Banana Cinnamon Rolls with Peanut Butter Frosting

Finished banana cinnamon rolls in a pan. A knife spread on peanut butter icing.

5 from 2 votes

Banana Cinnamon Rolls with Peanut Butter Frosting

Banana cinnamon rolls are like banana bread in cinnamon roll form. Fluffy, yeasted dough gets filled with sliced bananas, lots of cinnamon sugar, baked in a bath of heavy cream, and topped off with a gooey peanut butter cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Rise time2

Total Time3

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: rolls

Calories: 728kcal

Author: Callan Wenner

Equipment

Stand mixer with dough hook and paddle attachment
Rolling Pin
Sharp knife or dental floss
9x13" baking pan

Ingredients

Cinnamon Roll Dough

1 cup whole milk warmed to 110℉/43℃
½ cup granulated sugar divided
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 large egg room temperature
½ cup mashed banana very ripe
½ cup unsalted butter melted
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
5 ½ cups all-purpose flour + more for as needed
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Filling

1½ cups brown sugar packed (light or dark)
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
½ cup unsalted butter very soft
2-3 large bananas perfectly ripe, sliced into ¼” rounds
½ cup heavy whipping cream

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese softened
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Dough

Add the milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and the yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer and give it a quick stir. Allow it to stand for 5 minutes until the yeast activates and becomes a foamy layer on top.
1 cup whole milk, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
Add the remaining sugar, egg, mashed banana, butter, and vanilla and mix with the dough hook on low speed.
1 large egg, ½ cup mashed banana, ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
Add in 5 cups of the flour (600g) and salt, and mix on low to combine and moisten. The dough will look very loose and wet at this point.
5 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Scrape any excess flour down from the sides, then mix the dough on medium high speed for five minutes. The dough will be very smooth at this point.
Add in the remaining ½ cup of flour. Mix on low until the flour is absorbed, then mix on medium-high for another minute until all the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Note: The dough should be very elastic and may be tacky, but should not be sticky. If it's sticky, add another ¼ cup of flour and mix for an additional minute. Repeat as necessary until the dough comes together.
Grease a large mixing bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl using your hands or a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap or a dish towel and allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. About one hour. Alternatively, cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rest and rise in the fridge overnight.

Filling & Assembly

Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon with a fork to evenly disperse the cinnamon.
1½ cups brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a rectangle. Then, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a 12x24” rectangle. Keep it even between the middle and edges.
Spread the butter evenly over the dough, spreading the entire way to the edges on both long ends, and leaving a ½" inch border on the short ends. Those pieces will get cut off. I like to use my hands or an offset spatula.
½ cup unsalted butter
Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the butter layer and spread it gently with clean hands to cover.
Layer the sliced bananas evenly over all of the cinnamon sugar.
2-3 large bananas
Starting on one of the long ends, begin rolling the dough as evenly as possible until it meets the end, then place the seam side down onto the countertop.
Using unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife, remove 1 inch off of both edges. Score the log into 12 pieces, then use the floss or a knife to cut each roll along the perforation.
Transfer each cinnamon roll to the pan, then cover with plastic wrap or foil and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for another 30 minutes until puffy and almost touching.
While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350℉/180℃.
Once risen, drizzle the heavy cream evenly over top of all of the cinnamon rolls, then bake for 25-35 minutes until golden brown.
½ cup heavy whipping cream

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

While the cinnamon rolls bake, combine the ingredients in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer) and beat until smooth and fluffy.
4 ounces cream cheese, ¼ cup creamy peanut butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
Add in one tablespoon of heavy cream at a time and mix until a thick but spreadable consistency forms.
2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool for about five minutes after removing them from the oven, then spread the peanut butter cream cheese frosting evenly over the tops.
Serve hot or warm.

Video

Notes

The rolls may need a longer bake time if any of the rise time took place in the fridge. Bake until evenly golden on the tops.

Don’t cram the sliced rolls into the pan, they should barely touch before the second rise. If necessary, use two pans to bake the rolls.

Store the rolls covered in the fridge for three days. Re-warm individual rolls by adding them to the microwave for 15-20 seconds. If the rolls have not been frosted, they can be reheated in a 350℉ oven for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through. Then, add the frosting.

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