Oh, cinnamon rolls, banana bread. How have I not joined you before?
Let me set right this injustice, join your little hands, if you will, so you can forevermore be united in holy sweet baked good matrimony.
Dramatic? Over the top? I think not (Rhonda).
After having such success with my 7 Ingredient World’s Easiest Vegan Cinnamon Rolls, I knew more experimenting was to be done.
You guys have been loving on my first recipe. It’s been one of our most popular to date! And because I love banana bread so much, this recipe was bound to happen sooner or later.
The banana bread infusion happens in two ways: 1) banana puree in the dough, and 2) banana slices and walnuts in the centers. The result is an amazingly moist, banana-bread like cinnamon roll just begging to be frosted (and that, we must do).
BONUS: This recipe is seriously simple! Just 1 bowl and 9 ingredients (10, including the glaze). Plus, there’s only one true rise and no fancy methods required. Just pure, easy, simple cinnamon roll goodness that takes about 2 hours total.
This means you could wake up around 9, make these little gems, and be enjoying them by brunch. Huzzah!
Oh man, these are not to be missed! They’re:
Tender
Warm
Gooey
Perfectly sweet
Comforting
Slightly crisp on the outside
Infused with banana bread flavor
Cinnamon-filled
Seriously substantial
& Surprisingly simple
Make these rolls for a special weekend breakfast or brunch, or on a Sunday to enjoy throughout the week (that’s a good week). And if you take these rolls to work, I can almost guarantee you’ll be the queen (or king) of the office. That’s right, so many friend requests, so little time.
If you do try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment or take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We absolutely love seeing what you guys cook up. Cheers and happy baking!
1-Bowl Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
- 3 Tbsp vegan butter (such as Earth Balance)
- 1 packet instant/fast-acting yeast (1 packet yields ~2 1/4 tsp)
- 1 Tbsp cane sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
- 2 3/4 – 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used a ratio of 2/3 unbleached all-purpose, 1/3 whole-wheat pastry)
FILLING
- 1/4 cup vegan butter
- 1/3 cup cane sugar
- 1/2 – 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- ~20 very thin banana slices (1/2 cup yields ~20 slices)
- 1/3 cup raw walnuts or pecans (optional // crushed // plus more for topping)
TOPPING
- 1 Tbsp vegan butter
- 1 Tbsp sugar (cane or brown)
Instructions
- DOUGH: In a large mixing bowl, heat the almond milk and vegan butter in the microwave in 30 sec increments (or heat over medium heat in a large sauce pan), until warm and melted (never reaching boiling). Let cool to 110 degrees (43 C) – the temperature of bath water. It should be warm but not too hot or it will kill the yeast. (If you used a saucepan to heat the milk, transfer to a large mixing bowl now.)
- Sprinkle on yeast and let activate for 10 minutes. Then add sugar and salt and stir. Next, add in mashed ripe banana and stir. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring as you go. The dough will be sticky. When it is too thick to stir, transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or so, adding flour as needed, until it forms a loose but still springy ball. Only use as much flour as it will take.
- Rinse out your mixing bowl, coat it with avocado or olive oil, and add your dough ball back in seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size (see photo) – mine only took 40 minutes.
- FILLING: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a long rectangle ~1/4 inch thick (the dough should measure roughly 12 x 20 inches). Brush with melted vegan butter and top with cane sugar (I used a little brown sugar mixed in with the cane sugar) and 1/2 – 1 Tbsp cinnamon (up to preference // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Then add banana slices so it's easy to roll, and walnuts.
- Slowly and tightly roll up the dough and situate seam side down. With a serrated knife or a string of floss, cut the dough into 1 1/2 – 2 inch sections and position in a well-buttered 8×8 square or comparable sized round pan (you should have about 10 rolls as original recipe is written).
- TOPPING: Brush with melted vegan butter and sprinkle with sugar (brown or cane) and remaining walnuts.
- Cover with plastic wrap and set on top of the oven to let rise again while you preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C).
- Once the oven is hot, bake rolls for 28-35 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes, then serve warm.
- Optional: Frost with dairy-free cream cheese frosting or a simple dairy-free glaze (recipe below).
- Cinnamon rolls should keep covered at room temp for up to a few days, though best when fresh. You can freeze at the stage where the dough is cut into cinnamon rolls and placed in a pan. Cover well and freeze in a pan, then let thaw for at least 6 hours before baking. Cover and set on top of the oven while preheating to help rise. Bake as instructed.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without glaze.
*Adapted from my World’s Easiest Cinnamon Rolls.
Sara says
I love this recipe! It turned out so good. I always use your regular cinnamon roll recipe and adapt it to make fun flavours but this is a great option too! I added banana to the frosting to make it banana frosting, instead of putting banana slices in with the filling (didn’t wanna go banana overboard), and it turned out amazing!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
YUM! That frosting sounds amazing, Sara! Thank you for sharing! xo
Melinda says
I’m an avid baker, but this was only the second time I’ve used yeast – and first time making cinnamon rolls! They were good… I used whole wheat flour, which I’m sure changed the taste and consistency a bit (and the reason I feel I can’t rate the recipe properly), but it was just 4 WW points per roll, so that was worth it. I loved the idea of putting banana slices inside!
Although it was fun and I feel accomplished to have made them, I’ve already decided I’m never making cinnamon rolls again – way too long of a process haha.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Thank you for sharing your experience, Melinda!
