown Sugar
- Heavy Cream – This ingredient is optional but can be added if you want a Cinnabon style cinnamon roll. It helps caramelize the bottom of the rolls and make them extra puffy and decadent.
- Cream Cheese – Adds creaminess and tang to the peanut butter frosting.
- Powdered Sugar – Easily dissolves into the cream cheese and peanut butter.
- Vanilla Extract – The higher the quality the vanilla extract, the more pronounced the flavor.
- Peanut Butter – What goes better wit bananas than peanut butter? Adds natural sweetness and nuttiness to the creamy frosting.
How to Make Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls with Peanut Butter Frosting
If you’ve never made homemade cinnamon rolls before, the process is as rewarding as it is delicious. There’s something magical about rolling out that pillowy soft yeast dough.
Time needed: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Pillowy soft banana bread cinnamon rolls are crowned with sweet and tangy peanut butter cream cheese frosting.
- First
Add the honey, yeast, warm water (110 degrees), and half of the sugar to a bowl and mix to combine. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
- Next
Add the butter, remaining sugar, and milk to a saucepan over medium heat. Let it begin to bubble but not come to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow it to partially cool.
- Time To Mix
Add the banana to a mixer fit with a paddle and mix until smooth. With the mixer running add the yeast mixture into the bowl. Slowly pour in the milk mixture while the mixer is running. Add half a cup of the flour in at a time, letting it incorporate before you add the next. Once the flour has been incorporated allow it to mix for an additional 3 minutes.
- Roll It Out
Lightly flour your work surface and the dough. Work it by folding it over about 5 times, careful not to press all of the air out. Roll it out until it is about 9×12. You can add additional flour as needed.
- Fill It UP
Mix together the ingredients for the filling and spread it over the dough. Tightly roll it into a log and cut it into 9 rolls. Place the rolls in a buttered 9×11 baking dish. Cover it with plastic wrap and a towel and allow them to rise for an hour. Remove the towel and plastic wrap and pour the heavy cream over the top.
- Bake
Let the cinnamon rolls bake for 30-35 minutes or until they are golden brown. Let cool completely before frosting.
- Frost
Add all of the ingredients for the frosting to a bowl and mix until smooth. Spread over the top of the rolls.
Variations
This recipe can be made with Gluten Free 1.1 baking flour such as Bob’s Red Mill. It can also be made completely Dairy Free. This recipe can be made with regular all purpose flour and full dairy milk, butter, and cream cheese. Feel free to customize it to what fits your lifestyle and dietary needs the best.
The Secret To Cinnamon Rolls
Introducing heavy cream to your cinnamon rolls is like adding a secret ingredient that takes them to the next level. The cream brings a luxurious tenderness to the rolls’ texture, making each bite soft, moist, and incredibly satisfying. As the rolls bake, the cream works its magic, creating a golden, slightly caramelized exterior that adds a subtle richness to every bite. It’s an insider’s tip to crafting cinnamon rolls that are not just good but exceptional.
How much do we add?
When pouring heavy cream into the pan for cinnamon rolls, you don’t need to entirely submerge the dough. The goal is to provide a generous amount to ensure moisture and flavor enhancement, but not so much that it drowns the dough. Aim to cover about 2/3 of the dough with the cream, leaving some parts exposed.
Top It Off
Peanut butter and bananas are a classic pairing. However, you don’t have to stick to using this recipe for peanut butter cream cheese frosting. You can swap it out for your favorite frosting. Here are a few ideas.
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Nutella/Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting
- Vanilla Buttercream
- No Frosting
- Other Nut Butters
Storage for Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
These cinnamon rolls are perfect for making ahead and then feasting on throughout the week. If you do not devour these the first day, keep them stored in an airtight container. If you add frosting, they should be refrigerated. They will last for up to five days.
To reheat your cinnamon rolls you can either microwave them or warm them up in the oven on a low setting between 275-300 for five minutes.
How to Make This Recipe Nut Free
With so many allergens and food sensitivities, I am always looking for ways to make my recipes accessible to everyone. If you or one of your friends or family have a tree nut allergy, the peanut butter in this recipe can be replaced with sunflower seed butter.
In addition to providing its own unique flavor that is a great swap for peanut butter, sunflower seed butter also offers up additional nutrients. It’s rich in protein, vitamin E, fiber, zinc, and iron.
How to Measure Bananas
We’ve all made banana bread or seen recipes that call for half a cup or a cup of bananas. But how much do you actually need when it comes to measuring bananas themselves? When it comes to measuring bananas, a recipe can state whether it’s chopped, or mashed, as in most banana bread recipes. However, they both measure slightly different! Keep in mind that when adding bananas to a recipe more banana doesn’t equal more flavor. Instead, it could leave you with a dense or mushy finished product. Instead, you want to use the ripest bananas possible for the most intense banana flavor.
