Small Batch Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for anything banana. Banana bread, banana muffins, banana milkshakes… you get the idea. But combine it with my other favorite treat—cinnamon rolls—and I’m in heaven! These Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls are pillowy soft and perfectly sweet, and infused with just the right amount of banana flavor. One bite, and you’ll wish you made a full batch!
Prep Time: 30 minutes | Rise Time: 4 hours | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 5 hours
Instructions:
For the dough:
2 cups bread flour + more for dusting (sub all-purpose)
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 and 1/2 tsp dry active yeast
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup overripe banana, mashed
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the brown sugar filling:
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
For the cream cheese icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 and 1/2 tbsp milk
2 tsp cream cheese, room temperature
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Instructions (yields 6 cinnamon rolls):
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 cup of flour, brown sugar, yeast, ground cinnamon, and salt. Mix to combine.
In a small saucepan, add the butter and milk until warm and the butter is melted. The mixture should be warm, but not hot (if it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast). Add the warm milk and butter with the mashed banana and vanilla extract to the flour mixture.
Beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high until completely combined.
Scrape down the bowl and add one more cup of flour, in small increments, until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and form a ball.
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes. (You should be able to stretch a piece of dough between your fingers without it breaking it - this means the gluten has developed.)
Transfer the dough to a buttered bowl and cover with a clean hand or dish towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for about one hour or until the dough has doubled in size. If your house is cold, then place the bowl with the dough in the oven with the light on.
While the dough rises, make the filling. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl and set aside.
Once the dough has risen, roll it out into a long rectangle on a well-floured surface.
Spread the melted butter over the dough and sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the butter, pressing it down to adhere.
From the long end, roll the dough away from you into a tight roll, sealing the bottom edge down by pinching the dough together.
Use floss or a very sharp knife to cut the dough into 6 even rolls. Place the rolls in a buttered pan, cover loosely with a dish towel, and allow to rise for another hour until doubled in size and puffed up.
Bake the cinnamon rolls at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown and no longer doughy.
Meanwhile, make the cream cheese icing. In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, cream cheese, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high until light and fluffy. Spread the icing evenly over the warm rolls.
Enjoy!
-
Calories: 295
Sugar: 31 g
-
If prepping the rolls the night before: Tightly cover the rolls, place them in the fridge overnight (8-12 hours), and in the morning, allow them to rise for 1-2 hours before baking in the oven.
You may also like…