Tash says
Thank you very much for answering all my questions. I just have one more. Currently there is a shortage of bananas on Isle. However I do have some frozen banans. I know the recipe called for banana slices. Nevertheless, can I use my frozen banans and mash them instead of the banana slices?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Tash, we haven’t tried that, so we’re not sure, but we think it might work. Let us know how it goes!
Tash says
Hi I tried it and it came out fantastic. I created a filling by melting the cinnamon, sugar and butter and then combining the mashed thawed bananas.
Can I use buttermilk.with this recipe?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Great! Thank you for sharing! Buttermilk should work!
Tash says
HI I just made my dough. Can i store the unbaked banana rolls in the fridge and bake them the next day?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yes! Just let the pan “rise” on top of the oven while the oven is preheating so they don’t get shocked from cold to super hot.
Tash says
Thank you! They came out lovely! Not too sweet! Just right!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy them! xo
Tash says
Hi there, i do plan to make this. However I have a few questions.
1. Can I make this with all purpose flour?
2. Also can I use evaporated milk or whole milk instead of almond milk?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Tash, yes to both! Let us know how it goes!
keiko says
konnichiwa!(hello!)
i made banana cinnamon rolls with my daughter. i love baking, but i haven’t tried any special diet recipes before, but it was more than i expected, very delicious!!🥳 thank you!!
i didn’t plan frosting part when i saw the ingredients in the recipe, but my daughter said “no way”. yes, we needed it!!😆
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Love that! We’re so glad you both enjoyed them, Keiko. Thank you for sharing! xo
Erica Garcia says
Amazing recipe! I have been eyeing the recipe for a while and was finally able to give it a whirl this morning. I substituted the Yeast for equal amounts of Baking Soda + a splash of lemon juice, I let it sit for a little over an hour to ensure that the dough had risen. I topped off the finished product with a non-vegan cream cheese frosting. They we’re delicious! I plan to make this recipe a staple in my kitchen.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for sharing, Erica!
Jill says
My five-year-old son and I made these for the first time a couple of months ago. They were easy to make and delicious!! I’m going to be making them again for Christmas morning because they are THAT tasty.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Whoop! We’re so glad you both enjoyed them. Thanks for the lovely review, Jill! xo
Jasmine says
I made these this afternoon and they’re AMAZING- my flatmate is very happy. I cut the banana slices for the filling so thin that they almost melted into the dough- this was lovely.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad they turned out well! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Jasmine! xo
KIM BURKE says
At first I thought this looked to complicated for me. I decided to start with one thing at a time and before you know it without any complications, we were eating wonderful banana cinnamon rolls.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you gave it a try and enjoyed it, Kim! Thanks so much for sharing!
Ely says
We made this recipe – it was really delicious! I was a bit suspicious that the baked banana slices inside of the rolls would be a bit gross… but, they turned out great.
One thing that I think would be helpful is some sense of what the dimensions or proportions of the rolled out rectangle of dough should be. It’s been a long time since I’ve made cinnamon rolls, and I had a general sense but could have used a little more guidance in the written instructions here.
Gotcha! Thanks for the review, Ely! Will revisit the instructions for greater clarity.
Farwa says
This looks delicious! Can’t wait to make it. I want to try it without the banana slices rolled in, can I just add more mashed banana to the batter instead for the banana flavour?
Yeah, just skip the banana slices. But when adding more into the batter, know that it will affect the texture. Let us know how it goes!
That should be OK, bit it will affect the texture! Adjust as needed and let us know how it goes!
Lili says
I’ve made these a few times now and they are great! Do you think it would work to use applesauce in place of the mashed banana in the recipe?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoy them, Lili! Hmm, we haven’t tried that, but maybe! Let us know if you give it a try!
Kelsey Cook says
I love this recipe! Very easy to make and very tasty. It’s a hit with my friends. I make this non-vegan and it’s great.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad everyone enjoys it, Kelsey! Thanks so much for sharing!
Jennifer says
I made this recipe GF by subbing an all purpose gf flour. And adding 1/4 cup of chia seeds. Also upped it to 1 cup of ripe bananas. It was actually the good kind of GOOEY!! Which is a complete miracle for gf baking. Thanks for sharing this recipe, it’s been our special quarantine desert!
Jennifer says
Oops! Forgot that I also added 1 teaspoon of xantham gum.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad it worked well, Jennifer! Thanks for sharing!
Beth says
Can I use gluten free flour?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Beth, we haven’t tried making this recipe gluten-free. We’d recommend adapting from this recipe.
Darya says
i haven’t had cinnamon rolls since i turned vegan because it’s impossible to find them in the vegan version where i live (hello from Russia), and i’m very happy to have found the recipe, gonna make them a lot from now on. I substituted coconut oil for both the dough and the filling and also used more banana than written in the recipe, and the rolls still turned out amazing. Might make them with raisins next time. Thanks a lot!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Darya! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Ciara says
Newbie yeast user here! A terrifying ingredient, but the recipe writing of Ms. Minimalist B makes you feel at ease and gives you that, “Go ahead, You can do it!” nudge that is needed.
I subbed coconut oil in the dough recipe, used a mix of light and dark brown sugar for the filling, as well as a mix of walnuts and pecans. Topped with an almond milk, vegan butter and powdered sugar glaze. I can taste them as I write this.
