These soft, fluffy, and sweet banana cinnamon rolls are filled with ripe bananas and crunchy walnuts and topped with vegan icing. They are easy to make, can be made vegan, and are addictively good. It’s the most perfect breakfast and dessert! 

What’s better than banana bread? Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls!

These soft, fluffy, and sweet cinnamon rolls that are stuffed with ripe bananas and topped with icing and crunchy walnuts are addictively good!

It is the most perfect breakfast and dessert! 

I kid you not! 

The buns are soft and pillowy and sweetened with mashed bananas. The banana nut cinnamon roll filling is sweet, gooey, and crunchy, all at the same time. 

We are in love with this treat, and I think you will be too.

They are a variation on my Eggless Cinnamon Rolls and Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll recipe that you simply can’t miss out on.

Are Banana Cinnamon Rolls Vegan?

Just like my cinnamon rolls and gingerbread cinnamon rolls recipes, these fluffy and airy banana bread cinnamon rolls can easily be made vegan! 

Swap out the butter and milk for vegan butter and plant-based milk. In fact, I absolutely love using coconut milk for this recipe. It makes them extra smooth and flavorful!

There are a lot of great cinnamon roll recipes that are including eggs in the dough. The main reason is usually to keep the buns moist and airy. 

However, this recipe has mashed bananas added to the dough which keeps them super moist and prevents the banana bread cinnamon rolls from going stale and dry. 

No eggs needed. A lot of extra flavor added.

What kind of yeast should I use?

For this recipe, I’m using active dry yeast. It’s the kind of yeast I started baking with and the one I have had the most success with.

With that being said, you can use instant yeast too. If using instant yeast you don’t need to activate the yeast and can mix the yeast in with the flour. The rise time will also be shorter. 

Moving forward, the instructions in this recipe is for active dry yeast.

How do I know when the yeast is activated?

yeast blooming in dairy free milk and vegan butter

The first step when baking with active dry yeast is to activate it. 

To activate the yeast heat the milk and butter mix to 100-110 F. Add a tablespoon of sugar to the warm milk and stir to dissolve. Lastly, sprinkle the active dry yeast into the milk mixture and let it activate/bloom for about 10 minutes.

The yeast will be foamy when activated and you are good to go! 

Note: Be sure not to overheat the liquid because that will kill the yeast and you won’t get fluffy and luscious banana cinnamon rolls.

Ingredients for Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls

These delicious and easy-to-make Banana Nut Cinnamon Rolls are made with only 10 ingredients. 

Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls

  • Milk
  • Butter
  • Active dry yeast
  • Cane sugar
  • Mashed ripe banana 
  • All Purpose flour
  • Salt 

Banana Cinnamon Nut Filling

  • Butter
  • Brown sugar
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Thinly sliced banana
  • Walnuts (optional)

Note: To make this recipe vegan and dairy-free, use vegan butter and dairy-free milk of your choice (I love using coconut milk).

My favorite vegan butter to use is Miyokos (not sponsored, I just love the product).

The best vegan icing 

  • Raw cashews
  • Maple syrup
  • Apple cider vinegar 
  • Coconut milk
  • Vanilla extract 

How to make Banana Cinnamon Rolls

Start with taking the butter for the filling out from the fridge to make it soft and spreadable. 

Now, in a medium-sized pot, melt the butter over medium heat. When fully melted, add the milk to the butter. Heat the milk and butter mixture until it’s warm (100-110 F). It should be warm, but not hot to touch. Use a kitchen thermometer if you want to be sure. 

yeast is proofing in a bowl with milk, butter and sugar. Bananas are being mashed in a white bowl by a fork

Then, add 1 tablespoon of sugar and stir well to dissolve the sugar crystals.

Now, sprinkle the active dry yeast across the milk mixture and let it activate/bloom for about 10 minutes. The yeast should be foamy when activated.

Meanwhile, mash up the banana for the cinnamon roll filling.

When the yeast is activated, add the remaining sugar, a pinch of salt, and mashed ripe bananas to the milk mixture.

Slowly add the flour to the milk mixture while stirring with a wooden spoon as you add the flour.