Here is an easy guide to use the next time you need to measure out fresh banana for a recipe.
- 1/2 banana: 1/3 cup chopped | 1/4 cup mashed
- 1 banana: 2/3 cup chopped | 1/2 cup mashed
- 1-1/2 bananas: 1 cup chopped | 3/4 cup mashed
- 2 bananas: 1-1/3 cups chopped | 1 cup mashed
- 3 bananas: 2 cups chopped | 1-1/2 cups mashed
- 4 bananas: 2-2/3 cups chopped | 2 cups mashed
Top Tip for Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls with Peanut Butter Frosting
When mixing your dough for these cinnamon rolls, use a paddle attachment on your mixer. This will allow all of the ingredients to come together while also incorporating a little air into the dough without over working it. This will give you that light and airy texture.
Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls with Peanut Butter Frosting
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl/mixer with paddle attachment
- 1 saucepan
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 9×11 baking dish
Ingredients
Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/2 cup warm water, 110 degrees
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 pkg instant active yeast
- 1 cup ripe bananas, about 2 medium bananas
- 3 1/2 cups flour, plus 1/2-1 cup for working the dough can use Gluten Free 1.1 flour
Filling and Topping
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 4 tbsp butter, room temperature
- 1 cup heavy cream, optional if you want a Cinnabon style cinnamon roll
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 4 tbl *May need up to 4 additional tablespoons of milk to make frosting smooth, depending on Peanut Butter used.
Instructions
Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
- In a mixing bowl, combine 110 degree warm water, honey, yeast, and half of the sugar. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes until bubbles form. NOTE: Top should be really foamy and this will show the yeast has activated. If the yeast is not foamy it has not activated.
- Heat milk, remaining sugar, and butter in a saucepan over medium/low heat until it's scalded – bubbles forming on the edges, but not boiling. Remove from heat and let it cool partially.
- In a separate mixing bowl add the bananas and mash well with a fork.Add a dough hook attachment or paddle (not a whip) If mixing by hand I recommend a wooden spoon.
- Turn on the mixer to low, and while the mixer is running add the milk mixture to the banana mixture.
- With the mixer still running, incorporate the yeast mixture into the bowl.
- Mix flour, salt, and spices separately, then add to the mixing bowl in half increments. Allow each addition to mix before adding more. After all flour is added, mix for an additional 3 minutes. NOTE: This dough is extremely sticky. Use a spatula to remove from the mixing bowl.
- Lightly flour both your work surface, a rolling pin and the dough, as it will be sticky.
- Gently fold the dough about 5 times, being careful not to deflate it.
- Roll out the dough to a 9×12" rectangle.
- Combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl, then spread the mixture evenly over the dough. NOTE: I use my hands for this part. It will be a little crumbly in texture.
- Roll up the dough tightly and cut into 9 rolls. TIP: you can use dental floss to cut each roll or a sharp knife. If you use a knife wipe the blade off after each cut.
- Place the rolls in a buttered 9x11x2 deep baking dish or a 12” skillet. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel, allow the dough to rise until doubled in size. (It should be almost pillowy looking) A warmer area in the kitchen that is not drafty will allow the dough to rise quicker. Approximately 1-3 hours for rise time. Rise time will depend on the moisture in the house and temperature. TIP: I use a dough rise heat pad that I highly recommend if you have it available. It will speed up the rise time.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Uncover the baking dish and pour the heavy cream over the top if desired.The heavy cream will make the exterior of the cinnamon roll more soft vs crunchy.
- Bake the cinnamon rolls for 30-35 minutes until they're golden brown.
- For the frosting, combine all frosting ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth and creamy. NOTE: if you find that the frosting is too thick add milk until its soft like a frosting. The texture will vary on the brand of peanut butter being used.*May need up to 4 additional tablespoons of milk to make frosting smooth, depending on Peanut Butter used.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cinnamon rolls.
- Enjoy!
In this recipe do you use all-purpose flour or self-raising flour?
I used a Gluten Free Flour. Please feel free to substitute with an All Purpose
Regarding the 1pkg active yeast, what does that mean exactly?
Great Question. 1 package is referring to the packets they sell individually. It equals to 2 1/4 teaspoons or 7 Grams.
These were super easy to make and delicious! I made them for my fiancé and he really really loved them.
So Happy to hear this!!!
We made this last week! Was blown away How delicious it was! We loved that it came together pretty quickly and wasn’t overly complicated. This will be out Easter brunch contribution coming up! Thanks Danielle for another great recipe!
I’m no cook or a baker and for someone like me to be able to make this deliciousness is amazing. Recipe was simple enough for a beginner like me . Glad I found your website and will be trying more recipes. Thank you Salty Cooker for making it such a quick and easy recipe.
So Happy this was simple enough for you!!
These banana bread rolls were so delicious. I took them to a baby shower and everyone was wanting the recipe. Thank you for such an easy, 5 star recipe!