Recipe and steps were super easy to follow. Of course my minimal faults were due to lack of yeast/dough using/creating experience.
End result, 7 large delicious buns! Would Banana Bread Cinnamon Roll AGAIN!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Ciara! Thanks for sharing!
RSC says
I would rate this recipe 5 stars as is. Even though I found it light on banana flavor, the quality of the rolls was excellent, even though I wound up letting the dough rest in the fridge for 2 days. I baked in a cast iron skillet. I will use more banana purée next time, maybe banana liquor in dough and frosting, and completely cover the cinnamon sugar with banana slices. I will use milk powder in the dry ingredients (1/2c) and all the liquid will be banana purée and melted butter. I had about 1 cup of total nuts in this, but we have pecan trees, so I can get extravagant with them.
Lia says
Hi, there. Thank you for giving such an idea for replacing milk with banana puree. I’m having lots of almost ripe bananas right now and kinda bored with banana bread. Have you tried it? I’d like to bake it as per your suggestion, so the banana puree will be 1+1/2 cup and there’s an addition of 1/2 cup milk powder to the dry ingriedients?
Bo says
Could this be done with gluten-free flour? Or completely whole wheat flour? Or would the outcome not be as good? Cant wait to try..
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Bo, Some other readers have tried whole wheat with success. For gluten-free, we would suggest modifying this recipe: https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-gluten-free-cinnamon-rolls/
Ridhi says
Hi what can be a substitute of vegan butter and yeast because we don’t use yeast can we use curd or any other substitute??
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hmm, we aren’t sure of any subs for those as they are key ingredients, sorry!
alexis says
I made this yesterday with a lot of modifications like wheat flour and coconut oil. I then left the dough to rise which did not happen due to dry yeast being very old. To save the dough I then used a mix of baking soda and lemon juice since there is no yeast to buy in any of the stores. I guess everybody is baking these days. So 4 hours lates the dough finally was in the oven and the rolls turn out very delicious. They were out of shape but nevertheless scrumptions. I will be baking these again because they are easy to make.
Amber says
Do you think I could sub coconut oil for the earth balance anywhere in this recipe? I dont want to use all of my earth balance. I dont have much left…
Yes! Keep it for the filling, but sub coconut oil for the dough!
Kiah says
I just made these and they’re amazing!! SO FLUFFY. Used coconut oil, soy milk, and extra banana slices and they were perfect. Better than I was expecting honestly. Thank you!!
Stephanie says
So, so, SO yummy. Rich and substantial without being overly heavy. The banana makes the dough all the more moist and delicious, and that banana/nut/cinnamon combo is to die for. This was my first go at this recipe, and I could have let the dough rise for a tad longer and I think I could have used a tad more flour (I used the lower end of the suggested amount in the recipe); however, the result was a slightly sticky (in a good way) and super fluffy dough that ended up making incredibly fluffy, moist rolls. I opted for a little extra melted vegan butter and cinnamon sugar topping with crushed walnuts instead of frosting (mostly because this was a spontaneous baking experience, and I was low on glaze/frosting ingredients). No regrets; still absolutely delicious . . . just as much so warmed up with coffee the next day. My partner and I loved them! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Alyssa says
Can we use regular sugar and regular non vegan items for everything else?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
That should work! We haven’t tried it though. Let us know how it goes!
Eve says
I made these yesterday to use up some bananas and they were DELICIOUS.
They didn’t taste any different for being vegan; even my dad didn’t notice!
I used all plain flour and I’d add double the banana next time, but it’s the first recipe of yours I’ve used and I think I’ll make more soon!
:)
Ana says
I’ve never worked with yeast before and I’m wondering if I can use Active Dry Yeast rather than fast acting?
That’ll work! Just expect a longer rise.
KB says
Morning! Made these for Christmas brunch. Lovely addition to our table. This time, I substituted coconut oil in the filling and preferred the flavor.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modification. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Tazzy says
Unless my understanding is wrong and there is no video, where do I find the video for this recipe? Can’t find it using my phone & my computer is broken. :( Thanks for any help with this.
There’s not a video for this one at this time – sorry!
gwyn says
is it possible to substituted butter with something else?
Perhaps coconut oil? It won’t produce the same effect, but it should be close.
Lucy says
Really easy! I made these (in addition to other treats) to promote fairtrade with fairtrade bananas from work. They went down a treat at the bake sale, really wish I made more. I made it with non-vegan products due to having to use products in store and we don’t sell vegan cream cheese. It still worked perfectly fine with dairy products and was delicious. Thank you!
Jacqui says
Just made the banana cinnamon rolls and they are absolutely fabulous!
I just had one and I really want another immediately.
Can’t wait for my husbaand to try them. Thanks for another great recipe!
Kelly Jones says
I made them for my co workers ..omg ? smells so good !
I tagged you on Instagram
Kim says
We loved these! I made them just as the recipe told me to with the vegan cream cheese frosting. I was shocked at how delicious they were. We used 1/2 whole wheat flour and 1/2 white flour. We also used the organic cane sugar- the slightly thicker granules make a slightly crunchy sugary topping. Yum! Great recipe- and thank you!
Cristina says
Hi! I have family members allergic to all types of nuts, but would LOVE to serve your recipe for the holiday season coming up. How can I replace almond (flour, milk, nut ANYTHING) with something more vegan & allergy-free friendly?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Cristina! For this recipe, feel free to swap the almond milk for another non-dairy milk.