Once you add all 3 cups of flour the dough should still be very sticky. Move the dough to a floured kitchen counter and knead the dough with your hands. Gradually add a little bit of flour and knead for 1 – 2 minutes until the dough is semi-smooth.

how to make homemade dough intended for sweet vegan buns

Form the dough into a round ball. 

Now, grease a clean large bowl with either coconut oil or olive oil to prevent the dough from sticking to it.

Add the dough ball into the greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a tight lid. 

Let the banana cinnamon roll dough rise for about one hour in a warm place. See tips below. 

While the dough is rising, prepare the banana bread filling by mixing brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, chop the walnuts into smaller pieces, and very thinly slice 1 medium banana. Set aside.

someone is rolling out a soft and fluffy yeast dough with a rolling pin

Now, lightly flour a flat and smooth surface (pastry mat, marble slab, huge chopping board, or a clean kitchen counter). 

When the dough has doubled in size (after about an hour), roll out the dough into a rectangular shape.

Then, spread the room temperature butter on the dough with a brush, knife, or spoon.

butter is being spread on a yeasted dough

Then, sprinkle the cinnamon brown sugar evenly on top of the butter. 

Lastly, spread the thin banana slices evenly over the dough and sprinkle the majority of the chopped walnuts on top of the banana slices. 

a dough topped with butter, brown sugar, fruit and nuts

From the longer side of the rectangular, start rolling the dough into a cylinder. Make sure to roll the dough very tightly. 

Now, cut the dough into 10 even pieces using a sharp knife or using a piece of long unflavored floss. Lightly slide it under the cylinder and pull opposite end and SLICE!

a roll of soft dough on a pastry mat is being cut with dental floss

Grease an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish with butter or coconut oil.

Place the banana cinnamon rolls with the cut side down in the greased baking dish. Place them with some space in between them so they will have space to rise and expand. 

Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and let it rise for 20-30 minutes. 

homemade 7 ingredients buns are rising in a baking dish

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 F.

Lastly, remove the plastic wrap and brush the surface of the buns with melted butter.

Finally, bake the banana bread cinnamon rolls for 25 minutes. 

Icing for the vegan Banana bread rolls

Freshly made homemade baked dessert in a glass dish topped with vegan coconut simple icing

This vegan cashew cream cheese frosting is perfect for these banana bread cinnamon rolls. All that’s needed are :

  • Raw cashews – soaked overnight in cold water or in hot water for 2 hours
  • Maple syrup
  • Apple cider vinegar 
  • Coconut milk – Refrigerate a can of coconut milk and only use the firm top part
  • Vanilla extract 

To view the full recipe, follow this link.

Tips for making the best banana cinnamon rolls

A hand is reaching and grabbing a fluffy baked dessert topped with vegan icing
  1. Use a scale (link) to measure the flour! It’s a game-changer! And if you don’t have one, make sure you don’t scoop up the flour with the measuring up (lol like I did for years). Instead either pour the flour into the measuring cup or spoon it into the measuring cup. If you don’t do this, chances are you are getting way too much flour.
  2. Use a kitchen thermometer to make sure the milk mixture has the right temperature before adding the yeast.
  3. If you are making this in the summer, I usually just place the covered bowl/dough in a sunny area to rise.
  4. Winterrrr burr. Okay, so my mom taught me this trick – heat a pot of water and place the bowl where the dough is resting on top (without touching the water) of the warm water. You can use a rack or an upside upside down bowl or simply put the bowl on top of the pot.
  5. Make sure the yeast is fresh! This is definitely something you want to stay on top of because yeast expire and looses its rising power. 
  6. Use ripe bananas. They are so much sweeter and easier to work with.
  7. For the filling, use room temperature butter. It will make the spreading so much easier! 
  8. Use a kitchen thermometer to make sure the oven has reached the correct temperature before baking the banana bread cinnamon rolls. 

How to Serve banana nut rolls

An 8x8 baking dish filled with freshly homemade banana bread cinnamon tolls topped with easy vegan icing

After the cinnamon banana bread rolls have come out from the oven, let them rest for about 10 minutes. I know it’s hard to wait, but patients will pay off! 

Then, drizzle the luscious rolls with the homemade vegan icing on top and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. 

