If you’re the kind of person who believes breakfast should feel like a warm hug (or who dreams of dessert masquerading as morning food), this Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread Recipe is about to become your new favorite. Imagine all the sweet, gooey charm of a cinnamon roll swirled into moist, banana-packed bread and finished with a drizzle of luscious glaze. Whether you serve it as a treat to yourself on a lazy Sunday or share slices with friends over coffee, this creative mashup brings out the very best of banana bread and classic cinnamon rolls in each bite.

Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients You’ll Need

This recipe pulls together simple pantry staples, but each ingredient plays a starring role—no substitutions will quite do! From ripe bananas for natural sweetness to a swirl that brings cinnamon roll dreams to life, here’s what you’ll need and why it matters.

Ripe Bananas: Make sure they’re spotty and soft; extra-ripe bananas give the bread its deep flavor and unbeatable moist texture.
Eggs: These bind everything together and add richness for a tender crumb.
Granulated Sugar: Balances banana’s natural sweetness and caramelizes for a lovely golden crust.
Brown Sugar: Adds a subtle molasses flavor and extra moisture, especially important for both the batter and cinnamon swirl.
Vegetable Oil or Melted Butter: Either gives you a soft, plush bread—oil for a lighter crumb, butter for extra flavor.
Milk: Brings the batter together and keeps every bite tender (any variety works).
Vanilla Extract: Layers in cozy, aromatic notes that make the whole loaf taste like home.
All-purpose Flour: The sturdy backbone that holds all the good stuff in place—measure carefully for best texture.
Baking Soda: Lifts your loaf so it’s light, not dense.
Salt: Just enough to sharpen and round out all the sweet flavors.
Brown Sugar (for swirl): Melds into pockets of gooey perfection amid each slice.
Ground Cinnamon: The star of the swirl—choose fresh, fragrant cinnamon for maximum impact.
Melted Butter (for swirl): Helps the cinnamon sugar melt and marble into ribbons.
Powdered Sugar (for glaze): The secret to a silky, pourable drizzle that finishes the loaf in true cinnamon roll style.
Milk (for glaze): Adjusts the glaze to your ideal consistency—thick or light, your call.
Vanilla Extract (for glaze): Enhances the glaze with depth and delightful fragrance.

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread Recipe

Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Preheat

Start by firing up your oven to 350°F so it’s piping hot when your loaf is ready. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and give it a quick greasing. This trick guarantees your bread will lift out easily—no sticking, just clean release and perfect edges.

Step 2: Mix Wet Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine your mashed bananas, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil (or butter), milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until everything’s beautifully smooth and creamy. The banana should be fully blended, leaving you with a luscious, sweet-smelling mixture.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients

Grab a second bowl for your all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk them together so the baking soda distributes evenly—this ensures a loaf that rises evenly and tastes spot-on, never salty or flat.

Step 4: Make the Batter

Add your dry mix to the wet ingredients. Stir just until everything is combined—overmixing is the enemy of tender bread, so stop as soon as those little flour pockets vanish.

Step 5: Create the Cinnamon Swirl

In a small bowl, blend the brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter for your swirl. This mixture will transform as it bakes, sinking into the bread to form gooey, aromatic ribbons throughout every slice.

Step 6: Layer and Swirl

Pour half the banana bread batter into your prepared pan. Spoon half the cinnamon swirl over the batter, then use a butter knife to gently trace waves and spirals through it—think gentle marbling, not mixing. Add the rest of the batter, repeat the cinnamon swirl, and swirl again.

Step 7: Bake to Perfection

Slip the pan into your preheated oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Your kitchen will smell incredible as the Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread Recipe works its magic! Test with a toothpick—if it comes out clean (maybe with a few moist crumbs), you’re golden.

Step 8: Cool and Glaze

Cool the loaf in the pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully lift it onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla for the glaze, then let it rain sweet, glossy icing over the cooled bread. The glaze sets lightly, giving each bite a finishing pop of sweetness.

How to Serve Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread Recipe

Garnishes

This bread is already a showstopper, but you can add a sprinkle of chopped toasted pecans or walnuts on top of the glaze for extra crunch. Try a dusting of cinnamon or even a sparkle of coarse sugar right before serving to amp up the visual wow factor.

Side Dishes

Pair a slice of your Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread Recipe with a steaming mug of coffee or a generous swirl of Greek yogurt for breakfast. If you’re serving it as dessert, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a handful of fresh berries makes the experience truly unforgettable.

Creative Ways to Present

Turn this loaf into a memorable brunch centerpiece by slicing thick pieces and arranging them on a pretty platter. For grab-and-go treats, cut the bread into mini squares and dust with powdered sugar. Or, make a decadent bread pudding by cubing leftover slices and baking them with a rich vanilla custard—it’s a brilliant second act for any leftovers.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Keep any leftover Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread Recipe in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The loaf stays moist (thanks, bananas!), and the flavors are even better on day two. If you need to stretch its lifespan a little, tucking it in the fridge keeps things fresh for up to a week.

Freezing

This bread freezes beautifully—slice it up, wrap individual pieces in plastic, then stash them in a freezer-safe bag or container. That way, you can grab a single slice whenever a craving strikes, and it’ll still taste bakery-fresh.

Reheating

Warm a slice in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to revive that just-baked aroma and soften the glaze. For the ultimate cozy treat, toast a piece briefly in a toaster oven and enjoy the slightly crisp edges and melty swirl.

FAQs

Can I swap oil for melted butter in the Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread Recipe?

Absolutely! Both work well, but melted butter adds a richer, more decadent flavor, while oil will give you a lighter, moister texture. Use whichever you prefer or have on hand.

Do I have to use overripe bananas for this recipe?

Yes—the riper, the better. Bananas with lots of brown spots provide deeper sweetness and make the bread extra moist. If yours are just yellow, you can ripen them in a paper bag overnight.

Can I add nuts or chocolate chips to the Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread Recipe?

Definitely! Roughly chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips mix in easily after the batter comes together. They add wonderful texture and little surprise pockets of crunch or chocolate.

How do I know when the banana bread is perfectly baked?

The classic toothpick test is your best friend—just insert it into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (but no raw batter), your Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread Recipe is done.

What’s the best way to drizzle the glaze?

Let the loaf cool completely, then use a spoon or small whisk to drizzle the glaze back and forth over the top. For bakery-worthy lines, scoop some glaze into a plastic bag, snip off the corner, and pipe it on for neat zigzags!

Final Thoughts

I can’t tell you how much joy this Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread Recipe brings to every table it graces. It’s that perfect sweet treat that bridges breakfast and dessert in the most delightful way. If you’ve never tried swirled banana bread before, let this recipe be your first—you’ll love every warmly spiced, moist, utterly irresistible bite!

Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.7 from 19 reviews

Author: Emma
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf (8–10 slices) 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Indulge in the delightful combination of a classic banana bread with a cinnamon roll twist in this easy-to-make and satisfying Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread recipe. Moist, flavorful, and topped with a sweet glaze, this treat is perfect for breakfast or as a dessert.

Ingredients

Scale

Banana Bread:

3 ripe bananas (mashed)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon Swirl:

1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons melted butter

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1–2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

Preheat the oven: Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a loaf pan.
Mix wet ingredients: In a bowl, combine mashed bananas, eggs, sugars, oil, milk, and vanilla.
Combine dry ingredients: In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet ingredients.
Make cinnamon swirl: Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.
Layer and bake: Layer batter and cinnamon swirl in the pan. Bake for 50–60 minutes.
Add glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Drizzle over cooled bread.