CRISTINA CALAGUAS says
Hi Dana! What about the flour? I notice in many of your recipes you use nut-flour? What can i replace for this?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Christina! We use nut flours to keep the recipe gluten-free, but if you aren’t GF then you may be interested in this recipe.
Jamee says
Hi! Do you think it would be possible to leave them to do the final rise in the fridge overnight so they can be baked fresh in the morning?
Yes! Just refrigerate overnight, set on the oven while preheating the next day, and bake as instructed.
Jamee says
Thank you!! They turned out perfect and were SO delicious! Will be making these again for sure!x
Jane Speyer says
These were hands-down the best cinnamon rolls I ever made. Really easy and so good! I subbed rice milk for almond milk, because that’s what I had in the house and added just a little vanilla to the powdered sugar icing because vanilla is awesome. This banana in the dough makes it extra sticky, so keeping the kneading area well-floured is essential. I was worried about the amount of butter used in the filling – seemed like more than was needed, but trusted the recipe and everything worked out beautifully. Thanks so much for this recipe. We will definitely make this again!
Charleen Belcher says
This was really good! I added more warm spices (pumpkin pie spice, extra cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger) to the filling and used the cream cheese frosting from the GLUTEN-FREE ZUCCHINI CAKE (I halved that recipe). Thanks for another amazing recipe, Dana!
Lydia says
I’m not sure what exactly where I went wrong on this recipe!
Tried it this morning. Slowly added flour until I had what I thought was a springy ball but then after 1.5 hours it hadn’t risen that much, but was bigger than when I started. Maybe my yeast never activated, problem 1. Then when I was trying to roll out the dough it kept sticking and crumbling… Too much flour? I decided to move ahead even though it wasn’t looking good at this point. They turned out OK. Not sure if I would invest the time/energy again.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Lydia! Sorry to hear you had some difficulties with this recipe. It sounds like your yeast was possibly too old? As for the crumbly dough, adding moisture will help the dough become more coherent. Add a few sprinkles of cold water (no more than a teaspoon at a time), handling the dough as little as possible until it’s evenly moistened.
Josuha says
Made this yesterday to bring over to my friends’ new house and they absolutely loved them! I don’t think I quite got the flour ratio right, but they still came out delicious, the bananas really added a bunch of flavor.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We are glad you all enjoyed these, Joshua!
Lorna says
Hi, I have a yeast intolerance is there anyway of making them with something else?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Not that we know of at this time, Lorna!
POLly says
Sososososo good! I’ve made this twice, once for thanksgiving and everyone raved and a pregnant relative begged for the recipe. I will add that I used regular milk and butter though. Amazing!
Theresa says
Do you have a Gluten Free version of this? I would love to make it!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Theresa! We wish we could comment, but we haven’t experimented with a GF cinnamon roll yet. But if you try it, please report back!
Yoko says
For the first time to bake cinnamon rolls! and it’s successful with fluffy texture:) I used chopped dates to reduce some suger. but I realized that sweeter is nicer! Thank you, Dana :D
Selina says
THESE ARE AMAZING!!! I had some overripe bananas to use and was looking for ideas online on how to use them when I came across this recipe. Instead of yeast and flour I adapted it with self raising gluten free flour, and they still turned out SO DELICIOUS!! Btw, your page is a freaking haven for celiacs and I don’t want to ruin anything by moving too fast but I love you.
Selina says
Also, just wanted to let you know that this recipe was just SO GOOD that I ended up translating it to Norwegian and shared it with family members and on a Celiac forum, linking to your page of course.
Georgia says
These look amazing! Unfortunately, where I live, vegan butter is not accessible… is there any way to alter the recipe, and sub the butter with something else? Coconut oil, for example? Thanks!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Georgia! It will affect the flavor, but I think so, yes.
Kennedy says
I had never made cinnamon rolls before but was craving them and had bananas that were turning ripe and the I found this recipe! I made them gluten free, which is just a matter of different flour.
Anyway this recipe was easy to follow and I really like the walnuts! I’m not sure what I did wrong but they were a bit flavorless, I’ll keep experimenting and I’m sure I’ll get it right soon enough!
Alison says
Do you think it’s possible to replace the butter in the cinnamon buns with coconut oil? I don’t have access to earth balance or another vegan butter. Also, do you happen to have a glaze or icing that doesn’t require vegan butter? Or perhaps I could sub in coconut oil for that too?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Alison! It will affect the flavor, but I think so, yes.
Ana says
This recipe is another one I have made multiple times and everyone who’s had a piece or two, or three loves it. So thanks for deliciousness.
Kelly White says
How long do they keep for ?? I’m making them for an even thats two days away and I was wondering if i could get away with making them today x :)
Kelly White says
Hey! I’m so excited to make these, how long do they keep for ?? xx
Nilu says
Hi Dana, is possible to use coconut butter instead of vegan butter? Thanks!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi! That should work!
Alyssa says
Just made these, and GOOD LAWD these are heaven. Seriously so dang good.
Kayla Werner says
I am just knocking these recipes out of the park!! EVERYTHING I have made from your website and cookbook has been amazing. I have to say it’s easy living a vegan lifestyle when you have amazing food recipes from Dana!