It’s time to go to town! 

Serve with coffee or a big glass of milk – try my homemade cashew milk – for breakfast, snack or dessert.

Enjoy! 

How to Store banana bread cinnamon rolls

Store the banana bread cinnamon rolls in the baking dish wrapped with plastic wrap. Or transfer the leftovers to an air-tight container. 

They will stay good in the fridge for up to 1 week. 

And yes, you can freeze them too! In an air-tight container, they will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR CREATIONS! YOU CAN USE “TRIED IT” ON PINTEREST OR SHARE ON INSTAGRAM BY TAGGING #SHUANGYSEATS

Fluffy and soft homemade banana bread rolls topped with vegan icing

You should try these banana recipes as well:

1. Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread

2. Banana Bread Cookies

3. Healthy Zucchini Banana Muffins

A fluffy banana nut cinnamon roll topped with vegan icing and crushed walnuts

Get the recipe:Banana Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 10
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
5 stars (2 reviews)
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup milk*
  • 3 tbsp butter*
  • 1 pack active dry yeast, 7g
  • 3 tbsp cane sugar, divided
  • 1/3 cup mashed ripe bananas
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, 375g + 1/2 cup more for dusting)

Filling

  • ¼ cup butter, room temp*
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • Thinly sliced bananas, about one medium banana
  • 1/3 cup crushed walnuts, optional, divided

Instructions 

  • Start with taking the butter for the filling out from the fridge to make it soft and spreadable. 
  • In a medium-sized pot, melt the butter over medium heat. When fully melted, add the milk to the butter. Heat the milk and butter mixture until it’s warm (100-110 F). It should be warm, but not hot to touch.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and stir well to dissolve the sugar crystals.
  • Sprinkle the active dry yeast across the milk mixture and let it activate/bloom for about 10 minutes. The yeast should be foamy when activated.
  • Mash up the banana for the filling.
  • When the yeast is activated, add the remaining sugar, a pinch of salt, and mashed ripe bananas to the milk mixture.
  • Slowly add the flour to the milk mixture while stirring with a wooden spoon as you add the flour.
  • Once you add all 3 cups of flour the dough should still be very sticky. Move the dough to a floured kitchen counter and knead the dough with your hands. Gradually add flour and knead for 1-2 minutes until the dough is semi-smooth.
  • Form the dough into a round ball. 
  • Grease a clean large bowl with either coconut oil or olive oil to prevent the dough from sticking to it and add the dough. Cover with plastic wrap or a tight lid. 
  • Let the banana cinnamon roll dough rise for about one hour in a warm place. (See tips in the post.)
  • While the dough is rising, prepare the banana bread filling by mixing brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, chop the walnuts into smaller pieces, and very thinly slice 1 medium banana. Set aside.
  • Lightly flour a flat and smooth surface (pastry mat, marble slab, huge chopping board, or a clean kitchen counter). 
  • When the dough has doubled in size (after about an hour), roll out the dough into a rectangular shape.
  • Spread the room temperature butter on the dough with a brush, knife, or spoon.
  • Sprinkle the cinnamon brown sugar evenly on top of the butter. 
  • Spread the thin banana slices evenly over the dough and sprinkle 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts on top of the banana slices (if using any).
  • From the longer side of the rectangular, start rolling the dough into a cylinder. Make sure to roll the dough very tightly. 
  • Cut the dough into 10 even pieces using a sharp knife or use a piece of unflavored floss – gently slide it under the cylinder and pull the opposite end of the floss, SLICE!
  • Grease an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish. 
  • Place the banana cinnamon rolls with the cut side down in the greased baking dish. Place them with some space in between them so they will have space to rise and expand. 
  • Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and let it rise for 20-30 minutes. 
  • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 F.
  • Remove the plastic wrap and brush the surface of the buns with melted butter.
  • Bake the banana bread cinnamon rolls for 22 – 23 minutes. 

Notes

*To make this recipe vegan and dairy-free, use vegan butter and dairy-free milk of your choice (I love using coconut milk).
Serving: 1g, Calories: 175kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 100mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 13g

The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.

Author: Shuang Shuang Liang
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American