Honestly, I probably won’t make this recipe again. Although I’m a very experienced baker (I own a dessert shop) and make cinnamon very often, this recipe almost had me in tears of frustration. When it says the dough is sticky, it is VEEEERY sticky. I don’t know if I did something wrong, although I followed the recipe, but I had to add about two additional cups of flour to be able to roll it out, and even then it probably needed another half to full cup. (Maybe having it rise before rolling it out would have helped? That’s usually what I do.) In the end they were very light and yummy, but I’ll probably just stick to my tried and true recipe to avoid frustration. I’m so happy though that others didn’t have my problem and so love this recipe!
Salt is not a spice, though it seems the only assumed step to add it is when the spices are added via the instructions.
I’m making them now but and I’m adding the kosher salt to the flour since you didn’t specify.
Seemed logical
Hopefully they turn out great
Yes! We will fix this :)
These look amazing and I can’t wait to try them. Could you prep the rolls the day before, refrigerate and then bake the following morning. Thank you!
We haven’t tried it yet with making it in advance. We plan to today! Will keep you posted :)
The Gluten Free dough overnight in the refrigerator was not successful. Traditional All Purpose flour may work
Hello! Do you think I’d be able to make the dough and frosting the day before and have it prepped before morning off? Would I refrigerate or leave out if so? Thank you!
Hello, I haven’t tested the recipe as Gluten Free with making ahead of time. With that said, I am planning to today and will update tomorrow.
The Gluten Free dough overnight in the refrigerator was not successful. Traditional All Purpose flour may work
Sorry the directions didn’t flow for you. They have been edited since. THe frosting, please feel free to edit to your taste.
Is it possible to make this without an automatic mixer? Meaning, can I mix by hand?
By hand will be tough and more arm work. Please let me know if you do!
The dough is very very sticky, so it was really hard to roll out. I had to keep adding flour. Even when I tried to roll them up, the dough still stuck. So my rolls are more blob like than rolls. HOWEVER, DELICIOUS. I will probably make these again in the future. Since I am allergic to peanuts, I did a cream cheese frosting. 100/10 recommend.
I’m sorry the dough was a little too sticky for ya but so happy to hear it was delicious!!
My first success with GF and yeast. It’s a great day????. Yeast packet says 120-130 degrees for water so I went with 120. Recipe says to let rolls cool then glaze, I would glaze while still warm so peanut butter would melt better. I cut the glaze recipe by 1/2. Still had at least 1/2 left over. We don’t like them heavy on the glaze. First cinnamon roll my husband has had since his celiac diagnosis 11 years ago. Thanks for this great recipe!
I throw over ripe bananas in the freezer to use for banana bread. To use in this recipe would I need to let them come all way to room temp? I don’t in banana bread, but wondering if it would cause yeast to stop working if cold?
Hello :) it would be best to allow them to defrost for this recipe
I just made this and they came out amazing, best cinnamon rolls I ever tried, and this the first time I make cinnamon rolls, just a few things.
The video is 40 min long, to much chatter and not step by step recipe, unless I missed another video somewhere on the site.
The video doesn’t follow the recipe step by step, so it was hard to sometimes answer my questions on certain steps, also my rolls came out supper fluffy, which is not a bad thing.
I am happy to hear they came out lovely. The video was a live so chit chatting does happen. :)
I appreciate your feedback. I am not sure what caused your frosting to be oily.
I just made these! What a decadent treat! The dough is very sticky so they were not as tight as my usual cinnamon rolls are, but they were every bit as delicious. I only gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because it is not a go-to cinnamon roll. It is a bit over the top decadent. I made them at the request of my adult son and he was very pleased!
Thanks for a great recipe and website. I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes.
Hello,
Thank you for your review. I am so happy y’all loved them! Decadent for sure but can be modified to be a go-to recipe :)
The whole family loved these! I made a few small changes though. I didn’t use honey, as I thought we didn’t have any (we did though!) so I added a small heap of brown sugar, then I found the honey 🤦🏻♀️. I used only ground cinnamon since my husband doesn’t like allspice. I just combined the measurements of the two and did just cinnamon. I used all purpose flour and ended up using about 4 cups. I slowly added more as I watched the dough mix in the stand mixer. Maybe I added a little too much because while it was sticky, it wasn’t as bad or difficult to handle as I anticipated. After rolling it out, I ended up slicing 12 rolls and they were still a good size and filled us. I also iced a few of them with the frosting mixture before adding peanut butter to it since I’m not a PB fan, but my husband and son loved the recipe as it is on here. I’ll definitely make these again!
Love you were able to adapt and have success!!
Can I use a bread machine to make the dough for this? Follow the recipe and just do wet then dry ingredients?
I have never tried this but if you do, please let me know how it turns out :)
In your video, what size skillet did you use?
I used a 12 inch skillet