Sarah says
Thinking about making these for a trip with friends, however Id have to make them the day before and heat them up before serving (adding the frosting after of course). Will this work? Has anyone tried this? I’m thinking a low what to just warm ’em up. Thanks!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yes that’ll work! Just let them cool completely before storing and store in an airtight container and they’ll stay fresh for serving!
Kristen says
I just finished making these and oh my goodness. First of all, I’ve never made cinnamon rolls before, I wouldn’t consider myself any sort of Baker. But this recipe was so easy (almost foolproof) and these cinnamon rolls are among the best ones I’ve ever had. I just wanted to say thank you for all of your recipes. I went vegan about a year ago, using your website and your cookbook have helped me so much! I know I can always count on your recipes to impress not only myself but my non-vegan friends/family.
Angie pangie says
These barely fit into the suggested 8×8 sized pan, and barely cooked in the middle. They were good, but would be much better as 12 rolls in a proper 9×13 pan.
Mariana says
No gluten free option over this marvelous cinnamon roll?
Working on it!!
Melissa says
Have you tried filling it with peanut butter???
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
No we haven’t If you do, let us know how it goes!
Marubi says
I believe I already commented on this recipe about how awesome they are, but I have to comment again because these are such a huge hit. So incredibly delicious! My boyfriends father who isn’t big on sweet things always takes seconds when I make these. The whole family gets excited as little children when they see what is in the baking pan. The friends I made them for have been nothing but impressed. We currently have a couple of very ripe bananas at home and the boyfriens is not-at-all-subtly hinting at what I should make with them :D Can’t thank you enough for the recipe :)
Jean says
Would it work out all right if I used Almond flour instead of all-purpose flour?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Jean! We haven’t tried it yet! If you do, report back on how it goes!
Lisa in Apex NC says
Holy moly roly poly. These were phenomenal. Made a glaze of powdered sugar, some soy milk, vanilla, coconut oil, and cinnamon for the top. Divine.
Thank you for your expert instructions. I made sushi for the first time last night from your recipe. I absolutely love Minimalist Baker and recommend all the time. Thank you thank you!!
Britton says
I made these yesterday for my boyfriend’s birthday breakfast. I’ve never made cinnamon rolls before and this recipe was easy to follow. They turned out absolutely amazing. I felt like I was eating a Cinnabon, only vegan and with bananas. So it was 100x better.
Angela says
Can I use regular butter instead of vegan?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yes!
Julie says
I recommend doing more than one banana sliced in the middle. They were good bits of caramelized goodness, but I think it would be better with 1 1/2 – 2 bananas sliced. Also, definitely do the brown sugar and not just white!
Ricki says
Could I substitute the almond milk with coconut? Allergies to soy and almond ):
Puck says
These are soooooo good! They’re almost too rich, but not quite. I rolled them up the wrong way but they still turned out great. I think I’ll probably halve the recipe next time, though, since there’s too many for 2 of us and I’ll have to figure out what to do with the rest. I don’t really like vegan cream cheese, so I just used your sticky bun topping instead.
Puck says
Oh, I forgot to ask – how do you measure your flour? I know some people scoop the flour with the measuring cup, some people spoon into the measuring cup and level, and it’s hard to tell who uses which method based on their recipes. I’m a spooner, not a scooper, but when I did that, I ended up adding quite a bit more than was called for – but they still turned out.
Aeniah says
Is it possible I could rise this and bake it as a log of cinnamon banana amazing soon to be bread?
Hannah says
Made these last night. Best things I’ve ever made! So simple! And they were soft and sweet and gooey and AMAZING!! Thanks for a great recipe x
Elizabeth says
Can I substitute the almond milk with another non dairy milk? Maybe soy, coconut, or rice milk? I would love to try this recipe but I’m have a severe almond allergy.
Carly Syms says
Hi Elizabeth! Please check out Dana’s Recipe FAQ page for your substitution questions!
Jennifer says
What is vegan butter made of? I try not to do oil and/or highly processed foods. Thanks. These look amazing.
Check out the ingredients label to see.
Cassie says
The problem is that if I make these cinnamon rolls, I’d eat all of them before the brunch even starts! :D my next challenge to you: CHOCOLATE cinnamon rolls.
lili says
Hi Dana thank you for the amazing recipe it was sooooo easy to make and tasted amazing I added some raison to it as well it’s so moist and delicious I and used coconut suger. Thank you for all the great recipe
Bethany says
Hi there! I was wondering if I could substitute the vegan butter? Can I use more bananas or applesauce, or coconut oil? thanks! ~Bethany
Lauren says
I used whole wheat flour for the entire measurement and made a cream cheese icing. The icing was SO complementary. Who would’ve thought to put banana bread and cinnamon rolls together? Almost a crime it hadn’t been done sooner!
Shelby Huskey says
Can we freeze the dough and not actually bake the cinnamon rolls until the morning, or do they need to be baked right away?
You can freeze the dough. Just let it thaw completely, then preheat the oven while they rest on top of the oven. Bake as instructed!
Arianna Van Der Woole says
Can i substitute vegan butter for normal butter?
Yes!
Maria says
My friend got me onto this website because of your awesome vegan cinnamon scrolls. They are to die for! My fiancee LOVES banana treats so I’m going to try these ones out. Can’t wait to taste them. Thank you so much – you are awesome.
Samantha says
Can I sub coconut oil for Earth Balance?
It will affect the flavor, but I think so, yes.
Sandra Price says
These look amazing!! I can’t wait to try this out, I am always looking for a substitute for Earth Balance or vegan butters… I live in a remote area and you cannot get it! Coconut oil is also always a liquid here never a solid! Any great suggestions out there?? Much love!!
Mary Beth says
If you have a refrigerator, just put the coconut oil in the fridge and it will harden. :)
Marubi says
I am so happy I found your blog with all the amazing recipes! Just made these babies, for tomorrow’s brunch with my boyfriend’s family. I figured we’d warm them up a bit tomorrow, and I have the frosting in a separate jar until then, this should work fine, right?
Of course I also had to taste one already (got enough rolls that two were baked separately from the others), and it is absolutely delicious. Combining banana bread with the rolls is a great idea!
I did do it slightly differently, I used dairy milk, fresh yeast, and added a bit more banana into the dough, about 2/3 cups, to which I added two spoons muscovado sugar, which I think goes really well into the combination. I also skipped the slices, because I usually already have a bit of a problem rolling the thing up, so didn’t want to complicate :)
Of course I did frost them with the cream cheese frosting (dairy). If I was already indulging, might as well go all the way! :D
Marubi says
Hello, I thought I’d tell you (in case someone wonders) that the warming them up a day after worked perfectly, Just popped them in the oven at a bit lower temperature for 15 min, and they were as delicious as freshly made. I was asked by everyone to share the recipe and to definitely make them again :)
Kathleen says
These are amazing! They are reasonably easy to make and delicious! Just made them for the second time today, and I will be giving them to my mom for Mother’s Day! I also definitely recommend adding the glaze. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
Thanks for sharing, Kathleen! Hope your Mother’s Day was awesome.
Andrea says
Just made these. Didn’t even frost them, and I’ve already eaten more than three rolls. Yum.
Max says
trying make these bad boys right now. Waiting for my dough to rise. But it is normal that was super duper gooey when I was trying to knead it? No matter how much flour I added it was gooey. Tips?
it’s it’s gooey, add more flour! You want it to be soft, but workable and not sticky.
Chloe W says
I am making these right now, but I am going to try making them GF. I will let you know how they turn out! So excited :)
Chloe W says
These turned out amazing! It was so hard to not stop eating them. I used Namaste All-Purpose GF Flour blend.
Rebecca says
This Looks like an Incredible Banana Cinnamon Rolls
fran says
hi! can you make these overnight so they’re ready to bake in the morning. like christmas morning. haha :) thanks!!
Yes! I would recommend making the rolls up until the baking part. then covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating overnight. then, bake as instructed in the morning, setting them on top of the oven while it preheats! Good luck!!
Caroline says
Hi Dana, love this idea and thinking about making these for Christmas morning! One question – have you ever made these in advance and then pulled out to bake? Would like to make the day before and pop into the oven!
-Caroline
http://www.chardonnaymoi.com
think you could! Just make them up to the baking part the night before, cover and refrigerate, and then bake the next morning as instructed!
Tori says
These are delicious, super fluffy. For those in Australia, I used nuttelex and the end product was a ripper. Thanks!
Maria says
Thanks Tori – you’re a lifesaver. I was having a hard time finding dairy free butter, so I’ll just use the Nuttelex in the fridge!
Mandy says
I made these a couple of days ago, exactly as written with the exception of adding two more tablespoons of sugar to the dough. In my oven, they needed to go for almost the full 35 minutes, but they were delicious, with an amazing, fluffy texture. Since my kitchen is cold and drafty, I used a tip I had seen elsewhere for letting the dough rise and wrapped the entire bowl in two bath-sized towels. Then we went to the gym for an hour. :-). By the time we got back, the yeast had done its thing and the dough was ready to roll! I used a vegetable peeler to slice up my bananas, and Daiya cream cheese because I can’t do soy. I haven’t tried Tofutti, but Daiya is a little sweet already, so I only needed two cups of powdered sugar for the cream cheese frosting.
These were awesome, and will definitely be part of my special occasion repertoire!
JC says
Made these two weeks ago and LOVED them – so decadent and flavorful! We enjoyed the batch for breakfast all week
Dee says
Oh Em Geeee!!! Just made these to satisfy my insane pregnancy craving for cinnamon and bananas and I have to say, this recipe and concoction is absolutely divine – it hit the spot! What’s more is that the hubby didn’t even know they were vegan until he devoured 3 and saw my Smart Balance tub sitting on the counter lol. Thanks Dana!! :)
Kate @ ¡Hola! Jalapeño says
Oh Wow! These are brilliant, definitely cooking them up this weekend!
Zavier says
Don’t know what I did wrong (maybe it was subbing half garbanzo bean flour?) but these stayed so sticky they were hard to cut. But I don’t care…the smell from my oven is amazing!
anna says
Please let me know if you tried this with gf flour and if it worked. I really want to make this but I’m a bit afraid of “wasting” my precious gf flour…
Dai says
I’ve made these twice now and man, they are awesome. Quick and easy to make and so good. The second time around, I left out the cinnamon and added chocolate sprinkles to the filling, goes together well with the banana.
Thanks for sharing, Dai!
Anja says
It looks great!
Just obe question, last timd I made cinnamon rolls with instant yeast it tasted a lot like yeast..
What did i do wrong?
Not sure! If you’re weary of instant, just use regular and give it more time to rise. Good luck!
Geneviève says
i just wish you’ll publish youre receipes in french!!! ;)
Me too! Ha!
jen_cam says
The Cinnamon roll love on this blog is amazing!
Heather says
Made these today and they worked out great! thanks for the recipe!!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Heather!
Paige says
I made these, and I fell in love <3
Yay!!
Karley Breese says
Finally made these! I have tried these and the regular cinnamon recipe…. I love how easy they are to make! My only complaint is they are a bit “yeasty” for my tastes…. do you have any suggestions to combat this at all?
Hmmm. Perhaps next time try baking them on a baking sheet lined with parchment spaced apart a little bit so they have a bit more space to “breathe” and crisp up. That should help!
Keren @ Just One More Spoon says
Another brilliant recipe Dana! Can’t wait to try this.
Jamie | Jamie's Recipes says
You never cease to amaze me. This is a delightful combination. (Why didn’t I think of that?!)
Too kind! Thanks, Jamie!
Sarah@WholeandHeavenlyOven says
Omg I can hardly stand how tall and fluffy these rolls look! I’m a banana bread-FIEND so these are right up my alley! Totally loving the double-banana action going on there. :D Pinned!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
Words cannot describe how badly I am craving one of these banana bread cinnamon rolls right now.. they look super delicious. Especially loving that thick layer of frosting going on as well. Pinned!
Fee says
Oh, wow….I’m definitely going to do this. I already love your cinnamon rolls, so should be a doddle to add the bananas. Won’t be today, but next weekend!
Kate @ Almond Butter Binge says
I read the title of this post and all I could think was “No. Freaking. WAY.” I can’t wait to try these :)
Leigha @ The Yooper Girl says
I’ve actually been craving a banana bread cinnamon roll, and you are literally my savior. Great recipe!! And as I am dabbling more and more with vegan eats, this is perfect! I just made an adaption of your one bowl banana bread yesterday and will be sure to let you know when I post it! :D
Yay! Let me know how it goes, Leigha! Hope you liked the banana bread, too :D
Tammy says
Oh my gosh! These have got to happen…and soon! I’ll be sure to instagram if we do them this weekend!
Please do! xoxo
Felicity says
Dana, I love you! I haven’t yet tried this but I got sooooo excited when I saw your IG post on these!! I was like this is the best idea ever!!! Vegan banana cinnamon rolls!!!! EPIC. You are a baking goddess. Thank you. I have black spotted bananas on my countertop just begging to be made into this! I will report back when I’ve tried it. Thank you you wonderful woman!
Thanks Felicity! Let me know how the rolls go!
Kathryn Mader says
My dear girl, you are just too brilliant for words.
Gaby says
Umm…I need these right now!! Looks so tasty!!
Nikki @ Quest for Balance says
Dana you are a genius! I can’t wait to try these! What are your thoughts on subbing gluten free flour? I know it’s never really the same as traditional flour but I’m thinking it would also be delicious!
After several requests, I’m going to try my hand at GF rolls! Thanks for the request. I won’t be able to advise until then :D
Nikki @ Quest for Balance says
Awesome – Looking forward to the recipe!
Danielle says
I cannot read your blog without my mouth watering!
Another amazing recipe I will need to try!
nourishnature.blogspot.ca
Christine says
I think you’re a genious. These look amazing!
Emilie@TheCleverCarrot says
I can’t even believe you got a cinnamon roll to look that good, without eggs. Seriously, that crumb is amazing- so fluffy! Girl, you better polish that crown because this is a good one ;)
Paige says
Oh wow! I’m definitely trying this recipe! x
Mary Beth says
I tried these, but am not a huge fan! :( Maybe it was some changes I made, not sure.
I’m not gluten-free so I used regular salted butter (decreased the salt in the recipe by half, which was a mistake because the dough turned out a bit flavorless), unbleached white flour, regular whole milk, and toasted almonds. I also did not put bananas in the filling because I always have so many issues rolling the dough that I didn’t want to make it too complicated. :)
I also made the dough the night before and let it rise overnight.
Everything came together normally, but the end result was disappointing. First of all, they took forever to cook! It definitely might have been my oven, but they ended up hard on the outside and still soft on the inside. I like super soft cinnamon rolls, so I’m not sure if it was the addition of banana in the dough that made them not cook uniformly? And as I mentioned before, the dough was too flavorless for me. I shouldn’t have decreased the salt and I think I prefer sugar in the dough like normal cinnamon rolls.
I think it’s probably a great healthier cinnamon roll recipe and I really hope others have success! I’ll blame it on my oven and my error for decreasing the salt. Maybe I’ll try these again and report back with better success!
Katie Barthel says
I was expecting the bananas to be mashed and included in the dough, but including thin slices in the roll itself sounds even better! I do have a question – do you think you could make these ahead of time, refrigerate them overnight, then bake them in the morning? I don’t work with yeast very much and I’m not sure if refrigerating would mess with the dough staying risen. Thanks!
Florianne says
hi there,
this looks wonderful,
do you remember how many bananas do you need for those 2 half cups, mashed & sliced ? thanks in advance !
About 1.5 :D
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says
Okay, you guys did it – these cinnamon rolls look OVER THE TOP ahhh-mazing! I cannot wait to try these because Banana Bread is one of my fav. things ever and so are cinnamon rolls! And can I just say, gooey is the best word ever to describe baked goods – ever!
Lana says
This looks sooo yummy! Could you still use dairy milk and butter? x
– Lana
George says
Hi Dana, do you think this will work with gluten free flour?
I wish I could comment, but I haven’t experimented with a GF cinnamon roll yet. But if you try it, please report back!
Brittany says
Um.. can I come over for breakfast?
Um, are we internet besties? YES and YES!
Katie @ 24 Carrot Life says
Holy moly these look SO amazing. I must make these soon!
Ala says
I was disinclined to believe the title, but then I clicked over and oh. My. Gaw. Seriously, you guys are amazing. This looks FANTASTIC–one bowl, indeedy! Sharing and saving, Dana!
Thanks, Ala! Hope you enjoy these gems!
Gervaise says
Can I sub pastry flour for whole wheat white ?
Yes!
Joanna says
I was just looking at the 3 pathetic looking browning bananas on my counter and wondering what to do with them. I was going to go with banana pancakes, but this is much more decadent! As soon as I get home from work tomorrow, I am going to make these!
Yay! Let me know how it goes!
Lisa @ Simple Pairings says
I don’t think I’ve ever come across banana bread cinnamon rolls – what a fantastic idea to combine two wonderful baked goods together this way! I like the idea of using banana as a natural sweetener, too. I imagine these would be quite lovely for breakfast.
Oh yes. TOO lovely. I had to hide these from myself. That’s when you know they’re good.
kristy says
If i don’t want wheat flour – what would you suggest as an alternative?
Not sure I understand you. Are you OK with using all purpose? Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to advice on other flours as I haven’t tested them.
Rebecca says
Oh no you didn’t!
Rachael | Spache the Spatula says
GENIUS!
Why are these not in and around my mouth, right now?!
Sorry? Ha, thanks Rachael. Hope you give these a go!
Katie (Veggie and the Beast) says
Ohhh lordy the way that thick cream cheese glaze is cracking on top in that last picture. Why can’t there be a high five emoji for desktops?
AMEN
Alexis says
These look great. Now…did you ever think of marrying cinnamon rolls with apple strudel? I had a vision of apple slices in place of the banana slices. Or, have you thought of trying to make them gluten free (hint hint)!
Ah, great idea! That’s next on my list!
Alexis says
Hooray!
Lindsay says
Yes, gluten free. Pretty please?
Anita says
I second or third the request for a gluten-free version please?! I’ve made countless recipes from your site, Dana, and am just thrilled with the results every time! I’m itching to make a gf vegan cinnamon bun… I can’t remember the last time I had one. :)
It’s on my list!!
Natalia Stefanova says
I came to ask this since you just instagrammed the recipe … pretty please for the gluten-free version from me too! ❤️
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Thank you for the suggestion, Natalia! We do have a gluten-free cinnamon roll recipe which you can find here! Hope you enjoy it!
Julie says
Gluten-free version for me too, pleeeeeease!
Maryna says
Sounds great!I like banana pastry, but this! This is something different! Bananas in cinnamon buns? Cooool!
Claudia says
Just made these…. PERFECT! AMAZING! DELICIOUS! INCREDIBLE! The banana, which is not obvious or overpowering, gives this that certain * magical * touch! On my list for more, already shared with my mother who loves the Cinnabon version at the mall – no longer! This is so easy to make, a bit of waiting time for the dough, 30 minutes in the oven, done! Thank you so much for this idea!!!
Anika says
Holy cow these look amazing! Definitely going to have to give this one a try.
CakePants says
Oh my…these look downright divine! I know it’s still a way off, but these look like they might be perfect for my family’s Christmas breakfast :) Yummm.
OOh, yeah! Perfect idea!
Valerie says
Good Morning from *sunny* Vancouver……awesome recipe for sure! I am a true ‘raisin in my cinnamon buns girl’ and would want to add some to your recipe….ummm..what quantity would you suggest? Thanks and cheers, Valerie :)
As much as you want! I’d say 1/4 cup, which is enough to sparsely cover the surface. Hope that helps!
Riles says
These look sooo good! Can`t wait to make them!
Might I ask who is Rhonda?
My favorite ongoing joke :D
hippymomelizabeth says
This looks great Dana Family Approved!!!!
The Blonde Chef says
This looks like my new favorite dessert! Bananas AND frosting?! I am counting the minutes until I can whip this up for myself! Brilliant!
Let me know if you give them a try!
Sandra Beers says
Very good bananas sweetened them up with loads cinnamon and nuts Yummy ?
Fi at this and that blog says
This sounds like a match made in heaven – I need to try it one day soon. It looks like the perfect brunch for an autumnal day. xxxx
jenna @ just j.faye says
I’ve never had anything like banana bread cinnamon rolls before. These look absolutely amazing!
Claudia @Breakfast Drama Queen says
This looks AMAZING! I officially have cinnamon roll cravings (hmm… I’m going to having to try and make some gluten free cinnamon rolls super soon!!!)
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
Banana bread is one of my favvvvvorite things ever. I have a bazillion recipes for it but have never done banana cinn rolls. You’re a genius! AND they’re vegan AND they’re one bowl! And almost no kneading! Amazing! Pinned!
Thanks, Averie! I think you would LOVE these. Thanks for the share!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
I think you just discovered my new favorite comfort food. Love this!